How to Make a Pony Bead Turtle Pet (Free Pattern!)

This easy-to-follow tutorial shows you how to make the most adorable pony bead turtles! Turn them into keychains or keep them as a beaded pet.

90s pony bead animals aren’t just limited to lizards and snakes! This cute turtle is super simple to make — he uses the exact same techniques as the lizard for the legs. With the free printable beading pattern and a step-by-step tutorial, you’ll be rocking your own 90’s style turtle in no time!

How to Make a Pony Bead Turtle

Materials

printable turtle beading pattern
27 main color pony beads (head, feet, and tail)
31 contrasting color pony beads (outside of shell)
16 other contrasting color pony beads (inside of shell)
2 eye color pony beads
2 feet of ribbon, string, or yarn
scissors
keyring (optional)

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Start by threading 3 main color pony beads onto the center of the string. For optional keychain start instructions, click here.

Next, thread and eye color bead, two main color beads, and the other eye color bead onto one end of the string. Keep the beads near the end.

Take the other end of the string (the one without any beads on it). Thread it through the beads from the opposite direction. If you think about it, the string would be making an X inside the beads.

Pull both ends of the string so that the second row of beads sits snuggly below the first row of beads. Continue doing this for each row, following the beading pattern, until you finish row 5.

Once you’ve finished row five, you are going to make the legs. First, string 4 main color beads onto just one side of the string and push them up close to the turtle’s body.

Take that same string end and thread it back through the bead closest to the turtle’s body. The other three beads will be in a loop on the string.

Pull the string tight. You may have to wiggle the beads and loosen and tighten the string a bit until the leg looks the way you want it. Once you have one leg done, do the other in just the same way!

Follow the beading pattern all the way to the end.
After the last row, tie your turtle off with a square knot and snip the ends. He’s ready to play!

Optional Keychain Start

If you’re using a key chain, you will have a different start. Instead of simply sliding the first beads to the center, you will tie the keychain in the center of the ribbon. Your first beads will then be done like the other rows, with the ends of the ribbon going through it from opposite sides. From there, it’s just the same as the non-keychain version!