The Mermaid Bow Band is a free Tunisian crochet bow pattern that is great for exploring how Tunisian crochet stitches work. The firm, dense texture creates a bow with good stability that could be used as jewellery, hair accessories, appliqués for homewares or clothing and trims for shoes and bags, plus so many other ways. Do let me know how you plan to use yours in the comments at the end of the page! I've included instructions for a cord to fasten it so you can use it as a hair ribbon curtain tie-back or choker. Perhaps you'll think of other uses too. Let me know in the comments at the end.
Mermaid Bow Band: Free Tunisian Crochet Pattern
Size: 9cm/3.5” tall and wide
Working method: The pieces are worked flat from the RS.
Requirements
30m/35yds of Main Colour (MC) King Cole Giza (100% cotton; 4ply/fingering; 160m / 175yd per 50g) or similar yarn
Optionally add small scraps of similar yarn as contrast colour (CC) approx 1m/40" for each stripe desired
Sample in: White 2190 (MC), Fondant 2292 (CC)
3.5mm (US E/4) hook. This doesn't have to be a Tunisian crochet hook or even a straight crochet hook as long as it has 3.75cm/1 1/2" of straight neck before widening but it will be easier for you if it has a pointy tip
Yarn needle and scissors
Abbreviations, Charts, Key and Special Stitches
Stitches in bold are shown in this video of Mermaid Bow Band first four rows
st/sts stitch/stitches
RS/WS right/wrong side
Fnd foundation
ch chain (0)
slst slip stitch (.)
tks - Tunisian knit stitch
FP - Forward pass
RP - Return pass
inc2 - increase 2 sts slip hook between front and back vertical bar of next st (as if doing Tunisan knit stitch), draw yarn through, under front vertical bar (as if doing Tunisan simple stitch), draw yarn through, again between front and back vertical bar of next st (as if doing Tunisan knit stitch), draw yarn through: 2 sts decreased
dec2 - decrease 2 sts slip hook under front vertical bar of next 2 sts (as if doing Tunisan simple stitch), between front and back vertical bars of next stitch (as if doing Tunisan knit stitch), draw yarn through all three sts in the usual manner: 2 sts decreased
decR - right leaning decrease, slip hook under front vertical bar of next st (as if doing Tunisan simple stitch), between front and back vertical bars or next stitch (as if doing Tunisan knit stitch), draw yarn through both sts in the usual manner: 1 st decreased
decL - left leaning decrease, Method 1 Using a second hook of similar or smaller size, skip 1 vertical bar, slide hook under back vertical bar of next st in the opposite direction to usual and then between front and back vertical bars of skipped stitch (as if doing Tunisian knit stitch), draw yarn through both sts in the usual manner and place loop on first hook: 1 st decreased
decL - left leaning decrease, Method 2 slip a darning needle or knitting needle from rear between front and back vertical bars of next stitch (as if doing Tunisan knit stitch in reverse), up and under back vertical bar of next st (as if doing Tunisan simple stitch), straighten needle so 2nd st lies above 1st st, slip hook through channel created by darning needle from front to back, withdraw needle, draw yarn through both sts in the usual manner: 1 st decreased
Standard return pass (RP): yarn over, pull through final loop of FP, yarn over, pull through loop on tip of hook and next loop of FP, repeat from for all loops of FP.
Pattern Notes
The bow is worked flat from the RS from one end of the tail to the second loop, then a second tail is made. The band is made as a strip for the choker or in two pieces from one end of the tail to the centre for the hairband.
The DecL decrease is a tricky stitch but provides a symmetrical result in the stitch pattern. There aren't many of them in the pattern so I think it's worth the extra time it takes. If having the stitches look symmetrical isn't important to you, you can work a DecR over the same two sts.
When you are about to change colour for the next row, work the final stitch of the previous RP with the new colour for a neat colour change.
I recommend that you read through the pattern before starting.
Method
Bow Tail Chevron End
See video in abbreviations section for the start of this section
With 3.75 mm hook, Ch 9.
Fnd FP: treating live loop on hook as loop for 1st ch, draw up loop in each remaining ch to end. 9 loops on hook
Fnd RP: For this and all following RP, work a standard RP. 9 sts
R1 FP: treating live loop on hook as 1st st, decR, 1 tks, inc2, 1 tks, decL, 1 tks. 9 sts
R2-R8: Repeat R1 seven more times, do not fasten off but continue to next section. Note: sample has CC as rows 3 and 4
Bow Tail Waist
R1 FP: treating live loop on hook as 1st st, tks in each remaining ch to end. 9 loops on hook
R2: Repeat R1 once more
R3 FP: treating live loop on hook as 1st st, [dec2, 1 tks] twice. 5 loops on hook
R4-R7: Repeat R1 four more times on these 5 sts.
R8: Inc FP: treating live loop on hook as 1st st, [inc2, 1 tks] twice. 9 loops on hook
Bow Body
R1 FP: treating live loop on hook as 1st st, tks in each remaining ch to end. 9 loops on hook
R2-R18: Repeat R1 seventeen more times.
R19: treating live loop on hook as 1st st, [dec2, 1 tks] twice. 5 loops on hook
R20: Repeat R1 once more on these 5 sts.
R21: Inc FP: treating live loop on hook as 1st st, [inc2, 1 tks] twice. 9 loops on hook
R22-R38: Repeat R1 seventeen more times.
Cast/bind off with slst, working between front and back vertical bars of each stitch (as if doing Tunisan knit stitch).
Second Tail
Work a second bow tail as far as waist R8 and cast/bind off with slst, working between front and back vertical bars of each stitch (as if doing Tunisan knit stitch).
Tie
Suggested cord length: 65cm/26” to use as hairband and doubled as a choker.
With CC, pull a tail 3 times as long as you want your cord to be from your yarn, without cutting it, make a slip knot at this point, and keeping the tail to the front and the yarn ball to the rear, place the slipknot on your hook.
Place long tail over your thumb and yarn from ball over your index finger, so the slip knot and hook are centred between them.
Lift the tail yarn by tucking the hook down and under it, moving toward the tip of your thumb and back upward to its original position between the index finger and thumb. You now have the slipknot and a loop of the tail yarn on your hook. Pull a loop of the main source yarn (over your index finger) through the 2 loops on your hook.
Repeat the step above until cord is the intended length.
Fasten off.
Finishing
Seam both pieces with RS facing along short straight edges. Weave in ends and block if desired (this will depend on the yarn used and the tightness of the stitches). With wrong sides together, seam the two narrow sections of Bow Tail Waist together diagonally across the narrow section, then seam the narrow section of Bow Body to that. Fasten off and weave in remaining ends. Wrap centre of Tie around narrow centre section of Bow and knot securely at rear.
Make it your own
This pattern should work well with other types of yarn that match the tension, although of course this can produce a different type of fabric, e.g. stiffer/drapier.
Make a larger or smaller version with different weights of yarn, using a slightly larger hook than the ball band recommends.
The bow can look equally good in a single colour or with each round in a different shade.
Make a bow with straight ends instead of chevron ends by working tks in each stitch without decreasing or increasing
How did it go?
I love to hear from anyone who uses one of my patterns to create a project. Any feedback you give about the pattern will help me develop future patterns that are easy to follow and it’s always exciting to see in-progress or finished projects created using my patterns. Use #mermaidbowband on Instagram and do tag me in your post or caption!
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