Being fond of a pretty wide range of handcrafts I must say that at this point I am literally hooked on crochet. Haven't held the hook in my hands since school until recently, when I discovered this great initiative for prematurely born children - crochet octopuses. Originating from Denmark, the project is now spread in several other countries, like Finland, Poland, Sweden and Ukraine.
The main idea behind it is that these little creatures help prematurely born babies feel safer, as preemies tend to associate tentacles with the umbilical cord and, the same way it works while kids are still in mommies' bellies, holding to it calms them down. Moreover, according to doctors' observations, having tiny hands busy "playing" with tentacles, reduces the occasions of pulling catheters and pipes out of place, ensuring faster and safer healing process.
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| My very first crochet octopus |
Learn more about the project from the founders on their website The Octo Project
And if you are willing to contribute to the project in Ukraine - you are welcome to find all the information you need on the Facebook page of Chudo-vosmynizhky (in Ukrainian).
Meanwhile, I would like to share with you the pattern I have been using to create these little creatures. The pattern is translated from Ukrainian and spread with the permission of the project coordinators. You are welcome to use it and make your own octopuses for kids, however, remember that this pattern is not meant for commercial use and selling it is prohibited.
There are certain requirements one should follow in order to make these octopuses safe for little babies. So if you intend to donate your creations to the hospital or use for your own baby, please, make sure to read the following text carefully.
1. The yarn used for making octopi has to be 100% cotton, because of its hypoallergenic qualities. It also ensures the durability of your toy, as it has to go through a lot of washing to stay clean.
2. Use hollowfibre or sintepon for stuffing. Fill in as tightly as you can, because with time filling tend to loose its firmness. Make sure you sew the stuffing into nylon stocking, so that it stays inside after all the washing. Nylon is the best material to use, because it allows the octopus to dry out fast and it doesn't wear out easily.
3. Make your work is tight and doesn't contain any holes or loops, which can trap baby's tiny fingers.
4. Decorations also have to be tight and safe. They should be firmly attached to the the body of octopus or they can be left out at all.
5. The outstretched tentacles should not exceed 20cm for safety reasons
And here is the pattern itself
Abbreviations used:
st - stitch
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
sc tog - single crochet 2 stitches together
sl st - slip stitch
The body:
Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring (6)
Round 2: 2 sc in every st (12)
Round 3: 2 sc in every 2nd st (18)
Round 4: 2 sc in every 3rd st (24)
Round 5: 2 sc in every 4th st (30)
Round 6: 2 sc in every 5th st (36)
Rounds 7-10: sc in every st (36)
Round 11: *16 sc, sc tog next 2 st*, repeat *-* once (34)
Round 12: *15 sc, sc tog next 2 st*, repeat *-* once (32)
Round 13: sc in every st (32)
Round 14: *14 sc, sc tog next 2 st*, repeat *-* once (30)
Round 15: *13 sc, sc tog next 2 st*, repeat *-* once (28)
Round 16: sc in every st (28)
Round 17: *12 sc, sc tog next 2 st*, repeat *-* once (26)
Round 18: sc in every st (26)
Round 19: *11 sc, sc tog next 2 st*, repeat *-* once (24)
Round 20: sc in every st (24)
Round 21: *10 sc, sc tog next 2 st*, repeat *-* once (22)
Round 22: sc in every st (22)
Round 23: *9 sc, sc tog next 2 st*, repeat *-* once (20)
Round 24: sc in every st (20)
Round 25: sc in every st (20). Finish with a sl st and pull the thread through. Secure the ends. Fill in the body with the stuffing.
The bottom:
Round 1: 5 sc in a magic ring (5)Tentacles:
Round 2: 2 sc in every st (10)
Round 3: 2 sc in every 2nd st (15)
Round 4: 2 sc in every 3rd st (20). Finish with a sl st and pull the thread through. Secure the ends.
Take the body and the bottom parts, put them together (bottom facing upwards) and join them along top loops while working on the tentacles: *1 sc, 50 ch, turn and, starting with the second ch from the hook make 2 sc in each ch all the way till the end of your ch, finish with 1 or 2 sc*. Make 7 more tentacles, remember to insert your hook through both body and bottom loops, joining them together. End with 1 sl st and pull the yarn through. Secure the ends. Try making 3 or 4 sc in each ch in case the tentacle doesn't curl.
In the nearest future I plan to add a step-by-step photo tutorial, so stay tuned!
Good luck with your creations!
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