Little Paddy & Ivey Turtle

Well hello my lovely ones. How are we all? I hope you have all had super weekends!! Much preferring the weather now than last week. Goodness it was wet! We seemed to have been drenched when we were out most days. It did mean we could nip into our favourite bakery for a cuppa. Bore Street Bakery pit stop with my two!! Can’t beat it!!

So as promised, here is the pattern for my two little Turtles.

Paddy and Ivy are very close little siblings!! They are usually found playing in the waves and rock pools. Ivy loves the deep waves. She dives under them and pops up squirting her little brother with water!! Little pickle!!! Paddy on the other hand, likes the shallow waters. He is quite content at the minute, following his Daddy around and asking him all sorts of questions about what he is doing.

Paddy and Ivy are quite small in size, as you can see. But they do love to snuggle up in any little ones pocket and have fun on days out with them.

Really hope you enjoy making them. They would be a great friend to any little one that is close to your heart.

Level – Easy

Supplies –

Right then, supplies. As this is a Using Up Year pattern, I have used lots of odds and ends to make my little turtles. Each little turtle uses a total of 35g of double knit yarn, so that will give you a rough idea of how much you will need.

You will also need a 3mm crochet hook, some scissors, toy stuffing, a piece of different coloured yarn for a stitch marker and a blunt ended tapestry needle to sew all your ends in. And don’t forget a pair of safety eyes, if you want to use them and some black yarn for the eyebrows and mouth.

Stitches –

Magic Ring (mr) – For a magic ring, make a loop with the yarn, leaving a tail. (Make sure the tail is under the working yarn.) Now insert your hook into the loop, from the front to the back. Wrap the working yarn around your hook and pull the yarn through and pull tight to create a ring.

If you are unsure, here’s a little video on how to make a Magic Ring.

Slip stitch (ss) – This is where there is no height to the stitch. It’s usually used to join rounds. So insert the hook into the front of the stitch you are joining to. This is usually the first stitch you made in that round/row. So yarn over hook and pull through that first stitch then also through the loop on your hook.

Double Crochet (dc) – Insert the hook through the stitch, front to back, then yarn over hook and pull back through stitch. You will have two loops on your hook. Then yarn over your hook and pull through both loops.

Double Crochet Decrease (2dctog) – This is where you crochet two stitches together to decrease the amount of stitches in the round. So insert the hook through the front of the first stitch only (the front V) and then insert again through the front of the second stitch (the front V). Now yarn over your hook and pull it back through both stitches, so you will then have 2 loops on your hook. Yarn over your hook again and pull through both loops. And there is your 2dctog. (Basically 2 double crochet stitches crocheted together.)

If you need a quick recap on how to do these stitches and a few other snippets of Amigurumi techniques, then follow the link below. Happy watching.

Ok so here we go…

Body

1 – Using your 3mm hook, make a magic ring, chain 1 and then work 6dc stitches into the ring. (6)

2 – 3 (2 rounds) Work 1dc in each stitch. (6)

4 – *2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (12)

5 – *1dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (18)

6 – *2dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (24)

7 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (24)

8 – Work 2dc in the first stitch, then work 1dc in the next 11 stitches. Now work 2dc in next stitch, followed by 11dc stitches. (26)

9 – Work 2dc in first stitch, then work 1dc in the next 12 stitches. Now work 2dc in next stitch, followed by 12dc stitches. (28)

10 – Work 2dc in first stitch, then work 1dc in the next 13 stitches. Now work 2dc in next stitch, followed by 13dc stitches. (30)

11 – 12 (2 rounds) Work 1dc in each stitch. (30)

13 – Work 2dctog, then work 1dc in the next 13 stitches. Followed by 2dctog stitch and then 13dc stitches. (28)

14 – Work 2dctog, then work 1dc in the next 12 stitches. Followed by 2dctog and then 12dc stitches. (26)

15 – Work 2dctog, then work 1dc in the next 11 stitches. Followed by 2dctog and then 11dc stitches. (24)

16 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (24)

17 – Now work *2dc, then 2dctog.* Repeat this ** 6 times. (18)

18 – Work *1dc, then 2dctog* Repeat this ** 6 times. (12)

19 – Work *2dctog* Repeat this ** 6 times. (6)

Now it’s time to fasten off, stuff your turtle’s body and then sew it up with your yarn tail.

