Worked on the glider, counted out loud —
A quick amigurumi project for confident beginners — one continuous spiral, done in a few relaxed hours.
This one's for whoever needs a small, slightly absurd creature on their shelf — a radish that's also an octopus, because why not. You know the kind of gift that makes someone laugh before they even know what it is. Make it for a kid who likes odd things, or for yourself, because you deserve a tiny weird friend too.
There's something quietly satisfying about a piece built in one unbroken spiral — no joining, no turning chain, just round after round climbing from six stitches up through the increases until the shaping settles into place. The Round 5 front-loop-only row is the clever bit: you work the front loops now and leave the back loops waiting, marked and patient, for you to return to later. That small trick is what lets the tentacle base and head-body read as two distinct shapes without ever picking up a needle to sew them together. Add in the safety eyes set into Round 3 of the head-body, and the hand-embroidered eyelids and nose at the end, and you've got a face with real personality for very little fuss.
The rounds, in full
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Everything this one takes, in the order you will reach for it.
Yarn
Tools
Notions
Begin with green yarn.
The tentacle base and head-body are worked in a continuous spiral — do not join rounds or make a turning chain unless instructed.
Fasten off and weave in the green end after the Tentacle Base.
Join your radish-color yarn (raspberry, red, lilac, or yellow) to the back loops of Round 5 that you marked earlier. Work in a continuous spiral.
Switch to white yarn before Rnd 9.
Add stuffing now — fill the head firmly but not so tightly that it distorts the shape. A light, even fill is best (add after Rnd 10, before Rnd 11).
Fasten off, leaving a short tail. Thread through remaining stitches and pull tight to close.
The tentacles and head-body are already joined — there is no separate sewing required for the main structure.
Embroider the eyelids: Using your yarn needle and a contrasting or dark yarn (or embroidery floss), stitch 2–3 short horizontal stitches just above each safety eye to suggest a sleepy or expressive eyelid.
Embroider the nose: A small distance below and between the eyes, stitch 2–3 short stitches in the same manner to create a simple button nose.
Weave in all remaining yarn ends securely.
This whole piece is worked in a continuous spiral, so resist the urge to join each round with a slip stitch or add a turning chain unless the pattern tells you to.
Keep that second stitch marker handy specifically for Round 5 of the tentacle base — those back loops are easy to lose track of once a few more rounds are stacked on top, especially in a plush yarn.
Use well under 40 g of stuffing total and pack it firmly rather than loosely, since a tight, dense fabric is what keeps the fiberfill from peeking through the stitches.
This pattern is written in US crochet terminology.
The tentacle base and head-body are worked in a continuous spiral — do not join rounds or make a turning chain unless instructed.
Gauge is not critical for this project; what matters is a firm, tight fabric so stuffing stays hidden. If your stitches feel loose, go down half a hook size.
Stitch counts are given at the end of each round in parentheses: (##).
Safety eyes are inserted into Round 3 of the Head-Body section before continuing — read ahead to that note before you start the head.
The white eye-white backing (felt or foamiran) is optional but gives the face more expression. Cut two small circles or ovals and slip them behind the safety eye washers before securing.
The tentacles are formed in Round 6 of the tentacle base using chain loops — they are not stuffed and do not require separate assembly.
Tentacle tension: The 20 increases worked back along the 21-chain loop create a naturally curling tentacle. If yours are coming out too straight, try working them a little more loosely; if they're curling too tightly, ease up on the chain length slightly. The goal is a gentle, organic curl.
Invisible decreases make all the difference: for the neatest finish on the body, always insert your hook through the front loops only of the next two stitches when decreasing. This hides the decrease point inside the fabric and keeps the surface smooth — especially visible when using solid-color yarns.
Stuffing density: fill the head firmly enough that it holds its round shape but soft enough that your fingers can still gently depress the surface. Overstuffed amigurumi look stiff and show stitch gaps; understuffed ones go flat. A golf-ball level of firmness is a good target.
Original pattern: https://amistitch.com/crochet-radish-octopus-plushie-free-pattern/
the ones that come up on the glider
No — this whole piece, tentacle base through head-body, is worked in one continuous spiral. Joining or adding a turning chain will throw off your stitch placement, so just keep spiraling unless a step specifically tells you otherwise.
Working Round 5 in FLO lets you finish the tentacle base cleanly while leaving the back loops of that round free and marked. You come back to those saved back loops later to continue building the head-body, which is what creates the visual break between the two sections without any sewing.
That depends entirely on the yarn weight you pick: 14 mm for bulky plush, 12 mm for a lighter or medium plush, and 4 mm if you're working in sport or DK weight. Check your yarn choice against this before you order eyes, since they're inserted partway through the head-body rounds, not at the end.
It's optional but recommended — a small white felt or foamiran circle behind each safety eye gives a cleaner eye-white look. If you skip it, the eyes will still work fine, you'll just lose that extra bit of contrast.
Aim for well under 40 g of fiberfill total, packed firmly rather than loosely. A tight, dense fabric from your hook choice matters as much as the stuffing amount for keeping everything looking smooth rather than lumpy.
Yes, those are a finishing touch added after the main structure is complete. The safety eyes alone will give the face plenty of presence, so feel free to leave the embroidery out if you're short on time or prefer a simpler look.
Absolutely — the pattern works with any yarn weight as long as you adjust your hook size and safety eye size accordingly. A sport or DK-weight acrylic will give you a smaller, firmer octopus with more visible stitch definition. Just make sure your tension is tight enough that the stuffing does not peek through the stitches.
The curl is created by working 20 increases back along a 21-chain loop, which naturally causes the strip to spiral. If your tentacles are too straight, work the increases more loosely. If they curl too tightly into a tight coil, try chaining 22 or 23 instead of 21. A little experimentation with your specific yarn and tension goes a long way.
Sunday evening, from the glider —
A pattern and a note from the glider, most weeks.
That was the last round. Would you like the letter when the next one goes up?