Turtle Granny Square

A very quick and simple pattern to make a traditional granny square with a cute little turtle in the middle! You can make them in shades of green, or use a variegated brown for the shell and a blue background for a sea turtle or tortoise. There's a row of optional contrast near the finish, and I made a subtle Ninja Turtle cross body bag by using Blue, Orange, Purple, and Red!

You will need worsted weight yarn in the colors of your choosing.

With a gauge of 4 dc = 1 inch and a row of dc being about ½ inch tall, you should get a 7 inch square. (So an H hook or something smaller.)

Colors changes are described as in the example-- sage green for the shell, dark green for the feet/head, and light green for the background.

1. Ch 4 with sage, sl st to form ring. You can also make a magic ring if you know how!
2. ch 3, dc 11 in ring, join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch 3. (12)
3. ch 3, dc 2 in each st around, join with DARK GREEN in 3rd ch of beg ch 3. (24)
4. ch 3, dc 2 in first st, ch 2, skip 2, dc 6 in next st, ch 2, skip 2, dc 3 in next st, ch 5, skip next 5, dc 3 in next st, ch 2, skip 2, dc in next st, ch 2, skip 2, dc 3 in next st, ch 5, skip 5, join with LIGHT GREEN in 3rd ch of beg ch 3.
5. ch 3, (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) in first st, dc, dc once in ch 2 space, dc in next st but FINISH WITH DARK GREEN, dc in next 4 and finish last st with LIGHT GREEN, dc in ch 2 space, dc in next st, (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) in next, dc, dc 8 in ch 5 space, (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) in next, dc 4 in ch 2 space, skip next st, dc 4 in ch 2 space, (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) in next, dc 8 in ch 5 space, join in 3rd ch of beg ch 3.
6. ch 3, dc in first two, (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) in corner ch 2 space, dc 14 across, corner, dc 14 across, corner, dc 14 across, corner, dc 11 across, join with CONTRAST COLOR in 3rd ch of beg ch 3.
7. ch 1, sc in first four, (sc 2, ch 2, sc 2) in corner space, sc 18 across, corner, sc 18 across, corner, sc 18 across, corner, sc 13 across, join with LIGHT GREEN in beg ch.
8. ch 1, sc in first six, (sc 2, ch 2, sc 2) in corner space, sc 22 across, corner, sc 22 across, corner, sc 22 across, corner, sc 15 across, join with DARK GREEN in beg ch.
9. ch 1, sc in first eight, (sc 2, ch 2, sc 2) in corner space, sc 26 across, corner, sc 26 across, corner, sc 26 across, corner, sc 17 across, join in beg ch and end off.

Tie in all loose ends. If making multiple, stitch them together with DARK GREEN.