For instance, This was the very first pattern I ever wrote. I wanted to do something different and colourful. With this crochet turtle pattern, you can learn many different type of stitches and create something unique.
Pin it now, make it later!
Crochet turtles are just the cutest. I love turtles, they are on my 5 most favourite animals list. Somehow they remind me of my grandfather. They are very calm, wise, quiet, and just loveable.
I mentioned it before, that I grew up in the middle of the city, until I was 7 years old. I had a few pets, which were all acceptable in a flat, like hamsters, and parrots, but the best I ever had was a turtle.
One day my mum was coming home from the shop, and in the middle of the road she found a little turtle wondering around. She got worried someone might step on him, so she picked him up and brought him home. It was so cool and unusual during the 80’s to have a turtle, as a pet. We named him something, like Quick Runner. I am Hungarian, so it is very difficult to translate the real words, but this is the closest to it.
So Quick Runner was a joy to have. We let him walk around the flat, to have a bath in our bath tub and we fed him with dried flies.
I don’t want to get into the details how Quick Runner ended up, to keep it short and gentle all I can say is that my mother is a very clumsy person and she never looks where she steps. Still today that is the case. For instance when she is around, we can’t leave anything on the floor. (Just a reminder here, she brought Quick Runner home, because she was scared someone might step on him)
By the time Quick Runner’s life ended on this earth, we already bought our house, so luckily we were able to bury him in our garden. It was 34 years ago, but every time I pass his resting place when visiting my mum, I say hi to him.
Quick Runner inspired me to crochet Lottie, this little turtle. I made her shell and top colourful, to represent the corals.
In a bonus, you can use the shell as a pin cushion.
The story of Lottie, the turtle:
Lottie is a very adventurous little turtle, who lives in a hot, sunny island with her family. She loves swimming in the cool sea and playing with her friends. She is very proud of her shell as she loves colours and flowers.
Caution!
Please be very cautious when you make toys for babies or children under the age of 3. If you sew parts on it, make sure they are secure and safe.
I recommend, to embroider the eyes, as the plastic safety eyes can be dangerous. My tutorial for embroidery eyes can be found here
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All Zita and Bunny designs are original. Sales of the finished items are encouraged, but please give credit to the designer. Copyright © 2021 by Zita Renata Elek (Zita and Bunny).All rights reserved. This pattern is for personal use only. No part of it may be reproduced, resold, translated, published, altered, shared or posted in any way. |
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Video tutorial:
Abbreviations:
sc – single crochet
inc – increase
dec – decrease
sc-inc – single crochet decrease
hdc – half double crochet
dc – double crochet
long sc – long single crochet
dc3tog – double crochet 3 together
dc4tog – double crochet 4 together
ch – chain
st – stitch
sts – stitches
sl st – slip stitch
MR – magic ring
(…) – repeat instruction for the amount of times given
Materials you need for this crochet turtle:
Affiliate links for the US:
1. Cotton yarn,
I used:
A: Scheepjes Catona – 212 Sage Green
B: Scheepjes Catona – 101 Candle light
C: Schachenmayr Catania – 423 Vintage
D: Scheepjes Catona – 173 Bluebell
E: Scheepjes Catona – 392 Lime Juice
F: Schachenmayr Catania – 433 Rose Gold
G: Safran – 10 Yellow
H: Scheepjes Catona – 263 Petal Peach
3. Safety eyes, 12mm
5. Scissors
7. Pins
8. Stuffing
9. Needle for sewing
10. Thread for sewing
11. 4 buttons – 12mm
Affiliate links for the UK:
1. CottonYarn:
A: Scheepjes Catona – 212 Sage Green
B: Scheepjes Catona – 101 Candle light
C: Schachenmayr Catania – 423 Vintage
D: Scheepjes Catona – 173 Bluebell
E: Scheepjes Catona – 392 Lime Juice
F: Schachenmayr Catania – 433 Rose Gold
G: Safran – 10 Yellow
H: Scheepjes Catona – 263 Petal Peach
5. Scissors
7. Pins
8. Stuffing
9. Needle for sewing
10. Thread for sewing
11. 4 buttons – 12mm
Arms: (make 2)
Use colour A
1: 5sc in a MR [5]
2: (inc) x5 [10]
3: (sc, inc) x5 [15]
4 – 6: sc in every st around [15]
stuff the arms up to this point, do not stuff the rest
7: (sc, dec) x5 [10]
8 – 18: sc in every st around [10]
Press both layers of arms together so that they lay flat on top of each other, aligning the stitches side by side. Sc together the opposite stitches. I put 4sc. Fasten off yarn on both arms and leave a long tail to sew
Legs: (make 2)
Use colour A
1: 6sc in a MR [6]
2: (inc) x6 [12]
3: (sc, inc) x6 [18]
4 – 6: sc in every st around [18]
7: (4sc, dec) x3 [15]
8 – 20: sc in every st around [15]
stuff the leg up to this point, do not stuff the rest
21: (3sc, dec) x3 [12]
22: sc in every st around [12]
23: (4sc, dec) x2 [10]
24: sc in every st around [10]
Press both layers of legs together so that they lay flat on top of each other, aligning the stitches side by side. Sc together the opposite stitches. I put 4sc. Fasten off yarn on both arms and leave a long tail to sew.
