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.

• 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

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

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!

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

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)
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!