Jun
okay so the octopus thing
Right so you start with the head which is basically just a sphere and honestly the first time I made one of these was summer 2023 when my sister wanted one for her kid and I was like sure how hard can it be. Used Red Heart Super Saver in like this teal color because it was cheap and I had a ton of it already from another project that didn’t work out.
The head is a magic ring situation. You’re gonna do 6 single crochets into the magic ring, then pull it tight. Then you increase every stitch so you get 12. Then you do the thing where you alternate one regular sc and one increase to get 18. Keep going with that pattern until you hit whatever size you want for the head, usually around 54 or 60 stitches depending on how chubby you want your octopus.
actually making the sphere shape
So the increases go like this and I always mess up counting but basically:
- Round 1: 6 sc in magic ring
- Round 2: inc in each stitch (12)
- Round 3: sc, inc around (18)
- Round 4: sc in 2, inc around (24)
- Round 5: sc in 3, inc around (30)
- Round 6: sc in 4, inc around (36)
You keep going until you hit your target number. I usually stop at 54 stitches because that feels right for the yarn weight I use. Then you work even rounds without any increases or decreases for like maybe 15-20 rounds? I never count properly I just eyeball it until it looks like half a sphere.
The annoying part and this drove me absolutely insane is that you have to decrease at the same rate you increased but it never looks as smooth. Like the increases look fine but the decreases always make these weird dimples and I hate it. I was watching Succession while making that first octopus and got so frustrated with the decreasing that I had to pause the episode.
stuffing the head before you close it
Don’t wait until it’s completely closed because then you’re trying to shove polyfil through a tiny hole and it’s awful. When you get down to like maybe 24 stitches left start stuffing. I use whatever polyfil I can find at Michaels usually the Fairfield brand. Stuff it FIRM. Like really firm. Because tentacles are heavy and if the head is too squishy the whole thing flops over weird.
Close it up with decreases until you have like 6 stitches left then fasten off and weave the end inside so it disappears.
the tentacles which are the actual hard part
Okay so octopuses have 8 legs obviously and you can either make them all separate and sew them on OR you can do them attached as you go which is what I do because I hate sewing things on later. My cat knocked over my coffee while I was working on tentacle number 5 once and I almost gave up on the whole project.
For attached tentacles you need to figure out where they go on the bottom of the head. I mark 8 spots evenly spaced around the bottom opening before I close it completely. You can use stitch markers or just stick pins in there or whatever.
individual tentacle pattern
Each tentacle starts at the body. You pick a spot and start crocheting in a spiral. I do like 6 or 7 stitches for the base of each tentacle then just work in continuous rounds going down. The tentacle should taper so you decrease every few rounds. Something like:
- Rounds 1-8: sc in each stitch around (7 stitches)
- Rounds 9-16: sc in each stitch around (7 stitches)
- Round 17: sc2tog, sc in remaining (6 stitches)
- Rounds 18-24: sc in each stitch around (6 stitches)
- Round 25: sc2tog, sc in remaining (5 stitches)
You keep going like that until the tentacle is as long as you want. I make mine maybe like 15-20 rounds total? They should be longer than the head is wide or it looks weird and stubby.
The thing nobody tells you is that the tentacles will curl naturally if you crochet them tight enough and that’s actually what you want. If they’re too loose they just hang there like sad noodles.
the sucker dots or whatever they’re called
So octopus tentacles have those suction cup things and you gotta add them or it just looks like a blob with strings. I tried a bunch of different methods and here’s what actually works without making you want to throw the project across the room.
Make tiny circles in a contrasting color. Magic ring with 6 sc, slip stitch to join, fasten off leaving a long tail. That’s it. Make like a million of these. Well not a million but you need maybe 4-6 per tentacle so 32-48 total for the whole octopus. I used Lily Sugar n Cream in white for the suckers when I made one with navy blue Caron Simply Soft for the body and it looked pretty good.
Sew them onto the underside of each tentacle in two rows. This is tedious and your fingers will hurt and you’ll question why you started this project but just push through. I usually put on a podcast or something because it’s mindless work.
the face situation
Eyes can be safety eyes which you have to put in before you stuff and close the head or you can embroider them or sew on buttons if it’s not for a baby. I like the 12mm safety eyes usually the black ones. Put them between rounds 12 and 13 or somewhere around there, spaced like maybe 8-10 stitches apart.
For the mouth I just do a simple curved line with black embroidery floss. Some people get fancy with it but honestly a simple smile or even just a straight line looks fine. I tried to do a complicated mouth on one octopus and it ended up looking deranged so simple is better.
yarn choices that actually matter
So I mentioned Red Heart Super Saver and Caron Simply Soft already but I’ve also used Bernat Blanket yarn for a really chunky octopus and that was actually fun because it works up super fast. You need like a 9mm hook for that though. For regular worsted weight I use a 4mm or 4.5mm hook depending on how tight I’m crocheting that day.
