Hey there, craft enthusiasts! Are you ready for a delightful DIY project that will add some magical mermaid flair to your life? Today, I’ll be sharing a step-by-step guide to creating your very own dazzling mermaid doll. This craft is perfect for all ages and can be enjoyed throughout the year. Let’s get started!

To begin, you’ll need a few key supplies. You can easily find all the materials you need on Amazon (linked below), or if you prefer the convenience of an all-in-one package, I’ve put together Mermaid Doll Craft Kits in my Etsy shop.

Supplies Needed:

(Link to products on Amazon below)

• Yarn (For Hair and tail)
• 2 pipe cleaners (Skin colored might work best?)
• Face/Head Bead (I used ones sized at 0.787″ (2 cm) diameter)
• 6MM beads (1 Needed)
• 8MM beads (8 Needed)
• 10MM beads (1 Needed used for the mermaid stomach)
• 12MM beads (1 Needed – I colored mine, they are used for the mermaid shirt)
• Spaghetti/Long Oval Beads (1 Needed)
• Scissors
• String (if you want to make it into an ornament)

Or grab a ready-to-go kit with all these supplies from my PrintUnicorn Etsy Shop.

Instructions for making a Mermaid Yarn & Bead Doll:

Step 1:

Pick your yarn hair color (or mix together a few). Take your chosen yarn color and wrap it around an index card or your fingers so the strands are about 3 inches long/or 6 inches when one side is cut. Wrapped it about 13 times (if you do too much more or if it’s too thick, it won’t fit into the bead head well). If you want a string to hang your fairy, add a hanging string to the yarn hair now. Then take a pipe cleaner and fold it in half to find the middle. Wrap the pipe cleaner securely around one end of the yarn (and hanging string) as close to the middle of your pipe cleaner as you can, then twist to secure it around the yarn hair. Take a pair of scissors and cut the yarn on the opposite side.

Step 2:

Take your yarn pipe cleaner and the bead with the face. Thread both ends of your pipe cleaners through the top of the doll’s head and pull the ends as tightly as you can out the bottom.

Step 3:

Get the smallest wood bead (6mm) and put both ends of the pipe cleaner through it to make the doll’s neck.

Step 4:

Take the second pipe cleaner and fold it in half. Then separate the two ends of the pipe cleaner under the doll’s neck and put the middle of the new pipe cleaner between them, then wrap the neck pipe cleaner/mermaid arms to hold the tail pipe cleaner in place.

Step 5:

Take the 12mm (colored bead) & 10mm beads and put both ends of the new/longer pipe cleaner through them and push them up until they are right under the neck.

Step 6:

Add four of the 8mm beads to create the arm. Fold the extra bit of pipe cleaner near the hand part around the last bead to hold it in place and trim off any extra.  (Repeat those steps with the second arm.)

Step 7:

Bend each side of your tail pipe cleaner to the side so that the long bead will be able to slip on it and sit in the middle of the mermaid, kind of like pictured above.  Then take the long bead and slide it on one side of the tail pipe cleaner.

Step 8:

Take your tail yarn and wrap it so it makes 6″ segments, or 12″ when unfolded.  Wrap as many times as you want.  The more yarn you use the fuller your mermaid tail will be.

When you’re done wrapping clip one side of the yarn so you have 12″ strands for the tail. Put one strand aside to tie up the tail bottom later.

Step 9:

Set those 12″ strands over the middle of your mermaid, so the center of those strands is by your long bead. Bend the pipe cleaner around so that the long bead is under the mermaids body and push the other side of the pipe cleaner through the bead, so it have a pipe cleaner coming through each end of the bead.  If the pipe cleaner goes all the way through the bead you can clip off any extra.

Step 10:

Fold the top strands of tail yarn over and braid the tail in a 3 strand braid.  Start the braid looser at the top and pull the strands more tightly as you near the bottom. Stop braiding when you have about an inch of tail length left.  Take the strand of tail yarn you put aside and tie it in a knot about the bottom of the tail, securing your braid.

Step 11:

Trim off any extra yarn from the knot holding the tail, and even out any tail strands that seem long.

Step 12:

Enjoy your Mermaid!

Now that you’ve created your mermaid bead doll masterpiece, find the perfect spot for it in your home or give it as a sweet handmade gift. These sweet magical mermaids are so fun and unique and are sure to bring a smile to your face. So, grab your supplies, follow the steps, and make something magical. Happy crafting!