Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

Crochet Turtle Love

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cro turtle 1013

 

 

I love, love, LOVE turtles.  Well, to be more specific, I love tortoises.  No idea why, but I have been in love with them, intrigued by them, and protective of them since I was a little girl.  I remember seeing my first one when I was five on my way home from first grade in Little Rock.  I was immediately attracted to this ‘thing’ that so instantly pulled his head into his ‘house’.  Wish I could do that some days!  My big brother gave me the inside scoop on the creature and the love affair began.

So, when I saw this cute pattern, I had to share it.  It’s so colorful and cheerful.  I can think of many ways to use the small piece.  You can get the details at Sonia’s site, where you can also find a lot of other goodies, including links to a lot of other cute turtle/tortoise crochet projects.  Turtle heaven!

And, yes, I’m well aware that turtles don’t typically come with such colorful shells.  Once upon a time, you could buy those tiny Red Ear turtles whose shells might have been painted any number of colors.  But, the thing I like about this interpretation is that the shell of a turtle or tortoise or terrapin is never just a single color.  The have scale-like embossings on them or lines and each is a variety of colors – from greens to browns to grays and darker, depending on the environment in which they live and need to be camouflaged.  So, this guy could easily hang out in my yarn room and be well hidden……  But, I think I’d rather have him as an applique or a pair of earrings.  Just saying.

UPDATE:  So many people have asked for a pattern for the cute little turtle.  Thanks to my sweet online friend Sheri, I can share this one with you (that Sheri found for us).  It’s not this exact turtle, but if you use just the center of the square on this link and work it in variegated bright colors like Sonia has, you should be able to make one very much like Sonia’s.

Comments

  1. Don’t use Google Translate to read this from Portugese. It badly translates the concepts. Looks like most of them are circle crochet with multicolor yarn

  3. Disappointed!!! Most of the links led me to error reports. I was able to see two of the patterns to buy, but not the one you show on your page.

  4. Judy,
    Bad on my part – there is no actual pattern for Sonia’s turtle that I could find. I think the picture is detailed enough that most of us could make our own from the close up photographs. Sorry if I misled anyone. Sonia has so many good ideas on her blog that I love sharing them.

    And, I just checked all the links on her blog and they work for me. Hope others will give them another try.
    jd

  5. Jd, muito obrigada pela referencia.
    Atendendo a pedidos, postei o passo-a-passo. Peça as suas leitoras para voltarem lá… Os links chequei e vi que estão corretos.
    Amanhã, farei o gráfico.
    Beijos

Have you read?

How to Crochet the Suzette Stitch: An Easy Textured Crochet Stitch for Beginners

Learning a crochet stitch is much more satisfying when you have an actual project waiting at the end of it. The Suzette stitch is especially versatile because its dense, softly textured fabric works for everything from practical cotton washcloths to cosy scarves, hats and blankets.

Here are some Suzette stitch crochet patterns worth adding to your project list.

Suzette Stitch Baby Blanket

The free Suzette Stitch Baby Blanket pattern from Premier Yarns uses the stitch to create a softly textured crochet blanket with a subtle tweed-like appearance.

This would make a lovely handmade baby shower gift, particularly when worked in a washable baby yarn. The stitch creates more visual interest than plain single crochet without introducing large holes that may catch tiny fingers.

Easy Suzette Stitch Blanket

The Suzette Stitch Blanket pattern by Stitching Together is another approachable blanket project for crocheters who enjoy a relaxing stitch repeat.

This is the sort of project you can keep beside the sofa and work on a few rows at a time. Just keep an eye on those skipped stitches—television crochet is wonderful until an extra stitch quietly sneaks in three episodes earlier.

Casey Suzette Stitch Scarf

The free Casey Scarf crochet pattern uses the Suzette stitch through most of the design, producing a cosy scarf with a softly scalloped, zigzag-like texture.

It is a good first wearable project for beginners because scarves do not require complicated shaping. You can also adjust the length fairly easily or use a self-striping yarn and let the colour changes do the decorative work for you.

Quick Suzette Crochet Scarf

For another scarf option, try this free Suzette Stitch Scarf pattern from Hooked by Robin.

The designer includes written instructions and a video tutorial, making it helpful for visual learners who prefer watching the stitch placement before beginning. It is designed as a quick project and would make a practical last-minute handmade gift.

Suzette Colour Block Scarf

The free Suzette Colour Block Scarf pattern is a cheerful option for using several coordinating yarn colours.

Colour blocking also makes this a handy stash-busting crochet project. You can use leftover yarn from other makes, although it is worth choosing yarns of the same weight and similar fibre content so the sections behave themselves after washing.

Chunky Suzette Stitch Beanie

The free Chunky Suzette Stitch Beanie crochet pattern turns the textured stitch into a warm winter hat.

Chunky yarn helps the pattern work up quickly and makes the raised texture especially noticeable. This would be a useful project for craft stalls, charity donations or quick handmade Christmas gifts.

Hazel Textured Crochet Beanie

The free Hazel Beanie crochet pattern combines simple ribbing with the Suzette stitch.

The ribbed brim gives the hat a neat, finished appearance while the Suzette stitch adds texture to the main body. It looks more complicated than a basic crochet beanie but is still built from familiar beginner stitches.

Suzette Stitch Washcloth

For a small practice project, try the free Suzette Stitch Wash Cloth pattern from The Purple Poncho.

A washcloth is one of the best ways to practise a new crochet stitch because it is small, useful and not terribly demanding. Even if the first one is slightly wonky, it will still wash perfectly well.

Use a smooth cotton yarn so the cloth is absorbent and the stitch texture remains clearly visible.

Suzette Ridge Crochet Washcloth

The free Suzette Ridge Crochet Washcloth pattern adds another layer of texture to this familiar stitch combination.

Make several in coordinating colours and pair them with handmade soap for an easy spa-style gift. They are also useful little projects for testing unfamiliar cotton yarn before committing to a larger set.

Corner-to-Corner Suzette Stitch Washcloth

The free C2C Suzette Stitch Washcloth pattern gives the stitch a slightly different construction by working it from corner to corner.

This is a good next project after you have mastered ordinary flat rows. It lets you explore increasing and decreasing while still using the familiar Suzette stitch combination.

Suzette Stitch Afghan Square

The Suzette Stitch Afghan Square pattern turns the textured stitch into a smaller crochet block.

Afghan squares are useful for charity blankets, sampler blankets and portable crochet projects. You can make the squares individually, use up leftover yarn and join everything together once you have enough—although “enough” has been known to become a surprisingly flexible number in my craft room.

More Suzette Stitch Crochet Pattern Ideas

Once you are comfortable with the basic stitch, you can also use it to make:

  • Crochet mug cosies
  • Ear warmers and headbands
  • Fingerless gloves
  • Cushion covers
  • Tote bags
  • Baby rompers
  • Crochet cardigans
  • Lap blankets
  • Double-thick potholders

You can browse additional Suzette stitch crochet patterns on Etsy, including sweaters, baby blankets, beanies, mug cosies and accessories from independent crochet designers.

When choosing a pattern, check whether it uses US or UK crochet terminology. Also check whether it uses the traditional Suzette stitch—one single crochet and one double crochet worked into the same stitch—or a designer’s variation of it. That quick check can prevent a great deal of confused unraveling later.