Mini Tortoise Crochet Pattern

This adorable Mini Crochet Tortoise is a small, soft amigurumi that’s perfect for gifts, craft fairs, or adding to your handmade animal collection. With its rounded shape, sweet face, and cozy shell, this tortoise is designed to be quick to make and fun to customize. You can even add a tiny heart for an extra-cute, love-filled version!

Don’t forget to join my Facebook group here,  you can ask your questions, and share your finished projects. I will regularly ask you what pattern you would like to see next (or you can even suggest something even if I am not asking!).

I hope you will enjoy and understand the pattern. If you have any questions, feel free to write to me, I will try my best to help you. And I would love to see your work!

Crochet Pattern Tortoise

Start Here

Please read the entire pattern before starting.

• Pattern is written in US terms
• Work in continuous rounds (spiral) unless stated otherwise

Parts:

• Body and head (worked as one piece)
• 2 legs
• 2 arms
• Shell
• Belly patch
• Optional 1 heart

Finished Size:

Approx. 4 inches (10 cm)

Material:

• Worsted yarn in green, brown, and cream. Optional color for the heart
• Small amount of light pink yarn (cheeks)
• 3.5 mm crochet hook
• 2 black safety eyes (7.5 mm)
• White cotton thread (for eye highlights)
• Stitch markers (if needed)
• Tapestry needle
• Polyfill

Abbreviations:

• chain (ch)
• magic ring (mr)
• single crochet (sc)
• increase (inc)
• invisible decrease (dec)
• slip stitch (sl st)

How to crochet a Mini Tortoise?

Legs (make 2)

• Worked in continuous rounds.
• Stuff lightly as you go.

Leg 1

With green yarn and a 3.5 mm hook:

• • Round 1:6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
  • Round 2: [2 sc, 1 inc] x2. (8)
  • Round 3: working in the back loops only: [1 sc in all st]. (8)
  • Rounds 4-6: [1 sc in all st]. (8)

Stuff the leg lightly.

Fasten off and set aside.

Leg 2

With green yarn and a 3.5 mm hook:

• • Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
  • Round 2: [2 sc, 1 inc] x2. (8)
  • Round 3: working in the back loops only: [1 sc in all st]. (8)
  • Rounds 4-6: [1 sc in all st]. (8)

Stuff the leg lightly.

Do not fasten off.

Body and Head

Continue working with green yarn.

Joining the Legs

• Round 7:
  Keep working in Leg 2, sc in next 2 sts, ch 2,
  join Leg 1 and sc in all 8 sts,
  work 2 sc around the ch-2,
  sc in the remaining 6 sts of Leg 2,
  then work 2 sc around the other side of the same ch-2. (20)
• Rounds 8-15: [1 sc in all st]. (20)
• Round 16: [8 sc, 1 dec] x2. (18)
• Round 17: [1 sc, 1 dec] x6. (12)
• Round 18: [1 sc in all st]. (12)
• Round 19: [1 sc, 1 inc] x6. (18)
• Round 20: [2 sc, 1 inc] x6. (24)
• Rounds 21-25: [1 sc in all st]. (24)
• Round 26: [2 sc, 1 dec] x6. (18)

Face Details

Before closing the head:

• Insert safety eyes between Rounds 23 and 24, spaced by 3 stitches
• With black cotton thread, embroider a small mouth over Round 21
• With white thread, embroider a small stitch under each eye
• With green yarn, add a small stitch above each eye
• With pink yarn, embroider 2 small cheek stitches between Rounds 21–22

Finish the Head

• Round 27: [1 sc, dec] x6. (12)
• Round 28: [1 sc, dec] x4. (8)
• Round 29: Working in front loops only (FLO): close the opening with a tapestry needle

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Belly patch

• Worked in continuous rounds.

With cream yarn:

• • Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
  • Round 2: [6 inc]. (12)
  • Round 3: [1 sc, 1 inc] x6. (18)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail.
Sew the belly patch centered on the underside of the body.

Arms (make 2) 

• Worked in rounds.

With green yarn:

• Round 1: 6 sc in a mr. (6)
• Round 2: [1 inc, 2 sc] x2. (8)
• Rounds 3–9: 1 sc in all sts. (8)

Flatten the opening and sew it closed.
Leave a long tail for sewing.

Attach the arms between Rounds 15 and 16, about 8 stitches apart.

Shell

• Worked in continuous rounds.

With a 3.5 mm crochet and brown yarn.

• • Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
  • Round 2: [6 inc]. (12)
  • Round 3: [1 sc, 1 inc] x6. (18)
  • Rounds 4-5: [1 sc in all st]. (18)
  • Round 6: working in front loops only (FLO): [2 sc, 1 inc] x6. (24)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

Stuff the shell.
Sew the shell to the back of the body.

Optional: Heart 

• Worked in continuous rounds (as a spiral). Use a stitch marker if needed.

With a 3.5 mm hook and color of choice.

Part A:

• Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
• Round 2: [6 inc]. (12)
• Round 3: [1 sc in all st]. (12)

Fasten off and set aside.

Part B:

• Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
• Round 2: [6 inc]. (12)
• Round 3: [1 sc in all st]. (12)
• Round 4: 1 sc in next 2 sts of Part B,
  join Part A and 1 sc in all 12 sts,
  1 sc in remaining 10 sts of Part B. (24)
• Round 5: [2 sc, 1 dec] x6. (18)
• Round 6: [1 sc in all st]. (18)
• Round 7: [1 sc, 1 dec] x6. (12)
• Round 8: [1 sc in all st]. (12)
• Round 9: [1 sc, 1 dec] x4. (8)

Stuff lightly, close the opening, and fasten off.
Sew the heart between the tortoise’s arms.

Finished!

Congratulations! Your mini crochet tortoise is complete 🐢
Don’t forget to share your finished project and tag #natalinacraft — I love seeing your creations!

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The pattern and photographs contained in this document are the property of Natalina Craft. This pattern is available for personal use only. No unauthorized reproduction, in whole or in part, or distribution of this pattern or content is allowed.

You may sell finished items in limited amounts. If you sell your finished products online, I would be grateful if you can add a statement saying « Pattern by Natalina Craft » and link back to my post.