For those of you who want more whimsy and fewer water rings, we introduce these Tiny Turtle Coasters from Maker Team member Becka of @beckarahn. The thick felt provides a perfect landing space for your drinks and the tiny embroidered turtle on top! With clear instruction and pictures, you'll find this project easy to complete, even if your embroidery skills are a little rusty. Grab a drink and let's make some coasters with Becka!
This project combines a woven wheel stitch with detached chain stitches, plus a fun trick for turning several colors of embroidery floss into one tweedy thread. One sheet of thick felt makes enough lily pads for a whole set, so you can make one turtle or a whole little turtle gathering - the lily pads are happy to accommodate.
Skill Level: Beginner
Time: 1 hour
Additional Supplies:
Lily Pad Template (click to download)
Penny
Directions:
1. Download and print Lily Pad Template above and cut out. Use a heat-erasable Frixion pen or light-colored pencil and trace onto thick felt. Cut out. One sheet of thick felt will yield approximately 8-10 coasters.
2. Decide placement of turtle along edge of coaster, leaving at least a ¼" border. Place penny on designated spot and trace around perimeter.
3. The floss used to stitch the turtle shell is made by combining three different colors. Set aside one skein of green floss for head, feet and tail. From remaining skeins, cut one piece of floss 16" long. Separate each into two strands and combine for a variegated floss of six total strands. Thread needle with variegated strand and tie a knot at end opposite needle.
4. Fill in shell with a woven wagon wheel stitch. Start by making five "spokes" within traced circle. Bring needle from back to front at edge of circle. Bring needle back down along edge about ⅕ of the way around, making a stitch from edge to edge. Don't pull floss completely snug yet.
5. Bring needle back up through center of circle, catching top floss from first stitch and creating a V. Make another stitch from the center to opposite side of circle, about ⅗ of the way around. You now have three spokes that look like a Y.
6. Make two more stitches from center to edge to disect larger sections and create five evenly spaced spokes radiating from center.
7. Bring needle up close to center of spokes. Keeping needle and floss above the felt, weave over and under spokes. Continue alternating over and under around the circle. After each round, gently pull floss so new row of weaving rests against previous row. Weave until spokes are completely covered and can't hold any more floss. Make a small stitch through to back of felt and tie a knot.
If you run out of floss before shell is filled, bring needle through to the back immediately after passing under a spoke. Tie a knot. Begin with new floss, bringing needle up in the same spot and continue weaving.
8. Switch floss to green skein set aside. Using six strands, bring needle up at edge of shell where you want turtle's head.
9. To make an anchored chain stitch (or lazy daisy) for head, make a small stitch back down just slightly to the right of entry. Pull floss through, leaving a small loop on surface. Bring needle from back to front, inside of loop, about 3/16" from edge of shell. Pull floss until loop rests neatly against felt.
10. Make a tiny stitch just outside of loop to hold chain stitch in place. Add a second, smaller anchored chain stitch inside first to fill in turtle's head. When chain stitches are nested inside one another like this, it is called a berry stitch.
11. Make additional small chain stitches, about ⅛" long, around shell for turtle's feet. You only need one stitch per foot.
12. For the tiny tail, make a single straight stitch extending from back of shell.
Your Tiny Turtle Coaster is complete!
Don't be afraid to customize your turtle - or your whole pond! You can add more than one turtle to a lily pad, change the colors or make turtles of different sizes. If you'd like to make a larger turtle, you may need to add more spokes to the woven wheel stitch. Always use an odd number so the under-over weaving works properly.
Thanks to Becka for designing and writing this tutorial! You can see more of her work on Instagram @beckarahn and on her website. Stay tuned for more tutorials from the Benzie Design Maker Team!
