A Little Mermaid Skirt

I have been into mermaids lately. Call me a hipster if you like, but I like to think I liked mermaids before mermaids were popular. It started with an idea I heard several years ago, that all women with naturally curly hair were descended from mermaids. Curly hair requires quite a bit more moisture than straight hair, so all curly-haired creatures must have come from the ocean, right? (In case you couldn’t guess, I have naturally curly hair, as does Little Lovely.)

The netting pattern in this skirt was chosen for its resemblance to fish scales, and I designed it with a slit in front so that your little land mermaid can run freely in it without tripping on it. It’s also very stretchy, so although the hem will get higher as your mermaid grows, she can probably still wear this skirt for another summer or two before it no longer fits.

Sizes: 2T (4T, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16)

Skill Level: Intermediate.

Materials

• Cascade 220: 1 (2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3) skeins
• Size J crochet hook

Gauge: 12 sc and 12 rows = 4 inches.

Special Stitch: Picot. Ch 3, sl st in first ch.

Note: Pattern is written for smallest size with changes for larger sizes in parentheses.  To avoid confusion, it may be helpful to circle the numbers corresponding to your size before beginning this project.  When only one number is given, it applies to all sizes.

Skirt

Ch 69 (73, 77, 85, 89, 97, 101, 109).

Rnd 1. Sc in 2nd ch from hook and ea ch across. Join with sl st in first sc to form a ring.

Rnd 2. Ch 4; turn. Skip first 2 sc, *dc in next sc, ch 1, skip next sc; rep from * around. Join with sl st in 3rd ch of t-ch.

Rnd 3. Ch 1; turn. Sc in same ch as joining, sc in ea ch-1 sp and dc around. Join with sl st in first sc.

Rnd 4. Ch 1; turn. Sc in same sc as joining, picot, *ch 5, skip next 3 sc, sc in next sc, picot; rep from * around to last 3 sc. Ch 2, dc in first sc of rnd.

Rnd 5. Ch 1; turn. Sc in dc, picot, *ch 5, sc in next ch-5 sp, picot; rep from * around. Ch 2, dc in first sc of rnd.

Rnds 6-17 (6-20, 6-24, 6-27, 6-30, 6-30, 6-32, 6-34). Rep rnd 5.

Split for Knee: Worked without joining between rows.

Rows 18-20 (21-25, 25-29, 28-33, 31-36, 31-38, 33-40, 35-42). Ch 5; turn. Skip first sc, *sc in next ch-5 sp, picot, ch 5; rep from * across. Sc in last ch-5 sp.

Bottom Hem: Joined between rnds.

Rnd 21 (26, 30, 34, 37, 39, 41, 43). Ch 3; turn. 5 dc in first ch-5 sp, 6 dc in ea rem ch-5 sp across, 6 dc in ea ch-5 sp up and down skirt split; join with sl st in first dc in rnd.

Rnd 22 (27, 31, 35, 38, 40, 42, 44). Ch 2; turn. Skip first dc, dc in next dc, (ch 1, dc in next dc) twice, ch 1, *dc4tog over next 4 dc, (ch 1, dc in next dc) twice, ch 1; rep from * around. Dc2tog over last dc and same dc as joining; join with sl st in first dc.

Rnd 23 (28, 32, 36, 39, 41, 43, 45). Ch 1; turn. Sc in first ch-1 sp, dc in next dc, 4 dc in next ch-1 sp, dc in next dc, sc in next ch-1 sp, *skip dc4tog, sc in next ch-1 sp, dc in next dc, 4 dc in next dc, dc in next dc, sc in next ch-1 sp; rep from * around. Join with sl st in first sc in rnd. Finish off.

Waist Tie

Ch 98 (102, 106, 114, 118, 126, 130, 138). Finish off. Knot each end. Thread in and out of ch-sp in waist band of skirt.

Abbreviations

• ch (chain)
• dc (double crochet)
• ea (each)
• rem (remaining)
• rep (repeat)
• rnd (round)
• rnds (rounds)
• sc (single crochet)
• sl st (slip stitch)
• sp (space)
• t-ch (turning chain)
• tog (together)