As written here a few weeks ago that I have a new plan for Greeny & Pinky – the turtle pincushion pattern, I keep my promise and make good of it….. ***drum roll**** Please welcome….. the COMBO Turtle Pincushion with Sewing Kit
There are compartments to keep scissors, thread, and some sewing needles in a proper place [Click “Next” on the photo browser above, picture 5 shows the compartments, or you can scroll down to see the step by step photos below]. It even has a pair of needle finding flippers.
This combo version has doubled the size of the original, but all you need to do is just enlarge the pattern to 200%. Quilters and sewers will find this Combo Turtle Pincushion very useful as it keeps the sewing essential together so it is mobile to bring it anywhere for your quilting project. You can also sew this as a soft toy or plush toy for kids, but you may want to replace the beaded eyes with embroidery eye for safety purposes. It can even be a fridge magnet to decorate your dining area, get a strong magnet for the body. I know there are a lot of turtle lovers out there who collect various types of the turtle as a souvenir. Sew it for yourself or as a gift, I am sure you are going to have fun 🙂
Previously, I gave out the Greeny & Pinky turtle pincushion pattern upon request. As Craft Passion’s traffic grows over the months so do the requests, I can no longer email it out manually, so… I make it available for free download here to save my time for other creations.
In this tutorial, there are 2 versions of turtle pincushions you can make:
1. To make a smaller felted body version of Greeny & Pinky, use the written instruction below.
2. To make the Combo version as shown in the pictures above, use the step by step photos after the written instructions.
Anyway, since they are inter-related, you can see the photos and instructions as a reference too.
Oh, by the way, if you would like to know where the scenery is… I brought both turtles to the beautiful beach in Penang / Malaysia for photography, the experience was great!!! I found some “visitors” on the beach too….check them out by clicking the “Next” button on the photo browser!!!
Download pattern and check for the scale [2cm = 25/32″]. Don’t forget to enlarge it to 200% for the COMBO version, when you use a ruler to measure the 2cm scale, it is in fact 4cm in reading.
Mini Turtle Pincushion (4″)
INSTRUCTIONS
Material
1. Fabric W (shells) – Cotton 8″ x 6″
2. Fabric X (body) – Felt 4″ x 7″
3. Fabric Y (Hexagons) – Cotton 4″ x 8″
4. Fabric Z (center Hexagons) – Cotton 2″ x 4″
5. Batting (5mm loft) or poly-sponge – 4.5″ x 3.5″
6. Poly-fill – A handful
7. 3mm black color beads x 2
8. Needle and matching color threads
9. Cardboard 3.5″ x 3.5″
10. Scissor
Seam allowance
1. 3/8″ on all-cotton fabric
2. No seam allowance needed for felt material except the side mark with *, leave a 1/4″ seam allowance on * side
3. No seam allowance needed for batting
Instructions
1. Cut fabric W, X, Y, Z & iron-on poly-sponge according to the patterns and correct seam allowances.
2. Baste batting on the wrong side of each fabric on pattern A & B, set aside.
Top & Bottom Shell
3. Prepare 10 pieces of pattern H cupboards for hexagon quilting. Baste the fabric Y & Z onto the cupboards accordingly. Stitch them up to form the pattern on the turtleback. Iron to set the shape. Remove the cupboard and get ready for the next step. Please refer to the tutorial of basic hexagon quilting for this English paper piecing technique.
4. Slip stitch the hexagon quilt block onto the right-side of pattern A that has batting, follow the outer line of the quilt. Place another piece of pattern A, right-side facing each other, and sew.
5. Clip curve near to the stitching line at a spacing of about 1cm.
6. Make a cut of about 1 1/4″ length at the center of pattern A without hexagon quilts. Use this opening to turn them right-side-out.
