I made a promise a long time ago to someone that I will write up the pattern of this turtle and post it for free on my blog. That was years ago. Recently I discovered that I had lost the pattern for the original turtle that I made at least 4 years ago. So, I decided to not waste any more time and create a new one and this time write the pattern, take the pictures, and post it. And here we are! I hope you enjoy it.
COPYRIGHT: This pattern is intended for PERSONAL USE only. You may not sell or share the pattern in any form, or distribute it (full or partially), or post it on the Internet, or translate it into other languages.
You may sell the finished products created from this pattern. Any items for sale must state in the item description that they are based on ‘PinkMouseBoutique’ pattern and also include a link to my website (www.pinkmouseboutique.com).
The items you sell based on this pattern must feature only your own photographs. You do not have permission to use my photographs to help sell your work.
To download the PDF follow the link here: LITTLE MISS TURTLE
MATERIALS:
- Aunt Lydia’s size 10:
- Ecru
- Variegated thread
- Black (for eyes)
- Crochet hook, 1.5 mm (Clover Amour)
- Stuffing
- Plastic eyes (2 mm) – optional
- Clear tacky glue (if using 2 mm eye)
- Sewing needle
NOTE: For the step by step photos, I used Loops&Threads CAPRI yarn with a 3.75 mm crochet hook.
ABBREVIATIONS:
MR – magic ring
Sc – single crochet
Ch – chain
BLO – back loop only
FLO – front loop only
Trbl – treble crochet
Inc – increase
Dec – decrease
Sl st – slip stitch
RS – right side
PART 1: Shell – Top and Bottom
TOP SHELL
Use variegated thread of your choice.
Crochet in continuous rounds.
Round 1: (RS) mr, ch 1, 8 sc in the ring – 8 sts
Round 2: 8 inc – 16 sts
Round 3: (sc, inc) x 8 – 24 sts
Round 4: (5 sc, inc) x 4 – 28 sts
Rounds 5 – 7: 28 sc (3 rounds)
Round 8: in FLO (sk 1, 3 trbl in next, sk 1, sl st in next) repeat until the end of this round
You should have 7 shells at the end of Round 8.
Leave a long tail for sewing and fasten off.
BOTTOM SHELL
Use ecru thread.
Follow instructions of top shell until Round 4.
Round 5: 1 sl st in next 2 sts; end the round here
Leave a long tail for sewing and fasten off.
PART 2: Head and Legs
HEAD
Use ecru thread.
Crochet in continuous rounds.
Round 1: (RS) mr, ch 1, 8 sc in the ring – 8 sts
Round 2: 8 inc – 16 sts
Rounds 3 – 5: 16 sc (3 rounds)
Round 6: 3 sc, 5 dec, 3 sc – 11 sts
Start stuffing the head. Stuff firmly. You will need
to stuff a little more after Round 7.
Round 7: 4 sc, sc3tog (dec), 4 sc – 9 sts
Rounds 8 – 10: 9 sc (3 rounds)
Fasten off.
EYES: For the little turtle I used 2 mm plastic eyes. After I finished the head, I glued them on Round 4, 7 to 8 stitches apart using tacky glue.
For the yarn turtle, I used black yarn to sew the eyes. The positioning of the eyes is the same.
Pull the two tails through the same stitch at the back of the head (neck area). We will use those later to sew the neck to the shell so the turtle will stay up straight.
LEGS x 4
Use ecru thread.
Crochet in continuous rounds.
Round 1: (RS) mr, ch 1, 6 sc in the ring – 6 sts
Rounds 2 – 3: 6 sc
Fold the leg and crochet through the front and back stitch closing the leg (see picture). You should have 3 stitches left.
Fasten off.
Pull the yarn tails through the same stitch. Make a knot and cut the excess ends. Stuff the rest inside the legs.
PART 3: Assembly
We will start by sewing the legs and head to the bottom shell of the turtle.
Use the tail from the bottom shell you left earlier.
Refer to the diagram below when sewing the legs and head to the bottom shell.
When sewing the pieces together, the RS of the bottom shell should be turned towards you.
Refer to the pictures below.
………………RIGHT SIDE (RS)…………………………………….WRONG SIDE (WS)…………..
Sew in the FLO. The BLO will be used to sew the bottom and top shells together.
To sew the legs and head to the bottom shell, we will use the long tail we left after finishing the bottom shell. When you are not sewing body parts, sew through the stitches of the bottom shell to carry the thread. See pictures below.
Start by sewing one of the legs. You will need to sew the three stitches of the leg to only two BLO stitches of the bottom shell.
