Mini Octopus Crochet Tutorial - A Tiny Amigurumi Friend In

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Mini Octopus Crochet Tutorial - A Tiny Amigurumi Friend In

★★★★★ 4.5 · 63

Wren Halloway01.08.2026JUMP TO TUTORIAL

Mochi has claimed my yarn basket again, which is exactly how most of my crochet sessions start these days. This little octopus is one of my favorite “one cup of coffee” projects — it works up fast in super bulky plush yarn, and the whole thing fits in your palm when it’s done. I tested this pattern until my stitch counts stopped lying to me, so let’s make a tiny, huggable ocean friend together.

Gather Your Materials (This One’s a Quick Grab)

Good news, friend: this project doesn’t need a trip to a specialty shop. Everything for this mini octopus crochet tutorial fits in a small bowl on my kitchen table, and most of it I already had rattling around in my craft closet.

• Super bulky plush yarn — the fluffy texture hides imperfect stitches beautifully, which is a gift to beginners.
• 4.0 mm hook — sized for that chunky yarn, not your average amigurumi hook.
• 6 mm safety eyes, stuffing, a yarn needle, and a stitch marker.

One note before you start: amigurumi like this is worked in continuous rounds, not joined rounds — no slip-stitching to close each one. Your stitch marker is your best friend here; move it up every round so you never lose your place.

Step 1: The Magic Ring That Starts It All

The magic ring (MR) intimidated me for an embarrassing number of years — I used to just chain 2 and cram stitches into the first chain instead, which left a little hole at the center of every single amigurumi. Don’t do what past-me did.

Wrap the yarn around two fingers, insert your hook under the first strand, and pull up a loop. Chain 1 to secure it, then work 6 single crochet (sc) into the ring. Pull that tail snug and place your stitch marker in the last stitch.

Keep your stitches snug, not tight — plush yarn is forgiving, but a death-grip on your hook will make every round after this one a fight.

You should end Round 1 with exactly 6 stitches. Count twice; it’s a habit that’s saved me hours of frogging.

Step 2: Increasing Into a Flat Circle

Round 2 is where your little ring starts turning into an actual disc. Work an inc (2 sc in the same stitch) into every single stitch around — that means 6 increases total, taking you from 6 stitches to 12.

Here’s the check I use every time: lay the piece flat on the table. If it cups or ruffles, your tension is off somewhere — usually too tight, which makes the fabric pull inward. If it lies flat like a little pink cookie, you’re golden.

• Move the marker to the first stitch of the new round before you continue.
• Recount before moving on — 12 stitches, no more, no less.

This is also the moment I usually pour a second cup of coffee. Small victories.

Step 3: Building the Dome-Shaped Head

Round 3 is another increase round, but spaced out this time: (sc, inc) around, six times total, bringing you to 18 stitches. Then Rounds 4 and 5 are just plain sc around, no shaping — your piece stops growing outward and starts curving into a little bowl shape instead.

This is the part where amigurumi starts to feel like magic to me, even after 27 years of doing it. One round it’s a flat pink disc, and two rounds later it’s cupping in your palm like a tiny dome.

1. Round 3: (sc, inc) x6 — 18 stitches.
2. Rounds 4-5: sc in each stitch around — still 18.

By the end of Round 5, the piece should have real dimension, curving inward at the edges rather than lying flat.

Step 4: Adding Safety Eyes and a Little Stuffing

A safety note first, because I take this seriously: if this octopus is headed to a baby or a very young child, embroider the eyes with yarn instead of using safety eyes — the plastic posts and washers are a choking hazard once removed. For older kids or shelf display, safety eyes are wonderful.

Insert the 6 mm eyes between Rounds 4 and 5, about 4 stitches apart, and secure the washers firmly from the inside — give them a tug to make sure they’re locked in place.

Now add a small amount of stuffing. I mean it — do not overstuff. This little guy is only 4-5 cm tall, and too much filling will make the head bulge oddly and stretch the plush stitches thin.

Step 5: Crocheting the Eight Tentacles

This step looked like a diagram from an alien language the first time I tried it, and now it’s my favorite part of the whole pattern. Working directly from the base edge, repeat this eight times around:

• Slip stitch into the next stitch.
• Chain 4.
• Starting in the 2nd chain from the hook, work 3 sc back down the chain.
• Slip stitch into the next base stitch to close the tentacle off.