Head

1 – Make a magic ring, chain 1 and then work 6 dc stitches into the ring. (6)

2 – *2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (12)

3 – *1dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (18)

4 – *2dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (24)

5 – *3dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (30)

6 – 9 (4 rounds) Work 1dc in each stitch. (30)

10 – Now work *3dc, then 2dctog.* Repeat this ** 6 times. (24)

11 – Now work *2dc, then 2dctog.* Repeat this ** 6 times. (18)

12 – Now work *1dc, then 2dctog.* Repeat this ** 6 times. (12)

13 – 15 (3 rounds) Work 1dc in each stitch. (12)

Finish your head, by slip stitching into the next stitch and fasten off. Now stuff your head with your toy stuffing so that it will be ready to then sew on to your turtle’s body.

At this stage, you could attach your safety eyes. With the eyes, you need to make sure you have them in the correct place, because once you have pushed the back on. It is very hard to get them off. So keep looking and checking that you are happy. Remember the dome on the back of the safety eye faces out. This is how it stays secure on your turtle’s head.

Shell

With the shell, I have used 5 different colours, but you can use however many colours you would like. I alternated 2 rounds of colour with 1 round of white yarn.

1 – Make a magic ring, chain 1 and then work 6 dc stitches into the ring. (6)

2 – Work *2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (12)

3 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (12)

4 – Work *1dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (18)

5 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (18)

6 – *2dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (24)

7 – *3dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (30)

8 – *4dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (36)

9 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (36)

10 – *5dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (42)

11 – *1dc in the first stitch. Then 1dc in next. Miss a stitch then 4tr stitches in the next stitch. Then miss 2 stitches. *Repeat this ** 7 times. (42) After the last 4tr stitch, slip stitch into the first dc stitch to complete the round.

12 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (42)

Front Flipper x 2

1 – Start by working 12 chain stitches, then slip stitch into the first chain to make a ring.

2 – Now work 1dc in each chain (12)

3 – 4 (2 rounds) Work 1dc in each stitch. (12)

5 – Work 2dc in the next 6 stitches. Follow this by working 1dc in the next 6 stitches. (18)

6 – Work 2dc in the next 6 stitches. Follow this by working 1dc in the next 12 stitches. (24)

7 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (24)

8 – Work 12dc stitches. Then work *2dctog.* Repeat this ** 6 times. (18)

9 – Work 6dc stitches. Then work *2dctog.* Repeat this ** 6 times. (12)

10 – Work *2dctog.* Repeat this ** 6 times. (6)

Now slip stitch into the next stitch and fasten off. Leave the tail quite long, so you can use the tail to sew the flippers onto the body.

Back Flipper x 2 –

1 – Start by working 8 chain stitches then slip stitch into the first chain to make a ring.

2 – Work 1dc in each chain. (8)

3 – Now work 1dc in each stitch. (8)

4 – *Work 1dc then 2dc in the next stitch.* Repeat this ** 4 times. (12)

5 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (12)

6 – Work 2dc in the next 6 stitches. Follow this by working 1dc in the next 6 stitches. (18)

7 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (18)

8 – Now work *1dc, then 2dctog.* Repeat this ** 6 times. (12)

9 – 10 (2 rounds) Work 1dc in each stitch. (12)

11 – Work *2dctog.* Repeat this 6 times. (6)

And there we have it. Your 7 little turtle parts. Now it’s time to sew it altogether.

It’s best to start with the head, then the front flippers and then the back flippers. And finally the shell. Just remember to keep checking the alignment of each body part. Once you have sewed them all on, it’s time to use your black thread and needle to sew on your little eyebrows and mouth.

And there you have your little turtle. My daughter and son took their little turtles out and about on Sunday! Think they both had different ideas on how to keep them tucked up next to them all day!!

My son had a more novel way of keeping his little turtle safe.

I really hope you have enjoyed this pattern. Can’t wait to see all your little turtle creations. Don’t forget to share them and link me in.

If you like these little guys, then their parents free pattern will be following shortly!!! Couldn’t resist making the whole family!!

Happy hooking chaps!!!

🌈Xx

(Free pattern designed and brought to you by PipsRainbow. Thank you for not copying or recreating it. ☺️Xx)

Continue Reading

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!

The British Seaside…

I just don’t think you can beat it. The sea air, golden sands, crashing waves and constant tide change and of course, the serious amount of ice cream that has to be consumed. Bliss. There is something rather special about a British Seaside trip, that I don’t think can be found anywhere else in the world. 

It’s been our yearly pilgrimage to Cornwall and the sunny south. And as always we have loved it. It seems to call us every year. I think since having children, it’s been our go to holiday. And in the past 6/7 years we haven’t missed a year. 

The Cornish definitely know a thing or two about how to make someone’s summer holiday by the seaside special. Seriously – Rainbow Teapots at The Cherry Tree Cafe in Padstow!!!! Definitely a spot of PipsRainbow heaven going on!!!! We had a lovely lunch there and it is well worth a visit if you are in Padstow. They made the kids feel at home and my daughter reckoned her cake was the best she had tasted out!! As you can imagine, we go every year!!

