Free Crochet Pattern for a Watermelon Turtle

I´m here to share this cute free crochet pattern for a sweet turtle amigurumi with a tiny watermelon slice. A lovely summer give away for friends and relatives. This is a very simple design. This pattern is accessible to beginners. It works up very quickly, is super cute and can easily be finished within one or two episodes of Once Upon a time. Happy crocheting!

SUPPLIES

cotton yarn (e.g. Schachenmayr Catania 125m/50g) in three colours: red, green, rose and beige, a bit of white yarn for the eyes, crochet hook 2,5 mm, scissors, yarn needle, Fiberfil stuffing, a pair of safety eyes or black beads, some black little beads or sequins.

SKILL LEVEL

Easy

SIZE

The ready amigurumi is approx. 14 cm long, can be made bigger or smaller depending on the yarn and hook you use.

SKILLS YOU NEED

chain, single crochet, double crochet, half double crochet, slip stitch, increase, decrease

ABBREVIATIONS

Ch =chain

St = stitch

Sc =single crochet

Sl st = slip stitch

dec = decrease stitch (two single crochets together)

inc = increase stitch (two single crochets in the one stitch)

Dc = double crochet

Rnd = Round

* = repeat instructions for the times indicated

(...) = total amount of stitches

TIPS

• Do not join rounds, work in a continuous spiral.
• Use a stitch marker or piece of yarn to keep track of the last stitch in each round
• All stitches are worked into both loops, unless stated otherwise in the pattern.
• When filling with polyester stuffing, pull apart each large chunk into many smaller chunks. This ensures an even distribution of firmness within the amigurumi
• Amigurumi can be made in any desired colours.

Seamless way of changing colour when working in the round

Pick up the new colour at the end of the round: inset your hook into the stitch, yarn over the new colour and pull through the stitch and the loop on your hook to complete the stitch.

To make a magic ring

1. Loop the thread twice around your middle finger
2. Put the hook under both loops, pull the yarn under the loops and hook the thread again
3. Pull the thread through the new loop. The first crochet stitch is ready!
4. Repeat the needed number of times.
5. Pull the inner threads to tighten the ring.

INSTRUCTIONS

The turtle is composed in some main parts to sew together at the end. The head and body are made separately.

LEG (4x)

Start with beige colour yarn.

Round 1:  6 single crochets into Magic Ring

Round 2: increase 6 times (12 stitches)

Round 3: *single crochet in the next stitch, increase* (18 stitches)

Rounds 4-8: single crochet in each of next 18 stitches

Round 9: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 4 stitches* (15 stitches)

Continue crocheting in rounds without decreasing:

Rounds 10-11: single crochet in each of next 15 stitches

Stuff slightly.

Bind off leaving a long tail for sewing. Work other legs the same way.

BODY

Start your work using green colour yarn.

Round 1: 6 single crochets into Magic Ring

Round 2: increase 6 times (12 stitches)

Round 3: *single crochet in the next stitch, increase* (18 stitches)

Round 4: *single crochet in each of next 2 stitches, increase* (24 stitches)

Round 5: *single crochet in each of next 3 stitches, increase* (30 stitches)

Round 6: *single crochet in each of next 4 stitches, increase* (36 stitches)

Round 7: *single crochet in each of next 5 stitches, increase* (42 stitches)

Round 8: *single crochet in each of next 6 stitches, increase* (48 stitches)

Round 9: single crochet in each of next 48 stitches

Round 10: *single crochet in each of next 7 stitches, increase* (54 stitches)

Round 10: *single crochet in each of next 8 stitches, increase* (60 stitches)

Round 10: *single crochet in each of next 9 stitches, increase* (66 stitches)

Round 11 (working into the back loop): single crochet in each of next stitch around

Change yarn colour to rose

Round 12: single crochet in each of next 66 stitches

Change yarn colour to red

Round 13: single crochet in each of next stitch around

Round 14: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 9 stitches* (60 stitches)

Round 15: single crochet in each of next 60 stitches

Round 16: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 8 stitches* (54 stitches)

Round 17: single crochet in each of next 54 stitches

Round 18: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 7 stitches* (48 stitches)

Round 19: single crochet in each of next 48 stitches

Round 20: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 6 stitches* (42 stitches)

Start stuffing the body. Stuff further as you continue crocheting.

Round 21: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 5 stitches* (36 stitches)

Round 21: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 4 stitches* (30 stitches)

Round 22: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 3 stitches* (24 stitches)

Round 23: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 2 stitches* (18 stitches)

Stuff the body firmly.

Round 24: *decrease, single crochet in the next stitch* (12 stitches)

Round 25: *decrease* 6 times. Bind off. Hide yarn ends.

HEAD

Work using beige colour yarn.

