Slowpoke Shells Crochet

Welcome to Slowpoke Shells Crochet—a place all about crochet turtles, with a healthy dose of other critters and projects mixed in.

Lady, my second crochet turtle — Lady adores the finer things in life, although she’s partially stuffed with old cleaning rags.

It started as a fun idea: “What if I made my own stuffed turtle?” I did, and that first amigurumi project set me on a journey to learn more about designing crochet patterns. My name is Kelsey and I learned how to crochet when I was about eight years old or so. A lady I knew from church, who called me her “grandfriend,” taught me one day when I was visiting her. Her house was so fun because she had labradors, goats, guinea hens! Yet it’s the crochet that stuck with me. She bought me a few booklets of patterns after teaching me the basics, and I was well on my way in the craft of crochet.

Skippy (left) and Soft Baby (right) — Skippy & Soft Baby

I’ve crocheted off and on during the years since then: sometimes more, sometimes less. I’ve always wanted to create my own designs, but never tried despite typically adding my own twists to patterns. So why not make my own from scratch? I’m going to jump right in. This site is where I hope to share my growth as I crochet along, one stitch at a time. But I’m not crocheting alone…

Skippy is the original slowpoke, since he’s the one who gave me the idea to crochet a toy turtle. Specifically, a toy turtle of my own design. So, thank you for the inspiration, Skippy! He was made in China and came to me for Christmas in 2020, from my man who knows I love turtles. Skippy doesn’t do much of the heavy lifting around here, but he’s excellent company and very encouraging. I’ve recently put him in charge of writing the newsletter, so be sure to sign up to hear from him.

Soft Baby, my first amigurumi turtle — Soft Baby

Soft Baby is the youngest member of the operation, born on May 29th, 2022. He is both my first crocheted turtle and my first amigurumi, and he has the lovable imperfections to prove it. Spunkier than your average turtle, Soft Baby loves getting into things and tends to wander off looking for who-knows-what.

I’m a gal with stuffed turtles and some yarn. I hope to meet you and learn about your crochet journey, too! Even if it hasn’t started yet…

— Kelsey

Last Updated: June 15, 2023

Latest Instagram Posts: @slowpokeshells

Small win: a pattern that works up super quickly. Big win: donating to a good cause! There are MANY ways to help victims of Hurricane Helene, and one way is to pick up this name-your-own-price pattern from fellow crocheter @bhooked. (See her post/website for more info.)

Are you always on the lookout for crochet in the wild? This one is in the Mayo Clinic's "Guide to Your Pregnancy." I don't think I've ever seen a crochet pattern for maternity wear, though... 🤔 Have you?

Update: Baby likes her new #amigurumi toy because, like most things, it's good for chewing on! 😁

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