Head and Body:
Use colour A
1: 6sc in a MR [6]
2: (inc) x6 [12]
3: (sc, inc) x6 [18]
4: (2sc, inc) x6 [24]
5: (3sc, inc) x6 [30]
6: (4sc, inc) x6 [36]
7: (5sc, inc) x6 [42]
8: (6sc, inc) x6 [48]
9 – 11: sc in every st around [48]
12: (7sc, inc) x6 [54]
13 – 16: sc in every st around [54]
17: (8sc, inc) x6 [60]
18: 29sc, inc, 30sc [61]
19: 10sc, dec, 11sc, dec, (4sc, dec) x2, 11sc dec, 11sc [56]
20: (5sc, dec) x8 [48]
21: (4sc, dec) x8 [40]
22: (3sc, dec) x8 [32]
23: (2sc, dec) x8 [24]
insert the eyes between row 15-16, leaving 12 sts between them. Mark the nose, which is the increase in row 18. 2 rows above will be the middle point between the 2 eyes. Stuff the head firm
24: (4sc, dec) x4 [20]
25 – 27: sc in every st around [20]
28: (4sc, inc) x4 [24]
29: sc in every st around [24]
30: (5sc, inc) x4 [28]
31: sc in every st around [28]
32: (6sc, inc) x4 [32]
33: sc in every st around [32]
34: (7sc, inc) x4 [36]
35: sc in every st around [36]
36: (8sc, inc) x4 [40]
37: (9sc, inc) x4 [44]
Start stuffing the body
38 – 43: sc in every st around [44]
44: (20sc, dec) x2 [42]
45: (5sc, dec) x6 [36]
46: (4sc, dec) x6 [30]
47: (3sc, dec) x6 [24]
Stuff the body firm
48: (2sc, dec) x6 [18]
49: (sc, dec) x6 [12]
50: (dec) x6 [6]
Fasten off yarn, close the hole by weaving through the front loops only, then pull the yarn tight. Weave in the ends.
Assembling Lottie the Turtle
Sew legs onto the body, to row 41
Sew arms onto the body to row 29
You can embroider eyebrows between row 11-12, over 2 sts.
African flower top:
ch3 always count as a dc
Start with colour B
1: make a MR, Ch3, dc, ch1, (2dc, ch1) x5, sl st to ch3, fasten off yarn [12dc, 6 ch1 space]
2: Attach colour C into any ch1 space. (Ch3, dc, ch1, 2dc) into same space, (2dc, ch1, 2dc) x5 (into every ch1 space), sl st, DO NOT CUT YARN [24dc, 6 ch1 space]
3: Sl st into next stitch, sl st into ch1 space. Ch3, 6dc into same space, (7dc) x5 (into every ch1 space), sl st, fasten off [42dc]
4: Attach colour D with a standing sc into the 4th stitch (middle) of any set of 7dc. Sc in next 3 sts, long sc (into row 2), (7sc, long sc) x5, 3sc, sl st, fasten off yarn [42sc, 6 long sc]
5: Attach colour E, with a standing sc into any 3rd st from long stitch, sc-ch1-sc into next stitch, (sc in next 7sts, sc-ch1-sc)x5, sc in next 6sts. DO NOT SL ST
6: Sc in next 2sts, (sc-ch1-sc in ch1 space, sc in next 9 sts) x2,
ch19, starting from 9th st from hook, sc in next 11sts, skip ch1 space, sc into next 9sts
(Ch20, starting from 9th ch from hook, sc into next 12sts, skip ch1 space, sc in next 9sts) x2
Ch19, starting from 9th ch from hook, sc in next 11 sts, skip ch1 space, sc into next 7sts, Sl st, fasten off, weave in the end.
Outer Shell:
Ch3 count as a dc, ch2 count as a hdc
1: Using colour F, start with a MR, ch3, 11dc into ring, sl st to ch3, fasten off [12dc]
2: Attach colour G between any two dc. Ch3, dc in same space, 2dc into next 11 spaces. Sl st to ch3, fasten off. [24dc]
3: Attach yarn E between any two set of 2dc-s. Ch3, dc3tog into same space, (ch2, dc4tog into next space) x11, ch2, sl st to top of first dc4tog, fasten off. [12 dc4tog, 24ch]
4: Attach colour C in any ch2 space, Ch3, 4dc in same space, (5dc in next space) x11, sl st to ch3, fasten off [60dc]
5: Attach colour B into any st, Ch2, hdc in next 59 sts, sl st to ch2, fasten off [60dc]
6: Attach colour D into any st, with a standing sc, sc in next 59sts. DO NOT SL ST, keep working in continuous rounds from now on. [60sc]
7 – 9: sc in every st around [60sc]
In row 9, mark stitch 8, 18, 31, 42.These indicate where the buttons will be placed later on.
10 – 11: sc in every st around, sl st to 1st sc, fasten off yarn [60sc]
Sew buttons on, where stitch markers indicate.
Inner Shell:
Use colour H
1: 6sc in a MR [6]
2: (inc) x6 [12]
3: (sc, inc) x6 [18]
4: (2sc, inc) x6 [24]
5: (3sc, inc) x6 [30]
6: (4sc, inc) x6 [36]
7: (5sc, inc) x6 [42]
8: (6sc, inc) x6 [48]
9: (7sc, inc) x6 [54]
10: (8sc, inc) x6 [60]. DO NOT slip stitch or cut yarn, continue working. [60]
11: Stuff outer shell. Holding inner and outer shell together, sc together the opposite sts, [60]
12: ch1, turn, (Sc, skip 2 sts, 5dc, skip 2sts) x10, sl st to first sc, fasten off
In bonus, you can even use it as a pin cushion.
Congratulation, you finished Lottie, the turtle!
I would like to see your finished crochet bunny, Snowball. Please share it with me on Instagram. You can find me as @zitaandbunny or click on this icon. 