7. Smooth out the curve. Mend the opening, iron the work, and set aside.
8. Sew pattern B exactly the same way as pattern A but without the hexagon quilt block.
9. Topstitch the decoration lines for both patterns A & B respectively. Set aside.
Body
10. Place 2 pieces of pattern C (front flipper) with the wrong-side facing each other. Hand-sew the side (except *) with the blanket stitch. Stuff with poly-fill. Do the same for another front flipper, and pattern D, E, F, & G. Don’t stuff pattern G. Sew the beads onto the face to form eyes.
11. Hand-sew pattern B with blanket stitch, join the head, tail, and limbs at the respective markings. Leave a length of 3cm for poly-fill stuffing before complete the round.
Joining Up
12. Sandwich the top and bottom shells to the body, hand-sew the shell perimeter to the body.
~Done~
COMBO Pincushion With Storage Compartment (8″)
The material is similar to the felt version, except:
1. Enlarge the pattern to 200%, and hence the material for this combo version
2. Change the felt material to cotton fabric.
3. Seam allowance is 10mm or 3/8″ for all patterns excluding batting
4. 1/2″ diameter magnet, 3 pcs. 2 for flippers and 1 for body
5. 5mm dia. black beads, 2 pcs. (for eyes)
6. Short length of an elastic band, 1′.
7. Buttons, 3/8″ diameter, 4 pcs.
8. Felt for scissor and needle compartment
9. Bean for stuffing (optional)
The Body
Cut out all fabrics according to patterns and seam allowances.
Sew the head, flippers, and tail, clip curve, and turn them inside out (like those on the right).
Pin the tail to the body with the tip pointing towards the head. Unlike the 4″ mini Pincushion, Sew the body without attaching any flippers or head, but just the tail.
Insert a magnet into each front flipper.
The magnet should be opposite in polarity so that they can attract to each other.
I like my turtle to have some weight, so I put in some beans to the back flippers. Cover it with poly-fill at the opening.
Otherwise, just the poly-fill.
Stuff the head with poly-fill. Sew the beads to make eyes. Pull the thread tight to set the eyes into the head.
Embroidery branch stitch for the mouth.
Snip a small vertical line of about 1.5″ at the center of the body, turn the fabric right side out from this opening. Stuff in poly-fill and mend the opening. If you have fray checks, put a few drops. The top shell will cover the opening no one will see the scar.
Slip Stitch the head to the body. Try to tilt the head up and sew a few stitches on the top of the neck to make it stay in position.
Place the body on top of the shell paper pattern, pin the flippers at the correct positions. Sew them in place after you are absolutely satisfied with where they are.
Shell
Baste the batting on the wrong side of the shells. Place another piece of its fabric at the bottom with the right side facing each other. Sew around the line and clip near the curve.
Prepare the hexagon quilt block. Iron to set the shape, remove the basting stitches and cardboards.
Snip a vertical line on the shell to turn the fabric right side out. Smooth out the curve, mend the opening. Press.
Baste the hexagon quilt block on top of the shell and slip stitch along the block.
Topstitch as per pattern. Removed the basting stitches.
Stitch the top shell to the body.
Repeat the same step for turning the fabric right side out, try to minimize the opening to about 1 1/4″. The big green hexagon is 400% of the original pattern, slip stitch it on the bottom shell to cover the “mending scar”. Topstitch as per pattern.
Slip stitch a hexagon while placing a magnet in it.
Position a small scissor on the inner side of the bottom shell. Cut a short length (about 4″) of an elastic band, tie a knot and sew it at the middle of the shell.
Sew a button in the finger hole to tie your scissor in place.
Prepare a felt to make a pocket for the scissor. Fold the top and bottom edges and sew. Allowing more overlapping for the bottom, we are going to use it to cushion the sharp shear tip.
open up the bottom fold of the pocket and stitch the edge to the inner side of the bottom shell as shown.
Sew the side with the blanket stitch. The pocket to hold a scissor is done.
Cut another piece of felt, fold it in half and sew it on the bottom body.
Make another elastic band and button set to hold the thread spool at the tail area.
Sew 2 loops of an elastic band at each side of the body.
Place the bottom shell to the body and mark the position of the buttons for the elastic loops. Sew button and fasten off the bottom shell to the body.
