Mixed-Media Turtle

Mixed-media Amigurumi Turtle

It seems that turtles are a very popular amigurumi design. I probably get more hits and comments on my turtle design than all others. Then one of the guys I work with, Chris Klawonn, turns these wonderful wooden bowls. I was talking to him one day and "click" I had this wonderful idea. Wouldn't an amigurumi turtle be pretty cool if it had a wooden shell. I had these 2 scrap blocks of oak that I thought would be the perfect size to make a bowl that turned upside down could also make a turtle shell. You could also use it as a place to keep small items. (I keep my headphones for my cell phone it it.) He also thought it was an excellent idea. So off we went. I brought him the wood and Chris got started. Once we knew the outside diameter of the shell I was able to get started on the amigurumi part of the turtle. I crocheted a round base for under the shell then repeating the same number of stitches as the last row of the base I crocheted 3 rows up for the side to hold the shell. To keep the shell from falling off I crocheted one last row with some reducing stitches so that the base would be tight enough to hold the shell (see diagram a.) All of the remaining pieces (head, flippers and tail) are attached to the bottom of the base. Then a trimmed down piece of plastic cross stitch is sewn to the bottom to keep the base flat and ridged.

diagram a.

base (bottom) & attached pieces

top of shell