Change pendants quickly and freely—even while you wear the necklace. My solution is a decorative strip that securely links to the pendant with a simple macramé knot, as explained in the pattern. Perfect for donut-hole pendants!
This Mermaid Chain is named after my favorite “donut hole” mermaid pendant, pictured. It turns out that I’ve accumulated several pendants that have this front to back hole, all in need of a crochet design just for them. The mermaid disk has been waiting in my bead stash for ten years!
Skill Level: Easy
Metal free (no experience with jewelry findings and tools is required). No weird stitches. Add complexity with novelty bead mixes or color combinations strung in special sequences. A fancier version of this pattern follows the simpler two-bead-size Mermaid Chain on page 5.
UK and Australian equivalents for American measurements, yarn weights, and stitches are included.
You’ll have the opportunity to learn these skills:
- How to combine simple crochet stitches to create a strong, symmetrical jewelry cord.
- How to add beads two ways so that they are equally visible from many angles.
- How to securely attach and remove a pendant with a closed crocheted strip.
Size
Pattern is written for a standard 22″ {55.9 cm} necklace length that fits over the head. Length is easily customized from a minimum length of 17″ {43.2 mm} to an unlimited maximum length. Lengths under 22” fit over most heads if pendant is added after donning the chain. See page 7.
Materials
Steel crochet hook: Tulip Size #2 {1.5 mm}.
Optional: a smaller hook size to pull a stitch loop through the hole of “Large” beads, if you’re using them; see Round Beads below. I used an antique size 13 hook that is labeled 0.75 mm.
Steel crochet hook sizing standards can be inconsistent among brands and from year to year. Use the brand and size that you normally use with size 10 crochet thread to make reasonably tight stitches.
Thread: Size #10, 100% mercerized cotton, about 8 yards {7.3 m}. Brands shown: Coats Opera for Selkie Braid; Manuela for Sandbar; DMC Cébélia for Stella Maris (on pages 2 & 6); Lizbeth for Summer Festival (page 6); Aunt Lydia’s Fast Five (metallic silver) for Shell Queen (pages 1 and 3).
Thread substitution advice: This thread thickness is sometimes called “bedspread weight”. Some brands make a slightly thicker #10. The Aunt Lydia’s Fast Five is labeled as the next thicker thread size #5, but it’s similar to a thick #10. All that matters is that you can string your beads onto it.
Seed Beads, two sizes (diagram provided in pattern):
- Size 6/0 seed beads (a.k.a. 4mm or “E beads”), about 80. Referred to as Medium beads in the pattern.
- Size 8/0 or 10/0 seed beads (a.k.a. 2.0-2.5mm), or any smaller size that will fit onto your thread and through the hole of your pendant, about 40. Referred to as Small beads in the pattern. These beads are used only for the pendant mount.
About the bead quantities: you’ll likely have beads left over for a 22″ {55.9 cm} finished necklace length. It’s best to string on more beads than you’ll actually use.
Larger Beads, optional: About 40. Referred to as Large beads in the pattern. Mine are 7 mm but you can choose any size. The only requirement is that you can pull three strands of your thread through this bead with a small steel hook or folded piece of wire. This optional bead type is used for the fancier version of the pattern that begins on page 6. Examples: Shell Queen and Stella Maris.
Pendant with a “donut” hole (front to back hole, not side to side; more examples shown on the last page). Hole must be large enough for a doubled length of chain stitches beaded with the small seed beads to pass through. This crochet necklace succeeds with heavy pendants and a range of hole sizes.
Notions: Stitch marker. Scissors. Yarn needle.
