#crocheted turtle

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December 3rd, 2022

A sea turtle for my older cousin. This one was the fastest to make; it probably took about two hours! Yesterday's post about the rollie pollie was her daughter's. I finished that little guy around seven or so, started this turtle (thinking I would finish it the next day), and ended up taking its picture after nine. It was really cool!!

20Twenty to Crochet: Tiny Toys to Crochet by Sachiyo Ishii, page 28

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August 22nd, 2022

This little turtle is one of the most special projects I've ever crocheted. My great aunt Doris passed away before she could finish this little guy, so my Grammie asked if I would finish him. I've never crocheted something /with/ someone like that before, and she was such a talented person, it was an honor. She crocheted the shell and had started making a sort of frill around it, but I couldn't figure out how to continue. There was less than an inch of the frill on the shell, and Grammie gave me permission to frog (rip out) that section so I didn't have to fight with it haha. I made the legs, head/neck, didn't end up making a tail, and put on the adorable eyes. I was able to do this on our two, hour and fourty minute drives from our town to hers. (One drive for the funeral, another for burial.) That meant I was able to present her finished turtle at her grave. I didn't have it buried with her, as she was cremated and I'm not sure if she would have wanted it... so the little turtle came home with me and reminds me of the connection I have with my family. Even if I haven't seen these people in a very long time, (the last time I saw my Aunt Doris was unfortunately long before I came out in 2016) there's a connection. I don't know if she knew this would be her final project, or if she knew someone would finish it when she wasn't able to after some time, but I'm glad she decided to make one more thing before she passed. I mean seriously, look at how beautiful it (the shell) turned out! The colors she picked are perfect, the variegation is gorgeous... I love it 😊

Bonus picture of my Aunt Doris Turtle:

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My great aunt Doris passed away on the 12th, and this last Saturday was her funeral. The last project she was actively working on was this little turtle. She was only able to make the shell before she passed. When my Grammie went to make arrangements with the family, my other great aunt told her to bring the turtle pattern home to me. I was to finish it as well as I could. While driving to and from her funeral on Saturday, I crocheted three of the turtle's feet. On the drive up to her internment, I crocheted the fourth foot, head, put the turtle's body together, and put on his eyes. My goal was not just to finish what my aunt started, but to do it during the two road trips we had, and to have it done in time to "show her" before leaving town on Monday.

I'm pretty proud of this little guy. Although the pattern was very simple, this one wasn't about skill or testing out a new yarn. This was to help my family in their time of grief, which is why I'm back home this year.

I also think it's really cool my Aunt Doris and I got to make something together. I've never done something like that with anyone before 😊