I'm not sure what inspired Trudie, the turtle, other than an episode of Wild America I watched one Sunday back at the beginning of the summer. I liked the pattern on the bottom of the turtle shell and it occurred to me that it could be replicated in knitting by knitting into the front and back of a stitch. I just started knitting and stopped when she was done.
I actually started to make up a pattern for Trudie, with the intention of submitting it to Knitty for the winter issue. (I even took these pretty pictures - I'm sure the other people in the park thought I was nuts for taking pictures of a toy.) After I went to the trouble, I found they'd published a pattern for a knitted turtle last year. Damn. Mine is different, but I'm sure they don't need two turtles. Want the pattern? ETA: See below!
Pattern: Mine.
Yarn: about 2/3 of a ball of Dale Svale
Needles: US size 5 dpns
Comments: :-)
Trudie
by Sarah Castor
Difficulty: Intermediate
Trudie’s body is knit in one piece in the round, leaving an opening for her head to be knit on later by picking up stitches. Increases make the sunburst pattern in her plastron (undershell), while a simple knit and purl pattern forms the carapace (topshell).
SIZE
One size
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Length: 6.5 inches from head to tail
Height: 3 inches
MATERIALS
Dale of Norway Svale [50% cotton/40% viscose/10% silk; 114yds per 50g skein]; color: 7432 light green; 1 skein (about 80 yds used)
1 set US #5/3.75mm double-point needlesPolyester fiberfill for stuffing
Two small white 4-hole buttons
black sewing thread and sewing needle
tapestry needle
stitch marker
US size E-4 (3.5 mm) crochet hook for picking up stitches (optional)
24 sts/32 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch
Eyes:
If you are making Trudie for a small child or baby, forgo the buttons and use the black thread to embroider the eyes onto the head. Button eyes can be popped off and swallowed by young children.
Since the pattern is worked in multiples of 8, a set of 5 dpns is recommended, although not necessary.
sk2p:
Slip the next stitch knitwise, knit the next two stitches together, pass the slipped stitch over the stitches knitted together and off the needle.
PATTERN
Body
Cast on 8 sts, leaving 6 inch tail of yarn. Distribute sts evenly on dpns and join for working in the round, placing a marker at the beginning.
Round 1: K to end.
Round 2: Kfb to end. (16 sts)
Round 3: [K1, kfb] to end. (24sts)
Round 4: K to end.
Round 5: [
Repeat the last 2 rows, adding one knit stitch before each kfb until there are 80 sts.
Round 18: [K9, P1] to end.
Make opening for head:
Round 19:
Round 20:
Round 21: As round 18.
Begin topshell:
Round 22: P to end.
Round 23: P2, [K5, P5] to last 8 sts, K5, P3.
Round 24: P1, [K3, ssk, K2, P3] to last 9 sts, K3, ssk,
Round 25: P1, [K6, P3] 8 sts, K6, P2.
Round 26 and 27: [K8, P1] to end.
Round 28: [K3, ssk, K3, P1] to end. (64 sts)
Round 29: P1, [K5, P3] to last 7 sts, K5, P2.
Round 30: P1, [K5, P1, K1, P1] to last 7 sts, K5, P1, K1.
Start stuffing the body and add stuffing as you go.
Round 31: K1, [P1, K3] to last 3 sts, P1,
Round 32: K1, [P2, p2tog, P1, K3] to last 7 sts, P2, p2tog, P1,
Round 33:
Round 34:
Round 35:
Round 36: K1, [P3, ssk, K1] to last 5 sts, P3, ssk. (40 sts)
Round 37: K1, [P1, K1, P1, K2] to last 4 sts, [P1, K1] twice, rm, purl the first stitch of the next round to make it the last stitch of the current round, pm.
Round 38: [K3, p2tog] to end. (32 sts)
Round 39: [K3, P1] to end.
Round 40: [Ssk, K1, P1] to end. (24 sts)
Round 41: P to end.
Round 42: [Ssk, K1] to end. (16 sts)
Round 43: K to end.
Round 44: Ssk to end. (8 sts)
Add the last stuffing. Cut yarn and thread through the remaining 8 sts to close.
