Meet Tooty the Octopus — a small crochet companion inspired by the deep waters (Pige Matut). Whether you make Tooty as a keychain, bag charm, desk companion, or thoughtful handmade gift, this little octopus is designed to bring a touch of underwater adventure wherever it goes.
The addition of beads creates realistic suckers along the tentacles, adding texture, movement, and a playful finishing touch that makes Tooty especially fun to crochet.
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Inspiration Behind the Pattern
The deep waters can be beautiful, but they can also feel overwhelming. Throughout Scripture, deep waters often symbolise situations beyond our strength or understanding. Yet again and again, God reminds us that He is present there too.
As I designed Tooty, I found myself thinking about the God who not only created the oceans and every creature within them, but who also walks with us through life’s own deep waters.
“The floods have risen up, O Lord. The floods have roared like thunder; the floods have lifted their pounding waves.” (Psalm 93:3, NLT)
“Even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.” (Psalm 139:10, NLT)
“He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters.” (Psalm 18:16, NLT)
I wanted the name of this little octopus to capture that reminder. The local phrase Pige Matut means deep waters, and as I was thinking about the pattern, the word Matut sounded remarkably similar to a toy octopus my niece owned years ago.
She had named her octopus Tooty.
Anyone who has spent time around children knows they have an uncanny ability to choose exactly the right name for a toy without a committee meeting, market research, or a naming strategy document. Tooty simply became Tooty.
So I’ve affectionately borrowed the name for this crochet octopus amigurumi.
Tooty captures both the childlike wonder of exploring God’s creation and the quiet confidence that, even in the deep waters, we can trust the Lord to guide, strengthen, and sustain us. Whether the waters are calm or stormy, His hand is never far away.
About the Pattern
Like many of my favourite crochet projects, Tooty is small enough to finish in a relatively short time but detailed enough to feel special.
Tooty is a beginner-friendly amigurumi pattern that introduces several useful crochet techniques in a manageable project.
The beaded tentacles create a lovely textured effect and offer an opportunity to experiment with incorporating beads directly into your crochet work. If beads aren’t available, Tooty can still be made without them and will remain just as adorable.
Tooty the Crochet Octopus Pattern
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Materials:
- 2.0 mm crochet hook
- Fingering Weight Yarn
- 2 4mm safety eyes
- 88 white 2-3mm beads
- Darning needle
- Scissors
- Stuffing
Gauge: 9 sts & 9 rows in sc= 1” x 1”
Stitches and terms used:
- Ch= chain
- Sl st= slip stitch
- Sc= single crochet
- Hdc= half double crochet
- Dc= double crochet
- Inc= increase (work 2 sc in the same st)
- Dec= decrease (invisible decrease)
- Rpt= repeat
- “= inch(es)
- Bobble = (Yarn over, insert the hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, draw through 2 loops on hook) 5 times. (There will be 6 loops on hook.) Yarn over, draw through all remaining loops on hook. Here is a tutorial on the bobble stitch
Pattern Notes:
- Read through the pattern from beginning to end before starting your work just to be sure don’t have any questions that might cause frustration while working on the project.
- This pattern is written in US terms. For a conversion into UK terms, get my free eBook with the conversion charts here.
- Please check your gauge and adjust as needed to achieve correct sizing.
- Repeated stitch sequences within a round are shown in parentheses () followed by the number of times they are worked. For example, (sc, 2 sc) 11 times means the sequence inside the parentheses should be repeated a total of 11 times.
- Stitch totals are shown in square brackets at the end of each round. For example, [12] means you should have a total of 12 stitches at the end of the round.
- Construction:
- The Tooty Octopus pattern is a no sew crochet pattern.
- This pattern starts with a magic ring. For a detailed tutorial on how to work and secure the magic ring, read through my blog post on the same.
- The main body of the octopus is worked in continuous rounds while the tentacles are worked in rows.
- The suckers on the tentacles are worked using beads. See the bead tutorial if needed.
- Finished size: Using the materials indicated, Tooty measures 5” tall and 2” at the widest point. This may will vary depending on your yarn, hook size, and bead choice, but Tooty is designed to be small enough for:
- Keychains
- Bag Charms
- Desk Decorations
- Backpack Buddies
- Small Gifts
- Market Stall Items
- Customisation Ideas: One of the joys of crocheting octopuses is the endless colour possibilities. Try making Tooty in:
- Traditional ocean blues
- Bright coral colours
- Pastel rainbow shades
- Deep-sea purples
- Realistic octopus tones
- Variegated yarns for a unique look
- You can also experiment with different bead colours and sizes to create your own underwater character.
Crochet Octopus Instructions:
1. Head
With your fingering weight yarn and 2 mm hook,
Rnd 1: 6sc in magic ring [6]
Rnd 2: (inc) 6 times [12]
Rnd 3: (inc, sc) 6 times [18]
Rnd 4: (2 sc, inc) 6 times [24]
Rnd 5: (inc, 3 sc) 6 times [30]
Rnd 6: (4 sc, inc) 6 times [36]
Rnd 7-10: sc in each st across [36]
Rnd 11: (4 sc, dec) 6 times [30]
Rnd 12: sc in each st across [30]
Rnd 13: (sc, dec) 4 times, 5 sc, (sc, dec) 4 times, 5 sc [30]
Rnd 14: (3sc, dec) 6 times [24]
Rnd 15: dec, 10 sc, (bobble, 5 sc) 2 times [23]
Rnd 16: (sc, dec) 3 times, 4 sc, (sc, dec) 3 times, 4 sc [23]
Rnd 17: sc, (2sc, dec) 5 times [18]
Rnd 18: sc in each st across [18]
Insert safety eyes right in the middle of the bobble stitches and fasten them at this point.
Rnd 19: (dec, 7 sc) twice [16]
Rnd 20: In BLO, (dec) 8 times [8]
Fasten off, leaving a 6–7″ tail for closing the opening.
To close the opening, thread the tail onto a darning needle. Working through the front loops only of the 8 stitches from Rnd 20, weave the needle through each front loop. Pull gently at first, then tighten fully once you have checked that all 8 front loops have been picked up to draw the opening closed.
Secure with a knot, then weave in the remaining end.
2. Neck
At this point, thread 88 beads onto your yarn- (see the bead tutorial if needed). Push the beads down the yarn and out of the way, then work the following stitches:
Rnd 20: In any FLO st of rnd 20, join yarn. (3 sc, inc) 4 times [20]
Rnd 21: 2sc (inc, 4 sc) 4 times, 2 sc [24]
Rnd 22: sc in each st across [24]
3. Tentacles
(Sl st in next st, ch 25. Working back along the chain, sc in 2nd ch from hook, 2 sc in next ch. (hdc, 2 hdc in next ch) 10 times, bringing a bead up the yarn and working it into each hdc stitch. Dc in next ch, bringing a bead up the yarn and working it into the stitch. 2 dc in last ch. [36]
You should have 11 beads incorporated into the tentacle. Skip next st) 8 times. Sl st in first st of the round and fasten off.
And there you have it—your very own Crochet Octopus, inspired by the deep waters. I’d be overjoyed to see your makes; share them with #morinesshop or post your projects on Ravelry. May your hands be blessed as you create, and may Tooty remind you that even in the deepest waters, the Lord is with us.
Why You’ll Love Making Tooty
- Small and portable project
- Great stash-buster
- Beginner-friendly construction
- Fun introduction to crocheting with beads
- Perfect for gifts and craft fairs
- Quick enough to make a whole family of octopuses
Most importantly, Tooty reminds us that some of the most delightful discoveries happen when we’re willing to explore the deep waters of creativity one stitch at a time.