INTRODUCTION

Sea Turtle Stack

by Rebecca Olson

Knitty was my first foray into piquant patterns over a decade ago, and two patterns in its (web) pages introduced me to my calling as a knitter: toy design. Those patterns were Ruth Homrighaus's Sheldon and Anna Hrachovec's Woodins.

Thanks to Sheldon, I've held a soft spot in my heart for turtles for many years. I spent almost as much time, however, debating how to design my own turtles that stand (or stack, as the case may be) apart from the crowd. The answer came from revisiting Anna Hrachovec's critters, both the simple forms of the Woodins and the stackable series through her own website.

Simple shapes, bold colors, and repetition make these turtles the underwater siblings of Sheldon and the distant cousins of Woodins. They knit up fast, so it's easy to make one or a dozen. Turtles all the way up and all the way down; the sky's the limit when it comes to turtles.

photos: Rebecca Olson

SIZE

One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Shell: 6 inches/15.25 cm
Length: 8 inches/20.25 cm from flipper to flipper

MATERIALS

Yarn
Knitpicks Wool of the Andes Worsted [100% Peruvian Highland Wool; 110yd/100m per 50g skein];
[MC] Jalapeno; 1 skein
[CC1] Calypso Heather; 1 skein
[CC2] Evergreen; 1 skein
[CC3] Blackberry; 1 skein
Note: Each turtle uses about 25 yds of the MC and about 40 yds of the CC, so this pattern works well with partial skeins.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #5/3.75mm needles for small circumference in the round – DPNs, 1 long or two short circulars

Notions
six 9mm animal safety eyes in orange (two eyes per turtle)
yarn needle
polyester fiberfill
pins

GAUGE

20 sts/24 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch

Note: gauge is not crucial as long as you like the fabric that results. Typically, for a stuffed toy, you’d work a little tighter than usual for a yarn, to ensure the stuffing doesn’t show through or come out. Working at a different gauge will change finished size, and yarn usage.

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

For Head, Flippers and Tail, there’s a relatively small number of stitches. If you’re using DPNs, and find it easier, you can indulge in a little cheat: distribute the stitches across two DPNs, and work with a third. This technique can create ladders, but in this context it won’t matter.

Work one Shell in each of the three CC colors; for each, the rest of the turtle is worked in MC.

DIRECTIONS

Shell Top
The shell top is worked from the outer edges toward center.

CO 54 stitches in a CC. Distribute sts across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round.
Rounds 1-4: P.
Round 5: K.
Round 6: (K2tog, k4) around. 45 stitches.
Round 7-8: K.
Round 9: (K2tog, k3) around. 36 stitches.
Round 10-11: K.
Round 12: (K2tog, k2) around. 27 stitches.
Round 13: K.
Round 14: (K2tog, k1) around. 18 stitches.
Round 15: K.
Round 16: (K2tog, k1) around. 12 stitches.
Round 17: (K2tog) around. 6 stitches.
Break yarn and pull through stitches to fasten off.

SHELL BOTTOM
The ShellBottom is worked from the center to the outer edge. Make the shell bottom in the same color as the shell top.

CO 3 stitches in the same CC as shell top.

Row 1: Working as if for i-cord, pulling the yarn across the back, (Kfb) 3 times. 6 stitches.
Distribute sts across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round.

Round 2: K.
Round 3: (Kfb) around. 12 stitches.
Round 4: K.
Round 5: (Kfb, k1) around. 18 stitches.
Round 6: K.
Round 7: (Kfb, k1) around. 27 stitches.
Round 8: K.
Round 9: (Kfb, k2) around. 36 stitches.
Round 10: K.
Round 11: (Kfb, k3) around. 45 stitches.
Round 12: K.
Round 13: (Kfb, k4) around. 54 stitches.
Round 14: K.
BO, leaving 24-inch/60-cm tail for sewing.

HEAD
CO 12 stitches in MC, leaving long tail for sewing. Distribute sts across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round.
Round 1-2: K.
Round 3: (K1, kfb, k2, kfb, k1) twice. 16 stitches.
Round 4: K.
Round 5: (K2, kfb, k2, kfb, k2) twice. 20 stitches.
Rounds 6-9: K.
Round 10: (K2, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2) twice. 16 stitches.
Round 11: K.
Round 12: (K1, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k1) twice. 12 stitches.
Round 13: (K2tog) around. 6 stitches.
Break yarn and pull through stitches to fasten off.

FRONT FLIPPER (Make 2)
CO 10 stitches in MC, leaving long tail for sewing. Distribute sts across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round.
Round 1: K.
Round 2: Ssk, k2, m1L, k2, m1L, k2, k2tog.
Repeat Rounds 1-2 three more times.
Round 9: K.
Round 10: Ssk, ssk, m1L, k2, m1L, k2tog, k2tog. 8 stitches.
Round 11: K.
Round 12: Ssk, k4, k2tog. 6 stitches.
Round 13: K.
Round 14: Ssk, k2, k2tog. 4 stitches.
Break yarn and pull through stitches to fasten off.

BACK FLIPPER (Make 2)
CO 8 stitches in MC, leaving long tail for sewing. Distribute sts across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round.
Rounds 1-4: K.
Round 5: Ssk, k4, k2tog. 6 stitches.
Round 6: K.
Round 7: Ssk, k2, k2tog. 4 stitches.
Break yarn and pull through stitches to fasten off.

TAIL
CO 6 stitches in MC, leaving long tail for sewing. Work as per i-cord, pulling yarn across the back.
Rounds 1-2: K.
Round 3: (K2tog, k1) twice. 4 stitches.
Round 4: (K2tog) twice. 2 stitches.
Break yarn and pull through stitches to fasten off.

FINISHING

Place the right (stockinette) sides of the shell top and bottom together. Using the thread from the BO edge of the shell bottom, whip stitch the shell top and bottom together around the outer edge. Leave a small 1-inch/2.5-cm opening for turning. Turn the shell right (stockinette) side out and stuff loosely with polyester fiberfill. Sew closed and set aside.

Attach 2 safety eyes to the turtle's head and stuff. Whip stitch the CO edge closed and weave in ends. If desired, make nostrils on the front of the head using French knots.

Whip stitch the CO edge closed on all flippers and the tail. Weave in all ends on the limbs.

Position the head, limbs, and tail around the underside of the shell, along the seam. They should be evenly spaced around the circular shell bottom. Pin them into place.

Using a piece of yarn in the same CC as the shell, sew around the shell between the seam and the purl edge on the shell top to create a ridge. As you sew around the body, sew through the pinned limbs, thus attaching them to the underside of the shell.

Remove pins and weave in any remaining ends. This completes one turtle. Repeat pattern two more times using different contrast colors for the shells of the remaining turtles.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Rebecca Olson started knitting toys when she realized she didn't actually like any of those hats and scarves she was making. Over a decade later, she turns the misfits of the animal kingdom into lovable toys.

Find more patterns and maybe even a blog on her website, or shoot her an email with any questions/comments/complaints about how she hasn't started that blog.

Pattern & images © 2018 Rebecca Olson