Australian Reptiles of the Water: Northern Territory Crocodile, Short Neck Turtle and Hatchlings.

crikey! It's a crocodile!

Well here is my latest- Australian Reptiles of the Water: The Northern Territory Crocodile, the Australian Short Neck Turtle and Turtle Hatchlings. These little guys have taken me a bit of effort to write up. I am finding that the design bit is the easy part, but it is the writing up, testing and photographing that takes the time. I do like them though. These are native reptiles to the Australian waterways, rivers, swamps and billabongs.

I saw the Northern Territory crocodile when I was in Kakadu a few years back. Kakadu is a most amazing part of Australia and a Natural Heritage Park. The crocs are nasty little buggers and as ugly as sin. I brought back a crocodile foot key ring and tooth necklaces for my sons. They have a few registered crocodile farms in the Northern Territory which sell odd bits of the animal at the markets! I reckon I have made them look good in crochet.

Crocodiles and Turtles don't get a long real well, so are found in different areas. Mainly because the crocodiles eat the turtle hatchlings.

When I was a kid we had a creek and a dam down the bottom of our farm. I remember the short neck freshwater turtles, or "tortoises". They had dark shells and short stumpy necks and limbs. This little guy often shows up in indigenous paintings. Penny Tortoise used to sell in pet shops, but that is now illegal here because of their native protection. They are cute little critters.

I have had fun with these and along with the book mark designs, got a bit excited by their potential and stitched a few on the towels. I think they are great little embellishments for the bathroom and I plan to put some on washers and hand towels for Christmas gifts. From here I then created a soap or sachet holder.

I am enjoying exploring my talents, but it is a labour of love as the write up takes me forever.

Any how, the patterns for my Australian Reptiles of the Water are now listed on my Etsy Store.

I would love to receive your comments!