Knit Octopus in Season Alpaca
We know how Ringo Starr felt about gardens and octopuses, the sea and the shade, and we couldn’t agree more. Like that fabled octopus, we’d like to escape to a nice, cool spot this August, preferably with enough Season Alpaca to whip up our own Knit Octopus!
Wherever you’re anchored, you’ll have a whale of a time knitting up this leggy number. We used our super soft Season Alpaca, doubled for twice the nice, in cool and simple Dove Gray. But like color-fickle octopuses themselves, we think Stillwater Blue or Peach Stone, Lavender Moon or Heirloom White would yield equally tantalizing tentacles!
Our eight-legged friend is knit in the round with a smooth stockinette head and a textured under-carriage. We’ve spared you the 1,920 little suction cups the real thing has in favor of a seamless seed stitch construction that requires absolutely no sewing up.
A scientific rumor circulated recently that octopuses are actually alien because their DNA is like nothing else found on planet Earth. So on this 8/8/18, find a shady garden and cast on for something truly out of this world!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoKnitOctopus, and #PurlSohoSeasonAlpaca. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 3 skeins of Purl Soho’s Season Alpaca, 100% baby alpaca. Each skein is 218 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 654 yards required. We used Dove Gray.
- A bag of Fairfield’s Poly-Fit stuffing
- 2 yards of scrap yarn for eyes. We used Season Alpaca in Heirloom White.
- US 6 (4 mm), 16-inch circular needles
- A set of US 6 double pointed needles
PLEASE NOTE: This pattern uses just about all of the 3 skeins, so if you want to be sure you have enough, consider ordering an extra skein. If you don’t end up needing it, you can return unwound yarn for a refund within 30 days of purchase, or within 6 months, for store credit. Our Return Policy has all the details!
Gauge
18 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, with yarn doubled
Size
- Circumference Around Widest Part Of Body: 20½ inches
- Height Of Body: 7½ inches
- Length Of Each Arm: 10 inches
Note
You will use the Season Alpaca doubled throughout this pattern. The easiest way to do this is to pull from two balls at once.
Pattern
For the free pattern, please visit our original Knit Octopus story.
Hi, what a cute octopus! Wondering if you could use just 1 strand to create a smaller version? Or is there a distinct reason why you used 2 strands? Could a single strand of worsted weight work also? Thanks!
Hi Denise,
Thanks for writing in and for the kind words! You could definitely use a single strand of Season Alpaca on a US 1 or 2 to knit an adorable mini octopus! We chose to use two strands of yarn so that we could knit the octopus at a larger gauge, which means fewer stitches and a faster knit, while still using super cuddly and soft Season Alpaca, but you could also substitute a single strand of a worsted weight yarn if you wish. Worsted Twist would be a great option if you prefer to knit with a single strand of yarn!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi Julianna, if I made the knit octopus with a single strand of the Worsted Twist, how many yards would I need? Would I be using US 6 needles and half the yardage (350 yds)? Thanks for letting me know!
Hi Marcela,
Thanks for reaching out! Worsted Twist would be a great option for a single strand! The US 6 should work, but I do suggest working a gauge swatch first to insure you are consistent with the pattern!
Since you would only be using a single strand rather than doubled approximately 350 yards should be plenty. Worsted Twist is less per skein than Season Alpaca, it has 164 yards per skein so I would still recommend getting 3 skeins to insure you have enough to finish! If you don’t end up using the 3rd skein, as long as it is in original condition, you can return it for store credit within 6 month!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Warmly,
Gianna
Question: I’d like to make the bottom a different color. How much do you think I should buy? If there will be a lot left over, I can double it and make two.
Hi Meg,
Great question! It is hard to estimate just how much you will need, but to be on the safe side I would suggest getting two skeins of your contrast color and two of your main color for one octopus. I strongly suspect you will only need one skein of the contrast color, but two will definitely be enough and you will then be ready to knit your second octopus if it only takes one!
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
I am a 83 year old widow and I can’t afford the price of your yarns. I do think your patterns are wonderful. I take it you have to buy your yarn to print your patterns. I tried to print your pattern but if will not print the instructions.
