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LULU, the mermaid - Amigurumi Pattern

LULU, the mermaid - Amigurumi Pattern
4.8★ Rating
5-7 Hours Time Needed
4.0K Made This
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Intermediate Level

Ideal for those with basic crochet experience, featuring slightly more advanced stitches and techniques to expand your skills.

⏱️

Weekend Treat

Takes 5-7 hours, making it an enjoyable project to finish over a couple of days.

🧸

Cute Companion

An adorable friend to cherish, handcrafted with love to bring comfort and joy for years to come.

About This LULU, the mermaid - Amigurumi Pattern

This pattern teaches you how to crochet Lulu, a small mermaid amigurumi with a removable wig, decorative flower and wavy hem. You will work in spiral rounds and assemble separate pieces: head, hair pieces, arms, tail and fins. The pattern includes helpful photos and tips for stuffing, eye placement and sewing the hair parts.

LULU, the mermaid - Amigurumi Pattern crochet pattern - detailed view of completed project

Four colour variations and exact yarn amounts are given to reproduce the dolls shown. Detailed shaping, invisible decreases and finishing tips make the project approachable for experienced beginners.

Why You'll Love This LULU, the mermaid - Amigurumi Pattern

I absolutely love this pattern because it brings a little personality to every mermaid with simple shaping and charming details. I enjoy how the removable wig and decorative bun let you customise each doll easily. I love seeing the transformation when you model the eyes and add a soft blush to the cheeks. Making Lulu is satisfying because the construction is logical and the result is a sweet keepsake you can gift or display.

LULU, the mermaid - Amigurumi Pattern step 1 - construction progress LULU, the mermaid - Amigurumi Pattern step 2 - assembly progress LULU, the mermaid - Amigurumi Pattern step 3 - details and accessories LULU, the mermaid - Amigurumi Pattern step 4 - final assembly and finishing

Switch Things Up

I love how easily you can change the mood of this mermaid by swapping colours; try pastel tones for a soft nursery look or jewel tones for a bold display piece.

Change yarn weight to alter size: use DK or sport weight with a smaller hook for a tiny keyring version, or bulky yarn for a chunky cuddly doll.

I often add small felt accessories or tiny crocheted props — a little starfish, seashell bag, or a miniature crown makes each doll unique.

Swap safety eyes for embroidered eyes if making the doll for a baby or toddler to make it safer for little hands.

You can vary the hairstyle by crocheting longer hairstrands, adding braids, or creating a full flower crown instead of single flowers.

If you want a posable mermaid, insert thin wire into the arms before closing to create gentle, bendable limbs for display poses.

To create sibling sets, make several dolls in graduated sizes by adjusting hook size and yarn weight and arranging them as a family collection.

I sometimes embroider small patterns on the bustier or tail with contrast thread to add intricate detail and personal flair.

For a beachy look, brush the yarn ends of the wig lightly to create a tousled, beach-wave effect that pairs well with a seashell accessory.

Experiment with different eyes and expressions: moving the eye placement a round up or down, or adjusting the eyebrow angle, changes the personality dramatically.

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

✗ Skipping stitch markers during rounds can cause you to lose track of the start of each round; place a marker at the beginning of every round to maintain correct stitch counts. ✗ Stuffing too early or too tightly will distort shaping around the tail and head; stuff gradually and firmer where needed while keeping other areas looser to retain shape. ✗ Forgetting to change colour at the specified round results in uneven colour lines; change the colour at the end of the previous stitch as instructed and finish the stitch with the new yarn. ✗ Not counting stitches after increases and decreases may lead to incorrect shaping and difficult finishing; count your stitches every few rounds and especially after shaping rounds to ensure correctness.

LULU, the mermaid - Amigurumi Pattern

Make your own sweet Lulu mermaid with this detailed crochet pattern. You will find clear step-by-step rounds and assembly tips so you can create a charming handmade mermaid. This pattern covers head, hair, arms, tail and decorative details with colour suggestions for four doll variations. Perfect for gifting or decorating, you will enjoy shaping and sewing every little detail.

