Hi Readers and Crocheters!!
UPDATE BELOW with pattern.
Another quickie post for tonight, but I am writing this one up now. This pattern will be a FREE blog ONLY pattern.
This is a simple written and quick blog post on how to make up these adorable little snuggly sea turtles!! If you can crochet a circle, you can definitely make these!!
You will only need to know how to chain, slip stitch, sc, inc sc and dec sc for this pattern.
sc = single crochet
inc = increase single crochet (that is 2sc in the same stitch)
dec sc = decrease single crochet
See THIS POST FOR MORE ON WHAT THE SERIES IS ALL ABOUT.
I mean – don’t you just want to squeeze them all?
This post does contain affiliate links. I will get a small percentage from any purchase made through my page here, but your price remains the same. I appreciate any purchase made through my page as I can continue to offer free patterns here on my blog.
To get started read the post linked above and grab that yarn and your size J/6mm hook
I have used size 20mm safety eyes for these guys. With this type of yarn, if you are using safety eyes you need to make sure they have very large backs. The ones for these turtles had large metal backs. If not, one thing I do is cut a piece of plastic mesh and put it on before the back like below. Just make sure to cut off any jagged edges.
You will also need a yarn needle with an eye large enough for this size of yarn.
This is part of my Sweet Snuggles series for this summer and as such I am using Sweet Snuggles Lite yarn exclusively. This pattern should work with any other type of yarn that you would use for Amigurumi.
*For this type of yarn SHEDDING WHEN THE YARN IS CUT DOES HAPPEN. For that reason, I do choose to cut longer tails than when I use worsted weight type yarn. Also, with the shedding this is probably not the type of yarn to take “as you go” places. It does shed when CUT (not when you are finished working up the animals, but just where you make your cuts).
Also, do NOT PULL TOO HARD when making your knots. This yarn can break. But, even with those two drawbacks, the final result is just too adorable not to use this yarn. In every other way this yarn works up like a dream.
I have used my size J/6mm hook. For me, it is the one with this yarn that creates a nice gauge for stuffed animals. If you find that your piece is too “holey” you need to go down a hook size.
The feet and tail are not stuffed.
I am going to first give you the basic increase pattern (CIRCLE) that I use in my work up to round 6 because that is as high as I’ve gone for these:
*I do not join and chain but continue to work in the next stitch. You may want to use a stitch marker so you don’t lose your place.
Chain 2. (Or Magic Circle start if you prefer)
Sc 6 in the second chain from the hook and work over your starting tail.
Starting in the first sc make 2 sc in that stitch and in each stitch around. (12) *Still work over the starting tail. After getting done with all 12 sc for that round, pull the starting tail to cinch up the opening. You can now trim that tail or weave it in or just leave it if it will be on the inside of your work.
You may want to move your stitch marker to the last stitch of each round so you know when you get to the end.
Round 3: (sc in next stitch, 2sc in the next stitch) repeat (18)
Round 4: (sc in next 2 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch) repeat (24)
Round 5: (sc in next 3 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch) repeat (30)
Round 6: (sc in next 4 stitches, 2sc in the next stitch) repeat (36)
***************ORDER****************
I chose to make the feet first – then the tail – then the head and I used all the same color for those parts.
Then I made the bottom shell in the winter white color and the top shell in a different color. You can choose to make either the top or bottom shell FIRST BUT whichever piece you make LAST DO NOT CUT YOUR YARN since you will immediately slip stitch the pieces together.
Front Feet (make 2):
These are 6, 12, 18, 24 (Work through Round 4 above)
Once finished with round 4, fold the circle in half and crochet closed. You can miss the stitch that your hook is in and work a sc in the rest to close. Finish off and CUT A LONG TAIL
The Back Feet (make 2) are just a bit smaller so instead of starting with 6sc in my chain 2, I did 5sc and then 10, 15, and 20. So, follow the way the increases are done through round 4 above, but start with a 5sc in the starting chain to make the back legs smaller. You will have 10 sc after round 2 – 15 sc after round 3 and 20 sc after round 4. Crochet them together the same way as the front feet and leave another long tail after you finish off.
The TAIL starts with 5sc in your chain 2 like the back feet.
Round 2 is: (inc, sc 4) to get 6sc.
Round 3 is: (inc, sc) 3x to get 9sc
Rounds 4-5 are sc in each stitch around (9)(9)
Round 6: (dec sc, sc) 3x to get 6sc.
Crochet or sew the tail closed and leave a long tail.
The head is worked through round 5 above – so, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30.
Rounds 6-8 are a sc in each stitch around (30)(30)(30)
The eyes that I have used are 20mm and I put them in between rounds 4-5 with 6 holes between them.
You want to stuff the head, but do NOT overstuff the head because you want to shape it into a slight oval after you are finished.
The last 3 rounds are decrease rounds. You can choose to do an invisible decrease like for other yarn/amis, but I find with this yarn that it is not needed.
Round 9: (sc in next 3 stitches, dec sc) repeat (24)
Round 10: (sc in next 2 stitches, dec sc) repeat (18)
Round 11: (sc in next stitch, dec sc) repeat (12)
After round 11 you will crochet the head opening together, BUT make sure the eyes will face up before you do this. You may need to do another sc or more to get to the side you need to be on to crochet the head closed evenly. The next picture is the back of the head. Leave a long tail again.
For the bottom shell work through round 6 above and finish with a long tail.
For the top of the shell work through round 6 also, but then work 3 more rounds with no increases – so, (36)(36)(36) DO NOT FINISH OFF YOUR YARN. You will hold the pieces together and SLIP STITCH the top and bottom shells together. You can also choose to sc them together if you prefer. *You can see in one of my examples that I have done a SURFACE CROCHET slip stitch around the shell for decoration. If you are going to do this, you need to do this before attaching since you will need to hold the yarn under the inside of the shell. If you are not familiar with how to do surface crochet just find a video to help. You can also add some fun embroidery after you are done – like flowers.
YOU CAN SLIP STITCH THE TAIL ON AS YOU JOIN THE TWO PIECES. This can act as a guide to sew/attach the other parts. But, whether you slip stitch the tail or sew make sure you next put the head opposite from it. I sewed the head on both at the joining of the head to the body and then I took another row of sewing up a bit from that first row of sewing for extra support.
I chose to pull the tails of the feet into the body and tie them together instead of sewing them on. This created a little indention in the body. To do that I ran the tail into the spot where I wanted the front feet and came out under the head and for the back feet I came out under the tail. After pulling gently on them to “gather” them in a bit I tied the yarn in several knots and then ran it back into the body.
I attached the feet 2/3 stitches from the head and tail. Using the same color yarn for these parts makes my knots where I tied the feet together invisible.
And that is it!! You can make up a big handful in a single day once you get the hang of it. I know this pattern doesn’t contain all the little bits of details that some of my written patterns do so if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I check my Instagram daily so find me over there @theburgundybasket
Save this pin if you are coming back soon.
I have a new way for you to support my FREE PATTERNS!! I know many or most of you love supporting us makers – the truth is that is takes a long time to create a pattern and then write it and then edit it and get it proofed and tested – and then publish it – then you have to link it everywhere – it’s a lot of work, but us makers do what we do to share our love with you. And, if you have followed my blog, you may know that I do not run ads on my blog, so all my support comes from PDF purchases. Some of you don’t need to purchase the PDF of my patterns, but still want to say a quick Thank you – so, you can now support my blog and my work.
Peace and love and sea turtles, Kristi
