Sure, I’d be happy to provide you with a beginner-friendly crochet turtle tutorial along with a simple free pattern! Crocheting a turtle can be a fun and rewarding project, especially for those new to the craft. Here’s a step-by-step description of how to make a cute crochet turtle:

Materials Needed:

  1. Worsted weight yarn in your desired turtle colors (green for the shell, brown for the body, and any other colors for embellishments)
  2. Crochet hook (size G/4.0mm recommended)
  3. Fiberfill stuffing
  4. Yarn needle
  5. Safety eyes or black yarn for eyes
  6. Scissors

Abbreviations:

  • ch: chain
  • sc: single crochet
  • inc: increase (work two single crochet stitches in the same stitch)
  • dec: decrease (crochet two stitches together)
  • sl st: slip stitch

Turtle Shell:

  1. Magic ring, ch 1 to secure.
  2. Round 1: Work 6 sc into the magic ring. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (6 stitches)
  3. Round 2: Ch 1, inc in each stitch around. Join with a sl st. (12 stitches)
  4. Round 3: Ch 1, sc in the next stitch, inc in the next stitch; repeat around. Join with a sl st. (18 stitches)
  5. Round 4: Ch 1, sc in the next 2 stitches, inc in the next stitch; repeat around. Join with a sl st. (24 stitches)
  6. Round 5: Ch 1, sc in the next 3 stitches, inc in the next stitch; repeat around. Join with a sl st. (30 stitches)
  7. Rounds 6-10: Ch 1, sc in each stitch around. Join with a sl st. (30 stitches)
  8. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Turtle Body:

  1. Magic ring, ch 1 to secure.
  2. Round 1: Work 6 sc into the magic ring. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (6 stitches)
  3. Round 2: Ch 1, inc in each stitch around. Join with a sl st. (12 stitches)
  4. Rounds 3-6: Ch 1, sc in each stitch around. Join with a sl st. (12 stitches)
  5. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Assembly:

  1. Attach the safety eyes or embroider eyes using black yarn onto the turtle’s head, between Rounds 3 and 4 of the body.
  2. Stuff the turtle shell lightly with fiberfill.
  3. Align the turtle shell and body so that the open ends are facing each other. Use the long tail from the body to sew the pieces together, stitching through both loops of the body and shell to join them.
  4. Stuff the turtle body with fiberfill before closing completely.
  5. Attach any additional embellishments, such as a crocheted mouth, using small amounts of yarn.

Congratulations, you’ve crocheted an adorable turtle! This is just a basic pattern, so feel free to get creative with different colors, sizes, and embellishments. Remember to practice your stitches and have fun while crocheting. Happy crafting!