Amigurumi Turtle Pattern

When Miss M said she wanted a little Amigurumi Turtle yesterday afternoon, it made me think.... WHERE did my yarn go??? It had been awhile since I crocheted anything (like, a whole week or so), and I could.not.remember where the yarn was.

Oh yes.

In the new storage ottoman.  Out of sight, out of mind.  Silly Mommy.

Yarn problem sorted, I started making tiny little hexagons for his shell, but soon abandoned that idea and went with a simple, one-piece bobble construction. MUCH easier. You'll appreciate that as well. Trust me. 

Oh!  If anyone tries this and has a pattern question or a comment or it just simply doesn't work the way it's supposed to, Please let me know. I'll make it right. 

Oh! OH!  And furthermore... If you make one or two or 16.... I'd love to see pictures! 

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AMIGURUMI TURTLE PATTERN
(c) 2012 by Julianna McDuffie
Feel free to make and give. Not to sell, sugar. Thank you!

INGREDIENTS/TOOLS
-Worsted Weight yarn in two (or more!) colors of your choosing
-Amigurumi eyes or beads or felt or French knots for eyes
-Black thread for smile and stitching eyes
-Polyfill for stuffing (or stuff with thread ends and pieces, if you prefer)
-US Size E Crochet Hook (or smaller/larger depending upon how tightly you crochet)
-Needle for stitching

STITCHES USED
-SC, Single Crochet
-HDC, Half-Double Crochet
-DC Bobble Stitch: *YO, insert hook in next stitch and pull up a loop. YO, pull through one loop (three loops left on hook). YO, pull through two loops (two loops left on hook). Leave loops on hook. Repeat * four more times, leaving the last loop of each stitch on the hook, until you have six loops left on the hook. YO once more, and pull through all loops. Bobble stitch completed.
-BLO (Back Loops Only)
-HDC BLO Invisible Decrease: YO. Insert hook in BLO of next stitch. Do not YO. Do not complete the stitch. Insert hook into next stitch (again). Pull through two loops (both BLO stitches on the hook). YO, pull through all loops. Be careful here! When making a BLO Invisible Decrease, make sure you are inserting your hook into the NEXT stitch and not into one of the two you've already decreased. When completed, the Invisible Decrease looks like it was done in the first stitch/loop that you pulled through at the beginning of the stitch, and it's easy to think that the second of the pulled through stitches in your last decrease is the starting point for your next decrease. It's not. In my head, I always say "skip". 'Cause it LOOKS like that.
-SC BLO Invisible Decrease: Insert hook in BLO of next stitch. Do Not YO. Do not complete the stitch. Insert hook in the next stitch (again). Pull through two loops (both BLO stitches on the hook). YO, pull through all loops. You may note the crazy similarity to the HDC BLO Invisible Decrease.  You are so very clever.


THE PATTERN

TURTLE SHELL (Work with Color One)
ROUND 1: Ch 2 (counts as first HDC). 9 HDC in second Ch from hook (the first Ch you made). Join in top of first HDC. Tighten the ring by pulling the tail end tightly. (10 stitches)

ROUND 2: Ch 2 (counts as first HDC). 2 HDC in same stitch. DC Bobble stitch in next. *3 HDC in next. DC Bobble stitch in next.* Join in top of first HDC. (20 stitches, including 5 Bobbles)

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as first HDC). HDC in same stitch. DC Bobble in next. *2 HDC in next. DC Bobble.* around. join to top of first HDC. (30 stitches, including 10 Bobbles)

ROUND 4: Ch 2 (counts as first SC). SC around. Join in top of first SC. End first color. Tie off and weave in ends. Alternately, you can just leave the last tail from the shell and weave it into the next row as you go. That's what I do. But you still need to weave in the first tail from Round 1.) (30 stitches)


BELLY (work with Color Two)
ROUND 1: Join Color 2 to BLO of first stitch in last round of shell. If weaving tails in as you go, be sure to carry both the Color 1 and the Color 2 join tails for at least 5-10 stitches as you embed them.. Ch 2 (counts as first HDC). HDC BLO Invisible Decrease around. Join to top loop of first HDC. (16 stitches)

ROUND 2: Ch 2 (counts as first Sc). SC BLO Invisible Decrease around. STUFF BEFORE JOINING to top loop of first Sc. (8 stitches)

ROUND 3: Ch 2 (counts as first Sc). SC BLO Invisible Decrease around. Join to top of first Sc. (4 stitches). Tie off. Weave in ends. NOTE... If you aren't quite closed enough at this point, you can just close the hole a little further with your needle as you weave in the end.


LEGS (Make four, using Color 2... Or, HEY! Get nuts. Make this with a totally NEW Color!)
Option ONE: Make four legs separately and sew them on to the body:
ROUND 1: Make a Magic ring with 6 HDCs.
ROUND 2: Ch 2, HDC around.
ROUND 3: Ch 2, HDC around.
Sew leg to body. Repeat for three more legs.

Option TWO (my way, although its probably more difficult...) Pick up stitches and crochet directly to the body:
ROUND 1: Pick up a stitch on the body where you would like your leg to begin. I start along the division between my color change. I also weave in the tail of the joined color as I go. Ch 2, HDC in same stitch. YO and Pick up another stitch next to the first. HDC 2 x in same stitch. YO and Pick up a third stitch, completing a triangular angle to the first two. HDC 2 x in same stitch. Join to top of first HDC. (6 stitches)

ROUND 2: Ch 2 (counts as first HDC). HDC around. Join to top of first HDC. Slip Stitch into the HCD directly opposite of your hook to close the leg. Should be the second or third HDC from round 2. It's not a precise thing. No worries. Tie off and weave in ends.

Repeat for three more legs.


HEAD And NECK
ROUND 1: Make a magic ring with only three Chains. Ch 2 (counts as first HDC). HDC 5 times into the ring. Join to top loop of first HDC.

ROUND 2: Ch 2 (counts as first HDC). HDC in same stitch. 2 HDC in each stitch around. (12 stitches)

ROUNDS 3&4: Ch 2 (counts as first HDC). HDC around. (12 stitches).

STUFF Head at this point.

ROUND 5: Ch2 (counts as first HDC). HDC BLO invisible Decrease, *HDC, HDC BLO Invisible Decrease* around. Join at top of first HDC. (8 stitches)

ROUNDS 6&7: Ch 2 (counts as first HDC). HDC around. Join at top of first HDC. (8 stitches)

Tie off, leaving a long tail. Sew neck to body with the yarn tail: Flatten and place the base of the neck along the line where the shell meets the belly. Sew neck to body at the base of the neck, then place a few stitches a little higher on the neck, sewing the neck to the shell so he can hold his 'lil head up. Weave in ends.


TAIL
Pick up a stitch where the tail should be. Join Color 2 to picked up stitch and Ch 2. YO and pick up a second stitch right next to the first. HDC. YO and pick up a third stitch at a triangular angle to the first two. HDC. Ch 2. Tie off. Weave in ends.


FINISHING
Give 'em some eyes! Stitch on a droll little mouth! Happy Turtle!