Wool Ease is also good if you want something machine washable that’s not acrylic. Made one in Wool Ease in like this purple color called Eggplant I think? Turned out nice.
The texture matters more than you’d think because smooth yarn shows your stitches really clearly which is good if your tension is even but bad if it’s not. Red Heart Super Saver is kinda splitty and annoying to work with but it’s so cheap that I keep using it anyway. For gifts I’ll use the nicer stuff.
construction tips nobody mentions
When you’re attaching tentacles as you go you need to really think about the anatomy or it looks wrong. The tentacles should radiate out from the center not just be stuck randomly on the bottom. I sketch it out sometimes on paper first with like a circle and 8 lines coming out evenly spaced.
If you’re making separate tentacles and sewing them on later make sure the head is FULLY stuffed and closed first. And use really strong thread for attaching them because they get pulled and tugged especially if it’s a toy for a kid.
Wire in the tentacles is something people do but I’ve never bothered because it seems like a pain and also potentially dangerous if the wire pokes through. If you want poseable tentacles maybe try pipe cleaners instead? I haven’t tested this I’m just thinking out loud here.
the weight distribution problem
Octopuses want to tip over because the tentacles are heavy. You can fix this by either making the head really firmly stuffed like I said before OR by adding weight to the bottom of the head. Some people use poly pellets which are those little plastic beads. I’ve used dried beans before in a pinch which worked fine until my friend’s kid left the octopus outside and it got rained on and the beans got all gross so maybe don’t do that.
Put the pellets or whatever in a small fabric bag or even a balloon before you put them in the octopus so they don’t leak out through the stitches.
variations I’ve tried
Made a really tiny one once with cotton thread and a 2mm hook and it took forever and my hands cramped up but it was cute. Like maybe 3 inches tall total. That was spring 2024 I think when I was trying to use up random thread I had laying around.
Also made a giant one with that Bernat Blanket yarn I mentioned and it was like 2 feet across with the tentacles spread out. That one I filled with lavender sachets hidden in the stuffing so it smelled nice. Gave it to my mom.
You can do stripes by changing colors every few rounds. Or gradient yarn looks cool for this. I used a Caron Cake once in the colorway I can’t remember the name but it was like teal fading to purple and it made the octopus look kinda magical without any extra effort.
what actually goes wrong usually
The tentacles end up different lengths because you lose count. Just embrace it honestly unless it’s really obviously off then you gotta frog it and redo.
The head shape gets wonky if your tension changes partway through. I tend to crochet tighter when I’m stressed so sometimes one side of the head is tighter than the other and it looks lopsided. You can fix this somewhat by blocking it with steam but it’s never perfect.
Running out of yarn partway through is the WORST. Always buy more than you think you need. I thought one skein would be enough for my first octopus and I ran out during tentacle number 6 and had to wait for the store to open the next day to finish it.
The magic ring coming undone is another thing. Make sure you really secure that starting tail by weaving it through several stitches and maybe even tying a knot. I’ve had a magic ring come loose on a finished octopus and suddenly there’s a hole in the bottom of the head and stuffing trying to escape.
time commitment real talk
A basic octopus takes me maybe 4-6 hours total if I’m not watching TV or getting distracted. If you’re newer to amigurumi maybe double that. The head goes fast but the tentacles are repetitive and boring and you just gotta power through.
I usually do the head in one sitting then take a break then do all 8 tentacles over a couple days because doing them all at once makes my hand cramp.
Adding the suckers adds like another 2 hours probably. It’s just one of those things where you put on a show and zone out and sew tiny circles onto tentacles until your eyes cross.
random stuff that helps
Stitch markers even though I said I don’t use them much actually ARE helpful for marking where each tentacle should attach. The locking kind not the ring kind because the rings fall off.
A yarn needle with a big eye because you’re gonna be weaving in so many ends. Like minimum 16 ends if you do the suckers in a different color plus ends from the tentacles if you fasten off between them.
Good lighting because trying to see your stitches in dim light when you’re working with dark yarn is a recipe for mistakes and eyestrain.
I keep my tension pretty tight for amigurumi so you can’t see the stuffing through the stitches. If you can see white polyfil poking through your stitches either crochet tighter or go down a hook size.
Pattern notes I’ve made over time: the ratio of head size to tentacle length that looks best is like 1:1.5 or so. So if your head is 4 inches wide your tentacles should be like 6 inches long. This is not a hard rule just what looks proportional to me.
Color choices are wide open obviously but I think octopuses look good in blues, purples, teals, even pinks or oranges. I made a really garish rainbow one once that was kinda hideous but the kid who got it loved it so whatever.
You can add little details like a bow or a hat or whatever if you want to get cute with it. I’m not really into that but I’ve seen people make octopuses with like graduation caps or santa hats and they’re pretty funny.
