Bring home the fun of Detroit hockey with this adorable Al the Octopus mascot crochet pattern!

For the finishing touch, the logo on Al’s jersey, I had a hard time finding a Red Wings patch that I could purchase in the correct size. So, I made my own using my Silhouette Cameo machine, some white heat transfer vinyl, and red vinyl that was as close to the red of my yarn as possible. I then used a needle and thread to attach it between the front two legs. You could definitely get away with no patch, or search online for a small patch if you don’t have access to these supplies.

Al the Octopus

Supplies Needed: 3.5 mm crochet hook, 2.0 mm crochet hook, light purple yarn, red yarn, white yarn, embroidery floss in black, white, and red, poly-fil, pipe cleaners (I used 16, but you could get away with 8), jersey patch (optional).

Stitch Abbreviations: sc – single crochet, hdc – half double crochet, sc2tog – single crochet two together, hdc2tog – half double crochet two together, inc – 2 single crochet (or specified stitch) in one stitch, ch – chain, slst – slip stitch, FLO – front loop only, BLO – back loop only.

Eyes (make 2 using 2.0 mm hook, white embroidery floss)

Round 1: magic ring – 6 sc, ch 1, turn.

Round 2: sc, inc 4 times, sc, ch 1, turn.

Round 3: *inc, sc next 2* repeat * to * 4 times total, sc last stitch, ch 1, turn.

Round 4: sc first stitch, *sc 3, inc* repeat * to * 4 times total.

Fasten off, leave tail for sewing to head.

Once both eyes are created, attach black embroidery floss to the edge of one eye, ch 5, begin stitches in 2nd chain from hook, sc across chains and the flat edge of both eyes to connect them together, ch 5 at the edge of the second eye, begin stitches in 2nd chain from hook, sc 4, slst to edge of eye white. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing the eyebrow onto the head.

Irises (make 2 using 2.0 mm hook, red embroidery floss)

Round 1: magic ring – 6 sc.

Round 2: inc in each stitch around.

Fasten off, leave tail for sewing onto the eyes you have already created. Add an 8 mm safety eye to the center of each iris before attaching to the eyes.

Body/Head (3.5 mm hook, red yarn)

Round 1: magic ring – 6 sc.

Round 2: inc in each stitch around.

Round 3: *inc, sc next* repeat * to * around. (18 stitches)

Round 4: *sc first stitch, inc, sc next stitch* repeat * to * around.

Round 5: *inc, sc next 5* repeat * to * around. (30 stitches)

Round 6: *sc 2, inc, sc next 2* repeat * to * around.

Round 7: *inc, sc next 5* repeat * to * around. (42 stitches)

Round 8: *sc 3 stitches, inc, sc next 3* repeat * to * around.

Round 9: *inc, sc next 7* repeat * to * around. (54 stitches)

Round 10: BLO sc around.

Round 11 – Round 17: sc around.

Change to light purple yarn.

Round 18: BLO *sc2tog, sc next 7* repeat * to * around.

Round 19 – Round 28: sc around.

Round 29: *inc, sc next 7* repeat * to * around.

Round 30 – Round 31: sc around.

Round 32: *sc 4, inc, sc next 4* repeat * to * around. (60 stitches)

Round 33 – Round 37: sc around.

Round 38: *sc2tog, sc next 8* repeat * to * around.

Round 39: sc around.

Assemble eyes and sew into place between rounds 33 and 37 of head/body.

Round 40: *sc2tog, sc next 7* repeat * to * around. (48 stitches)

Round 41: *sc 3, sc2tog, sc next 3* repeat * to * around.

Round 42: sc around.

Round 43: *sc2tog, sc next 5* repeat * to * around. (36 stitches)

Stuff head and body, continue stuffing as you complete the remaining rounds.

Round 44: *sc 2, sc2tog, sc next 2* repeat * to * around.

Round 45: *sc2tog, sc next 3* repeat * to * around. (24 stitches)

Round 46: *sc, sc2tog, sc next* repeat * to * around.

Round 47: *sc2tog, sc* repeat * to * around. (12 stitches)

Round 48: sc2tog around.

Fasten off, weave tail into the remaining stitches to close the top of the head. Use black embroidery floss to create a mouth between rounds 27 and 30.

Collar (3.5 mm hook, red yarn)

Round 1: attach yarn to FLO of round 18 of the body at the front center, slst 2, hdc 44, slst last 2.

Fasten off, weave in ends.

Legs (light purple yarn, make 8 using 3.5 mm hook)

Round 1: magic ring – 6 sc.

Round 2: *inc, sc next 2* repeat * to * around. (8 stitches)

Round 3: sc around.

Round 4: inc 2 times, sc next, sc2tog 2 times, sc next. (8 stitches)

Round 5: sc around.

Round 6: sc, hdc inc 2 times, sc next 2, sc2tog, sc. (8 stitches)

Round 7: sc around.

Round 8: sc 2, hdc inc 3 times, sc 2, sc2tog. (11 stitches)

Round 9: sc around.

Round 10: sc 4, inc 2 times, sc next 3, sc2tog.

Round 11: sc around.

Stuff tip of leg. Stick 1-2 pipe cleaners in each leg to aid in structure.

Round 12: sc2tog, sc next 2, hdc inc 4 times, sc next 2, sc2tog. (14 stitches)

Round 13: sc around.

Round 14: sc2tog, sc next 3, hdc inc 4 times, sc 3, sc2tog. (16 stitches)

Round 15: sc around.

Round 16: sc2tog, sc 4, hdc inc 4 times, sc next 4, sc2tog. (18 stitches)

Round 17: sc around

Round 18: sc2tog, sc next 5, hdc inc 4 times, sc next 5, sc2tog. (20 stitches)

Round 19: sc around.

Round 20 – Round 22: sc2tog, sc next 6, hdc inc 3 times, sc next 5, sc2tog 2 times. (20 stitches)

Round 23 – Round 34: sc around.

Fasten off, weave in ends and stuff the remainder of legs to prepare to attach sleeves.

Sleeves (red yarn, make 8 using 3.5 mm hook)

Round 1: ch 26, slst to create ring, sc 26 around ring.

Round 2: sc around.

Change to white yarn.

Round 3: BLO hdc around.

Change to red yarn.

Round 4: BLO sc around.

Round 5 – Round 8: sc around.

Round 9: sc 1, *sc2tog, sc next 3* repeat * to * around. (21 stitches)

Round 10: put sleeve over each leg, create stitches through both sleeve and leg to connect them, sc around.

Fasten off, leave tail for sewing the leg to the body.

I like to complete all sleeves and legs and pin them in place on the body (leaving a gap at the front) before I begin sewing to make sure that I like the placement.