Intermediate 5-7 Hours

Materials Needed for LULU, the mermaid - Amigurumi Pattern

— Main Fabric

  • 01
    Cotton yarn in six different colours (115 yard / 50g) - Skin tone / colour A (25 g)
  • 02
    Cotton yarn - Hair / colour B (15 g)
  • 03
    Cotton yarn - Tail fin / colour C (17 g)
  • 04
    Cotton yarn - Wavy hem / colour D (small amount)
  • 05
    Cotton yarn - Flower / colour E (small amount)
  • 06
    Cotton yarn - Bustier / colour F (small amount)

— Tools Required

  • 01
    Crochet hook size 2.5 mm
  • 02
    Safety eyes 8 mm (for dolls 2 and 3) or 9 mm (for dolls 1 and 4)
  • 03
    Sharp sewing needle for sewing and embroidering
  • 04
    Thin cotton yarn in black or brown for the eyebrows
  • 05
    White cotton yarn for the white of the eye
  • 06
    Polyfiber fill
  • 07
    Pins
  • 08
    Scissors
  • 09
    Pink blush for cheeks and the flower
  • 10
    Optional: stitch marker
  • 11
    Optional: thin sewing yarn (especially in the colour of the hair) to sew on the hair strands
  • 12
    Optional: foam curler to stabilize the head

Progress Tracker

0% Complete

— Head :

Round 1 :

rnd 1: 6 sc into a MR (6)

Round 2 :

rnd 2: inc x 6 (12)

Round 3 :

rnd 3: (1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)

Round 4 :

rnd 4: 1 sc, inc, (2 sc, inc) x 5, 1 sc (24)

Round 5 :

rnd 5: (3 sc, inc) x 6 (30)

Round 6 :

rnd 6: 2 sc, inc, (4 sc, inc) x 5, 2 sc (36)

Round 7 :

rnd 7: (5 sc, inc) x 6 (42)

Round 8 :

rnd 8: 3 sc, inc, (6 sc, inc) x 5, 3 sc (48)

Round 9-18 :

rnds 9-18: 48 sc (48) (10 rounds)

Info :

Attach the eyes between rnd 16 & 17, with a distance of 11 visible stitches.

Round 19 :

rnd 19: 3 sc, dec, (6 sc, dec) x 5, 3 sc (42)

Round 20 :

rnd 20: (5 sc, dec) x 6 (36)

Round 21 :

rnd 21: 2 sc, dec, (4 sc, dec) x 5, 2 sc (30)

Round 22 :

rnd 22: (3 sc, dec) x 6 (24)

Round 23 :

Rnd 23: 1 sc, dec, (2 sc, dec) x 5, 1 sc (18)

Info :

Start to stuff the head with polyfiber.

Round 24 :

Rnd 24: (1 sc, dec) x 6 (12)

Info :

Finish the head with 1 sl st, fasten off and cut the yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing onto the body later. Continue to stuff the head, especially in the neck area (if you use a piece of a foam curler to stabilize the head which is explained later, you can leave the neck area unfilled). The head should be filled evenly without any bulges and it should have a complete round form. But also be aware to not fill too much. When you notice that the stitches stretch and the holes between them get bigger so you can see the polyfiber fill through them, then you have stuffed too much. In this case remove some of it.

