Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

A SIMPLE SQUARE

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Thata hosts one of my very favorite blogs. She is SOOOO creative and is a prolific crocheter, despite having a family and job outside the home. She recently posted a ‘simple’ square of her own design. This square is so pretty and gives me many ideas to use it. Here’s the square:

thata-simple-square.jpg

With this single square as a motif, you could make a shawl, a bedspread, a tablecloth, a sweater or blouse, or a scarf. I love both its simplicity and its flexibility.

Thata is a fine example of a true crochet artist. I have been thinking a lot lately about the difference between ‘art’ and ‘craft’. One difference might be that a crafts person will take a pattern and make a lovely item using it. An artist will create his or her own design or use an existing pattern design as a jumping off place – a point of inspiration – to create something unique. I think Thata is an artist. There are plenty of other crochet artists out there. I like to think I’m one of them – but that’s based mostly on the fact that I use a pattern as a suggestion of how to create something rather than as a document written in stone. I’m more of a crafter than a crochet artist.

Comments

  1. Dear JD,

    Thank you so much for all your kindness and supportif words to me… I really appreciate it. You’re a great crocheter mam and have kindhearted to see others talents. I learn much from you too.

    Hugs,
    thata

  2. In the Sept. 06 issue of CROCHET! there is a pattern for crocheted heirloom baby blanket. It is a truly unique, personalized item with family history information crocheted into it. My grandmothers, address of home where I grew up, my siblings, my pets’ name, and a lot more family tree info is crocheted into this. My nephew has it and is the process of making it a wall hanging to pass to his son.

  3. Dorothy,
    Do you have a picture of this heirloom that we can post here? Would love to share your heirloom with everyone.
    jd

Have you read?

Emotional Support Ollivander Octopus Free Crochet Pattern

There is something about a tiny crochet octopus that just makes people smile, and this Emotional Support Ollivander Octopus free pattern has that sweet, slightly quirky charm that makes amigurumi so hard to resist. It is the kind of project that feels fun from the very first round, and it is small enough that you can actually finish it without it sitting in your project basket for three months giving you side-eye.

This pattern creates a cute amigurumi octopus using simple crochet techniques, worsted weight yarn, and a 4.00 mm hook. The finished piece comes out at around 4 inches tall, so it is a lovely size for a desk buddy, little gift, shelf sitter, or pocket-sized comfort toy. The supplies list is nice and manageable too, with basics like stuffing, a yarn needle, stitch marker, and either safety-style eyes, beads, or embroidered eyes.

What I like most about this pattern is that it has that classic handmade amigurumi look without being overly complicated. The body is worked in rounds, the lower section is sewn on separately, and the eight little legs are made one at a time before assembly. That means it is a good pattern for crocheters who are comfortable with basic stitches and ready to practise shaping, sewing pieces together, and working in continuous rounds.

The design itself is very giftable. This would be adorable for a child’s room, a funny “thinking of you” present, or one of those novelty desk companions we all pretend we do not need and then absolutely love once we make one. It also has that slightly whimsical emotional support toy vibe that is doing really well right now, especially for crafters who want something quick, cute, and personality-filled.

One thing worth noting is that the formatting of the original instructions is a little old-school and compact, so you may want to rewrite the rounds onto your own working notes before you begin. Even one of the commenters mentioned that the round layout was a little hard to read, although they still thought it was a good pattern. That is honestly pretty common with older free patterns, and it should not put you off if you are used to reading crochet shorthand.

Because the octopus is made in separate sections, it is also easy to personalise. You could make it in bold rainbow shades, soft pastel nursery colours, or even a moody sea-inspired palette. Swap the expression with embroidered sleepy eyes, add blush cheeks, or make a whole tiny octopus family if you are in full stash-busting mode. Every crocheter I know has at least one leftover yarn pile that keeps “becoming useful later,” and this is exactly the kind of project that helps chip away at it.

If you enjoy easy amigurumi patterns with lots of charm, this one is definitely worth a look. It is small, cheerful, beginner-friendly for anyone with some basic crochet confidence, and cute enough to make more than one.