Octopus for Preemies

What you need

Hook Size: 3 to 3.5mm
Cotton yarn; you can use medium weight, single thread cotton 8/4 or 8/8 is best. It is helpful to use a stitch marker to keep track of each round.

American crochet terms:

ch – chain
sc – single crochet  2 sc tog – 2 stitches together
sl st – slip stitch

Directions

R1: 6 sc in a magic ring

R2: 2 sc in all st (12)
R3: 2 sc in every 2nd st (18)
R4: 2 sc in every 3rd st (24)
R5: 2 sc in every 4th st (30)
R6: 2 sc in every 5th st (36)
R7-14: 1 sc in all st (36)
R15: *4 sc, 2 sc tog* – repeat *-* 6 times (30)
R16-17: 1 sc in all st (30)
R18: *3 sc, 2 sc tog* 6 times (24)
R19-20: 1 sc in all st (24)
R21: *2 sc, 2 sc tog* 6 times (18)
R22: 1 sc in all st (18)
R23: *7 sc, 2 sc tog* 2 times (16)
R24: 1 sc in all st (16)
R25: Here you start the arms: * 1 sc, 50 ch, turn and make 2 sc in each ch, finish with 1 sc*. Repeat 7 times so you get 8 arms. End with 1 sl st and pull the yarn through. If your arm doesn’t want to twist try making 3 or 4 sc in each ch.

If the outstretched arms are longer that 22 cm, make fewer chains. This is important for baby’s safety. If you are donated your octopus, they must be made with cotton and arms must be 22cm or less.

The bottom of the octopus

R1: 5 sc in a magic ring

R2: 2 sc in all st (10)

R3: 2 sc in every 2nd st (15). Finish with a sl st and pull the thread through. Weave in the ends.

Fill the octopus with the fiber and sew the bottom to it.

As for the decorations such as eyes, hats etc. let your imagination run wild. For example, I made the octopuses’ eyes with 6 sc in a magic ring and then 2 sc in all st (12). Then I weaved in the dark yarn and that’s it! You can find many nice tutorials on the Internet on how to make amigurumi hats, bows and eyes, e.g.