— Hair wig :

Round 1 :

rnd 1: 6 sc into a MR (6)

Round 2 :

rnd 2: inc x 6 (12)

Round 3 :

rnd 3: (1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)

Round 4 :

rnd 4: 1 sc, inc, (2 sc, inc) x 5, 1 sc (24)

Round 5 :

rnd 5: (3 sc, inc) x 6 (30)

Round 6 :

rnd 6: 2 sc, inc, (4 sc, inc) x 5, 2 sc (36)

Round 7 :

rnd 7: (5 sc, inc) x 6 (42)

Round 8 :

rnd 8: 3 sc, inc, (6 sc, inc) x 5, 3 sc (48)

Round 9-15 :

rnds 9-15: 48 sc (48) (7 rounds)

Round 16 :

rnd 16: 3 sc, dec, (6 sc, dec) x 5, 3 sc (42)

Info :

Finish the work with 1 sl st, fasten off and cut the yarn. Sew the thread inside of the wig. (If the doll is for a smaller child, you can sew the wig onto the head.)

— Hairstrand (make 2) :

Info :

Crochet in rows. Colour B. Crochet ch 20, turn the chain. (20)

Round 1 :

r 1: start into the 3rd chain from hook and crochet dc inc (36)

Info :

Cut the yarn and pull it through the loop.

— Bun (make 2) :

Round 1 :

rnd 1: 6 sc into a MR (6)

Round 2 :

rnd 2: inc x 6 (12)

Round 3 :

rnd 3: (1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)

Round 4 :

rnd 4: 1 sc, inc, (2 sc, inc) x 5, 1 sc (24)

Round 5 :

rnd 5: 24 sc (24)

Round 6 :

rnd 6: 1 sc, dec, (2 sc, dec) x 5, 1 sc (18)

Round 7 :

rnd 7: dec x 9 (9)

Info :

Finish the work with 1 sl st, fasten off and leave a long thread to sew the bun onto the hair later. Stuff the bun slightly.

— Ear (make 2) (optional) :

Info :

Mostly I make my dolls without ears but if you prefer your doll with ears, you can crochet it this way: Crochet 3 sc into a MR. Cut the yarn and pull it through the loop. At the end pull the initial thread slightly to close the MR.

— Arm (make 2) :

Round 1 :

rnd 1: 6 sc into a MR (6)

Round 2 :

rnd 2: (2 sc, inc) x 2 (8)

Round 3-17 :

rnds 3-17: 8 sc (8) (15 rounds)

Info :

Do not stuff the arm. Flatten the arm and crochet both sides together with 3 sc. Cut the yarn, leaving a long thread, and fasten off.

— Tail & Body :

Info :

Crochet in spiral rounds from the bottom of the tail up to the body. Colour A and C. Start with colour C. Start to fill the tail very early as you go. At the bottom fill it very loose but fill it more tense the wider the tail gets.

Round 1 :

rnd 1: 6 sc into a MR (6)

Round 2 :

rnd 2: (1 sc, inc) x 3 (9)

Round 3 & 4 :

rnds 3&4: 9 sc (9) (2 rounds)

Round 5 :

rnd 5: (2 sc, inc) x 3 (12)

Round 6 :

rnd 6: dec, 4 sc, inc, 5 sc (12)

Round 7 :

rnd 7: (3 sc, inc) x 3 (15)

Round 8 :

rnd 8: dec, 6 sc, inc, 6 sc (15)

Round 9 :

rnd 9: (4 sc, inc) x 3 (18)

Round 10 :

rnd 10: dec, 7 sc, inc, 8 sc (18)

Round 11 :

rnd 11: (5 sc, inc) x 3 (21)

Round 12 :

rnd 12: dec, 9 sc, inc, 9 sc (21)

Round 13 :

rnd 13: (6 sc, inc) x 3 (24)

Round 14 :

rnd 14: dec, 10 sc, inc, 11 sc (24)

Round 15 :

rnd 15: (7 sc, inc) x 3 (27)

Round 16 :

rnd 16: dec, 12 sc, inc, 12 sc (27)

Round 17 :

rnd 17: (8 sc, inc) x 3 (30)

Round 18 :

rnd 18: dec, 13 sc, inc, 14 sc (30)

Round 19 :

rnd 19: (9 sc, inc) x 3 (33)

Round 20 :

rnd 20: dec, 15 sc, inc, 15 sc (33)

Round 21 :

rnd 21: (10 sc, inc) x 3 (36)

Round 22 & 23 :

rnds 22&23: dec, 16 sc, inc, 17 sc (36) (2 rounds)

Round 24-26 :

rnds 24-26: 36 sc (36) (3 rounds)

Round 27 :

rnd 27: (10 sc, dec) x 3 (33)

Info :

Colour change to colour A.

