Crocheted Mermaid Tail Purse

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A couple of weeks ago I posted a crocheted mermaid tail pencil bag, and as I was making it I thought that a coordinating mermaid tail purse would be really cute, so I decided to make one.

I made this purse in the same way as the pencil bag for the most part, obviously with different stitch counts. I even used the same yarn, Red Heart Super Saver Stripes in the Parrot color way. I was able to get 2 pencil bags and 1 purse out of one skein of yarn.

It is made starting with the fin at the bottom and working up to the top of the bag. I finished it off with a crocodile stitch edging around the top, playing on the scales look and to give it a fun finish.

I made the strap long enough to be a shoulder strap. You could easily adjust the length to make a longer crossbody strap, or a shorter handle. The bag is the perfect size for a child to wear and carry all of their little treasures.

How to Crochet a Mermaid Tail Purse

You will need:

• 1 skein Red Heart Super Saver Stripes in Parrot Stripes
• H crochet hook
• yarn needle 
• scissors

Instructions:

You will start by making the fin, which is worked flat, then you will crochet across the top of the fin and begin working the pouch which is worked in the round, last you will make the strap at the top

Turning chains do not count as a stitch unless otherwise indicated

The crocodile stitch round (round 32) is worked with 4 dc on each side, normally it is worked with 5 dc, if you feel like 5 lays better feel free to adjust the pattern to 5 dc on each side

ch 12

Row 1: hdc in 3rd chain from hook, hdc in next 7 ch, sc in next 2 ch (8 hdc, 2 sc)

Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc in first 2 stitches, hdc in next 7 stitches, last stitch will be left unworked (7 hdc, 2 sc)

Row 3: ch 1, turn, sl st in first stitch, hdc in next 6 stitches, sc in last 2 stitches (6 hdc, 2 sc)

Row 4: ch 1, turn, sc in first 2 stitches, hdc in next 5 stitches, last stitch will be left unworked (5 hdc, 2 sc)

Row 5: ch 1, turn, sl st in first stitch, hdc in next 4 stitches, sc in last 2 stitches (4 hdc, 2 sc)

Row 6: ch 8

Row 7: turn, hdc in 3rd ch from hook, hdc in next 3 ch, sc in next 2 ch (4 hdc, 2 sc)

Row 8: ch 1, sc in first 2 stitches, hdc in next 3 stitches, 2 hdc in last stitch (5 hdc, 2 sc)

Row 9: ch 2, 2 hdc in first stitch, hdc in next 4 stitches, sc in last 2 stitches (6 hdc, 2 sc)

Row 10: ch 1, sc in first 2 stitches, hdc in next 5 stitches, 2 hdc in last stitch (7 hdc, 2 sc)

Row 11: ch 2, 2 hdc in first stitch, hdc in next 6 stitches, sc in last 2 stitches (8 hdc, 2 sc)

The fin is now finished and to continue you will work across the top of the fin (the sc side)

Row 12: ch 1, turn your fin so that you can work into the sides of the sc at the end of each row, there are 10 rows total each ending in a sc so you will be working into the sides of each of those 10stitches, sc2tog 5 times (5 sc)

Round 13: ch 2, working in front loops only hdc in each stitch, turn so that you can work into the back loops of those same stitches and hdc in each unworked loop, sl st to first hdc to join (10 hdc)

Round 14: ch 2, 2 hdc in each stitch around, sl st to first hdc to join (20 hdc)

Round 15: ch 2, hdc in each stitch, sl st to first hdc to join (20 hdc)

Round 16: ch 2, [2 hdc in first stitch, 1 hdc in next] repeat around, sl st to first hdc to join (30 hdc)

Round 17: ch 2, hdc in each stitch, sl st to first hdc to join (30 hdc)

Round 18: ch 2, [2 hdc in first stitch, 1 hdc in next 2] repeat around, sl st to first hdc to join (40 hdc)

Round 19: ch 2, hdc in each stitch, sl st to first hdc to join (40 hdc)

Round 20-30: ch 2, hdc in each stitch, sl st to first hdc to join (40 hdc)

Round 31: (this round is the base round for the crocodile stitch edging) ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in same stitch, ch 1, sk 1, dc in next stitch, ch 1, sk 1, [2 dc in next stitch, ch 1, sk 1, dc in next stitch, ch 1, sk 1] repeat around, slip st to first dc to join

Round 32: ch 3, 3 dc round the post of the first dc, 4 dc working up the second dc post, sl st in the next dc, [in next 2 dc work 4 dc down the first post, then work 4 dc up the second post, sl st in the next dc (single dc)] repeat around (10 "scales")

Round 33: ch 1, sc around working in each of the sl st (single dc from round 31), ch spaces from round 31, and in the center of each scale (between the 2 dc from round 31) , sl st to first sc to join (40 sc)

Finish off and cut yarn (or you can figure out where you will start the next step and sl st to that point)

Lay your bag flat and find the center point (on the fold of each side), You should have 5 scales on the front and the back, mark that center point and one stitch on each side of that center stitch, these are the stitches where you will be attaching the strap

Row 1: on one side work 1 sc in each of the 3 marked stitches (3 sc)

Row 2-87: (or until desired length is reached): ch 1, turn, 3 sc (3 sc)