I’m throwing my hat in the ring over at Sew Mama Sew’s Contest “Spectacular Softies Contest” This adorable little mermaid is made from Abby Glassenburg’s pattern at While She Naps.

This is a well designed pattern, with excellent easy to follow directions. She suggests using fleece for all of the parts, so that it is a child-friendly toy that can even be thrown in the washing machine.

My version is different in several ways. I choose to reduce the pattern size by 80% and make it out of natural materials. Everything is 100% cotton, except for the safety eyes, which I also purchased from Abby.

I cut the front tail and back tail in half vertically, then using some tear-away tissue paper for the patterns. I cut narrow strips of coordinating fabrics and sewed them at an angle to each of the 4 sections. This took the most time, but I think the result is more than worth it. 

I used coordinating fabrics for the fin and the bikini top and wool/rayon felt for the hair. The safety eyes just snap right on and make the little mermaid face so cute!

This is the second mermaid that I have made. My first was made, just before the cut off date for the contest, so she wouldn’t have been elegible. She is also just as adorable! You can read more about how I constructed the tail, midway through that post.

Little Maya with her sister

 Thumbs up for Little Maya the Mermaid! Wish her luck in the contest!