Free Pattern
Step-by-Step
Crochet
AmigurumiCrochet jellyfish amigurumi with an octopus option
A spiral-worked amigurumi body becomes a jellyfish or octopus with one small change.
- Level
- Intermediate
- Time
- 4-6 hours
- Hook
- 3.5 mm
- Yarn
- Worsted
Pattern highlights
- Start the body with a magic ring and build it outward in a continuous spiral, tracking the round start with a stitch marker.
- Decide early whether you are making the jellyfish or the octopus, since the body is shared but the extras differ.
- the jellyfish, join new yarn into the free front loops of an earlier round to begin the ruffled skirt.
- Work the ruffle sequence of single crochet, skipped stitches, and clusters of double crochet around the skirt edge.
- Chain a foundation length for each tentacle and work triple single crochets into every chain so it spirals naturally.
- Stuff the body firmly before closing, then attach safety eyes and embroider the face by hand.
- Position and sew the tentacles or skirt to the body, then weave in every tail.
About This Pattern
I keep a shelf for sea creatures, and this one answers two requests with a single body. The same eleven rounds give me either a jellyfish or an octopus, depending on what I add after. That kind of double duty earns a pattern a permanent spot in my binder, not just a one-off printout.
The technique worth noting here is the free-loop join for the ruffled skirt. I work the body in a continuous spiral, then come back later to the front loops of an earlier round to build the skirt outward. It is a small trick, but it changes how the whole piece reads once it is done.
What comes off the hook is a plush, rounded body with either a flared, ruffled skirt or a cluster of spiraling tentacles, finished with embroidered features. It sits somewhere between a desk toy and a soft sculpture — small enough to hold, sturdy enough to survive a shelf.
Worth knowing
The satisfaction here is in the contrast between parts. The body is quiet, steady single-crochet increases in a spiral, nothing to think about once the rhythm sets in. Then the skirt arrives and asks for something different: joining into free loops, skipping stitches, packing five double crochets into a single stitch for the ruffle. The tentacles are their own small trick, spiraling on their own from a simple foundation chain worked in triples. I like that one pattern teaches three distinct skills — spiral shaping, a free-loop join, and a self-curling chain — without ever feeling padded. By the time the face goes on with a few embroidered lines, the piece has earned its personality honestly, stitch by stitch.
Common mistakes
- Losing track of the round start This body is worked in a continuous spiral with no join, so a stitch marker at the start of each round is not optional. Move it up every round or the increase pattern drifts.
- Picking up the wrong loop for the skirt The ruffle joins into the free front loops of an earlier round, not the current working loop. Check you are working into the row specified before you start the skirt sequence.
- Uneven ruffle clusters Each repeat skips a stitch before and after the cluster of double crochets, which is easy to miss mid-round. Count skipped stitches as you go rather than trusting the rhythm.
- Tentacles that won't curl The spiral only forms if three single crochets go into every chain stitch, not just some of them. If the tentacle lies flat, check an earlier section for a skipped multiple.
- Stuffing too loosely with plush yarn Plush yarn hides gaps less than it seems, and loose stuffing shows as lumps later. Pack firmly as you close the final rounds, then check the surface for shadows.
Intermediate
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The kit
- Yarn (main body): Plush/velvet yarn, approximately 40–45 g for the jellyfish or 15–20 g for the octopus alone
- Yarn (face details): Fine-weight yarn in a contrasting color for embroidering the face
Hook size
- E-4 (3.5 mm) or G-6 (4.0 mm) — choose based on your tension with plush yarn
Safety eyes
- 8 mm, 10 mm, or 12 mm (1 pair)
Stuffing
- Polyester fiberfill
- Stitch marker
- Tapestry needle / yarn needle with a wide eye
- Scissors
Body (Octopus or Jellyfish — Make 1)
Round 16 sc in MR. (6)
Round 2inc in each st around. (12)
Round 3sc, inc repeat around. (18)
Round 4sc, inc, 2 sc, inc repeat 5 times, sc. (24)
Round 53 sc, inc repeat around. (30)
Rounds 6–9sc in each st around. (30)
Round 103 sc, dec repeat around. (24)
Round 11sc in each st around through the back loop only of Round 10. (24) The front loops of Round 10 remain free — you will crochet the ruffled skirt into them later.