Head
Note: Stuff the head as you knit it.
Using three needles and starting at the right edge, pick up 18 sts around the head opening.
K one round.
Next round: [K2, M1] 3 times, K5, [M1, K2 ] 3 times, K1. (24 sts)
K 3 rounds.
Next round: [Ssk, K7, k2tog, K1] to end. (20 sts)
K one round.
Next round: [Ssk, K5, k2tog, K1] to end. (16 sts)
Next round: [Ssk, K3, k2tog, K1] to end. (12 sts)
Next round: [Ssk, K1, k2tog, K1] to end. (8 sts)
Last round: [Sk2p, K1] to end. (4 sts)
Add the last stuffing. Cut yarn and thread it through the remaining sts to close.
Legs (make 4)
Cast on 18 sts, distribute evenly on three needles and join for working in the round.
K 4 rounds.
Next round: [Ssk, K1] 6 times. (12 sts)
K one round.
Next round: Ssk to end. (6 sts)
Cut yarn and thread through the remaining sts to close.
Cast on 10 sts, distribute on three needles and join for working in the round.
K one round.
Next round: [Ssk, K1, k2tog] twice. (6 sts)
K one more round. Cut yarn and thread it through the remaining sts to close.
Use cast-on tail to close the hole in the belly. Stuff the feet and sew onto the body. Press the tail flat and sew onto the body (the tail is not stuffed). Weave in ends. With a sewing needle threaded with black thread, sew button eyes onto head.
Please use this pattern responsibly - that means, print a copy for yourself, but do not print copies for distribution or sale or use the pattern to make little Trudies for sale. Thanks.
11 comments:
Wonderful, what a cute turtle! I actually like this one better than the other one that's out there. ;) I'll have to stash the pattern away for the day when the urge hits me to knit a soft toy -that happens every now and then.
Oh, your Trudie the Turtle is so cute! Here in St. Louis, across the highway from the St. Louis Zoo, we have a place called Turtle Park with giant sculptures of turtles for kids to climb on. I think I am going to have to knit one of these wonderful turtles in honor of our park and because I have liked turtles since I was a little girl.
ooo trudie is much cuter than the other turtle! Thanks for posting the pattern.. I have lots of new babies from friends and relatives in the queue or just born so I'm sure it will make a great gift for one of them.
Just wanted to let you know that I also added a pic of my Trudie to my blog (knittergoddss.livejournal.com) so that you could see it. I posted it in my ravelry too (knittergoddss there as well) but I wanted you to know that I credited you and linked to your pattern.
What a cute turtle. Thanks so much for the pattern. I love making soft toys.
I just stumbled across Trudie, and ITA with the others who have said she's cuter than the previously-published turtle. This one is adorable.
We're transitioning from plastic toys to all-natural materials, so this is just perfect for us. Thanks so much for sharing!
I love this pattern! My husband went to UMD & the mascot is a turtle. I may try to make this guy for his b'day in May. I haven't studied the pattern yet but love that it is made in one piece. I made the other turtle on knitty as a Christmas gift for DH. The top of that shell & its bottom did not join together easily for me, leading me to give DH the bulbus body sans shell. A year later, after that body showed up in my lingerie drawer, under my pillow, etctera, the whole kit & kaboodle was assembled. Once piece incerases the odds of an immediate FO. Yeah!!!
Your instructions are very clear. Thank you!
Hey there! Trudie is *so* cute. I'm making one for a friend. I was wondering if I could have your permission to sell finished Trudies in my shop - www.etsy.com/shop/thesleepyrabbit
Obviously I would never post or sell the pattern, which is yours, but would it be all right with you if I sold the finished product?
Keep up the great work!
:)
Hi Liz,
(Sorry for the reply in the comments; I don't have an Etsy account and didn't want to sign up for one to contact you.)
I'm really glad you like Trudie; unfortunately, I cannot give you permission to sell finished goods based on this pattern. I may want to do that myself one of these days. :)
But I really appreciate your checking with me first.
Best wishes,
Sarah
Thanks for this cute little turtle !
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