NICU Adorable Octopi **free crochet pattern

I was a nurse, until an injury and lupus took me out of the game, but my heart still yearns to care for and love strangers.

When I got the call that a friend of a friend had a baby born at 31wks gestation my heart was aching for the parents I've never met.  That same evening a Facebook message appears asking if I could make an octopus to keep this sweet little baby's hands from playing with wires..YES!!!! I can help with that!

These Adorable Octopi are what I created. I would love to see any you make! Add as a project on ravelry.com or post on Mommy Made Crochet on Facebook.

You can purchase an ad free PDF of this pattern here

These faces are all felted

Blue Octopus with Sailor Hat has a few quick embroidery sets for face

Materials

Caron simply soft cobalt blue, white, strawberry or any color you like!

Optional- cotton ww yarn instead of soft acrylic yarn

F hook

Fiberfill

Tapestry needle

Embroidery floss, or scraps of yarn for face (you can also needle felt the face if you have the tools)

Safety eyes- I do NOT recommend if octopus is going to any small children

See Supply Links page for links to supplies needed to create this project!


Abbreviations


Mr-magic ring

Ch- chain

Sl st- slip stitch

Sc- single crochet

Sc2tog- single crochet 2 stitches together; decrease

Hdc- half double crochet

Flo- front loop only

Blo- back loop only


Notes


All terms American.   If pattern reads "sc, sc2tog, 2sc" it would be read as, " single crochet, single crochet 2 stitches together, 2 single crochet in the next stitch", directions are to be repeated to end of row/round unless otherwise noted.  As with any pattern, be sure to read through once before beginning, and don't forget to mark your rounds! (I use a bit of contrasting yarn) This is an original design by me, Anna Wilson 2017.



You may do whatever you like with your completed NICU Adorable Octopi, you can pretend you are undersea, donate them, sell them, fundraise with them or even give them as a gift!  I only ask that you please not claim this pattern as your own, I worked hard to design my NICU Adorable Octopi :)





Begin


1- mr6 (6)

2- 2sc (12)

3- sc, 2sc (18)

4- sc2, 2sc (24)

5- sc3, 2sc (30)

6-12 -sc (30)

13- sc3, sc2tog (24)

14- sc (24)

15- sc2, sc2tog (18)

16- sc (18)

17- sc7, sc2tog (16) legs can be lengthened or shorted by adding or removing ch sts in next rnd

18-  flo- *sl st,  ch25, beginning in 2nd ch from hook 2hdc in each ch, sl st to next flo* create 8 legs. Stuff head lightly

19- working in unworked blo - sc2tog (8) f.o. use end to close opening



Sailor Hat

1- mr6 (6)

2- sc 2sc (9)

3-4-  sc (9)

5- Flo- sc, 2sc (12)

6- sc (12) f.o. you can use a sl st to end or invisible join. Leave a  length of yarn for attaching to head


Bow with white


1- ch3 4, starting in 2nd ch - hdc, sl st, hdc f.o. wrap center of for with yarn 2x, sew to head


Finishing

Embroidery or felt the face of your Adorable Octopi. Your imagination can lead you to create the face you want! If you can see it in your mind you can make it happen ;-)