Preemie Octopus Easy Simple Knitting Pattern for Beginners

A is fun to make and offers comfort to babies! Maybe you want to an for , one for a young child or make an for yourself!

Let's be honest here.. weaving fingers into those curly tentacles is delightful. Even if you're NOT a .

My venture into started with a news article about a father in Denmark who asked for a for his . Hospital staff observed that the premature babies grasped the curly tentacles of the instead of pulling at their tubes. The theory is that the curly tentacles mimic the and comfort the !What an amazing thought ~ that yarn and hook can lead to comfort for a premature baby!

It touched my heart. But of course, at the time I couldn't find an that was made just the way I like. I'm not a fan of sewing on extra pieces when I can something on instead. I also like a round head, but acknowledge that an really should have a slight oval shape as a nod to a real .

So my version has a slightly oblong head and a clever construction for attaching the tentacles. This well loved has been viewed more than 600,000 times in the 2 years since it's debut. It is a well loved and easy to follow .

Essentials

If this crochet is your first time working an , here are a few tips to get you started with this free crochet pattern:

Start with a (also called a ) to make your starting stitches nice and tight. Wondering how magic rings work? Be sure to check out my magic ring tutorial!

The octopus free pattern is worked mostly in single crochet. You'll also need to know the chain stitch, and sl st (slip stitch). And of course, you will need stuffing and a tapestry needle to finish off your crochet octopus.

If you know how to and you'll be well on your way to making this . Amigurumi are worked in continuous rounds which can make it hard to keep track of your rows. That's why I always use a stitch markerson the last in a row.

Other crocheters will use the stitch marker in the first single crochet stitch of the row. Or use a scrap piece of contrasting color wedged between the first and last of the row to keep track. It is really easy to lose your place, so pick a way of tracking each row and be consistent.

If you are making this crochet octopus with intentions of donating it, you should contact your particular hospital to get their requirements. Every hospital is different and has different rules for donated items.

More Free Baby Crochet Patterns

If you love this Crochet Octopus pattern, you might also like to check out these other patterns for babies. You can find all our Baby Crochet Patterns here.

1. Hippo Rattle // 2. Friendly Crochet Spider // 3. Snowman Octopus

How Do You Embroider An Face?

Finishing touches are so important to a cute . The first thing to consider is safety. While I love the look of safety eyes on amigurumi, they might not be the best choice for a or very young children. Always consider safety when making handmade toys for babies and children. Its best to supervise play to avoid any choking hazards.

Embroidered features made out of simple stitches are just as lovely. Choose a contrasting or dark and use french knots and back stitches to make eyes and a mouth, if desired.

Crochet Octopus Pattern

Purchase a n ad-free printable version of this octopus pattern

Here is what you will need:

US C2/2.50 mm crochet hook (Did you know you can purchase my go-to hooks on Amazon?)
3.5 oz Worsted weight cotton yarn. I used 'I Love this Cotton' worsted weight yarn by Hobby Lobby
9 mm safety eyes
tapestry needle and scissors

A small hook produces a tight finished product and no stuffing will show through the stitches (and no small holes for tiny fingers to slip into). The tentacles are just the right length–long enough to be fun, but not too long for an octopus for preemies!

With worsted weight cotton yarn and a C hook, make a magic ring.

R1: 6 sc into ring (6 st)

R2: 2 sc in ea st around (12 st)

R3: *sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, repeat from * around (18 st)

R4: *sc in next 2 st, 2 sc in next st, repeat from * around (24 st)

R5: *sc in next 3 st, 2 sc in next st, repeat from * around (30 st)

R6: *sc in next 4 st, 2 sc in next st, repeat from * around (36 st)

R7-12: sc around (36 st)

R13: *sc in next 4 st, sc 2 tog, repeat from * around (30 st)

R14: sc around (30 st)

If you are using safety eyes, now is the time to attach them. Using 9mm safety eyes, attach between rows 12 & 13, allowing approximately 5 stitches in between, or whatever distance looks good to you. If you are embroidering the eyes for an octopus for a small child, do so after the octopus is stuffed and completed.

