My Little Turtle Bowl

My Little Turtle Bowl by Tammy Mehring

Project Overview

My Little Turtle Bowl is a beginner-friendly crochet project that creates a decorative bowl featuring an adorable turtle design. This downloadable PDF pattern from independent designer Tammy Mehring combines a functional crocheted bowl with an attached turtle figure, making it an ideal toy or decorative piece for children's spaces or craft enthusiasts new to amigurumi-style projects.

What Is Being Made

The pattern creates a complete turtle-themed bowl set consisting of two main components: a structured crocheted bowl that serves as the base container, and a three-dimensional turtle figure with a distinct head, legs, tail, and facial features. The turtle sits within or on the bowl, creating a charming, functional craft project that combines practical storage with whimsical design.

Crochet Techniques Used

• Magic Ring Method: The pattern begins with a magic ring foundation, a popular technique for starting projects in the round without creating a visible hole in the center
• Increasing Stitches: Strategic increases are used throughout the bowl construction to expand the piece from a small center point into a larger, bowl-shaped form
• Back Loop Only (BLO) Stitching: Row 9 specifically uses the back loop only technique, which creates a textured ridge that defines the bowl's structure
• Decreasing Stitches: The pattern utilizes single crochet decreases (abbreviated as "Dec") to shape the turtle components and create proper proportions
• Stuffing and Shaping: The turtle pieces are worked in the round and stuffed with polyester fiberfill to create three-dimensional amigurumi-style forms

Stitches Used

• Single Crochet (sc): The primary stitch throughout the entire pattern, used for both the bowl structure and turtle components
• Single Crochet Decrease (dec): Created by crocheting two single crochets together, this stitch reduces stitch count and shapes the pieces

Materials and Tools

Yarn: The pattern calls for 4 ply worsted weight yarn in three colors. The designer used Red Heart Yarn brand specifically: warm brown for the bowl, sage for the turtle's head, legs, and tail, and black for the mouth detail. The bowl is worked holding two strands of yarn together, which creates a thicker, more durable fabric suitable for a functional bowl.

Tools and Notions: An E crochet hook is used throughout the project. Additional supplies include a yarn needle for weaving in ends and seaming pieces together, 10 mm safety eyes for the turtle's face, and polyester stuffing to fill the turtle components and give them shape and dimension.

Difficulty Level

Rated as a beginner project, My Little Turtle Bowl is accessible to crocheters who have mastered basic stitches and are ready to explore simple shaping techniques. The straightforward pattern progression and use of only single crochet stitches make it an excellent stepping stone for beginners transitioning from simple scarves and blankets into more structured, shaped projects.

Pattern Structure

The bowl section begins with a magic ring and expands systematically through eight rows, with each row adding stitches in a calculated pattern to create the bowl's curved shape. Row 9 introduces the back loop only technique for textural interest, while subsequent rows continue the bowl's construction. The pattern notes that designers should read the entire pattern before beginning and includes magic ring directions at the end of the document for reference.