The rear view of the turtle with a spool of thread at the tail…
The COMBO Turtle Pincushion is now ready for action!!!!
Could you please suggest a name for it???? Combo? Mambo? Orangy? etc…. Please, I need a name for her (or him?), I am not good in the name… Look at me, I can’t even decide which sex to give it? Female of Male?
Is there a print version of the instructions?
My suggestion for a name for your sweet Turtle is “Shellie”.
Thank you for this so cute pattern
How about Tootsie? I hope to sew it by this year end….too many projects to finish
I know your Turtle has a name by now, I would have called it Checkers, due to the Gingham fabric, I’m going to attempt to make this, Love it!
I like the name Checkers, thank you L J.
Love this little turtle, the instructions are very vague and hard to understand though.
what are the magnets for ? in the top & flippers
I used the magnets to pick up my fallen pins and needle. The turtle pincushion can be attached to a vertical metal plate, aka act like fridge magnet, as decoration.
So cute! My granddaughter loves turtles! Can these be made and sold at craft fairs, etc?
New to this . so forgive me. Where is the body pattern? Do I just use the bottom shell? Thank you. Kathy
Hi Kathy,
Please use the bottom shell as the body pattern.
Hello.I am kind of new to quilting and sewing,so I need to be sure that I have understood the pattern clearly.I want to make the turtle pincushion now and I wanted to ask several things before I start:
1) There isnt any felt material available (for fabric x)where I live can I just use another cotton fabric?
2)For making the pincushion we dont need to use the combo pattern 200% one,do we?Do I just use the regular sized pattern as we print it,right?
3)what does it mean when you say ‘prepare 10 pieces of pattern H cupboards for hexagon quilting,” I am not familiar with the term cupboard?
I do hope you will reply to my post,as I really want to make the pincushion .thank you in advance!
Hi Hani, I will try to answer your question and if I missed out anything or didn’t answer you correctly, please pardon me.
1. If you are going to use cotton fabric to sew the small turtle, I am afraid that it will be a little too small for you to turn all the part right side out nicely after sewing up. If you are going to sew with fabrics, you will need to add seam allowance on the pattern, add at least ¼” for the seam allowance.
2. Yes, you may make a small one by not enlarging the pattern, but as explained in answer 1, you may have difficulty in turning all the parts right side out nicely, provided you hand sewn it from the right side.
3. Cupboards are card template for making hexagon quilting.
Hope I have answered all your question correctly. Happy quilting and sewing 🙂
Thank you so much for answering my questions,I appreciate it.:)
Thanks a lot for the nice tutorial! I can’t wait to get home and start working on it 🙂
Brilliant design esp as i love making soft toys. this was perfect for my sewing kit though i have made mine from denim to insure it lasts longer, iv put my toymakers needles in the top of the body through a strip of leather and my scissors on the belly of the turtle also in a toughend lether pouch, so i have filled both sides of the shell with flanel matereal as it wont break down over time, i can store my pins in the bottem shell and use the top shell as a pin cushon when i need to i just wish i had found this sooner 🙂
if you have not named the turtle yet how about Mendy* or Taylor or Hemmingway* or
Please set your site up for printing of the patterns and photos, etc. without getting the whole site page, including popups. The current site requires printing the whole screen which renders the pattern instructions quite small and harder to read.
Great patterns!
SRM
There is a print button at the end of the tutorial (before comment section. Use that print button and it will let you select what you want to print and you could save it in PDF documents too. The button has been there long time ago.
Okay, got the pattern enlarged. Two more questions. (sorry) What are the magnets used for? And 2nd question, I assume I need to add a 3/8″ seam allowance to my pattern pieces. (for the bigger turtle) I am soooo excited. I am making this for my cousin as a surprise. She is always there for me. Thank you.
The magnet can be used as needle picker/finder. You are right, you will need to add 3/8″ seam allowance on all fabric pieces. Happy sewing!
