Get ready to make a turtle-y awesome coaster! This cute crochet turtle coaster pattern was inspired by a bit of leftover brown yarn and a love for nature. Perfect for adding some shell-ter to your coffee table!
This adorable crochet turtle coaster pattern was born out of a happy yarn stash discovery. One day, I found some extra brown cotton yarn, and it immediately struck me—this would be perfect for a turtle shell! After rummaging through my stash, I found the ideal green cotton yarn, and the idea for my turtle coaster crochet pattern was off to the races!
I had just finished my crochet African flower bag pattern at the time, and as I was admiring the flowers I’d created, it dawned on me that the flower petals looked a lot like turtle shells. That moment of inspiration sent me on a creative journey to bring this idea to life. I decided to use the crochet African flower hexagon pattern, a 6-petal design, which not only gave the coaster the perfect shape but also allowed me to place the turtle’s little extremities in between each petal, adding a fun and unique touch.
This crochet turtle coaster pattern is simple, charming, and fun to make! If you love this pattern, and you happen to have some extra jute and warm brown cotton yarn lying around, be sure to check out my crochet bear coaster pattern and my crochet capybara coaster pattern. They’re just as fun and whimsical, with more animal-inspired coasters to add to your collection.
If you have extra green yarn though, you can make my crochet tree coaster pattern for a cute coaster during the holidays.
Let your imagination run wild, and enjoy the playful and silly side of crochet with these cute designs!
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✏️ Things To Note:
- Size: The completed coaster measures about 4.5 to 5 inches in diameter, making it the perfect size to hold your cup or glass without taking up too much space.
- Hook: A 5.0 mm crochet hook is recommended for the crochet turtle coaster pattern to achieve the right stitch tension and ensure a sturdy coaster.
- Yarn: Use cotton yarn for a durable and absorbent coaster. For the turtle shell, you'll need a brown cotton yarn, and for the body and legs, green cotton yarn is ideal. You can mix and match yarns for fun color combos, but make sure to use yarns that are similar in weight.
- Shell Design: The shell is made using the crochet African flower hexagon pattern, which has a 6-petal design that works perfectly for the turtle's back. This allows the extremities (head, legs, and tail) to be placed between each petal for a cute and functional design.
- Stitch Pattern: The crochet turtle coaster pattern uses basic crochet stitches like chain, slip stitch, and double crochet, making it suitable for intermediate beginners.
🪡 Materials Needed
- Lily Sugar n Cream - warm brown
- Lily Sugar n Cream - jute
- Lily Sugar n Cream - sage green
- 5mm hook
- Tapestry needle
💭Abbreviations to Remember (US terms)
- Chains (ch)
- Single crochet (sc)
- Long single crochet (long sc)
- Double crochet (dc)
- Slip stitch (sl st)
- Increase (inc)
- Decrease (dec)
🧋Variations
- Color Variations: Use different colors for the turtle’s shell—try earthy tones like green and brown or go bold with vibrant hues like teal and orange. Experiment with pastel shades for a softer, more playful look. Create multi-colored shells by using a combination of yarns for a more intricate design.
- Adding Embellishments: Give your turtle personality by adding small embellishments like tiny crocheted flowers on the shell or cute button eyes.
🍵Instructions for Crochet Turtle Coaster Pattern
For this crochet turtle coaster pattern, we will be working in the round.
Crochet African Flower:
With the jute yarn, ch x4 and then sl st to the 1st chain to make a closed circle.
Round 1: Ch x3 (counts as a dc), then make a dc, ch x1, into the circle. Next, *dc x2 and ch x1* into the circle, then repeat 4 more times. Make a sl st to the beginning ch x3 to complete the round (12 dc + 6 ch). Then fasten off the jute yarn.
Round 2: Join the warm brown yarn to a ch x1 space from the last round. Then ch x3, dc, ch x2, and dc x2 into the ch space. In the next ch space *dc x2, ch x2, dc x2* and repeat for the rest of the round. Then sl st to the beginning ch x3 in this round (6 x 2 dc + 2 ch + 2 dc).
See round 3 below.
See round 4 below.
Round 3: Make a sl st into the next stitch and then into the next ch space. Ch x3, dc x6 into the same ch space. Then go to the *next ch space and dc x7 into the space*. Repeat 4 more times until all the petals are made. Then sl st to the beginning ch x3 in this round (6 petals). Fasten off the brown yarn.
