Mermaid Tail pattern

One skein red heart medium weight (4)

J hook 6.00 mm

row 1:  ch 4, in the first stitch (4th ch from hook),  dc 9 and sl st into 3rd chain.

row 2: turn work, ch 1, dc 5 down the post of the first dc, then up the next dc post, ch 1, skip 3 st, repeat until around, ch 1 and sl st into first ch to finish the row. (2 scales)

row 3: ch 3, turn work, dc 2 into each st for a total of 19 st (ch3 counts at the 20th st). sl st into chain.

row 4: turn work, ch 1, dc 5 down the post of the first dc, then up the next dc post, ch 1, skip 3 st, repeat until around and sl st into first ch to finish the row. (4 scales)

row 5: ch 3, turn work, dc 1 into each st for a total of 19 st (ch3 counts at the 20th st).

row 6: turn work, ch 1, dc 5 down the post of the first dc, then up the next dc post, ch 1, skip 3 st, repeat until around, ch 1 and sl st into first ch to finish the row. (4 scales)

row 7: ch 3, turn work, dc 2 into 1st st, dc 1 into next st, and continue the pattern for a total of 29 st (ch3 counts at the 30th st). sl st into ch.

row 8: turn work, ch 1, dc 5 down the post of the first dc, then up the next dc post, ch 1, skip 3 st, repeat until around, ch 1 and sl st into first ch to finish the row. (6 scales)

row 9: ch 3, turn work, dc 1 into each st for a total of 29 st (ch3 counts at the 30th st). sl st into ch. 

row 10: turn work, ch 1, dc 5 down the post of the first dc, then up the next dc post, ch 1, skip 3 st, repeat until around and sl st into first ch to finish the row. (6 scales)

row 11: ch 3, turn work, dc 1 into each st for a total of 29 st (ch3 counts at the 30th st). sl st into ch. 

row 12: turn work, ch 1, dc 5 down the post of the first dc, then up the next dc post, ch 1, skip 3 st, repeat until around and sl st into first ch to finish the row. (6 scales)

row 13: ch 3, turn work, dc 2 into 1st st, dc 1 into next 2 st, and continue the pattern for a total of 39 st (ch3 counts at the 40th st). sl st into ch.

row 14: turn work, ch 1, dc 5 down the post of the first dc, then up the next dc post, ch 1, skip 3 st, repeat until around and sl st into first ch to finish the row. (8 scales)

row 15: ch 3, turn work, dc 1 into each st for a total of 39 st (ch3 counts at the 40th st). sl st into ch. 

row 16: turn work, ch 1, dc 5 down the post of the first dc, then up the next dc post, ch 1, skip 3 st, repeat until around and sl st into first ch to finish the row. (8 scales)

row 17: ch 3, turn work, dc 1 into each st for a total of 39 st (ch3 counts at the 40th st). sl st into ch. 

row 18: turn work, ch 1, dc 5 down the post of the first dc, then up the next dc post, ch 1, skip 3 st, repeat until around and sl st into first ch to finish the row. (8 scales)

row 19: ch 3, turn work, dc 2 into 1st st, dc 1 into next 3 st, and continue the pattern for a total of 49 st (ch3 counts at the 50th st). sl st into ch.

row 20: turn work, ch 1, dc 5 down the post of the first dc, then up the next dc post, ch 1, skip 3 st, repeat until around and sl st into first ch to finish the row. (10 scales)

row 21: ch 3, turn work, dc 1 into each st for a total of 49 st (ch3 counts at the 50th st). sl st into ch.

row 22: turn work, ch 1, dc 5 down the post of the first dc, then up the next dc post, ch 1, skip 3 st, repeat until around and sl st into first ch to finish the row. (10 scales)

row 23-40 repeat rows (50 st on odds, 10 scales on evens)

row 41: ch 2, hdc into each st, slst to finish row.

row 42: ch 2, hdc around first post, hdc around back post and repeat pattern, slst to finish row.

row 43: ch 2, hdc into each st, slst to finish row.

For Draw String:

Ch 75

String through the middle hdc row around the waist of the mermaid tail.