Crochet tutorial of a delightful turtle toy!

9 years ago

Crochet Turtle Toy

So cute, the colours, the body, the crochet!! ... all in it is wonderful!
A beautiful piece that will bring joy to kid's life. It could be used as an adorn, or as a cozy animal to play.
See how to make it.

75% Microdenier acrylic, 25% Merino wool; 3 oz/100 g, 185 yds/170 m ball):
#0004 Green Sheen (A), 1 oz
#0012 Foliage (B), 1 oz
#0015 Deep Taupe (C), 2 oz
#0020 Loden Forest (D), 2 oz
One size US G/6 (4.5 mm), or size to obtain gauge
Polyester fiberfill
3 buttons—3/8–1/2"/9–13 mm diameter
Yarn needle

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS:

Turtle measures approximately 8"/20.5 cm long x 4 1/2"/11.5 cm high x 5"/12.5 cm wide

GAUGE

In single crochet, using G/6 (4.5 mm) hook, 20 sts and 20 rows = 4"/10 cm.

STITCHES USED

Chain (ch), single crochet (sc), slip stitch (slip st)

SPECIAL TERM

Single crochet 2 sts together (sc2tog): Insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, (2 loops on hook), insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through all 3 loops on hook.

NOTES

Gauge is not critical for this project. Work stitches tightly to ensure that the stuffing will not show through.

Stuff head and body as you work.

Ch 1 at beginning of rows and rounds is not counted as a stitch.

The vest is optional. If you do not wish to make the vest, sew the shell directly to the body of the turtle.

HELPFUL

Leave a long tail when beginning rounds. Use the tail to close any center opening when weaving in the tail.

HEAD

With D, chain 2.

Round 1: Work 6 sc in second ch from hook; join with slip st in first sc.

Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around; join with slip st in first sc—12 sc.

Round 3: Ch 1, [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—18 sc.

Round 4: Ch 1, [sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—24 sc.

Rounds 5–8: Ch 1, sc in each st around; join with slip st in first sc.

Shape Neck

Round 9: Ch 1, [sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—18 sc.

Round 10: Ch 1, [sc in next st, sc2tog] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—12 sc.

Rounds 11–13: Ch 1, sc in each st around; join with slip st in first sc.

Round 14: Ch 1, [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—18 sc.

Curve Of Neck

Row 15: Ch 1, sc in next 16 sts; leave last 2 sts unworked, turn.

Rows 16–22: Ch 1, sc in each st across to last 2 sts; leave last 2 sts unworked, turn—At end of last row, 2 sts.

Round 23: Ch 1, working in unworked sts of previous rows and round 14, sc in each st around; join with slip st in first sc. Leaving a long tail for sewing, fasten off.

BODY

With D, chain 2.

Rounds 1–4: Work Rounds 1–4 of head—24 sc.

Round 5: Ch 1, [sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—30 sc.

Round 6: Ch 1, [sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—36 sc.

Round 7: Ch 1, [sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—42 sc.

Round 8: Ch 1, [sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—48 sc.

Round 9: Ch 1, [sc in next 7 sts, 2 sc in next st] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—54 sc.

Round 10: Ch 1, [sc in next 8 sts, 2 sc in next st] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—60 sc.

Rounds 11–15: Ch 1, sc in each st around; join with slip st in first sc.

Round 16: Ch 1, [sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog] 10 times; join with slip st in first sc—50 sc.

Round 17: Ch 1, [sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog] 10 times; join with slip st in first sc—40 sc.

Round 18: Ch 1, [sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog] 10 times; join with slip st in first sc—30 sc.

Round 19: Ch 1, sc in each st around; join with slip st in first sc.

Round 20: Ch 1, [sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—24 sc.

Round 21: Ch 1, [sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—18 sc.

Round 22: Ch 1, [sc in next st, sc2tog] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—12 sc.

Round 23: Ch 1, [sc2tog] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—6 sc.

Leaving a long tail, fasten off. Weave tail through sts of last round. Pull gently to close opening, secure and weave in end.

LEG (make 4)

With D, chain 2.

Rounds 1 and 2: Work Rounds 1 and 2 of head—12 sc.

Round 3: Ch 1, working in back loops only, sc in each st around; join with slip st in first sc.

