Amigurumi Squid

Author

Katherine Gleason

Introduction

Cephalopods are my favorite kind of animal; they’re the most intelligent invertebrates, and their eyes are comparable to human eyes. Plus, their blood is blue-green! For the more zoologically inclined, they’re actually members of the mollusk phylum, with clams and snails. I thought a cuttlefish might be a bit ambitious, but a squid seemed relatively easy, and I couldn’t find any patterns of them online. To that end, I made my own! His name’s Calvin, and he’s the sweetest squid a girl could ask for!

The pattern includes some texture on the arms, but I’m not sure how it would look in solid-colored yarn – the multicolored yarn makes it a little hard to see.

Materials List

• Size F/3.75 mm hook
• Worsted weight yarn (any color!)
• 2 buttons, plus needle & thread (or yarn, depending on size of buttons)
• Polyfil stuffing
• yarn needle

Finished Size

About 14″ (36 cm) from head to tip of tentacles, about 3 1/2″ (9 cm) across the fins, body is about 2 1/2″ (6 cm) in diameter, arms & tentacles are about 1/2″ (1 cm) in diameter; Size may vary if different yarn/hook size used and number of repeated rounds per part

Gauge

stitches should be tight – other yarn weights/hook sizes could be easily substituted, as long as stitches are tight enough to prevent stuffing from showing/falling out!

Notes

All rounds worked without joining unless otherwise noted – use a stitch marker to keep track of rounds

ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
blo = back loop only
fpsc = “front post” single crochet – insert hook from front around post of sc below, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook
sc dec = sc decrease – same as sc 2 tog – insert hook in next stitch, yo, pull up a loop, insert hook in 2nd stitch, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 3 loops on hook
dc = double crochet

st = stitch/stitches

Starting the fins

The fins are worked only every other row, because you basically do 2 rows of fin every other round. If you’re stuck on how to get them started: after you do the chain 2, you have to turn the work around and sc in the second ch from your hook (the first ch stitch you made). Then you sc again in the second sc from the starting round (there should be 2 sc in each of the first 2 sc of the starting round – 4 sc in this round of the body). You repeat the same thing in the next sc – sc once, do the ch 2 with sc, sc again (in the 3rd sc of the starting round) – and finish the round with 2 sc (which should be in the 4th and last sc of the starting round). At the end of the round, you should basically have a small, cone shaped bit (which will become the body) with two small things sticking out from the sides (which will become the fins – and they aren’t really evenly spaced on either side of the body, they sit a little bit towards the front). For the next round (“Round 2”) you don’t have to worry about the fins, just crochet around the body with the increases.

The Pattern

Body

ch 2, sc 4 into second chain from hook – DO NOT JOIN!
Round 1: sc 2 in next sc, *sc in next sc, ch 2, sc in second ch, sc in same sc (next to “sc in next sc”), repeat from * once, sc 2 in next sc (8 st around, plus 1 sc off sides – these will become the fins) **See the “Notes” section for extra help with starting the fins**
Round 2: (sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc) 2 times, (2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc) 2 times (12 st around)
Round 3: sc in next 4 sc, *sc in sc & ch of fin, ch 1, turn, sc in 2 sc of fin*, sc in next 5 sc, repeat from * to *, sc in final 3 sc (12 st around + 2 st in each fin)
Round 4: sc in next 4 sc, (2 sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc) 2 times, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc (15 st around)
Round 5: sc in next 5 sc, *2 sc in fin, ch 1, turn, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc of fin*, sc in next 7 sc, repeat from * to *, sc in last 3 sc (15 st around + 3 in each fin)
Round 6: (sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc) 3 times (18 st around)
Round 7: sc in next 6 sc, *3 sc in fin, ch 1, turn, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc of fin*, sc in next 8 sc, repeat from * to *, sc in last 4 sc (18 st around + 4 in each fin)
Round 8: sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 8 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc (21 st around)
Round 9: sc in next 7 sc, *sc in 4 of fin, ch 1, turn, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 3 sc of fin*, sc in next 9 sc, repeat from * to *, sc in next 5 sc (21 st around + 5 in each fin)
Round 10: (sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in next sc) 3 times (24 st around)
Round 11: sc in next 8 sc, *sc in 4 of fin, sl st in last sc, ch 1, turn, sc in 3 of fin*, sc in next 10 sc, repeat from * to *, sc in next 6 sc (24 st around + dec to 3 in each fin)
Rounds 12-26: sc in each sc; after last round, sl st in next sc, fasten off (24 st around; 15 rows or desired length)

Sew on button eyes (it’s easier at this point!)

Arms (make 8)

ch 2, 3 sc in second ch from hook
Round 1: 2 sc in each sc around (6 st)
Round 2: sc in each sc around (6 st)
Round 3: sc in next 2 sc, sc in blo, sc in next 3 sc (6 st)

Rounds 4-23: repeat row 3 for 20 rounds or desired length; after last round, sl st in next sc, fasten off

Tentacles (make 2)

ch 2, 2 sc in second ch from hook
Row 1: ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first sc, sc in second sc (3 st)
Row 2: ch 1, turn, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc (5 st)
Row 3: ch 1, turn, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc, repeat from * across (8 st)
Row 4: ch 1, turn, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in next sc (10 st)
Row 5: ch 1, turn, sc across (10 st)
Row 6: ch 1, turn, sc dec, sc in next 6 sc, sc dec (8 st)
Row 7: ch 1, turn, sc in next sc, fpdc in next sc, dc in next sc, ch 1 , sl st in next 2 sc, ch 1, dc in next sc, fpdc in next sc, sc in next sc (8 st + 2 ch)
Row 8: turn, sl st across to sl st from previous row, sc in 2 sl st of row 7 (2 st + 4 sl st)
Row 9: ch 1, turn, sc in 2 sc, turn, fpsc aound 2 sc of row 8 (4 st; use stitch marker to begin marking rows)
Round 10: 2 sc in first sc of row 9, sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc (6 st)
Rounds 11-40: sc in each sc around for 30 rows or to desired length (6 st)

Round 41: sc around, sl st, fasten off

Bottom

ch 2, 6 sc in second ch from hook, sl st in first sc
Round 1: ch 1, *sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat from * around, sl st in ch 1 (9 st)
Round 2: ch 1, *sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat from * around, sl st in ch 1 (12 st)
Round 3: ch 1, *sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat from * around, sl st in ch 1 (15 st)
Round 4: ch 1, *sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat from * around, sl st in ch 1 (18 st)
Round 5: ch 1, *sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat from * around, sl st in ch 1 (21 st)

Round 6: ch 1, *sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat from * around, sl st in ch 1, fasten off (24 st)

Finishing

• stuff tentacles & sew to center of bottom
• stuff arms & sew around circumference of bottom
• stuff body & begin sewing on bottom
• when body & bottom are nearly sewn together, finish stuffing and sew up seam between body & bottom
• weave in ends
• think of a cute name!

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