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Octopus Surprise Amigurumi Pattern

Octopus Surprise Amigurumi Pattern
4.2★Rating
8-10 HoursTime Needed
1.4KMade This
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Intermediate Level

Ideal for those with basic crocheting experience, featuring slightly more advanced stitches and techniques to expand your skills.

⏱️

All-Day Adventure

Requires 8-10 hours, ideal for a full day of immersive crocheting.

🐰

Whimsical Buddy

Playful characters full of personality, designed to spark imagination and become cherished playtime favorites.

About This Octopus Surprise Amigurumi Pattern

Octopus Surprise Amigurumi Pattern crochet pattern - detailed view

This interactive set makes an incredible sensory toy for little ones or a bright, cheerful desk buddy to bring a pop of color and joy to your workspace.

Why You'll Love This Octopus Surprise Amigurumi Pattern

I absolutely adore this pattern because of the pure joy it brings when someone lifts the big octopus to find the tiny babies hidden inside! Crafting the different colors for each little baby is so satisfying, and it is a fantastic way to use up those lovely colorful scraps in your stash.

Octopus Surprise Amigurumi Pattern step 1 Octopus Surprise Amigurumi Pattern step 2 Octopus Surprise Amigurumi Pattern step 3 Octopus Surprise Amigurumi Pattern step 4

Switch Things Up

I still remember the absolute joy of finishing my very first nesting toy. There is something so incredibly magical about a crochet piece that has a hidden surprise inside! When I first designed this octopus family, I wanted to create a project that felt like an adventure from start to finish.

If you want to put your own spin on this design, why not play around with the color palettes? Instead of a classic rainbow for the tiny babies, you could try a beautiful gradient of ocean blues and seafoam greens, or even a cozy autumn palette with mustards, rusts, and deep plums.

Another fun tip is to add a tiny rattle insert or squeaker inside the big octopus before you close up the bottom! It adds such a wonderful sensory element for little hands. Take your time when joining the colored arm pieces to the main body; pinning them first is your best friend here. I hope you enjoy every single stitch of this playful project!

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

✗ When aligning the inside and outside body pieces at Round 31, it is easy to misalign the stitch markers which will cause the arms to sit crookedly.✗ If you do not pull the magic ring tight on the mini octopuses, the stuffing can leak out over time so make sure to secure it firmly.✗ Sewing the white eyes too far apart on the big octopus can make it look a bit expressionless, so pin them in place first to check the placement.✗ Forgetting to use the front loop only when working the arm rows on the big octopus will prevent the inside lining from joining smoothly later.

Octopus Surprise Amigurumi Pattern

Get ready to create something truly magical with this interactive nesting toy! This project features a large, friendly mother octopus with a secret pocket underneath that holds eight colorful baby octopuses. It is an incredibly rewarding project that will keep you happily crocheting as you watch this adorable underwater family come together stitch by stitch.

Intermediate 8-10 Hours

Materials Needed for Octopus Surprise Amigurumi Pattern

— Main Fabric

  • 01
    Approximately 36g of fingering weight cotton yarn in grey for the main big octopus
  • 02
    Approximately 2g of fingering weight cotton yarn in 8 different bright colors for the mini octopuses and arm linings
  • 03
    Approximately 1g of fingering weight cotton yarn in white for the large eyes

— Tools Required

  • 01
    2.5 mm crochet hook
  • 02
    Yarn needle for sewing and weaving in ends
  • 03
    Polyester fiberfill stuffing
  • 04
    Stitch markers
  • 05
    Two 8 mm safety eyes for the big octopus
  • 06
    Sixteen 6 mm safety eyes for the mini octopuses
  • 07
    Scissors

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— 1. Colored Arm Piece :

Info :

Make 8 pieces total, using one of each of your eight mini octopus colors. Work this section in rows.

Row 1 :

ch 7, inc in the 2nd ch from your hook, 5 sc, ch 1, turn (7)

Row 2 :

skip the turning ch, 7 sc, ch 2, turn (7)

Row 3 :

skip the first ch, inc in the next st, 7 sc, ch 1, turn (9)

Row 4 :

skip the turning ch, 6 sc, dec, turn (7)

Row 5 :

skip the first st, 6 sc (6)

Info :

Cut your yarn and fasten off.