Hi Joanne. Thanks for sharing all the wonderful and cute patterns. I am inspired to make a few of these. Cheers
This is so cute and functional. I love it. Thank you so much for sharing this pattern and instructions. I would call him my “Sewing Buddy” 🙂
Such a practical name… love it!!! Thanks 🙂
I can’t seem to find any place to enlarge 200%. I can’t copy and paste on to another program that I can enlarge. How do you enlarge this? Soooo cute.
You can print it out in 100% then use photocopier to enlarge it to 200%. Or, you can do the 200% enlarge if you printer can do sectional enlargement.
J’adore ,je vous remercie pour ce tuto encore merci.
Translation (by Google):
I love, thank you for this tutorial thank you again.
In aboriginal cultures the Turtle represents Mother Earth. The beautiful turtle here is strong, carries a heavy load and truly represents the Turtle spirit. I think she should have a strong name representing the Earth, strength or beauty. Abha is a name meaning beauty, Ajala means earth, Maliha or Mali means beauty and strength.
Mali would be my personal choice.
Thank you for a beautiful and useful pattern. This will be very useful to hold my beading needles, leather scissors and more.
Where are the pattern pieces located?
Hi Bev, the pattern pattern in at page 1. I have put another link on the current page. You can click the link that says “Download Pattern”.
I’m probably late on this…just found your website. But I’d name him POKEY. He is darling. Notice – male
I’m going to make one of these now!
Thank you for the wonderfully cute pattern!
Linda
How cute. How about “Happy Jack Got Your Back”
Super cute! Id call them Stitchy and Patchy 🙂 I’ll have to try this with my daughter!
Love this! I would call it Snappy, as in “I would like turtle soup and make it snappy (from a snapping turtle)!” or because this project can be made snappy, as in quick. I am now trying to figure out how to attach is to my sewing area so it doesn’t crawl away. Thank you for the great tutorial.
Just stumbled onto your site and I love it! I look forward to many hours creating with the wonderful patterns you provide. Thank you for putting out quality for those of us who love sewing and creating!
Great tutorial! You’ve been featured on the Quality Sewing Tutorials blog.
We hand select only the best free tutorials and patterns for the home sewist.
Grab a brag button!
This rocks and you rock for doing it!
awesome turtle!!!!!! It is the cutest sewing kit I have ever seen!!! I am making this for my best friend ASAP! I think u should name him torty 🙂
Очень хорошенькая!Спасибо!
Translation (by Google):
Very pretty, thanks!
Gracias por el tutorial y el patrón de la tortuga. He realizado mi acerico, ha quedado muy gracioso, lo he publicado en mi blog.
Saludos desde Madrid, España.
Translation (by Google):
Thanks for the tutorial and pattern of the turtle. I conducted my pincushion, has been very funny, I posted on my blog.
Greetings from Madrid, Spain.
What are the magnets in the flippers for? I have been trying to figure that out.
As a needle finder 🙂
this is very cute!! thank you for the tutorial and pdf pattern.
how about Pokey?
I absolutely love love love the turtle that is shown and unfortunately I can’t sew it but I would love to buy him, is it possible ? pretty please with turtle sugar on it?
Do I need to add a 3/8 seam allowance or is it already built into the pattern. I printed it at 200% but it seems like when I blanket stitch, the legs are too small to stuff (very skinny). Should I have added the 3/8″ after printing the pattern then blanket stitch?
If it is felt, you don’t have to add seam allowance, but if it is fabric you will have to add.
The hexagon pieces for the turtle – The instructions say to baste the fabric to the cardboard. But how do you remove the cardboard if you’ve baste stitched it to the fabric? I’m not understanding. Can you help?
Just remove the baste stitches and take out the cardboards after you have finished sewing up the sides and before attach it to the top shell.
Thank you! I was able to accomplish the basting/stitching hexagon portion. Now moving on to the next step. Thanks for clarification. I had never done the hexagon process before.
Keep up the good work, Miranda 🙂 You will succeed in making it 🙂
I absolutely love this turtle! It has a place for everything! I like to watch TV when I am pinning sometimes and having all of your items right next to you is perfection!! I love it!!
i am going to use the turtle for a Christmas Pincushion Exchange at our Quilt Guild.