Round 28 :

rnd 28: 33 sc, into BLO! (33)

Round 29 & 30 :

rnds 29&30: 33 sc (33) (2 rounds)

Round 31 :

rnd 31: (9 sc, dec) x 3 (30)

Round 32 & 33 :

rnds 32&33: 30 sc (30) (2 rounds)

Round 34 :

rnd 34: (8 sc, dec) x 3 (27)

Round 35 & 36 :

rnds 35&36: 27 sc (27) (2 rounds)

Round 37 :

rnd 37: (7 sc, dec) x 3 (24)

Round 38 :

rnd 38: 24 sc (24)

Round 39 :

rnd 39: 1 sc, dec, (2 sc, dec) x 5, 1 sc (18)

Round 40 :

rnd 40: (1 sc, dec) x 6 (12)

Info :

Finish the work with 1 sl st, cut the yarn and fasten off. Sew the thread carefully.

— Fin (make 2) :

Round 1 :

rnd 1: 6 sc into a MR (6)

Round 2 :

rnd 2: 6 sc (6)

Round 3 :

rnd 3: (1 sc, inc) x 3 (9)

Round 4 :

rnd 4: 1 sc, inc, (2 sc, inc) x 2, 1 sc (12)

Round 5 :

rnd 5: (1 sc, inc) x 6 (18)

Round 6 :

rnd 6: 1 sc, inc, (2 sc, inc) x 5, 1 sc (24)

Round 7-14 :

rnds 7-14: 24 sc (24) (8 rounds)

Round 15 :

rnd 15: dec x 12 (12)

Round 16 :

rnd 16: dec x 6 (6)

Info :

Do not stuff the fin with polyfill.

— Wavy hem :

Info :

Colour D. Take the yarn and make a standing sc into the first front loop of rnd 28 of the tail. Continue as follows: (skip 2 sts, 5 dc into a st, skip 2 sts, 1 sc into a st) x 5 (in the last unit just skip only 1st, so that you achieve 6 waves all around). Crochet 1 sl st into the first sc of the previous round. Cut the yarn, fasten off and sew both threads carefully.

— Flower in the hair :

Info :

Colour E. Start with a MR (leave a long starting yarn tail). (1 sc, ch 2, 1 sc into 2nd chain from hook) x 5. Sl st into the first st. Cut the yarn and fasten off by pulling the tail of yarn until the MR is closed. Sew the thread. With pink blush and a brush paint the centre of the flower with a pink dot. Alternatively you can crochet several flowers to make a flower crown across the hair line (as you can see on doll 3).

— Modelling the eyes :

Info :

After you have crocheted all body parts, you can now start to shape the eyes with bringing the eyes inwards. Take a sharp sewing needle and a long thread of colour A. Pull both ends of the thread through the head very close to the eye and bring them out at the head opening. Take one of the thread ends and repeat the same with the second eye. Pull on both thread ends as tight as possible until the eyes move inwards. Knot both ends very tightly. At the end stuff both threads into the head. If necessary you can now add some more stuffing into the head with the help of the end of the crochet hook.

— White of the eye :

Info :

Once the eyes have been modelled, you can add the white of the eyes to the outer edge of the eye. Use a long cotton thread in a white colour and embroider a small stitch at the outer part of the eye. Repeat these steps on the second eye as well. Knot the ends at the bottom of the head and stuff the threads into the head.