— 2. Inside of Big Octopus :

Info :

Using your grey yarn, work this section in continuous spiral rounds.

Round 1 :

6 sc in mr (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3 :

(inc, sc) x 6 (18)

Round 4 :

(inc, 2 sc) x 6 (24)

Round 5 :

(inc, 3 sc) x 6 (30)

Round 6 :

(inc, 4 sc) x 6 (36)

Round 7 :

(inc, 5 sc) x 6 (42)

Round 8 :

(inc, 6 sc) x 6 (48)

Round 9 :

(inc, 7 sc) x 6 (54)

Round 10 :

(inc, 8 sc) x 6 (60)

Round 11 :

60 sc (60)

Round 12 :

60 sc (60)

Round 13 :

60 sc (60)

Round 14 :

60 sc (60)

Round 15 :

60 sc (60)

Round 16 :

60 sc (60)

Round 17 :

60 sc (60)

Round 18 :

60 sc (60)

Round 19 :

60 sc (60)

Round 20 :

60 sc (60)

Round 21 :

60 sc (60)

Round 22 :

(dec, 8 sc) x 6 (54)

Round 23 :

54 sc (54)

Round 24 :

(dec, 7 sc) x 6 (48)

Round 25 :

48 sc (48)

Round 26 :

48 sc (48)

Info :

Fasten off. Place a stitch marker in 8 specific stitches around the edge, leaving exactly 5 stitches empty between each marked stitch.

— 3. Big Octopus Outer Body :

Info :

Using grey yarn, work in continuous spiral rounds.

Round 1 :

6 sc in mr (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3 :

(inc, sc) x 6 (18)

Round 4 :

(inc, 2 sc) x 6 (24)

Round 5 :

(inc, 3 sc) x 6 (30)

Round 6 :

(inc, 4 sc) x 6 (36)

Round 7 :

(inc, 5 sc) x 6 (42)

Round 8 :

(inc, 6 sc) x 6 (48)

Round 9 :

(inc, 7 sc) x 6 (54)

Round 10 :

(inc, 8 sc) x 6 (60)

Round 11 :

(inc, 9 sc) x 6 (66)

Round 12 :

66 sc (66)

Round 13 :

66 sc (66)

Round 14 :

66 sc (66)

Round 15 :

66 sc (66)

Round 16 :

66 sc (66)

Round 17 :

66 sc (66)

Round 18 :

66 sc (66)

Round 19 :

66 sc (66)

Round 20 :

66 sc (66)

Round 21 :

66 sc (66)

Round 22 :

66 sc (66)

Round 23 :

66 sc (66)

Round 24 :

(dec, 9 sc) x 6 (60)

Round 25 :

60 sc (60)

Round 26 :

(dec, 8 sc) x 6 (54)

Round 27 :

(dec, 7 sc) x 6 (48)

Round 28 :

48 sc (48)

Round 29 :

48 sc (48)

Info :

Now we will construct the arms. These are worked directly onto the body in rows. Repeat the following arm steps (Row 1 to Row 5) a total of 8 times around the body.

Row 1 :

slst in flo of the next st of Round 29, ch 7, inc in 2nd ch from hook, 5 sc, slst in flo of the next 2 sts of Round 29, turn (7)

Row 2 :

skip 2 slst, 7 sc, ch 2, turn (7)

Row 3 :

skip 1 ch, inc, 7 sc, slst in flo of the next 2 sts of Round 29, turn (9)

Row 4 :

skip 2 slst, 6 sc, dec, turn (8)

Row 5 :

skip 1 st, 6 sc, slst in flo of the next st of Round 29

Info :

Position the colored arm pieces on top of the grey arms in this order: red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, blue, purple, pink. Align Row 1 of the colored piece with Row 1 of the grey arm.

Round 30 :

(slst in next st, sc around the arm working through both layers of the grey arm and the colored piece, making 3 sc in the tip of the arm, slst in the next st) x 8

Info :

Insert the inside lining piece into the main body. Ensure your marked stitches sit perfectly between the arms, and tuck any loose yarn tails between the layers.