Hi Carol,
Thanks for reaching out! We hear you! We totally understand that sometimes our yarn suggestions are more of an inspiration than a reality for many people. We are always happy to recommend less expensive (but still beautiful!) alternatives. In this case, we suggest that you try 3 skeins of Cotton Pure. Alternately, you could use roughly 675 yards of any sport weight yarn!
Also, there is no need to make a purchase to print directions for our free patterns. For this pattern you will want to print this page as well as the original directions here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2013/05/19/whits-knits-knit-octopus/
To do so, if you’re on a desktop version of the site, you will find a “print” icon in the right column just below the date and tags. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find a “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Follow the easy on-screen instructions to delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print or save. For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. To remove images, click the drop down next to the image icon and change from 100% to 0%.
I hope that this helps and happy knitting!
Cassy
Thank you so much for this truly seamless pattern. I like knitting animals and such but hate attaching all the little bits. Can’t wait to use some stash yarn on this! Then maybe I’ll splurge on some Season Alpaca for an encore.
Hi Victoria,
Thanks for your very kind words! We are so glad that this little octopus is such a delight!
Best,
Cassy
To add to what Carol said, it is very nice of purlsoho to allow us to get the pattern even when we don’t purchase the yarn. Thanks so much. We need more companies like you
Oh this is a wonderful pattern! Thank you so much I have been looking for a knitted Octopus but could only find a crochet pattern . Don’t know if you know about a study done with Preemies and Crochet Octopus toys. They were shown to calm the Preemies down.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4167048/Hospitals-giving-premature-babies-cuddly-octopus-toys.html
Can’t wait to cast on for this cute toy.
Hi Suzan,
Thank you so much for sharing this with us! I love the thought of our octopus comforting babies who need extra care and attention! I hope you enjoy knitting them as much as those sweet babies will enjoy cuddling them!
Best,
Julianna
I think this pattern is adorable. There is a difference in what you say is required in yarn on this page, 3, and on the pattern page, 6. How many skeins is the correct number?
I’m not an accomplished knitter yet so I’m passing this on to my daughter and some friends whom I think can do this beautifully.
thank you.
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for writing in and for the kind words! For our original Knit Octopus, we used Blue Sky Sport Weight, which has about half the yardage of our Season Alpaca, so it did take 6 skeins instead of 3. Either way, you will need about 700 yards of yarn total!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I was so excited to see this lovely sea creature but I’m struggling join in the round using the double points, do you have a video. Saw some on YouTube but there not clear. Thanks for any assistance
Hi Noreen,
Thanks for reaching out! Although we don’t have a video, we do have a very clear tutorial on Double Pointed Needles that includes lots of pictures and explanations. Hopefully that can clear things up!
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello!
I am excited to make this for my daughter who is crazy for soft animals. She has a few.
I am a novice knitted – I have made your blankets before, hats and scarfs.
Do you think this is a pattern okay for that level?
Thank you!!!
Hi Dorka,
Thanks for reaching out! I would suggest reading through this pattern thoroughly to see what will be new to you. All stuffed animals, including this octopus, include lots of increasing and decreasing to create the intricate little shapes, but we have tutorials for just about everything you need on our Knitting Tutorials page, and we are always here to help if you have questions!
Best,
Julianna
This is so cute! If I wanted to do the bottom in a different color, where should I switch to the contrast color in the arms?
Hi Kay,
Thank you so much for reaching out with your question! Because the legs are knit in the round, it would include some intarsia techniques to knit the bottoms of the legs in a contrasting color, however, if you wanted to knit just the bottom of the octopus (starting from the “Bottom” section in the pattern) in a contrasting color, you could just pick up these stitches in your new color and knit according to the instructions!
I hope this helps, and please let us know if you have any questions!
All the best,
Carly
Can you please confirm what size needles you would recommend if making a smaller sized octopus with single strand yarn?
Hi Hilary,
Thanks for reaching out. We suggest using US sizes 3, 4, or 5 for a single strand of Season Alpaca! However, these are just our own suggestions, and you can choose whichever size creates the most pleasing fabric texture for you. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili