A crochet octopus pattern can come in many forms. In this compilation, you’ll find them in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and more different colors than you can imagine.
What’s more, each pattern has its very own distinctly unique personality. Whether it is due to the way the eyes are positioned, the type of yarn used, or because of the bows, hats, upside-down ice cream cones, or other accouterments on their head.
Table of Contents
- Crochet Octopus Patterns
- Octopus Crochet Patterns For Babies
- Flat Octopus Crochet Patterns
- What is the best crochet octopus pattern for beginners?
Whether you’re looking for a tiny octopus amigurumi, a giant life-size one, or something in between, I am confident that you will find inspiration here!
Personally, I am majorly crushing on this giant realistic octopus. It may take more time to stitch together but the end result is so worth it. Who wouldn’t want a huge octopus body sitting on the couch, with its curly tentacles draped out over all four directions?
Another awesome and quite realistic octopus (found here on Etsy) as well as the reversible cuties (part of this compilation, further down) are my so-called editor’s picks.
But don’t take a stranger’s word for it – there are … patterns to explore here, which is more than enough to get lost in a sauce of tentacles.
Come check out the ultimate collection of crochet octopus patterns!
Crochet Octopus Patterns
Here are all the regular octopus crochet patterns.
By ‘regular’, I mean they aren’t also baby toys, mug cozies, blankets, pin cushions, etc. These are content with simply being a crocheted octopus and rocking it.
They’re small, medium, or large. They feature a round or oval head, and they come in all sorts of colors and shapes. With flat, curling, or even nubby tentacles. Plastic eyes or embroidered ones.
Most of these octopus amigurumi patterns make great stuffed animals for kids or decorative roomies for bigger kids and grown-ups.
Let’s dive in! (How’s that for a pun?)
Top left: Designed by Tatyana Korobkova. It’s a lengthy tutorial with lots of pictures, which will definitely be helpful to beginners! Go to the pattern.
Top right: Freddie the fancy octopus is a pattern available for purchase on Ravelry. ($2.50) The listing is in English, though it does say the pattern is in Dutch. Since other patterns by the same creator seem to be bilingual, I’m wondering whether this could be a typo.
Bottom left: Oliver the Octopus, created by Amanda from Loops and Love Crochet. Check out the pattern here. You’ll find a few more cute crochet ocean animals, like a whale and a turtle.
Bottom right: The Friendly Fox brings us this nice rounded fella – or lady – with a sweet little smile. It is very similar to another pattern by the same designer, found below, so do have a look at both. Go to the pattern.
Top left: Check out this pattern on Handy Little Me, by Louise Bollanos. It includes links to the ad-free version of the pattern (available for purchase) as well.
Top right: Without the little hat and bow tie, this octopus could probably work as one of those they make for premature babies. If you haven’t heard about the project, it’s pretty darn’ cool.
Bottom left: Doroteja from Croby Patterns designed this beauty. I’m loving its realistic look! See the pattern here. It comes with a video tutorial, too.
Bottom right: Lilleliis is a site filled with amigurumi crochet patterns in no less than three languages (English, Dutch, and Hungarian). I am really crushing on that ruffle and those embroidered eyes with lashes. Even though an octopus with eyelashes is not at all realistic. (Or is it?! Another thing to look up!) Find the pattern here.
Speaking of crushing, may I introduce my first absolute editor’s crush: this Kawaii Cupcake Octopus Crochet Pattern (pictured below).
So fun! Here is the link to the pattern. What a great excuse to order a paintbox yarn set.
The beauty below can be found on Moogly (link to pattern). Doesn’t it just demand to be crocheted in super bulky yarn? The one in the picture is made with Bernat Blanket and a US size L or 7 mm hook. I want to use Lion Brand Thick & Quick and a 13 mm hook! That would take a lot of fiberfill, though.
Top left, number 1: The Friendly Fox has this round-faced octopus crochet pattern for us. Kali made it as a baby toy for her son, with a rattle inside. Without a rattle, it is simply a lovely little squishy. Embroidered eyes are great for little ones.
Top right, number 2: Beginner crocheters will appreciate this easy pattern by Whistle and Ivy. As a stuffed animal, it has volume, so takes a bit more time but it isn’t difficult.
Bottom, number 3: Here’s another free octopus crochet pattern named Octavia and a beautifully realistic one, too. Love those contrasting colors. Check it out on Yarnspirations.