Hello que esta es lamanualidad mas hermosa que visto es divina Gracias mi
l gracias
Translation (by Google):
Lamanualidad Hello this is more beautiful than I have seen is divine Thanks
l thanks
thank you for making the cutest thing ever and for doing a tutorial on it!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!
This was so cute I had to feature it on my turtle blog today. I can’t wait until my daughter is a little older so we can try making this together. 🙂
Thanks for featuring, Turtletopia 🙂
We use the basic pattern to make a sea turtle for a school science project. We blew the pattern up 300% at Office Depot and used appropriate material for the various sections of the body and shell. We did not put the hex pieces together like shown, we kept them seperate to be close to what a real sea turtle would look like. Great father/daughter project. This was a good project to introduce my daughter to a sewing machine as well as detailed hand stiching. We spent about two weeks of every couple days doing 1-2 hour sessions to complete this.
This is great!!! I am so happy to know that a dad gets involve in this with daughter. I believe it is a great father’s day gift too.
Please share a photo or 2 in Craft Passion Facebook page if you have facebook account.
I have finished greeny today. It is so cute I am now going to make pinky.
I found it easier to draw the pattern on the back of the fabric for the turtle sew then cut out with the seam allowance, it made it easier to feed through the machine.
Is there a way to send a picture of the finished turtles?
Can’t wait to see them, please send to my email [craftpassion @ live.com] (remove the space before and after @) and/or add the photo to the Craft Passion Page if you have facebook account 🙂
Well of course this is a girl and her name is Tammy Turtle! I love it!
Hi, I think your creation is fantastic. I’ve half made it – and discovered there is no pattern for the actual body of the turtle – just the shell and head and flippers.
Can you tell me the measurements of it please…would be sooooooo grateful!
Alison
The bottom shell is the body pattern of the turtle.
Thankyou!
Elle est adorable cette tortue et si pratique!
Translation (by Google):
She is adorable and so practical that turtle!
many thanks for this sweet turtle!!!
bye idefix 🙂
Wow! Semplicemente formidabile! ♥♥♥
Translation (by Google):
Wow! Simply amazing! ♥ ♥ ♥
I love everything U make, all your work is so cute, neat,
thank U so much for sharing and making my day with your pretty handmade things
Hello from Wisconsin USA Love the pattern for the large turtle but can’t get it to print out the full instructions. It prints all of the comments about 14 pages and prints instructions except pages 1 to 7. It will not enlarge to 200% and print it. I know you said you could not mail out instructions, but if I was to mail you the money to do so, could you do it?? Thanks if its possible and understand if its not. Kay
I love this! I made one for myself using your tutorial. I posted pictures on my blog here: http://punkprojects.blogspot.com/2011/01/cutest-little-turtle-pincushion.html
-Katie
Well done, Katie!!!! Love your button eyes 🙂
you should make a spider one so the thread coming out of his butt would make sense.
Cute idea 🙂 Will design one soon !!!!
absolutely adorable! ^_^ and your scissors are wicked cute!…
can’t wait to make my own
Wauw lovely tutorial, thanks for sharing! :D, I made it yesterday and I’m really really like him! I have some pictures of the turtle on my blog.
Love your version… 🙂 keep it up!!!
Thank you for this post! They are absolutely adorable! I cannot wait to make one or, ten! I have a feeling this is going to be addictive! (I want them to come with a walking fish; he was completely cute).
Absolutely adorable! I can’t wait to make one for myself. Maybe you could sew 2 magnets into the middle hexagons so that Greeny and Pinky could be pin magnets instead of pin-“cushions” and your DH won’t feel so bad for the little guys!
SUPER SWEET! Really, simply adorable. Too cute to poke with pins! LOL! Thanks for sharing … I’ve posted a link.
Hi, Im from Patagonia Argentina, love the turtle. My 3 year son so the picture and asked me to make one!! Very fun and easy, he helpt stuff it, he is playing whit it this verry moment. When I asked his to mane it he just replyed “Tortuguita”. Thank you for sharing this fabolus idea.
