I started these after I finished Seth's blanket. I like them, really I do. The hair is gorgeous. I found the pattern for the hair in an image search that brought up a blog by
PinkMambo and a mermaid roundup. Unfortunately the link was broken. But Ravelry saves the day. The pattern is archived.
Mermaid Houseguest by Brenda K.B. Anderson. I'd already had most of my doll done when I found this. My dolls are intended for toddlers and I didn't want loose yarn hair but something 'flowing' for the mermaids. It does use a lot of yarn so make sure you have a whole skein. But then as I made more dolls. I needed 2 for the twins and wanted one for ME, I separated the hair 'cap' out of the pattern and made that first. Then you can add the strands of hair in any and all colors you choose. Mine is the one with the multi colored hair. I was able to use green scraps and threw in a few contrasting colors. The second doll I added one or two strands in a different shade of the original color. I also worked the tail fins different as I refined the design to something I liked. The tail technique was similar to a baby mermaid tail bunting I had made and also close to the Houseguest pattern.
They are intended for twins hence the color reversal
Off all the colors I don't like the purple. There is even a peach and a yellow that look fine. The purple just ..ehh
Left to right the evolution of the tail fin. The houseguest pattern was closest to the blue one. The one I finally liked, the peach, skips 2 stitches on the end and has a second sc2tog right after the first.
Yes mine has boobs, that are pinned on. The peach was also a finer yarn so the body has that weird line were the others flow smoothly into the tail at the hips. Those are extended stitchs btw. And none of them have faces! And they still don't . they were supposed to be Easter gifts. <shrug> I cant find anything I like and is suitable for toddlers. I'll most likely go with simple embroidery eyes and lips.
Edit:Eyes