Crochet Jellyfish Amigurumi with Curly Tentacles

This jellyfish teaches one of the most useful tricks in amigurumi: using the two loops of a stitch for two different things. The frilly edge of the bell is worked into the front loops of a round. The back loops of the same stitches stay free underneath, and that's where the tentacles hang from. So the frill and the tentacles come out of one round, in two layers.

Elise demonstrates it on her lilthings channel; with more tentacles, the same body becomes an octopus.

Video tutorial by Elise on her YouTube channel, lilthings: watch "crochet jellyfish octopus absolute beginner tutorial | easy crochet idea" on YouTube.

Written from the video tutorial.

Materials

• 5-ply milk cotton in pastel blue, white and pink
• 3.0 mm hook
• Safety eyes and stuffing
• A stitch marker, scissors and a darning needle

Bell

Work in spirals, moving the marker up each round.

Fit the safety eyes between rounds 5 and 6 before round 8.

Frill (round 9, front loops only)

Work only into the front loops of the 12 stitches:

[3 hdc in the next front loop, chain 1, slip stitch in the next front loop] × 6.

That makes 6 wavy scallops around the bell. The 12 back loops are still untouched on the inside.

Tentacles

Join white or pink yarn into one of the free back loops under the frill.

• Curly tentacle: chain 25 to 30. Work 2 or 3 sc into each chain, back to the bell. The extra stitches make the tentacle twist into a spiral.
• Braided tentacle: make three chains and braid them together.

Make as many tentacles as you like, spacing them round the back loops. Then stuff the bell and thread the tail through the remaining back loops, pulling them closed.

Tips

• Mark the front loop round. It's easy to slip into both loops by habit; slow down for round 9.
• 3 sc per chain gives tighter curls than 2. Mix both for a natural look.
• Stuff lightly. A jellyfish is soft and round; too much stuffing stretches the stitches.

Frequently asked questions