Round 1: 6 single crochets into Magic Ring

Round 2: increase 6 times (12 stitches)

Round 3: *single crochet in the next stitch, increase* (18 stitches)

Round 4: *single crochet in each of next 2 stitches, increase* (24 stitches)

Round 5: *single crochet in each of next 3 stitches, increase* (30 stitches)

Round 6: *single crochet in each of next 4 stitches, increase* (36 stitches)

Round 7: *single crochet in each of next 5 stitches, increase* (42 stitches)

Round 8: *single crochet in each of next 6 stitches, increase* (48 stitches)

Continue crocheting in rounds without increasing:

Rounds 9-13: single crochet in each of next 48 stitches

Round 14: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 6 stitches* (42 stitches)

Round 15: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 5 stitches* (36 stitches)

Round 16: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 4 stitches* (30 stitches)

Round 17: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 3 stitches* (24 stitches)

Round 18: *decrease, single crochet in each of next 2 stitches* (18 stitches)

Stuff firmly.

Rounds 19-22: single crochet in each of next 18 stitches

Bind off leaving a long tail for sewing the head to the body of your turtle.

TAIL

Work using beige colour yarn.

Round 1: 6 single crochets into Magic Ring

Round 2: single crochet in each of next 6 stitches

Round 3: *single crochet in the next stitch, increase* (9 stitches)

Round 4: single crochet in each of next 9 stitches

Round 5: *single crochet in each of next 2 stitches, increase* (12 stitches)

Round 6: single crochet in each of next 12 stitches

Stuff the tail slightly.

Bind off leaving a long tail for sewing the tail to the body of your turtle.

WATERMELON

Start your work with a flesh, using red colour yarn.

Round 1: 6 single crochets into Magic Ring

Round 2: increase 6 times (12 stitches)

Round 3: *single crochet in the next stitch, increase* (18 stitches)

Round 4: *single crochet in each of next 2 stitches, increase* (24 stitches)

Change yarn colour to rose

Round 5: *single crochet in each of next 3 stitches, increase* (30 stitches)

Change yarn colour to green

Round 6: *single crochet in each of next 4 stitches, increase* (36 stitches)

Round 7: *single crochet in each of next 5 stitches, increase* (42 stitches)

The first part of the watermelon slice is ready. 

Now the watermelon skin will be made using the green colour yarn. Work in rows. End every row with chain 1, turn the work.

Row 1: chain 2 stitches, 2 single crochets in the second stitch from hook, chain 1 stitch, turn the work

Row 2: single crochet in each of next 2 stitches, chain 1 stitch, turn the work

Row 3: 2 single crochets in each of next 2 stitches, chain 1 stitch, turn the work

Rows 4-5: single crochet in each of next 4 stitches, chain 1 stitch, turn the work

Row 6: 2 single crochets in the next stitch, single crochet in each of next 2 stitches, 2 single crochets in the next stitch, chain 1 stitch, turn the work

Rows 7-9: single crochet in each of next 6 stitches, chain 1 stitch, turn the work

Row 10: decrease, single crochet in each of next 2 stitches, decrease, chain 1 stitch, turn the work

Rows 11-12: single crochet in each of next stitch until the end of the row, chain 1 stitch, turn the work

Row 13: decrease twice, chain 1 stitch, turn the work

Row 14: single crochet in each of next 2 stitches, chain 1 stitch, turn the work

Row 15: decrease

Bind off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Sew the peel of your watermelon slice to the flesh. Start stuffing the watermelon while sewing, stuff further as you finish sewing.

Using black yarn, embroider black seeds. You can also sew some little black beads on. Your watermelon is all done!

ASSEMBLY

Since all the elements of your amigurumi turtle are crocheted, it´s time to sew them together. Use a blunt sewing needle.

Sew the head and the tail to the body of your turtle.

Legs are attached to the body now. Place the legs in their right place on the body. Using the yarn left sew them to the body of your amigurumi. Be sure to step back and take a look to make sure they are even.

Mark where you want the eyes to be placed with pins and sew them to the head of the turtle.

Now embroider nose with the black colour yarn. At the end pull the needle out the same hole it originally went into, so that both yarn tails are coming out of the same hole. Tie a knot with both yarn tails, as close to the surface of the head as possible. Hide the yarn tails inside the head. 

Proceed to the smile if desired. You can also embroider eyebrows and add eyelashes. Weave in all ends.

Sew sequins or black beads on the shell. Ready!

I hope you enjoyed crocheting the turtle and found the pattern helpful. I would love to see your finished amigurumi, so share a picture here or on Instagram by tagging me @tansuluucrafthaus.

Happy crocheting! Feel free to contact me with any questions. Thank you for stopping by and have a lovely day!