BLO stitches are left empty (see picture below). We will use them later to sew the bottom and top shells together.
Sew around for 2 stitches to carry the thread and then attach the head. You will be attaching 4 or 5 stitches of the front of the head (neck area) to only 3 stitches of the shell. Make sure the head is centered. Refer to the diagram on Page 6 and to the pictures below.
NOTE: The back four stitches of the head (neck area) will be attached to the top shell later.
Sew around for 2 stitches to carry the thread and then attach the second leg the same way you did the first.
Sew around for 4 stitches to carry the thread and attach the third leg.
Sew around for five stitches to carry the thread and sew the last leg.
Weave in the ends.
Sew the top and bottom shells together using the empty loops you left earlier.
Stuff the shell well before finishing.
NOTE: If you are making your turtle with yarn, make sure you are not over stuffing. If you over stuff the body, the turtle’s belly (bottom shell) will not stay flat and the turtle will not be able to stand straight on its own.
Sew the neck to the shell.
Use water to straighten the details you made earlier for the top shell.
And voila! You have made a tiny turtle!
I hope you enjoyed this pattern. Let me know in the comments below.
HAPPY CROCHET!
pinkmouseboutique.com 
Thank you very much 😃
Cristina Mussinelli
Inviato da iPhone
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Thank you so much for sharing your adorable pattern! What a cutie! I can’t wait to make a few! My granddaughter wants a purple turtle. Now, every time she says she wants a purple turtle, we all try to say, Purple Turtle, 10 times, really fast. So your sweet, little turtle has brought so much joy to our home even before we have made one! Thank you!
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Wish I could print this out. I could put it in my crochet bag. I don’t always carry my ipad
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Open in your system browser or share it to your Dropbox on your phone. You can also take pictures of the pattern directions! Hope this helps you!
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You can make screenshots and print it.
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Oh I HAVE to make one of these!
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It’s a tortoise actually!
Beautiful and oh-so itty bitty 😍
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Thank you! 🙂
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Really? 🙄
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I taught 2 of my great nieces to crochet and this will be a good pattern to share with them. Thanks for sharing it. We tried another pattern before but it was incomplete and they didn’t come out good. But reading thru this one I can see it’s all ther.
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I am happy you like it! I try to be as detailed as possible when writing a pattern. 🙂 If you have any questions as you and your great nieces are working on making your turtles, don’t hesitate to message me. 🙂
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I can’t follow it completely. Would love to see a video youtube of how to make it and put it together.
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Hello Lynn! A video is a great idea and if I had the time, I would do it. But for right now, I can only write up the pattern and take step by step photos. Let me know where you are having trouble and I will try to help you. 🙂
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Hi love the pattern. Could you please tell me what SK. In round 8 means. Just a novice but stuck on this. Thank you.
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Good catch! This should have been in the Abbreviations list but I guess I forgot to put it. 🙂 SK means skip
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I don’t understand round 5 of bottom shell. It just says “2 sl st”. Is that 2 sl st in each sc around?
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It means 1 sl st in next two stitches and then you end the round there. I hope this helps 🙂
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I’m making this now. Round 5 of bottom shell says 2 sl stitch. What does this mean? Two slip stitches for the whole round? A slip stitch in each sc around? Please explain. Thanks!
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Hi Kelli! It means you need to 1 sl st in the next 2 stitches and then you end the round. 🙂 I hope this helps
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I’m not sure how I’ve missed this the other times I have made one of your turtles, but round 7 of the head says 4sc, 3dc, 4sc. That isn’t possible with the 11 stitches from row 6. However, if you do 4sc, 3dc, 1sc it leaves you with 8 stitches. That’s what I have been doing every time, not sure who tho. lol
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Hi Kari! It isn’t actually 3 dec (decreasing 3 times) but it is sc3tog (meaning you will crochet the next 3 stitches together to decrease). The stitch count works. 🙂 Let me know if it’s still not clear and I will try to explain it better.
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Annnnnd now I know why I didn’t catch it before. I just read it wrong this time. Forgive me, I haven’t had enough coffee this morning. lol
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You are fine! No worries! I do that too. 🙂
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Im a little confused about round 6 for the head. How do I get 11sts from 3sc, 5dec, 3sc. And how do I finish the round? When I do it I only get half way around.
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Hello,
The round is correct. You are doing 1 sc in 3 sts, making 5 decreases, and 1 sc in last 3 sts and you get 11 stitches at the end of Round 6.