Round 4: Rejoin the jute yarn to anywhere at the top of the petals for the turtle shell. Then sc in the top of every stitch, but in between each shell make a long sc.
A long sc is made by going down an extra row and then pulling up the yarn to be even with your current round and making a sc like normal. You want to pull the yarn up to your current round so that your flower doesn’t curl and lays flat better. After completing the round, then make a sl st to the first sc (7 sc on top of each petal + a long sc in between petals). Then fasten off the yarn. Weave in any ends.
Crochet Turtle Pieces:
See instructions below.
See instructions below.
Crochet Turtle Head:
Row 1: With the green yarn, ch x4.
Row 2: In the second ch from the hook make a sc. Sc for the rest of the row, then ch x1 and turn (3).
Row 3: Sc inc, sc, sc inc (5). Then ch x1 and turn.
Row 4-5: Sc in every stitch (5). Then ch x1 and turn.
Row 6: Dec, sc, dec (3). Then ch x1 and turn.
Row 7: Sc x3 then fasten off (3). Leave a long tail for sewing.
Crochet Turtle Tail:
Row 1: With the green yarn, ch x2.
Row 2: In the second ch from the hook make a sc. Then ch x1 and turn (1).
Row 3: Sc inc (2). Then ch x1 and turn.
Row 4: Sc, sc inc (3). Then ch x1 and turn.
Row 5: Sc in every stitch (3). Then fasten off and leave a tail for sewing.
See instructions below.
See instructions below.
Crochet Arms/Legs:
Make 4.
Row 1: With the green yarn, ch x4.
Row 2: In the second ch from the hook make a sc. Then sc 2 more times in the other 2 chains and ch x1 and turn (1).
Row 3-6: Sc in every stitch. Then ch x1 and turn (3).
Sewing:
Now that all the turtle extremities have been made, it is time to sew!
Sew the head at the top of the flower in between 2 petals, then sew the tail directly below, and the arms and legs in between the other petals.
I sewed the green parts of the turtle 1 round inward of the turtle shell, not directly on the edge of the shell because I wanted to have the coaster have the appearance that the turtle is coming from under or inside the shell.
That’s it for this crochet turtle coaster pattern—your perfect mix of fun and function!
I hope you enjoy making your little turtle friend. If you're looking for more animal-inspired coasters, be sure to check out my crochet cat coaster pattern for another adorable creation to add to your collection.
If you have other shades of green cotton yarn you can even make my crochet frog coaster pattern and my crochet lily pad coaster pattern.
Happy crocheting, and may your surfaces always be stylishly protected!
🐌Expert Tips
- Keep Tension Even: When making the crochet African flower hexagon pattern, make sure to keep your tension consistent throughout the project. If your stitches are too tight, it may be hard to sew the extremities (head, legs, and tail) onto the shell. If they’re too loose, your coaster might not have the right shape or durability.
- Shape the Shell Perfectly: When you crochet the hexagon flower, be sure to count your stitches carefully to avoid misshaping the petals. You can also block the finished shell to get a perfect, flat, and even shape. Gently steam-block it by placing it under a damp cloth and pressing with an iron.
- Secure Loose Ends: When you’ve finished your turtle coaster, take the time to weave in all the loose ends carefully to prevent them from unraveling. Use a yarn needle to ensure the ends are tucked securely inside the stitches.
🧵Pattern FAQs
For the best results, use cotton yarn as it’s absorbent, durable, and easy to work with. Choose a medium-weight (worsted) cotton yarn for the body and shell, and a contrasting color for the extremities.
A 5.0 mm crochet hook is ideal for this pattern, but you can adjust the hook size depending on your yarn choice. Just be sure your stitches are tight enough to prevent liquid from soaking through.
You can attach the turtle’s extremities using a whip stitch or mattress stitch. Be sure to sew them on securely, but not too tightly, to avoid warping the shell.
🧶More Crochet Coaster Patterns
If you tried this Crochet Turtle Coaster Pattern (or any other pattern on my website), please let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear from you!