R15: *sc in next 3 st, sc 2 tog, repeat from * around (24 st)

R16: sc around (24 st)

R17: *sc in next 2 st, sc 2 tog, repeat from * around. (18 st)

R18: *sc in next st, sc 2 tog, repeat from * around (12 st)

Stuff the octopus. Now you will work the next row in the front loop only. Later you will come back through on the underside to grab those back loops and finish off the octopus. (Read here to learn about stitch parts.)

R19: working in the front loop only, *sc in the next st, sc 2 tog, repeat from * around (8 st).

Now comes the fun part: Making the tentacles for our !I love this part best because it starts with a long chain stitch and then you make that chain stitch curl! So fun!

Make the tentacles as follows:

*ch 50. sc in the 2nd ch from hook. 2 sc in ea chain across. When back to the body, sl st in the next stitch. Repeat from * 7 more times to make a total of 8 tentacles.

Arrange the octopus so that the tentacles are overlapping the body/head and the open end is up towards you. You will be working in the free loops from row 19 which are now on the underside of your octopus. They can be a bit difficult to see, so just do your best and sc 2 together around. Fasten off yarn and then weave the yarn through the remaining stitches and pull tight.

Purchase an ad-free printable version of the Crochet Octopus Pattern here

Crochet Octopus Frequently Asked Questions

This crochet octopus is one of the most favorite of all crochet patterns. It is just so fun and fast to make. And it's the kind of gift that warms your heart-spreading love out into the world! Over the years, readers have reached out with questions so here's a little FAQ to help you out on your crochet octopus journey!

What kind of yarn can you use for making the octopuses? I really like using 100% cotton worsted weight yarn for my crochet octopus. I like the crisp stitches and it's an easy material for babies. If that's not important to you or if you are crocheting your octopus for an older child (or even yourself) you might enjoy a different yarn fiber.

How to crochet an octopus? If you're wondering how to crochet an octopus step by step, this post is perfect for you. Just follow the directions, one step at a time and you will have a darling little crochet octopus when you are done! Be sure to follow the links if you get stuck on a particular crochet stitch and you're new to pattern reading, be sure to learn how with my How to read a crochet pattern post.

How do you crochet a magic ring? You might notice that my amigurumi patterns all start with a magic ring. That's because a crochet magic circle (aka magic ring) enables you to pull that starting row really tight. Be sure to read my How to Crochet a Magic Ring Post for step by step directions. Readers tell me it really helped them understand how to work this technique.

How do you crochet an octopus tentacles? Or how do you crochet octopus legs? The octopus tentacles is basically a long string of crochet chain stitches to start and then 2 single crochet stitches into each chain stitch.

What to do when tentacles are not twisted much? This is a great question. For some people 2 stitches into each chain using the same yarn and hook size as in the pattern creates the same twisted tentacle look as I achieved. But for others it is too loose and looks more like wavy spiral. This is because we all crochet differently.You might crochet tighter or looser than I do. Or you could have chosen a different yarn and hook combination. In any case, this is an easy fix. Simply add ONE MORE stitch to each chain stitch (So THREE single crochet stitches instead of two).

How do you crochet small animals? Maybe this adventure into crocheting an octopus has you excited about crocheting even more crochet dolls and toys! I love crocheting amigurumi so much that I wrote an entire amigurumi ebook! Or if you just want to dip your toe into the crochet toy pool, you might enjoy my free Amigurumi Secrets with this tip sheet for my newsletter subscribers:

I love seeing your finished projects! If you enjoyed making the Crochet Octopus Pattern I'd love to see yours on Instagram, be sure to tag me @crochet365knittoo. If you are on Facebook, stop over to the Crochet 365 Knit Too Facebook page or pop over to the Crochet365KnitToo Club and share a photo! I'd love to see your work!