Turn an everyday kitchen essential into a charming handmade decoration with this adorable crochet octopus bag holder. Designed in warm terracotta and cream tones, this playful organizer is perfect for storing lightweight plastic shopping bags while keeping them easy to pull out from the bottom.
The pattern is worked mainly with single crochet and simple mesh-style stitches, making it a fun project for intermediate crocheters.
🧶 Materials
- Medium-weight cotton yarn
- Terracotta/rust
- Cream
- Crochet hook suitable for your yarn, approximately 3.5–4 mm
- 1 wooden curtain ring or large wooden ring
- Black safety eye or black button
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Stitch marker
- Optional: small amount of stuffing
📏 Finished Size
Approximately 35–45 cm long, depending on your yarn, hook size, and tension.
🐙 Body Pattern
Top
With terracotta yarn:
Round 1: Make a magic ring and crochet 6 sc into the ring.
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around — 12 sc.
Round 3: 1 sc, 2 sc in next stitch around — 18 sc.
Round 4: 2 sc, 2 sc in next stitch around — 24 sc.
Continue increasing evenly until the opening reaches approximately 8–10 cm wide.
Then work several rounds of sc without increases. Gradually shape the piece into the rounded head of the octopus.
Head
Continue working sc in rounds with terracotta yarn.
Work approximately 15–20 rounds, adjusting the number of rounds according to the desired length.
Keep the stitches relatively tight so the holder maintains its shape.
👁️ Eye
Make a small cream circle using sc stitches.
Sew it securely onto the front of the head and add a black safety eye or button in the center.
For a handmade look, you can embroider the eye instead of using a safety eye.
🕸️ Mesh Body
Change to cream yarn.
Create the open diamond effect by alternating chains and stitches:
Example mesh round:
Ch 3, skip 2 stitches, sc in next stitch — repeat around.
On the following rounds, work the sc into the chain spaces to create the criss-cross/diamond mesh visible in the photograph.
Continue until the body reaches the desired length.
Add a vertical terracotta decorative stripe down the center if desired.
🐙 Tentacles / Side Arms
Using terracotta yarn, make four narrow crocheted sections extending from the upper body.
Work each section in sc rows, gradually tapering toward the end.
Add a cream scalloped border around each arm using small groups of sc or picot stitches.
Sew the arms firmly to the sides of the body.
🪢 Bottom Finishing
At the bottom, switch back to terracotta yarn.
Work several rounds of sc while slightly increasing to create the flared skirt-like tail section.
For the decorative edge, use cream yarn:
Slip stitch, 3 sc in next stitch, slip stitch in next stitch — repeat around.
This creates the pretty scalloped cream trim shown in the photo.
Leave a small opening at the bottom so bags can be pulled out easily.
🪵 Hanging Loop
Attach the top of the octopus to a wooden ring.
Crochet a short cream-and-terracotta strap and sew both ends securely around the wooden ring and the top of the holder.
Make sure the attachment is strong enough to support several lightweight bags.
✨ Finishing
Weave in all loose ends and gently shape the octopus with your hands.
Fill it with clean, folded plastic bags from the top. Pull the bags out one at a time through the bottom opening.
💡 Tips
- Cotton yarn gives the holder a sturdy structure.
- Use a smaller hook if your mesh looks too loose.
- Keep the top and bottom attachment points firmly sewn.
- You can replace the terracotta color with blue, mustard, green, pink, or purple for a completely different look.
This cute crochet octopus is not only practical but also makes a fun kitchen organizer and handmade home-decor piece. 🐙🧶