This is great!!!! Would you share some photos with us? Just send it to [email protected].
Thanks!!! I am so happy to hear this 🙂
cool love this turtle and great tutorial. Thank you. Found you on SU..
Susie from
I Just Love That Fabric
Very cute!
As far as a name, it looks like a “Tuga”(as in ‘tortuga’). I guess that would make it a female?
Bonjour,
Merci beaucoup pour ce tuto et votre merveilleux travail. Une amie collectionne les tortues, je vais en fabriquer une pour elle.
Cordialement.
Translation (by Google):
Welcome,
Thank you very much for this tutorial and your wonderful work. A friend collects turtles, I’ll make one for her.
Regards.
Hi!!
I’m from spain and I like your usefully website
Congratulations.
I’ll follow you ever
Alfon
Totally cute. Thanks for sharing a great idea and tutorial.
Ohh Joann these are SO CUTE!!!
Hmmmm….. A good name. I can’t think of one, but I’m thinking something to do with Momma and baby.
I’m so sewing this soon. And ironically enough I have the magnets already.
This is incredibly cute! My children and I are all admiring it. I think it would make a wonderful gift. The baby really adds to it too.
I am new to your site (I was googling rugs) and am very impressed. I am sure I will visit again.
trop trop belle la maman tortue et son bébé je voudrais en faire une pour moi une pour ma fille ainsi que ma petite niaise car je leur fais découvrir la couture et la broderie et avec une si jolie trousse à couture je ne vais pas avoir de problème serait il possible d’avoir le patron ainsi que les explications
amitié
Translation (by Google):
too too beautiful mother turtle and baby I want to make one for me one for my daughter and that my little silly because I make them learn sewing and embroidery with a sewing kit so pretty I will not be a problem is it possible to have the pattern and the explanations
friendship
This is brilliant! Could you come to my party and link to this as well! Hope to see you there! Sun-Wed @creativejewishmom.com all the best, and keep the great projects coming!
Oh my. She couldn’t be any cuter. I HAVE to make this.
This is the cutest thing ever! How can my little plastic pin box even compete with this colorful, cute alternative!
This is so, SO adorable! Thanks you so much for all of the hard work that I know went into these little guys. They’re amazing! I’ll be linking. And as for the sex? This magnificent multitasker has to be a girl. =) Helper Honu? Hattie Honu? Hmm… I might need to think about it. =)
Thanks, Rachel!!! Great names!!! I would also think that the multitasker should be a female, just look at her color lol….
Wow! Very cute! and very tedious work! I think I won’t be able to do it as neat as you did! Great job! 😀
Well worth the wait. Thanks I am not good with putting names on anything. So good luck. There is some very creative minds out there. Thanks again. Keep up all the good work that you do. Barbara Ann
Hola: Estoy impresionada con el combo esta bellisima la tortuga. Es super original ademas que tiene para poner todo.
En cuanto al nombre se me ocurre Edilasio no se porque pero es solo una sugerencia.
Besitos.
Translation (by Google):
Hello, I am impressed with this beautiful turtle combo. It’s original super also has to put everything.
As for the name I can think Edilasio not know why but it’s just a suggestion.
Besitos.
Thanks, Doris!!! Edilasio… special!!! Is it a Spanish name and what is the meaning?
I can not get the pdf to open it says it is Adobe says the file is damaged.
Just realized that one of the free pattern links is broken. I have fixed it, please try and see if you can get the file. By the way, the file will be opened in new tab, so please allow it to open if your browser blocked it.
Thank you, thank you so much… I will do this next month but I’m so happy. 2 other turtles in my collection and I can use them. wonderful!
Marie, glad to know that you are going to sew it as a collection 🙂
Love this post with tutorial. I have a suggestion for a name “Tasky Turtle” My daughter loves and collects turtles so I will be making this for her sewing box. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Alice 🙂 Glad to hear that you are going to sew it 🙂