Cowabunga Crochet! Make Your Own Handmade Ninja Turtle


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 If you grew up watching the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or have a little one obsessed with Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, or Raphael, this handmade crochet Ninja Turtle pattern is the perfect project to bring those sewer-dwelling heroes to life — one stitch at a time.

Whether you're a seasoned crocheter or just starting out, this adorable amigurumi-style turtle is a rewarding creation that’s as nostalgic as it is fun.

🧶 Why You'll Love This Pattern

  • Classic Meets Crafty: The design stays true to the beloved characters, with vibrant masks and shells that give each turtle its unique personality.
  • Perfect Gift: Handmade gifts are always meaningful — especially when they bring a beloved childhood favorite to life.
  • Customizable: Change mask colors, add tiny weapons (like a felt sword or nunchucks), or even give your turtle some attitude with embroidered expressions.
  • Kid-Safe & Cuddly: Unlike plastic toys, this turtle is soft, squishy, and perfect for little hands.

🐢 Materials Needed

To get started, here’s what you’ll need:

✨ Pattern Highlights

  • Body & Head: Crocheted in the round with simple increases and decreases — great practice for shaping.
  • Mask: A pop of color wrapped around the eyes instantly transforms this turtle from "cute" to "hero-in-a-half-shell."
  • Shell: The back is done in brown with simple stitches for a classic turtle shell look.
  • Arms & Legs: Short, stubby limbs stitched separately and sewn on, giving your turtle a true amigurumi vibe.

🧵 Tips for Success

  • Use a tight stitch to avoid stuffing peeking through.
  • Safety eyes are great for durability, but embroidering eyes can make it even safer for babies.
  • Want to make all four turtles? Work the body in batches and change up the band colors to save time.

📸 Share Your Shell Heroes!

We’d love to see your finished turtles! Tag your creations on social media with #CrochetNinjaTurtles or share them in the comments. Whether you're keeping them for yourself or gifting them to a fellow turtle fan, your handmade hero is sure to be a hit.

So grab your hook, channel your inner Splinter, and get ready to craft some turtle power — one stitch at a time.

Cowabunga, crafters! 🐢💚



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***Each Round will be worked in a continuous spiral unless stated otherwise. I personally use the yarn under, yarn over method to make stitches closer together with no gaps.***



Head

Green

R1: Mr 6sc (6)

R2: Inc*6 (12)

R3: (Sc, Inc)*6 (18)

R4: (2sc, Inc)*6 (24)

R5: (3sc, Inc)*6 (30)

R6: (4sc, Inc)*6 (36)

R7: (5sc, Inc)*6 (42)

R8: 42sc (42)

Change Color to face band.

R9-R12: 42sc

*add eyes between R10 & R11. 5 stitches apart.*

Green

R13: 42sc (42)

R14: (5sc, dec)*6 (36)

R15: (4sc, dec)*6 (30)

R16: (3sc, dec)*6 (24)

R17: (2sc, dec)*6 (18)

*St to tie off. Leave a long tail for sewing onto body later. Stuff to make in a round shape but do not over stuff. We can add more later when we are sewing.





Body

Green

R1: Mr 8sc (8)

R2: Inc*8 (16)

R3: (sc, inc)*8 (24)

R4: (3sc, inc)*6 (30)

R5-R10: 30sc (30)

R11: (3sc, Dec)*6 (24)

R12: 24sc (24)

R13: (2sc, dec)*6 (18)

*St to tie off. Stuff to shape well without overstuffing. No need for a long tail, as we will use the heads tail to sew on to the body later.





Arms*2

Green

R1: Mr 8sc (8)

R2-R3: 8sc (8)

Change color for arm bands.

R4-R5: 8sc (8)

Green

R6-R7: 8sc (8)

*St to tie off. Leave a long tail for sewing on both arms. Stuff lightly.


Legs*2

Green

R1: Mr 6sc (6)

R2: inc*6 (12)

Change Color For leg bands.

R3-R4: 12sc (12)

Green

R5-R6: 12sc (12)

*St to tie off. Leave a long tail for sewing on both legs. Stuff lightly.



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Belt buckle 

Brown

R1: Mr 6sc (6)

*slip stitch to tie off. Leave a tail to sew onto the belt or you can use glue to attach to the belt later. If you want to embroider an initial on to the buckle you can do that now.


Belt

Brown

Ch 31 *depending on yarn choice, hook, tension you may need to adjust to fit the body’s belly area*

R1: 30sc (30)

*Bring other end of chain to last stitch and slip stitch them together with 2 slip stitches. Make sure it’s not twisted. Fasten off. Leave an extra long tail for sewing on to the body.


Belly shell

Light yellow

R1: Mr 6sc (6)

R2: (3sc in same stitch, inc, sc)*2 (12)

R3: sc, (inc)*3, 3sc, (inc)*3, 2sc (18)

R4: 2sc, inc, (sc, inc)*2, 4sc, inc, (sc, inc)*2, 2sc (24)

*Slip stitch to tie off. Leave a long tail for sewing.




Turtle shell

Dark Green

R1: Mr 6sc (6)

R2: inc*6 (12)

R3: (sc, inc)*6 (18)

R4: (2sc, inc)*6 (24)

R5: (3sc, inc)*6 (30)

R6-R7: 30sc (30)

R8: Flo 30Hdc (30)

*Slip stitch to close circle and cut yarn. The next row will be worked on the inside of the shell in the back loops that we left open. Pick any stitch to begin.

R9: Blo 30sc (30)

R10: (3sc, Dec)*6 (24)

R11: (2sc, Dec)*6 (18)

R12: (sc, Dec)*6 (12)

*Stuff shell lightly but enough to form a turtle shell shape. You want the bottom of the shell that we are working on to lay flat but the outside to be nice and puffy.

R13: dec*6 (6)

*Fasten off and leave a tail long enough to weave closed using the front stitches of the decs.





Headband ties*2


Color of Choice

Ch 6

R1: 5sc

Tie off. Weave in tails on the first tie. But leave a long tail on the second tie to sew them together and to head. Attach the two pieces together in an L shaped overlapping.




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Assembly 


🔹Head to body - use your long tail left by the head. Sew evenly around using the stitches from the head and the top of the body.


🔹Belly to Body - in the center of the body (front facing) sew evenly between R4-R13


🔹Buckle to belt to body - either use glue to place buckle in center of belt or sew to attach. Slide belt onto body between R8-R9. Sew both sides around.


🔹Arms -attach arms on both sides of the body centered to head. Sew between R10-R13


🔹Legs - attach legs between R3-R7. More inward then where the arms are located. the legs will be helping the turtle stay upright.


🔹To add definition to the eyes, you can use black yarn and make a line straight across. Pull ends to back and tie tight enough to draw in the eye to your liking. Do to both eyes.


🔹turtle shell - you can either glue the shell on to the center of the back of the turtle body or you can take a scrap piece of yarn and thread through the outer center stitches from the bottom part of the shell. Thread them into the body and bring both ends to the front of the turtle In the same stitch. Tie them together tightly to draw the shell closer. Hide the ends.


🔹Head band ties - on the back of the head in the colored part of the band, attatch the ties on the two rows in the middle by sewing.




This pattern is only a step by step stitch description. 
For an ad free, printable step by step with photo directions included
Please refer to the clickable image below! 





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