Round 31 :

(crochet 1 sc through the remaining back loop of Round 29 and the marked st of the inside piece, then crochet 5 sc through both the colored arm piece and the inside lining) x 8 (48)

Round 32 :

(dec, 4 sc) x 8 (40)

Round 33 :

(dec, 3 sc) x 8 (32)

Round 34 :

(dec, 2 sc) x 8 (24)

Round 35 :

24 slst (24)

Info :

Fasten off and weave in all remaining yarn ends securely.

— 4. White Eyes :

Info :

Make 2 using white yarn.

Round 1 :

6 sc in mr (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3 :

(inc, sc) x 6 (18)

Info :

Fasten off, leaving a long yarn tail. Insert an 8 mm safety eye between Round 1 and Round 2 of each white patch before sewing them to the big grey octopus.

— 5. Mini Octopus :

Info :

Make 8 in different bright colors.

Round 1 :

6 sc in mr (6)

Round 2 :

6 inc (12)

Round 3 :

(inc, sc) x 6 (18)

Round 4 :

(inc, 2 sc) x 6 (24)

Round 5 :

24 sc (24)

Round 6 :

24 sc (24)

Round 7 :

24 sc (24)

Round 8 :

(dec, 4 sc) x 4 (20)

Round 9 :

(dec, 3 sc) x 4 (16)

Info :

Pause here to attach the 6 mm safety eyes between Round 7 and Round 8, leaving exactly 3 stitches between them.

Round 10 :

(ch 5, slst in 2nd ch from hook, sc, 2 hdc, 2 slst in flo of the next sts of Round 9) x 8

Info :

Fill the mini octopus firmly with fiberfill stuffing.

Round 11 :

8 dec in blo of Round 9 (8)

Info :

Fasten off, close the opening, and weave in all yarn ends.

Assembly Instructions

  • Assemble the white eye patches by securing the 8 mm safety eyes between Round 1 and Round 2 of each patch.
  • Pin the assembled white eyes onto the front of the big grey octopus body to find your preferred expression, then sew them down securely using the long yarn tails.
  • When aligning the inside lining with the outer body of the big octopus, make sure the marked stitches sit perfectly centered between the arms.
  • Tuck all remaining yarn tails from the colored arm pieces safely inside the body cavity before sealing the layers together.
  • Ensure all safety eyes on the eight mini octopuses are firmly locked in place with their washers before stuffing and closing.

Important Notes

  • 💡Maintain a tight, consistent stitch tension throughout the project to ensure the stuffing does not show through the fabric.
  • 💡Do not stuff the main body of the big octopus, as it needs to remain hollow and flexible to hold the eight mini octopuses inside.
  • 💡Pinning the colored arm pieces to the outer grey arms before crocheting Round 30 will help keep the edges perfectly aligned.
  • 💡When working the final rounds of the mini octopuses, ensure you work only in the back loops as instructed to create a clean bottom edge.

I can't wait to see your gorgeous octopus families come to life! Whether you stick to a bright rainbow theme or go for a moody, pastel, or monochrome palette, this project is bound to bring a massive smile to anyone who sees it. Happy stitching, friends, and remember to take your time with those fun little details—they make all the difference! 🧶✨

You ask,

we answer.

FAQs

Can I use a different weight yarn for this nesting set?

You certainly can! Just keep in mind that using a thicker yarn like worsted weight will make the big octopus much larger, and you'll need to scale up your safety eyes accordingly to keep them proportional.

Why is the inside lining of my big octopus bunching up?

This usually happens if your tension on the inside piece was looser than the outside. Try using a slightly tighter tension or dropping down a hook size for the inside piece to make it fit snugly.

Do I need to stuff the big octopus at all?

No, the big octopus should not be stuffed! It needs to remain completely hollow inside so that there is plenty of room to hide all eight of the mini baby octopuses.

How do I make sure the baby octopuses don't fall out?

The opening at the bottom is naturally designed to hold them in, but keeping your slip stitches on the final round of the big octopus nice and snug will help maintain a perfect, secure pocket.