Here are some mini crochet octopuses with over-sized, googly eyes. This is the pattern on the blog, and you can vary the length of their tentacles, too. Thank you for sharing, Lucy Ravenscar.
On Sweet Softies, find these tiny octopus babies. They can be crocheted in twenty minutes!
One, top left: Stringy Ding Ding is one of the funnier names for a crochet blog, don’t you think? This free pattern is simple enough for beginners and made with a 5 mm hook.
Two, top right: What an adorable party-goer, this preppy octopus with a striped hat. Find the pattern on LoveCrafts.
Three, bottom left: Find the free pattern for this octopus and his friend the starfish on Yarnspirations. It’s a very nice website where you’ll find all the needed supplies lined up, which can be super practical.
Four, bottom right: This one is a two-page PDF pattern from Yarnspirations. Find it here. I realized later that it is actually titled “preemie crochet octopus” but just leaving it in the general section of this list for now. Because it can be multi-purpose, right?
On Whimtastical Creations, there’s a pattern for this rounded octopus. Even the tentacles are round.
This one, though… *swoon*
A pattern by Katia Glebova on Ravelry. Did you know you can buy a reversible octopus on Amazon? Well, the choice is yours – buy one or make one, with the free reversible octopus pattern, a 2 mm hook and some Yarnart Jeans yarn. (That’s almost too many links clumped together in one paragraph – I tried to keep it organized by making them bold.)
| Tip: You can very easily change the size of a pattern. It’s not an exact science, but if you switch from, for example, a 5 to a 13 mm crochet hook, the crocheted octopus will be that much bigger. For the same amount of work, I should add, which is why I am so fond of super bulky yarn. Small is beautiful, too. Trade the hook for a 1 mm one, and you have a super cute little octopus. (Now there’s a great gift if you want to surprise a friend with something small like, say, a key chain.) |
What I enjoyed most about gathering all these amazing patterns was reading what others say about the fascinating creature that is an octopus.
Some think they’re cute, others more like the opposite of cute.
I love Cephalopods! They are just so alien, so interesting, so very different and amazing and awe inspiring. The truth is often stranger than fiction.
I think you’re right on, Tamara Kelly.
Octopus Crochet Patterns For Babies
Here are three patterns for babies with an octopus theme: two loveys and a rattle.
1. Osmond the Octopus by Coastal Crochet
This cute pattern is available as a PDF file for free in both US and UK terminology. The octopuses in the picture are made with Scheepjes yarn and a crochet hook size US 7 or 4.5 mm.
A free download on Ravelry, by Halime Özel. This rattle is also made with Scheepjes yarn and a 2.5 mm hook.
3. Crochet Oceanic Lovey Blanket
Made with hooks size 2 mm and 4 mm, this cute octopus is super chill. The pattern is available for free, with links to an ad-free pdf pattern for purchase through Etsy or Ravelry.
Flat Octopus Crochet Patterns
Next up are the so-called applique patterns in the shape of an octopus. Also, a “flat” octopus to crochet as part of a blanket.
Go to: Kraken Octopus Squid Applique (pictured above) by Moogly.
Go to: Free Crochet Jellyfish And Octopus Appliques Pattern (pictured above) by Raffamusa designs.
Go to: Bubbles the Octopus – Free Crochet Pattern Applique (pictured above) by Nine Inspired.
Go to: C2C Octopus Crochet Pattern (pictured above) by Lovable Loops.
What is the best crochet octopus pattern for beginners?
As a complete beginner, I recommend familiarizing yourself with the basic stitches and terms. Before tackling one of these patterns, you may want to watch a video tutorial like this one on how to work with a magic circle.
However, not all crochet octopuses start with a magic loop. The little amigurumi octopus by Sweet Softies, for one, does not. It turns into a super soft, squishy octopus due to the choice of yarn. You can, of course, make it with cotton or any worsted-weight yarn, too. In which case it would be smaller and less fuzzy.
The most important thing as a beginning crocheter is to have some fun! Don’t take it all too seriously. Sure, there is a tiny bit of a learning curve. And maybe you’ll find yourself starting over a few times, or you’ll end up with a perfectly imperfect creation.
That’s part of the process. Keep at it and soon enough you’ll be working patterns from start to finish without any hiccups.