Round 12sc, dec, 2 sc, dec repeat 5 times, sc. (18) This is the point to insert your safety eyes between Rounds 7 and 8, spaced 3–4 sts apart.
Round 13sc, dec repeat around. (12) Stuff the body firmly with fiberfill now.
Round 14dec 6 times. (6) Close the opening by weaving the yarn tail through the remaining 6 sts and pulling tight. Fasten off.
Ruffled Skirt (Jellyfish only — Make 1)
Join yarn to the free front loops of Round 10.
Round 1Work the following pattern once into each set of stitches around: sc into the first free loop, skip 1 st, 5 dc into the next st, skip 1 st — repeat this sequence 6 times around.(5)
Round 2Work the final sc into the same stitch where you began. This closes the ruffle neatly.Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Tentacles (Jellyfish only — Make 5)
Leave a 7–10 cm yarn tail at both the beginning and end of each tentacle — you will use these tails to attach them to the body.
Foundation chain: ch 32.
Starting in the second ch from the hook, work 3 sc into each chain across. Repeat 31 times (once per remaining chain stitch).
Fasten off, leaving a 7–10 cm tail.
The tentacle will naturally curl into a spiral as you work — that’s exactly what you want.
Assembly
Step 1Embroider the face. Using your fine-weight yarn and tapestry needle, embroider eyebrows, a small mouth, and any decorative details (such as eyelash lines) around the safety eyes. A small indent stitch between the eyes gives a charming expression — pull gently and evenly.
Step 2Attach the tentacles (jellyfish version only). Position 4 tentacles evenly around the body at the level of Round 12, and place 1 tentacle at the center bottom. Thread the yarn tails onto your tapestry needle and sew each tentacle securely to the body with several passes. Pull the tails through to the inside and weave them in.
Step 3Final check. Make sure all yarn ends are woven in and no stuffing is visible through the fabric. Give the body a gentle squeeze to distribute the fiberfill evenly.
Finishing
- Stuff the body firmly as you work the final rounds, so no fiberfill shows through the plush yarn.
- Embroider the face details with fine-weight yarn once the eyes are placed, pulling evenly for a clean expression.
- Weave in every tail, including the short ones left at both ends of each tentacle, before attaching the pieces to the body.
Why it works
The body increases are spaced evenly across the early rounds, which keeps the shape rounding out into a sphere rather than a cone.
The ruffled skirt is worked separately into the free front loops of an earlier round, so the base round stays intact underneath it.
Each tentacle starts as a flat foundation chain, but working three single crochets into every stitch forces it to curl into a spiral on its own.
What it becomes
- A soft decoration for a reading nook shelf, paired with other amigurumi sea creatures.
- A handmade gift for someone who collects plush animals rather than printed toys.
- A portable project to test plush yarn tension before committing to a larger amigurumi piece.
Original pattern: https://amigurumicorner.com/crochet-jellyfish-octopus-amigurumi-pattern/
FAQ
Can I make both the jellyfish and the octopus from this one pattern?
Yes, both share the same eleven-round body. The jellyfish adds the ruffled skirt and tentacles, while the octopus uses the body alone.
What hook size should I use with plush yarn?
The pattern offers an E-4 (3.5 mm) or G-6 (4.0 mm), and the right choice depends on your tension. Pick whichever keeps the fabric tight enough that stuffing doesn't peek through.
Why does the body not get joined at the end of each round?
It is worked in a continuous spiral on purpose, which avoids a visible seam line up the body. That is why the stitch marker matters so much here.
Do I need a contrasting yarn for the face?
Yes, the pattern calls for a fine-weight yarn in a different color for embroidering the eyebrows, mouth, and any extra detail lines. It is worked by hand after the safety eyes are placed.