Okay, so they’re not exact twins, still you could imagine my suprise when my Tommy the Turtle pattern turned into Tommy the Galapagos Tortise. It all happened while I was sewing Tommy’s legs on…
Materials: Lion Brand Cotton Ease in Lime, and Lily’s Sugar ‘n Cream in Summer Splash, about 2/3 skein of each.
Hook: US G
Tapestry needle.
2 safety eyes (or thread to embroider eyes on)
Fiberfill, or another type of stuffing.
Gauge: The exact gauge is not important, as long as it is tight enough to keep the stuffing from popping through.
Pattern Notes:
All decreases in the pattern are invisible decreases: insert hook into front leg of next stitch, insert hook through front leg of following stitch; yarn over, and pull through both legs. Yarn over and pull through both stitches on hook.
Body:
Create adjustable ring and make 6 sc within it. (Round 1), pull tail to tighten ring.
Round 2: 2 sc in each sc of previous round (12 sts)
Round 3:* sc in first stitch, 2 sc in next stitch; repeat from * around (18 sts)
Round 4: sc in each sc of prev. round (18 sts)
Round 5: *sc in first 2 stitches, 2 sc in next stitch; repeat from * around (24 sts)
Round 6-7: sc in each sc of prev. round (24 sts(
Round 8: *sc in next 2 stitches of prev. round, dec in next 2; repeat from * around (18 sts)
You may want to stop at this point and place the safety eyes or embroider them on. I Put the eyes between the 6th and 7th rounds, but the final placement, of course, is up to you.
Round 9: *sc in next stitch, decrease in next 2 sts; repeat from * around (12 sts)
Round 10-13: sc in each sc of previous round. (12 sts)
Round 14: * sc in first stitch, 2 sc in next stitch; repeat from * around (18 sts)
Round 15: *sc in first 2 stitches, 2 sc in next stitch; repeat from * around (24 sts)
Round 16: *sc in first 3 stitches, 2 sc in next stitch; repeat from * around (30 sts)
Round 17: sc in each stitch of previous round (30 sts)
Round 18: *sc in first 4 stitches, 2 sc in next stitch; repeat from * around (36 sts)
Round 19-25: sc in each stitch of previous round (36 sts)
Round 26: *sc in first 4 stitches, decrease in next 2; repeat from * around (30 sts)
Round 27: sc in each stitch of previous round (30 sts)
Round 28: *sc in first 3 stitches, decrease in next 2; repeat from * around (24 sts)
Round 29: sc in each stitch of previous round (24 sts)
Round 30: *sc in first 2 stitches, decrease in next 2; repeat from * around (18 sts)
Round 31-32: sc in each stitch of previous round (18 sts)
I suggest pausing here to stuff the body with whatever medium you choose. This, in my opinion is the easiest point.
Round 33: *sc in first stitch, decrease in next 2; repeat from * around (12 sts)
Round 34*: decrease in first 2 stitches; repeat from * around (6 sts)
Finish whatever stuffing needs to be done. Break yarn, using a yarn needle bring it through the loops of the last 6 stitches and tie it off, then use the needle to leave the tail inside the body.
Legs (right side) Make 2:
Make and adjustable ring and put 8 sc into ring, pull tail tight (Round 1)
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch of prev. round (16 sts)
Round 3: sc into back leg of each stitch of prev. round (16 sts)
Round 4: sc in first stitch, dec 4 times, sc in next 7 sts (12 sts)
Round 5-9: sc in each stitch of previous round. (12 sts)
Round 10: sc in first 3 sts, slip stich in next stitch, turn.
Round 11: skipping slip stitch, sc in next 4 sts, slip stich in next st, turn.
Round 12: sc in each open (easily visible) stitch. (10 sts)
Round 13-16: sc in each st of previous round (10 sts) break yarn and pull through loop leaving a long tail
Stuff leg, and sew leg onto body.
Legs (left side) Make 2:
Make and adjustable ring and put 8 sc into ring, pull tail tight (Round 1)
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch of prev. round (16 sts)
Round 3: sc into back leg of each stitch of prev. round (16 sts)
Round 4: sc in first stitch, dec 4 times, sc in next 7 sts (12 sts)
Round 5-9: sc in each stitch of previous round. (12 sts)
Round 10: sc in first 6 sts, slip stich in next stitch, turn.
Round 11: skipping slip stitch, sc in next 4 sts, slip stich in next st, turn.
Round 12: sc in each open (easily visible) stitch. (10 sts)
Round 13-16: sc in each st of previous round (10 sts) break yarn and pull through loop leaving a long tail
Stuff leg, and sew leg onto body.
Shell:
Chain 4
Round 1: 2 sc in second chain from hook, 1 sc in next chain, 2 sc in last, then turn to work along back of chain sts, making 2 more sc in the chain, then 1 in next stitch and 2 in the next sts, slip st to join. (10 sts)
Round 2: Chain 2 (counts as first dc) double crochet in same stitch as slip stitch 2 double crochet in each chain st, slip st to 2ndturning chain. (20 sts)
Round 3: chain 2 (counts as first dc), 2 double crochets in next stitch * one double crochet in next st, 2 double crochet in the next st; repeat from * to end of round, slip st to join (30 sts)
Round 4: chain 2, double crochet in next st, 2 double crochet in next st, * one double crochet in next 2 sts, 2 double crochet in next st; repeat from * until end of round, slip st to join (40 sts)
Round 5: chain 2, double crochet in next 2 sts, 2 double crochet in next st, * one double crochet in next 3 sts, 2 double crochet in next st; repeat from * until end of round, slip st to join (50 sts)
Break yarn and use tail to sew shell to body, along the edge of the 4thround.
Now you have your very own Galapagos Tortoise. I hope he lives as long as the real ones do!!
Hook and Needle Girl 