Crochet Turtle Coaster Pattern
Materials
Abbreviations (US terms)
- Chains - ch
- Single crochet - sc
- Long single crochet (long sc)
- Double crochet - dc
- Slip stitch - sl st
- Increase - inc
- Decrease - dec
Notes
- Size: The completed coaster measures about 4.5 to 5 inches in diameter, making it the perfect size to hold your cup or glass without taking up too much space.
- Hook: A 5.0 mm crochet hook is recommended for this pattern to achieve the right stitch tension and ensure a sturdy coaster.
- Yarn: Use cotton yarn for a durable and absorbent coaster. For the turtle shell, you'll need a brown cotton yarn, and for the body and legs, green cotton yarn is ideal. You can mix and match yarns for fun color combos, but make sure to use yarns that are similar in weight.
- Shell Design: The shell is made using the crochet African flower hexagon pattern, which has a 6-petal design that works perfectly for the turtle's back. This allows the extremities (head, legs, and tail) to be placed between each petal for a cute and functional design.
- Stitch Pattern: This pattern uses basic crochet stitches like chain, slip stitch, and double crochet, making it suitable for intermediate beginners.
Instructions
Crochet African Flower:
- With the jute yarn, ch x4 and then sl st to the 1st chain to make a closed circle.
- Round 1: Ch x3 (counts as a dc), then make a dc, ch x1, into the circle. Next, *dc x2 and ch x1* into the circle, then repeat 4 more times. Make a sl st to the beginning ch x3 to complete the round (12 dc + 6 ch). Then fasten off the jute yarn.
- Round 2: Join the warm brown yarn to a ch x1 space from the last round. Then ch x3, dc, ch x2, and dc x2 into the ch space. In the next ch space *dc x2, ch x2, dc x2* and repeat for the rest of the round. Then sl st to the beginning ch x3 in this round (6 x 2 dc + 2 ch + 2 dc).
- Round 3: Make a sl st into the next stitch and then into the next ch space. Ch x3, dc x6 into the same ch space. Then go to the *next ch space and dc x7 into the space*. Repeat 4 more times until all the petals are made. Then sl st to the beginning ch x3 in this round (6 petals). Fasten off the brown yarn.
- Round 4: Rejoin the jute yarn to anywhere at the top of the petals for the turtle shell. Then sc in the top of every stitch, but in between each shell make a long sc.
- A long sc is made by going down an extra row and then pulling up the yarn to be even with your current round and making a sc like normal. You want to pull the yarn up to your current round so that your flower doesn’t curl and lays flat better. After completing the round, then make a sl st to the first sc (7 sc on top of each petal + a long sc in between petals). Then fasten off the yarn. Weave in any ends.
Crochet Turtle Head:
- Row 1: With the green yarn, ch x4.
- Row 2: In the second ch from the hook make a sc. Sc for the rest of the row, then ch x1 and turn (3).
- Row 3: Sc inc, sc, sc inc (5). Then ch x1 and turn.
- Row 4-5: Sc in every stitch (5). Then ch x1 and turn.
- Row 6: Dec, sc, dec (3). Then ch x1 and turn.
- Row 7: Sc x3 then fasten off (3). Leave a long tail for sewing.
Crochet Turtle Tail:
- Row 1: With the green yarn, ch x2.
- Row 2: In the second ch from the hook make a sc. Then ch x1 and turn (1).
- Row 3: Sc inc (2). Then ch x1 and turn.
- Row 4: Sc, sc inc (3). Then ch x1 and turn.
- Row 5: Sc in every stitch (3). Then fasten off and leave a tail for sewing.
Crochet Arms/Legs:
Make 4.
- Row 1: With the green yarn, ch x4.
- Row 2: In the second ch from the hook make a sc. Then sc 2 more times in the other 2 chains and ch x1 and turn (1).
- Row 3-6: Sc in every stitch. Then ch x1 and turn (3).
Sewing:
- Now that all the turtle extremities have been made, it is time to sew!
- Sew the head at the top of the flower in between 2 petals, then sew the tail directly below, and the arms and legs in between the other petals.
- I sewed the green parts of the turtle 1 round inward of the turtle shell, not directly on the edge of the shell because I wanted to have the coaster have the appearance that the turtle is coming from under or inside the shell.
- That’s it for this crochet turtle coaster pattern—your perfect mix of fun and function!
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