Tina & Nina Mermaid in Red Heart Amigurumi - LM6285 - Downloadable PDF

Tina & Nina Mermaid in Red Heart Amigurumi (LM6285) – Knitted Mermaid Doll Pattern by Nancy Anderson

Overview of the Project

This free, downloadable PDF pattern by designer Nancy Anderson guides knitters through creating an adorable amigurumi-style mermaid doll using RED HEART® Amigurumi yarn. The finished mermaid measures approximately 5½ inches (14 cm) tall not including the tail, and 7 inches (18 cm) tall including the tail, making her a compact and charming handmade toy or decorative accessory. The pattern is rated beginner difficulty, making it an excellent introduction to knitted amigurumi for those new to the craft.

What Is Being Made

The project produces a small, self-contained knitted mermaid figure — a classic amigurumi-style stuffed character complete with a body, head, and mermaid tail. The design is named Tina & Nina, suggesting the pattern may include instructions for creating two distinct mermaid characters or variations within the same PDF. The mermaid's whimsical proportions and colorful yarn make her ideal as a children's toy, gift, or collectible display piece.

Materials Required

• Yarn: RED HEART® Amigurumi, colorway 9695 Mermaid — 1 ball. This is a 4-ply (fingering/sport weight) yarn specifically designed for amigurumi projects, offering a smooth, consistent texture ideal for small-scale knitted figures.
• Knitting Needles: Susan Bates® 2.75 mm [US 2] double pointed needles (DPNs), set of 5. Double pointed needles are essential for knitting small circumferences in the round, which is the standard method for constructing amigurumi body parts.
• Crochet Hook: A small Susan Bates® crochet hook, used specifically for attaching the mermaid's hair rather than for any crocheted construction.

Yarn Preparation Notes

An important and unique step in this pattern involves preparing the RED HEART® Amigurumi yarn before casting on. Because this yarn is sold as a multi-color ball with distinct color sections, knitters are instructed to carefully separate the different color sections prior to beginning. The process involves:

• Pushing the center color out gently from the ball so it comes out intact.
• Cutting the yarn at each color change point.
• Carefully pushing the rings of color out of the larger ring and cutting each section.
• Winding each color into a separate ball to prevent tangling during knitting.

This preparation is a key organizational step that ensures smooth color management throughout the construction of the mermaid's various body sections, each of which may correspond to a specific color in the variegated ball.

Techniques and Construction Method

The mermaid is constructed using knitting in the round on double pointed needles — the standard technique for three-dimensional amigurumi. This method creates seamless, tube-like shapes that are stuffed and assembled to form the finished figure. Working on a set of five DPNs allows the knitter to distribute stitches evenly around small circumferences without the need for seaming.

• Knitting in the round on double pointed needles for seamless construction of body parts
• Shaping through increases and decreases to form rounded, three-dimensional forms
• Assembly of separately knitted components into the finished mermaid figure
• Hair attachment using a crochet hook to add decorative strands to the doll's head

Special Stitches

The pattern introduces one key special stitch used for shaping:

• kfb (Knit into Front and Back): An increase stitch worked by knitting into the front loop of a stitch as normal but not removing it from the left needle, then knitting into