Make of the Week: Behind the Scenes With Olive the Octopus
Olive the Octopus
Every so often, a project swims onto my hook that feels a little extra special — the kind of make that reminds me why I love creating nostalgic, heartfelt crochet gifts that feel meaningful, magical, and made to be treasured.
This week, that honour belongs to Olive the Octopus.
I’ve made Olive four times now, and every single one has her own personality. She’s big, she’s leggy, and she’s absolutely worth every stitch. She’s not technically difficult — but she is repetitive - I mean, with 8 legs, repetitive is a wee bit of an understatement. With more than 150 tiny suckers to crochet, Olive is the kind of project that invites you to slow down, settle in, and enjoy the rhythm of making.
And this latest Olive? She’s a burst of colour. Pink, orange, and purple — vibrant, joyful, and full of life. She feels like a little celebration in yarn form.
Soon she’ll be swimming all the way from New Zealand to her new home in Wisconsin, USA. I’m not sure how long that journey will take her, but I love imagining her tucked safely in her parcel, tentacles curled, ready for her next adventure.
Behind the Scenes: How Olive Comes to Life
Olive is made in two main parts, and each one has its own little story.
1. The Pink Head & Upper Tentacles
This is where Olive begins — a soft, rounded head in the most delicious shade of pink, followed by the top layer of her tentacles. It’s the part that feels the most like meeting her for the first time. As the shape grows in your hands, you can almost see her personality forming stitch by stitch.
2. The Orange Underside & Purple Suckers
Then comes the underside — a bright, cheerful orange that makes her feel alive and full of movement. This is also where the purple suckers come in. One by one. All 150‑plus of them.
It’s repetitive, yes, but in the loveliest way. There’s something meditative about watching those tiny circles add up, knowing they’ll soon give Olive her signature texture and charm.
3. The Eight Pink Flaps
These flaps act like little bridges between the top and bottom pieces. They’re simple to make, but they’re the secret to Olive’s beautiful, flowing shape.
4. Bringing Her Together
This is my favourite part. The head gets stuffed, the two main pieces are aligned, and then everything is joined together using the flaps. Suddenly, she’s no longer pieces — she’s Olive.
5. The Final Stretch: Tentacle Stitching
Each tentacle is stitched together up one side and down the other. Eight tentacles. Sixteen seams. It’s a labour of love, but it’s also where Olive becomes wonderfully sturdy and ready for all the cuddles in her future.
6. Eyes On, Personality Unlocked
The very last step is adding her eyes — the moment she truly wakes up. It never gets old.
Why I Love Making Olive
She’s vibrant. She’s joyful. She’s a little bit handsy (or legsy).
And she’s the perfect reminder that handmade magic often lives in the slow, steady, repetitive stitches — the ones that take time, patience, and heart.
Olive is off on her big adventure now, but I already know I’ll be making her again. She’s the kind of project that stays with you long after the last stitch is woven in.
