Mermaid Tail Blanket

This is a comfy blanket for lazing around. Preferably knitted in soft fluffy yarns, changing colours throughout.
There is a gap at the tail end of the blanket so you can safely stand while you wriggle in and out of your mermaid tail.

3 sizes, Toddler, Child and Teenager.

This is knitted in the round for ease and speed, as you decrease more and more stitches you may want to change to a shorter circular needle, dpns or use the magic loop method. If you require help with any of these, click on each one as they are linked to a page which will give instructions.
I have also included instructions on how to knit with straight needles.

Materials

Roughly around 300-600g of super chunky yarn (3 strands of DK) it depends greatly on what yarn you use.
Size 7mm circular needle or 7mm dpns or 7mm straight needles
Size 6mm in the above
Tapestry or wool needle for finishing
Stitch holder
Stitch markers


Abbreviations

K - knit
K2tog - knit 2 stitches together
2x2 Rib - knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches
pm - place marker
Dec - decrease
Slm - slip the stitch marker onto the other needle
gst - garter stitch (knit every row)
Rep - repeat
Rem - remaining
Kfb - knit into the front and back of a stitch creating 2 stitches
Sts - stitches

(toddler mermaid tail)

Instructions

Cast on 80 (100. 120) sts
work in 2x2 rib for 6 (8, 10) cm
K40 (50, 60) sts, pm, k to end, pm
k for 10cm
Dec round - K1, K2tog, K to 3 sts before the marker K2tog, K1, slm, K1, K2tog, K to 3 sts before the marker k2tog, k1, slm

Work this dec round every 10cm until you have 64 (68, 72) sts left.

Work in 2x2 rib for 10 (12, 14) cm

Cast off 32 (34, 36) sts in rib pattern

Change to 6mm straight needles or dpns. You will now be working back and forth in gst

1. k2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (30 (32, 34) sts
2. k
3. Rep row 1. 28 (30, 32) sts
4. k
5. k14 (15, 16) sts, place rem sts on a stitch holder
6. k2tog, k to last sts, kfb
7. k
8. rep rows 6 and 7 twice more
12. kfb, k to last st, kfb. 15 (16, 17) sts
13. k 6 (8. 10) rows
Next - k2tog, k to last st kfb
Knit 6 rows more
Next - k2tog, k to end
Next - k
Next - rep these last 2 rows until 1 sts remains. Fasten off.

Follow the same instructions for the other half of the tail, remembering to reverse them.

Sew in all ends.

(teenager size mermaid tail)

To work on straight needles with a seam at the back, follow these instructions.

Cast on 80 (100, 120) sts

Work in 2x2 rib for 6 (8, 10) cm

K20 (25, 30) sts, pm, k40 (50, 60) sts, pm, k20 (25, 30) sts.

k for 10 cm

Dec row - k to 3 sts before the marker k2tog, k1, slm, k1, k2tog, k to 3 sts before the next marker k2tog, k1, slm, k1, k2tog, k to end.

Work this dec row every 10 cm until you have 64 (68, 72) sts left.

Work in 2x2 rib for 10 (12, 14) cm

Cast off 16 (17, 18) sts in rib pattern, k2tog, k30 (32, 34), k2tog, rib to the end, keeping pattern correct.

Cast off 16 (17, 18) sts in rib.

You are now working in the centre 32 (34, 36) sts, knitting in gst throughout.

Follow instructions as given for the pattern with a circular needle, from 1 to the end.