And of course you can’t go to Cornwall without having a Cornish Cream Tea at the wonderful cafe at Bedruthen Steps.

The National Trust walk to the beach will definitely help you burn off some of that cream tea too!!!

But our one and only favourite place is Mother Ivy’s Bay and the wonderful Padstow Lifeboat Station. I don’t know what it is about this place, but it just seems to fill me with happiness. It seems magical somehow. It draws you into this seaside summery bliss. Everyone seems to relax into the holiday mode and the beach and waves call to us each morning to get up and play.

My daughter seems to have turned into a complete seaside fish or mermaid as she likes to put it. We couldn’t get her out of the water! Whether she was on her body board or just wave diving, she was in the water!! She kept diving under the waves and popping up like a little seal and then back under again!!! Funny!! And what was the activity she wanted to do when we got home, drum role please… we went swimming in our local pool!!! One little mermaid!!

My son on the other hand, being younger, got cold quite quickly, so was quite happy to paddle and play with his little boat. When I wrote this, I had him snuggled up in my arms in our beach tent. I think too many rock pools and waves had got the better of him.

I remember my daughter doing the exact same thing. She would just zonk out under a pile of towels in the tent and have a well earned nap and wake up slightly freaked out as to where she was, until she remembered. She used to do the same on her grandparents boat. Lie down in the cockpit, under a pile of towels and off she would go. Wish I could do that! Never been one for taking a nap just anywhere really!! My Mum used to say that I slept well as a baby and then it all went to pot when I was a child!! Not sure why. Maybe the fear of missing out and the call for adventure.

It’s funny when you go on holiday, as to what different things that everyone takes!! When my husband and I we’re wee nippers, we used to bring a whole bag of books that we would consume over the holiday. But alas, as I am sure that many parents will concur, I took one and opened it once. Funny. It’s all about the kiddies on holiday isn’t it. There definitely isn’t a moment to just sit and concentrate on a book. I know it will come, as the kids get older, but I definitely don’t want to wish this time away!!! So books seem to be a non starter for us at the minute.

I did however, manage to sneak a few crocheting projects with me into the beach bag each day. Most got covered in sand and possibly sun cream, but they seem to have survived.

It’s normal right to bring 4 projects on holiday with you isn’t it? Well I did and yes I did work on each of them. Some more than others!! I managed quite a lot on my silk infinity scarf. This was the silk yarn that I brought from the wonderful Abby at OrchideanYarns. It’s so utterly gorgeous.

It has the most incredible bluey/lilacy colours all intwined together with hints of forget me knot and periwinkle blue and even hydrangea. My Gran used to love these colours. I swear her whole bedroom was a shower of pale blues! So here’s how I am getting on. Can’t wait to share the pattern with you all.

Another of Abby wonderful yarns that found it’s way into our holiday bag was her beautiful Hydrangea Platinum Sock Yarn that was part of her monthly Ōilyarns Club.

My daughter managed to twist my arm and I ended up designing and making her a pair of socks. She had a grin from ear to ear when they found their way onto her feet one morning!! And I did think it was rather apt, that in Cornwall the one flower that you seem to be surrounded by each day, is the beautiful hydrangea!!

And of course I had to bring my Seaside shawl along!! This little lady has been following me around for a year or so now.

The only rule is as some of you may know is that I can only work on it when I am by the sea. It’s a bit of an issue though as I keep taking other projects with me when I we go away, so it doesn’t seem to get finished!

Heyho, I quite like the long process! I wonder how many holidays I can stretch it over!!

And finally my little cashmere number. This scrumptious little baby is just too good to be left behind. I brought it from the wonderful Wool Warehouse website. It wasn’t cheap, but by golly it’s soft and will be so so soft around ones neck. Hoping to get going with it more soon and share the pattern with you, as hoping it will keep my neck warm this winter!!!

So back to my Using Up Year and I couldn’t resist designing a little turtle. My husband and son have you some rather smart matching swim shorts that my mother in law bought for them. They are rather special and have a little friendly turtle all over them in the colours yellow, blue and green. Even though both of them brought different swim shorts, it was their matching pair that came out everyday and was washed every night ready for the next seaside adventure. Bless!!! Will share my little turtle pattern with you guys within a week or two.

Anyways, wishing you all a lovely rest of the week.

Here’s to all you holidays makers. May your holiday be a mix of fun, magic, love, family time and laughter. (And of course a spot of crocheting!!)

Happy hooking chaps!!

🌈Xx

Continue Reading