— Eyebrows :

Info :

Take a thin sewing or embroidering yarn in colour black or brown and a thin sharp needle. Embroider the eye brows 2 rounds above the eye, diagonally over 1,5 stitches. (or alternatively as you can see at doll 4 embroidered directly over the eye, diagonally over 2,5 stitches).

— Nose :

Info :

For embroidering the nose cut a long tail from colour A. Between rnd 16 and 17 you can embroider 2 horizontal stripes, running over 2-3 sts. Don’t sew the thread but wrap it with the needle tightly around the horizontal stripes.

— Sewing the hair parts (plus optional the ears) :

Info :

Put the hair wig onto the head of your mermaid. Be sure that it is symmetrical around the head and at the right distance from the eyes. If the doll will be played by a small child, you can now sew the wig onto the head with some sts. Otherwise it’s not necessary to sew it as the wig is quite tight on the head. In this case just sew the thread carefully. Now you place the 2 hairstrands symmetrically across the hairline and pin them. For sewing them you can either use one of the remaining threads or a thin sewing thread and a thinner needle. But be sure to take a very long sewing needle which makes it easier for you (for reference: my needle is about 6-7 cm long). Start to sew the first strand beginning at the top downwards, ending approximately at the level of the eyes. Make the same with the 2nd hair strand on the other side of the head.

Info :

Now sew both buns. Position them below the hair strands at the hair line and fix them with pins. Sew them around all 9 sts from the last rnd of the bun. Sew the thread carefully.

Info :

If you have chosen to crochet the ears, you can now sew them at eye level directly next to the hair line. Use both threads of the ear above and below for sewing. Sew the threads carefully.

Assembly Instructions

  • Attach the head to the body by sewing the head opening to the top of the body securely using the long tail left from finishing the head; make small whipstitches and knot inside the body.
  • Position and sew the wig onto the head so it sits symmetrically around the eyes; if doll is for a small child, sew the wig with a few secure stitches around the hairline.
  • Place the two hairstrands symmetrically across the hairline and sew each strand from top downwards to finish near the eyes, using a long sewing needle for easier threading.
  • Sew both buns below the hair strands at the hairline, aligning the bun edge with the last round (9 sts) and sewing around all stitches to secure.
  • Pin the fin pieces to the bottom of the tail and sew them in place; make sure the fins are symmetrical and lay flat without stuffing.
  • Sew arms to the sides of the body at the appropriate rounds and angle them slightly forward; weave in ends and secure threads inside the body.

Important Notes

  • 💡Use stitch markers to keep track of the beginning of each round—this pattern is worked in spiral rounds so a marker prevents miscounts.
  • 💡Stuff the tail gradually: fill the bottom loosely and increase stuffing density as the tail widens to keep the correct shape without bursting stitches.
  • 💡When decreasing, make Invisible Decrease crochet stitches for a neater result and smoother shaping.

This Lulu mermaid pattern is a delightful project for makers who love cute, handcrafted toys. It includes full round-by-round instructions, colour codes for four charming variations, and helpful finishing tips to get the sweetest results. Create a set of mermaids or personalise one as a special gift—happy crocheting! 🧶 🐚

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we answer.

FAQs

What size will the finished piece be?

When using similar yarn and the recommended 2.5 mm hook, the mermaid will be approximately 26 cm tall as noted in the pattern.

Can I use different yarn weights for this pattern?

Yes, but the final size and details will change; using a thicker yarn and larger hook will make a chunkier mermaid while thinner yarn will make a smaller one—adjust eye size accordingly.

Do I need prior crochet experience for this pattern?

This pattern is rated intermediate; basic knowledge of single crochet, increases, decreases and working in spiral rounds is recommended.

How long does this project typically take to complete?

Most crocheters complete this project in 5-7 hours, depending on experience level and the amount of detailing and assembly.

Are the wig and hair strands removable?

The wig can be left removable if you do not sew it down, but for dolls intended for small children it is recommended to sew the wig securely in place.