Turtle Cozy Pattern

What better to give someone for their wedding than a Turtle Cozy for their turtles!  It all began when Pete posted a picture of turtles with crochet tortoisaurus cozies on and said "Knit this woman!"  He was referring to his soon-to-be-bride, Brook.  Many people made comments that it was actually crochet.

Fast-forward a few weeks on our anniversary date in December.  We get to talking about what to get for Pete and Brook.  Jeremy shows me the pic on his phone and tells me it'd be awesome if I could make cozies for a turtle for them.  We went to Michaels and found two fake turtles - weren't looking for them; they were just there.  We had actually gone to Michaels to get more yarn for one of my Etsy orders.

I looked online and alas, there were no turtle cozy patterns.  Unless you wanted to pay money for them and I wasn't going to do that.  I decided to then write my own turtle cozy pattern.  Then made a girl tortoisaurus and a boy tortoisaurus.

Here is the pattern!  I have not had anyone else test it, but have written it as I created it.  Then tested it myself as I made the second tortoisaurus cozy to see if I could follow it and made revisions.  If any part of it is confusing or you find a glitch, please let me know!

*Note:  This was made for a fake tortoise - not a real one.  Real tortoises are likely larger than this; though I can't vouch for that.

TORTOISE "TORTOISAURUS" COZY

Materials:
One Skein of Worsted Weight Yarn in Blue (I used Vanna's Choice)
One Skein of Worsted Weight Yarn in Green (I used Vanna's Choice)
H Hook
Stitching needle to connect the spikes to the main portion
Two small buttons for the underside

Abbreviations:

SC=single crochet 
DC=double crochet 
st=stitch 
Ch=chain
Sl st=slip stitch
Sctogether= single crochet together (this is a decreasing stitch)

**Feel free to sell items made from this pattern.  As it is free, please link to this page for others to know where you found the pattern.**


MAIN PORTION:
Choose your main color (mine was Blue for the boy, pink for the girl).

1.  Ch 4.  Sl st to 1st ch.
2.  Ch 1.  Sc 8x in the center of the circle made from the four chains previous.  Ch 1.
3.  Make 2 sc in each st around.  Sl st to 1st sc.  Ch 1.
4.  *One sc in first st.  2 sc in next st.*  Repeat around.  Sl st in 1st sc.  Ch 1.
5.  *One sc in first 2 sts.  2 sc in next st.*  Repeat around.  Sl st in 1st sc.  Ch 1.
6.  *One sc in first 3 sts.  2 Sc in next st.*  Repeat around.  Sl st in 1st sc.  Ch 1.
7.  Sc in each st around.  Sl st tog in 1st sc.  Ch 2.
8.  DC in each st around.  Sl st tog in top st of the ch 2.  Ch 2.
9.  *DC in first 3 st.  2 DC in next st. * Repeat eight times (nine times total).  DC in next st.  2 DC in last st.  Sl st tog in top st of the ch 2.  Ch 2.
10.  DC in each st around.
DO NOT FASTEN OFF!!

Begin Strap:

1.  Ch 1.  Sc in next 5 st.  Turn.
2.  Ch 1.  Sc in next 5 st.  Turn
3.  Repeat step 2 fourteen times.
4.  Fasten off.

Count over 19 stitches to find the right stitch to start the strap on the opposite side.

Strap on the other side:

1.  Sl st into stitch and Ch 1.  Sc in next 5 st.  Turn.
2.  Ch 1. Sc in next 5 st.  Turn
3.  Repeat Row 2  seven more times.
Fasten Off.

Put the main portion on the turtle with the straps going across the underportion of the belly.  Find where the straps overlap and notice where the two buttons need to go.  Sew the buttons using sewing thread onto one of the straps. It doesn't matter which strap is on top.  I sewed mine with the shorter strap on top of the longer strap.


SPIKES: (still using the H hook, but now using the secondary color)
You will make four spikes total.  Then connect them to each other before connecting them to the main portion.

1.  Ch 5.
2.  Sc in 2nd ch.  Sc across the other three ch.  Turn.
3.  Ch 1. Sc in each st across.  Turn
4.  Repeat row 3 two more times.
5.  Ch 1.  Sctog next 2 st. Sctog  next 2 st.
6.  Ch 1.  Sctog next 2 st.
Fasten Off.



CONNECT SPIKES TOGETHER:
1.  Sl st yarn into the right hand side of the spike at the bottom corner when it is facing you.
2.  Sc up the side of the spike until the top st.  Do not sc in the top st.
3.  In the top st, make 3 sc in it.
4.  Sc down the other side.  DO NOT FASTEN OFF.
5.  Get another spike and set it next to the previous spike that is finished.
6.  Sl st tog in the bottom right corner of the the new spike.
7.  Sl st tog in the next st up on the new spike.
8.  Begin sc up the side of the next spike until the top st.  Do not sc in the top st.
9.  In the top st, make 3 sc in it.
10.  Sc down the other side.  DO NOT FASTEN OFF.
11.  Repeat rows 5-10 with the next two spikes until all four spikes are linked together.
12.  When you fasten off, leave a very long tail for connecting the spikes to the main portion.

CONNECT SPIKES TO MAIN PORTION:
Use a yarn needle with the long tail to connect the spikes to the main part.
**Really important:  Make sure that you put the main portion on the turtle without buttoning it.  Then place the spikes along the main portion to figure out where it will go. Then sew the spikes to the main portion and voila!  your tortoisaurus is finished!

Pattern by Jessica Grant 2014