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Hi. I’m attempting your pattern but I don’t understand Round 8 of part 1. I’ve been crocheting for years but this is my first attempt at a trbl. When I look that up, it tells me to skip to the 5th stitch, but you don’t say that. So I (sk 1) and then I tried just making a triple crochet, and then (sk 1, sl st in next) just pulls the wrong way. I’m really confused. Any clarification would be great! Thank you!
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sk 1, 3 trbl in next, sk 1, sl st in next
Skip the first stitch of Round 8, make 3 treble crochet in the 2nd stitch, skip the 3rd stitch and slip stitch in the 4th. Repeat until the end of round. If the treble stitch is not working out for you, replace it with double crochet or half double crochet. The shell will be smaller but still pretty. 🙂 I hope this is helpful but let me know and I will try to explain better. 🙂
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I’m having the same problem. I came to the comments for help and I realized in her response it’s three treble crochets (not just one treble crochet) in the one stitch. I was doing one treble crochet and then moving on to the next slip stitch. I’ll try it with three and see if that helps.
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Thanks for such a timely design. These little tortoise are perfect for ones classroom. You have created the great practice reading buddies ever they are able to be put away once the reading events have take place maybe even different animals for different subjects.
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Thank you! I am so happy you like the pattern! I love the idea of the reading buddies! I am most definitely planning on making more cute and quick to make animals. Have you seen my polar bear design? That one would be perfect for any winter topics 🙂
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How long does it take to make these cute little guys?
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When you put a treble crochet, is that a UK turn for dc or is it really a treble? I’ve seen a lot of patterns that dont say which terms they’re using.
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US terminology 🙂 It really is treble crochet. Although you can also use the dc stitch there. 🙂
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Thanks for the cute little turtle pattern. I have got all the pieces made up and have sewn the head and legs to the bottom shell piece; but, when I start to sew the top shell it isn’t looking right. I see your head stays up right, where mine is more on a downward angle instead. Any idea’s what I’m doing wrong?
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Just sew the head to she shell. That’s what I did 🙂
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Thank you for sharing this pattern. We are staying home during the COVID-19 crisis and my children have started making little movies.They have an idea that features turtles prominently and need prop turtles.
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Hey, I’m new at crocheting so I was wondering when you said to sew the bottom and top shells together, what tail do I use? The one from the top shell or the tail I had still connected to the head?
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You can use the tail from either the top or the bottom shell. 🙂
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Hi!
Sorry, but I’m having a bit of trouble understanding how to finish off the leg (I’m still kind of new to crochet and I’m a very tactile learner, so everything sort of looks the same to me in photographs) – do I completely close it by working through all the pairs of front and back stitches, thus leaving only three stitches as specified above? I tried to do this, but then I couldn’t stuff the ends inside it as asked since it was completely sealed, so I’m assuming I’m misunderstanding something.
It’s a wonderful pattern, though, and I’d really like to finish it! Thanks.
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You are understanding it correctly. That’s exactly what you need to do. Then just pull the tails through the same stitch and tie a knot. Stuff the ends inside. I hope this helps. I am not sure how to explain it differently. 🙂
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Thank you, I’ve figured it out 🙂
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I love this pattern. Thank you. Made one and gave it to a friend yesterday, for her to keep in her bag and remember she is loved when she needs to. She has asked me to make another one for her daughter now, which will be my absolute pleasure. I want to make more!
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I am so happy that you enjoy making the little turtle and that your friend loves her gift! 🙂
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Thank you for this pattern. It is so cute. I made it with worsted weight yarn and it turned out great. I somehow got myself mixed up and the head ended up upside down 🤦♀️ so I just twisted the head around before attaching it to the shell.
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Hi! How is it that the neck stand up? Mine is rigid from the stuffing, but it lays flat like the legs do.
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The neck is sewn to the shell. The instructions for that are at the end of the pattern, so it’s easy to miss. 🙂
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I see where it says to sew it to the shell…are their directions on how to do that? Or is it just something most already know. The more amigurumi I make, the more I find I do NOT know lol! Thank you for replying!
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Good question. I didn’t write down any specifics. Just insert the needle through two spaces of the neck and through two spaces of the shell. I did that twice and pulled. Then I made a tight knot, cut the excess thread, and stuffed inside the shell. You just need to make sure to pull the thread tight, so the head and neck don’t hang but are close to the shell. I hope this makes sense. 🙂
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Yes, perfect sense! Thank you!! She came out a little wonky but my little girl loves her anyway 🐢 💕
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MR Is magic ring, but I don’t understand how it is made. I hope you can help me. Thank you in advance.
Barbara
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There are a lot of tutorials online. Here’s one I like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p298HxgsO1s&t=55s
I hope this helps. 🙂
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