Have you been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium? If you plan on a Monterey Bay area trip, you definitely want to add the aquarium to your itinerary! My family loves to visit the aquarium AND its website. The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s website teaches about various sea animals and other ocean life and has a few live webcams so that you almost feel as though you are there. Be sure to check out feeding times for the sea otters and penguins. You won’t want to miss them! Thanks to the awesome folks at the aquarium, we will be visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium in person again very soon!
This project is inspired by our trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
This is my version of the Giant Pacific Octopus. (Click on the name to learn more about it)
Now, I know mine isn’t quite so giant, but my kids sure think he is cute!
We look forward to going to visit his real life counterpart again soon!
Giant Pacific Octopus
Supplies:
Size F crochet hook
Worsted Weight 100% cotton yarn
Cotton filling
Stitch markers
Yarn needle
Special Instructions: Mark the first stitch of each round, moving the marker up with each round.
You will also mark the back loop of the first stitch in round 14. Do not remove this marker until going back and working that back loop.
If you aren’t sure how to work just one loop, please check out my How to Crochet in the Back or Front Loop tutorial.
Pattern:
Ch 2
Round 1: sc 8 in the second ch from hook. (8)
Round 2: sc 2 in each stitch around. (16)
Round 3: [sc, sc 2 in next st] repeat around. (24)
Rounds 4-7: sc in each st around. (24)
Rounds 8-9: [sc 2, sc 2 in next st] twice, [sc, sc2tog] twice, [sc2tog, sc] twice, [sc 2 in next st, 2 sc] twice. (24)
Rounds 10-13: sc in each st around. (24)
Round 14: Working in the Front Loop (FL) only, and marking the back loop of the first st worked: [FLsc 2, FLsc 2 in next st] repeat around. (32)
Round 15: Working through both loops again: [sc 3, sc 2 in next st] repeat around. (40)
For the Tentacles:
Round 16: sc 4, *ch 21, beginning in second ch from hook [sc, sc 2 in next ch, hdc 3 in next ch, sc 2 in next ch] 5 times, sc in same st as beg. sc, sc 4. Repeat from *around. slip st to first stitch in round.Finish off and weave in ends.
Embroider eyes.
Finishing:
Stuff as you go.
Round 1: Attach yarn to marked back loop (BL) stitch in round 14, ch 1, BLsc in same as join and in each st around. (24)
Round 2: [sc, sc2tog] repeat around. (16)
Round 3: [sc2tog] repeating around until mostly closed. Finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing completely closed.
Sew closed and weaved in all ends.