Repeat around the entire edge until you’ve made all 8 tentacles, using the remaining base stitches as your slip-stitch anchors between each one.

Once they’re all made, curl each tentacle gently between your fingers — it coaxes them into that adorable curved shape instead of sticking straight out like a startled porcupine.

Step 6: Finishing Off and Weaving In Ends

Cut your yarn, leaving a generous 10 cm tail, and pull it through the last loop on your hook to fasten off. Thread that tail onto your yarn needle and weave it through several of the base stitches, hiding the end deep inside the tentacle ring so it won’t work loose with handling.

Then comes my favorite finishing trick, one I picked up from just years of trial and error: massage the stuffing gently through the fabric to redistribute it evenly, smoothing out any lumps and rounding the head into a proper dome. Shape the tentacles once more with your fingers so they all curl the same direction.

Trim any stray fuzz from the plush yarn if you want a tidier finish, though honestly, a little fuzziness only adds to the charm here.

The Finished Octopus (And Why You Should Make a Whole Family)

Quick pattern recap

• R1: MR, 6 sc (6)
• R2: inc x6 (12)
• R3: (sc, inc) x6 (18)
• R4-5: sc around (18)
• Add eyes, stuff lightly
• R6: 8 tentacles around, fasten off

Your finished piece should measure about 4-5 cm tall — small enough to sit in your palm, sturdy enough to survive a curious cat batting it off the coffee table (ask me how I know). Once you’ve made one in this soft pink, try a whole rainbow family in purple, blue, mint, and yellow — they make an irresistible little cluster on a shelf, and they’re genuinely one of the fastest gifts I’ve ever crocheted for a NICU care package.

DIY-Tutorial Pin Print

Mini Octopus Crochet Tutorial - A Tiny Amigurumi Friend In

★★★★★ 4.5 · 63 ratings

Learn to crochet a mini octopus amigurumi with my photo-by-photo tutorial, from magic ring to tentacles, and finish your first tiny plush in one cozy afternoon.

Amigurumi crochetmini octopus crochet tutorial

PREP TIME10 min

Work Time45 min

TOTAL TIME55 min

Yield1 mini octopus

DifficultyEasy

Costapprox. $5

Materials

• Materials
• Super bulky plush yarn (1 small skein, pink or color of choice)
• 4.0 mm crochet hook
• 6 mm safety eyes (1 pair)
• Polyester stuffing
• Yarn needle
• Stitch marker
• Small scissors

Steps

1

Make a magic ring

Wrap yarn around two fingers, pull up a loop, chain 1 to secure, then work 6 sc into the ring. Pull the tail tight and place a stitch marker — 6 stitches total.

2

Increase to 12 stitches

Work 2 sc into every stitch around (an inc in each of the 6 stitches), bringing the count to 12. The circle should lie flat when checked on a table.

3

Build the head

Work (sc, inc) around six times to reach 18 stitches, then crochet two plain rounds of sc around. The piece will begin to curve into a dome shape.

4

Add eyes and stuffing

Insert 6 mm safety eyes between Rounds 4 and 5, about 4 stitches apart, and secure the washers firmly. Add a small amount of stuffing, being careful not to overstuff.

5

Crochet the tentacles

Repeat eight times around the base edge: slip stitch into the next stitch, chain 4, work 3 sc back down the chain, then slip stitch into the next base stitch.

6

Finish off

Cut the yarn leaving a 10 cm tail, pull it through the last loop, and weave the tail through the base stitches to hide it. Shape the head and curl the tentacles by hand.

Hi! I'm Wren

Hi, I'm Wren — welcome to my cozy corner of the internet! I'm Wren Halloway: crocheter, amigurumi enthusiast, recovering perfectionist, and the…

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Wrapping Up

This little octopus took me all of one coffee-fueled morning to make, tentacles and all, and I hope it becomes one of your quick-win projects too — the kind you can whip up between errands or while half-watching a show with Tom. Give yourself grace if your first one comes out a little lopsided; mine definitely did.

Happy stitching,

Wren