Rounds 4 and 5: Ch 1, sc in each st around; join with slip st in first sc.

Curve Of Leg

Row 6: Ch 1, sc in next 10 sts; leave remaining 2 sts unworked, turn.

Rows 7–10: Ch 1, sc in each st to last 2 sts; leave last 2 sts unworked, turn—At end of last row, 2 sts.

Round 11: Ch 1, working in unworked sts of previous rows and round 5, sc in each st around; join with slip st in first sc. Leaving a long tail for sewing, fasten off.

TAIL

With D, chain 2.

Round 1: Work 3 sc in second chain from hook; join with slip st in first sc.

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, sc in next st; join with slip st in first sc—4 sc.

Round 3: Ch 1, sc in each st around; join with slip st in first sc.

Leaving a long tail for sewing, fasten off.

SHELL

Center Tile

With A, chain 2.

Rounds 1–3: Work Rounds 1–3 of head—18 sc. Fasten off A.

Round 4: Join B with sc in first st, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, [sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st] 5 times; join with slip st in first sc—24 sc.

Round 5: Ch 1, [sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st] 6 times; join with slip st in first sc—30 sc. Fasten off B.

Round 6: Join C with sc in first st, sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st, [sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st] 5 times; join with slip st in first sc—36 sc. Fasten off C.

Side Tile (make 6)

With A, chain 2.

Rounds 1–3: Work Rounds 1–3 of head—18 sts. Fasten off A.

Round 4: Join B with sc in first st, sc in same st, sc in next 6 sts, 3 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts, 3 sc in next st, sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st; join with slip st in first sc—24 sc.

Round 5: Ch 1, sc in first st, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 7 sts, 3 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts, 3 sc in next st, sc in next 7 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in last st; join with slip st in first sc—30 sc. Fasten off B.

Round 6: Join C with sc in first st, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 8 sts, 3 sc in next st, sc in next 6 sts, 3 sc in next st, sc in next 8 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in last 2 sts; join with slip st in first sc—36 sc. Fasten off C.

VEST (under shell)

Vest Piece (make 2)

With A, chain 13.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and in each remaining ch across, turn—12 sc.

Rows 2–5: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in each st to last st, 2 sc in last st, turn—At end of last row, 20 sc.

Row 6: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 7: Ch 1, skip first st, slip st in next 7 sts, ch 1, sc in next 4 sts; leave rermaining 8 sts unworked, turn—4 sc.

Rows 8 and 9: Ch 1, sc in each sc across, turn.

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Buttonhole Band

Note: Work band on only one vest piece.

Row 1: Working in remaining lps along opposite side of foundation ch on one vest piece, join A with sc in first ch, sc in each remaining ch across, turn—12 sc.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first st, ch 1, skip next st, sc in next 3 sts, ch 1, skip next st, sc in next 3 sts, ch 1, skip next st, sc in next 2 sts, turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, skip first st, slip st in each sc and in each ch-space across.

Fasten off.

EYE (make 2)

With A, chain 2.

Round 1: Work 6 sc in second ch from hook; join with slip st in first sc.

Fasten off and tie ends in back of eye.

With D, embroider pupil onto eye as follows. Work several straight stitches going through hole at center of eye, over eye, and then underneath top loops of single crochet sts. Leaving a long tail for sewing eye to head, fasten off.

FINISHING

Assemble Body

Note: Notice that the turtle body has six "sides". When assembling, arrange head, tail, and four legs along the lower half at each of the six sides (see photo).

With D and yarn needle, sew eyes to sides of head. With D and yarn needle, sew head, tail, and legs to body. Sew a few additional stitches at back of neck to strengthen neck and support head. With A and yarn needle, embroider a smile, centered beneath the eyes (optional).

Assemble Shell

Arrange side tiles around center tile (shortest edges of side tiles aligned with each edge of center tile). With C, holding WS of tiles together, slip st edges of tiles together.

Shell edging: Join C with sl st in edge of shell, sl st evenly around edge; join with sl st in first st. Fasten off.

With A and yarn needle, sew 3 short edges of vest to underside of shell beneath last B-colored round. Sew buttons to vest, opposite buttonholes.

Using yarn needle, weave in all ends. Slip turtle into shell and button vest closed.

source:naturallycaron.com