Micro Octo - no-sew pattern

An early version of the pattern, where I put more rows in the body, making it taller. 

Micro Octo

Pattern by Elaine Okupski of Penguin Place Crafts

This is one of my go-to patterns when I'm trying to finish off some scrap yarn. It works up quickly, about 20 minutes, and only uses half an ounce of yarn. I usually have a basket of them on my table for craft shows as an inexpensive option for parents wanting to get their child a little stuffie. 

I made these with worsted weight yarn and an F (3.75mm) crochet hook. I have also made them with two strands of sport weight yarn held together for a "tweedy" look, or with bulkier yarn and a larger hook. With the worsted weight yarn, I used .47 oz for the light blue octo I made as I was preparing this post. 

You start at the top, add the tentacles in the front loop of your last full row, then move to the back loops of that same row to close up the bottom. Here goes: 

Round 1: 6 sc in MR (6)

Round 2: inc x 6 (12)

Round 3: *sc, inc* x 6 (18)

Round 4: *sc 2, inc* x 6 (24)

Rounds 5-7: sc (24)

Round 8: hdc (24) Sl st to FLO of first hdc in the round. Move your stitch marker to the back loops of that same stitch. 

Note: I like to do my last full row in hdc so that I have one front loop for the tentacles, and two back loops for the decreases. 

It's easier to embroider your octo's face now, before the tentacles get in the way. I put the eyes around round 5, and the smile over rows 7/8. You can use safety eyes instead of embroidering. 

Round 9a (tentacles) All of the stitches of 9a are worked in FLO

*Ch 7, in 2nd ch from hook, sc inc, sc inc, hdc inc, hdc 2, connecting dc, skip the next stitch, sl st* repeat from * to * 7 more times. Your final sl st will go into the base of your first tentacle.

Connecting dc: draw up a loop in your last available chain, and then another loop from the next available front loop. Finish off as a normal dc (yarn over and pull through two loops, yarn over and pull through two loops). 

 

Round 9b: Now you are working in the back loops of round 8, starting with the stitch with the stitch marker. 

*sc 2, dec* x 6 (18)

Round 10: *sc, dec* x 6 (12) Stuff your octo's body. 

Round 11: dec x 6 (6). FO, leaving a tail to sew closed. Weave your yarn tail through the stitches of round 11 and pull to close. Tie off and hide your yarn tail inside the octo. 

Variations: 

It's easier to make your tentacles longer... start with a longer chain for each tentacle, and add extra sc.

You can make the tentacles less curly by doing sc in the first two chains instead of sc increases. 

If you turn your work before you start working on the tentacles, the tentacles will curl inward instead of outward.