Free Crochet Turtle Amigurumi Pattern

Written By Huipei Zhang

Turtles are popular amigurumi to make - and this version is done without having to sew on the shell separately! If you are looking to crochet turtle, look no further - try out this little guy with his flippers and shell! There are quite a few colour changes with this, so you should be comfortable with interchanging many crochet colours before trying him out!

crochet free turtle pattern

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Table of Contents Show

    Introduction to Crocheting Turtle

    In this post, we will first be starting off with the relevant supplies and techniques you would need to crochet this turtle. Here to make this turtle, we will be using 4 different yarn colours because there are some colour demarcations when you come to the shell parts. Then we will head into the pattern proper which includes the head and then the body.

    As this is an ambitious beginner friendly pattern, here you will learn how to attempt different special stitches like popcorn stitches and also learn how to do multiple colour changes in amigurumi. This latter part is pretty important for this pattern.

    Stick around after that to check out the full video of how to crochet a turtle and finally we will end off with the full pattern PDF download if that is the mode of reading that suits you best. Don’t forget to grab the free Animal Shaping Starter Guide if this is something you would love to design in the future!

    Supplies and Techniques for Crocheting a Turtle

    Here I have listed the techniques as well as the materials needed to crochet a turtle amigurumi. Each one is individually linked if you need to learn more about how to master each technique, or you could check out this post on “How to Learn Basic Crochet Stitches step by step for Absolute Beginners - 6 Easy Steps!”.

    There are also some special stitches involved in crocheting this turtle which are listed below (popcorn stitches) and they are also individually linked to tutorials which will be helpful if you do not know how to make these stitches.

    The materials needed are also listed below or if you wish to see what I start off most of my projects with, then check out this post on “My Crochet Tools and Accessories that are Super Simple to Start With”. Read on below.

    Terminology for Crocheting Turtle

    Ch = chain

    Sc = single crochet

    Sl st = slip stitch 

    St = stitch (refers to number of stitches in one round)

    Hdc = half double crochet

    Dc = double crochet

    Tr = treble crochet

    2sc1 = single crochet increase (meaning 2 single crochet in same stitch) 

    Sc2tog1 = single crochet decrease (referring to invisible decrease) 

    FLO = front loop only

    BLO = back loop only

    back of crochet turtle

    Special Stitches for Crocheting Turtle

    4sc1 = 4 single crochet in same stitch

    5dc pop = 5 double crochet popcorn stitch

    • 5dc in indicated, remove hook from loop, insert hook through 1st dc of 5-dc group, replace loop on hook, yo, draw tightly through loop and st on hook

    Materials and Tools for Crocheting Turtle

    3.0mm Clover crochet hook

    Scheepjes Catona or any equivalent fingering or sport weight yarn

    • Version 1 - Peach, Yellow, Green, Dark green (25gm each)

    • Version 2 - Green, Yellow, Brown, Dark brown (25gm each)

    • Black (stash for eyes)

    Darning needle

    Stitch markers

    Filling – use leftover yarn or polyester fiberfill

    Scissors

    Glass eyes (just for landmarking)

    See how they look like and my selection for my amigurumis just below.

    Also check out my full list of commonly used crochet tools and accessories here.

    Now that you have gathered your supplies and had a look at the basic terminology to reading the following pattern, let us first get started!

    Yarn

    Scheepjes Catona or any equivalent fingering or sport weight yarn

    Crochet hook

    2.5-3.0mm Clover crochet hook 

    Stuffing

    Use leftover yarn or polyester fibrefill

    Darning Needles

    Safety Eyes

    4mm glass eyes or safety eyes 

    Stitch Markers

    Plastic stitch markers or metal stitch markers

    Crochet Turtle Pattern

    Crochet Turtle Head

    Start off head with peach yarn.

    Round 1: Magic ring sc6 (peach) - 6st

    Round 2: 2sc6 (peach) - 12st

    Round 3: Sc12 (peach) - 12st

    Round 4: (Sc1, 2sc1) x 6 (peach) - 18st

    Round 5: Sc12, 4sc1, sc5 (all peach) - 21st

    Round 6: (Sc1, sc2tog1) x 4, skip 4st, sc2tog1, sc1, sc2tog1 (all peach) - 11st

    Round 7: Sc7 (peach), 2sc1 (yellow), sc2 (yellow), sc1 (peach) - 12st

    Round 8: Sc2 (peach), sc2tog1 (peach), sc1 (peach), sc2tog1 (peach), sc1 (yellow), sc2tog1 (yellow), sc1 (yellow), sc1 (peach) - 9st

    Add stuffing to head.

    steps to crochet turtle amigurumi
    tutorial for crochet turtle

    Crochet Turtle Body

    Continue into the body from the neck using green and yellow yarn.

