Flip Your Mood: Crochet Your Own Adorable Reversible Octopus

ByLina Morgen

How to Crochet a Cute Mood Octopus: Step-by-Step Pattern

Create your own adorable, reversible mood octopus with this easy-to-follow crochet guide. This plush toy is perfect for beginners and makes a wonderful gift or a comforting desk companion. Because it is reversible, you can switch between a happy face and a grumpy face in seconds!

Materials Needed

  • Yarn: Chenille or velvet-style plush yarn (such as Himalaya Dolphin Baby or YarnArt Dolce) in two contrasting colors. You will need approximately 0.5 skeins of each color.
  • Crochet Hook: 4.0mm hook.
  • Eyes: 16mm safety eyes.
  • Embroidery Thread: Floss or thin yarn for stitching the mouth and eyebrows.
  • Stuffing: Fiberfill or polyester stuffing.
  • Sewing Tools: Dental floss or strong crochet thread for assembling the pieces.

Crochet Abbreviations (US Terms)

  • MR: Magic Ring
  • ch: Chain
  • sc: Single Crochet
  • inc: Increase (2 sc in one stitch)
  • dec: Decrease (sc 2 together)
  • dc: Double Crochet
  • sl st: Slip Stitch
  • BLO: Back Loop Only

Step-by-Step Pattern: Head and Tentacles

Note: You will need to crochet this piece twice—once in each color.

  1. Round 1: 6 sc in MR (6)
  2. Round 2: 6 inc (12)
  3. Round 3: (1 sc, inc) repeat 6 times (18)
  4. Round 4: (2 sc, inc) repeat 6 times (24)
  5. Round 5: (3 sc, inc) repeat 6 times (30)
  6. Round 6: (4 sc, inc) repeat 6 times (36)
  7. Round 7: (5 sc, inc) repeat 6 times (42)
  8. Round 8: 42 sc (42)
  9. Round 9: (6 sc, inc) repeat 6 times (48)
  10. Rounds 10-18: 48 sc for 9 rows (48)
  11. Round 19 (BLO): Working in the back loops only: (Skip 2 stitches, 8 dc in the next stitch, skip 2 stitches, 1 sc) repeat 8 times (72)
  12. Round 20: 2 sc, 4 dc increases; then (5 sc, 4 dc increases) repeat 7 times, ending with 3 sc.

Assembly and Finishing Touches

Placing the Eyes

Before closing the piece, insert the 16mm safety eyes between rows 11 and 12. Space the eyes 7 single crochets apart. Add a small amount of fiberfill stuffing to the head to give it shape.

Joining the Halves

Now it is time to combine the two colored pieces to create the reversible effect:

  1. Place the two pieces together with the wrong sides facing each other.
  2. Start sewing the two halves together using the stitches from Round 20.
  3. Continue sewing around the entire circumference of the base until the two pieces are securely joined.

Embroidering the Faces

To give your octopus its “moods,” use your embroidery floss to stitch the faces on each side:

  • Happy Side: Stitch a wide, curved smile and gentle, arched eyebrows.
  • Grumpy Side: Stitch a downturned frown and slanted, angry eyebrows.

Your crochet mood octopus is now complete! Simply flip it inside out to change its expression

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