    Round 9: 2sc3 (peach), sc2tog1 (peach), sc2tog1 (yellow), 2sc1 (yellow), 2sc1 (peach) - 12st

    Round 10: 2sc4 (peach), sc2tog1 (peach), sc2tog2 (yellow), 2sc1 (yellow), 2sc1 (yellow then dark green) - 15st

    Round 11: 2sc5 (dark green), 2sc1 (yellow), sc2tog3 (yellow), 2sc1 (yellow), 2sc1 (yellow then dark green), 2sc1 (dark green) - 21st

    Round 12: (Sc1, 2sc1) x 3 (green), sc1 (green), 2sc1 (green then dark green), sc1 (yellow), sc2tog4 (yellow), sc1 (yellow), 2sc1 (dark green then green), (sc1, 2sc1) x 1 (green) - 23st

    Round 13: Sc11 (green), sc1 (dark green), 5dc pop (peach), sc4 (yellow), 5dc pop (peach), sc1 (dark green), sc4 (green) - 23st

    Round 14: Sc11 (green), sc1 (dark green), sc6 (yellow), sc1 (dark green), sc4 (green) - 23st

    Round 15: Sc11 (green), sc1 (dark green), sc6 (yellow), sc1 (dark green), sc4 (green) - 23st

    Round 16: Sc11 (green), sc1 (dark green), 5dc pop (peach), sc4 (yellow), 5dc pop (peach), sc1 (dark green), sc4 (green) - 23st

    Round 17: (Sc1, sc2tog1) x 3 (green), sc1 (green), sc2tog1 (dark green), sc1 (peach), sc2tog2 (peach), sc1 (peach), sc1 (dark green), sc1 (green), sc2tog1 (green), sc1 (green) - 16st

    Add stuffing to body. Cut off yellow yarn.

    Round 18: Sc2tog3 (green), sc2tog5 (dark green) - 8st

    Round 19: Sc5 (dark green), sc3 (peach) - 8st

    Cut off dark green and green yarn.

    Round 20: (Sc2, sc2tog1) x 2 (peach) - 6st

    Round 21: (Sc1, sc2tog1) x 2 (peach) - 4st

    Close up in FLO using peach yarn and fasten off.

    crochet mini turtle

    Embroider Turtle Eyes

    Add eyes by embroidering French knots over the top of the snout on either side of the face. Use a pin marker to landmark before threading in the yarn. Thread in black yarn through head and out to the desired eye location. Without removing yarn from the needle, place tip of needle close to the surface of the face. Loop yarn close to the face around needle twice.

    Insert eye back into intended eye position and out through head again. Do not pull the yarn taut because the whole knot will go into the head. Instead, when pulling needle out of the head, pull gently so that the knot stays on the face.

    Embroider Turtle Shell

    Then move onto sewing the shell. Start with sewing a hexagon in the middle. Then sew branches extending out and fasten down. Cut off excess yarn and tie off, then conceal it back into body.

    side of turtle amigurumi

    Crochet Turtle Video

    After referring to the pattern above, remember to check out the full video on how to crochet a turtle, from start to finish. It takes less than an hour and it includes captions with voice-overs as well. You can scroll to the specific parts that you are struggling when you are attempting the pattern above. Remember to also like the video and subscribe to my Youtube Channel so that when new amigurumi videos are released, you will know about it!

    If you felt this post was amazing then remember to spread the love by pinning the image below to Pinterest so that others might find it and learn how to crochet a turtle too! I appreciate you so much for doing this!

    how to crochet turtle free tutorial

    Turtle PDF Pattern

    The Pocket Turtle PDF Pattern is an ad-free downloadable PDF printable, with checkboxes included and step-by-step pictorial tutorials. The pattern is easy for beginners, fast and no-sew. Just click on the image below or scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the pattern download.

    Conclusion of Crocheting Turtle

    Thank you for joining me in crocheting this little pocket turtle. Remember to tag me @pocketyarnlings on instagram so I can see your makes too and I will feature them in my email newsletter. Here is how you can support me so that I can make more posts and videos for you in the future:

    To check out more of my ideas for using various types of crochet stitch techniques to shape amigurumi animals, grab my free Animal Shaping Starter Guide below! Inside, get quick ideas on how to get started on shaping ears, snouts, cheeks, bodies and limbs for animals!

     
    Pocket Turtle
    Pocket Turtle
    $4.90
     
    Huipei Zhang
    Next

    Free Crochet Bunny Amigurumi Pattern