| Item | Specification | Color / Detail | Qty | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miyuki Delica Beads | Size 11/0 — DB-0027 | Ocean Teal | 10 g | Beads |
| Miyuki Delica Beads | Size 11/0 — DB-0722 | Salmon Coral | 5 g | Beads |
| Miyuki Delica Beads | Size 11/0 — DB-0010 | Glossy Black | 2 g | Beads |
| Miyuki Delica Beads | Size 11/0 — DB-0201 | Ivory Cream | 1 g | Beads |
| Beading Needle | Size 12 — Tulip / John James | Fine flexible shaft, 48 mm length | 3 pcs | Tools |
| Beading Thread | Miyuki Bead Thread · 0.20 mm | Teal or Smoke (colour-matched) | 5 m | Thread |
| FireLine Crystal | 6 lb test · 0.17 mm | Crystal or Smoke for tentacles | 2 m | Thread |
| Polyfill Stuffing | Craft-grade polyester fibre | White — archival acid-free grade | Sm. pinch | Fill |
| Bead Mat | Vellux or velour surface | Neutral grey recommended | 1 pc | Tools |
| Thread Conditioner | Thread Heaven / beeswax | Wax or conditioner for tension control | 1 pc | Tools |
★ Miyuki DB codes are provided for exact colour matching. Substitute beads of equal quality are acceptable provided cylinder/Delica diameter is maintained at 1.6 mm × 1.3 mm.
The octopus body is worked in circular even-count peyote stitch, beginning from a 6-bead ring and increasing outward to maximum diameter, then decreasing to form the closed dome. Work over a polyfill form or stuff as you decrease. All bead counts refer to Ocean Teal (T), Salmon Coral (C), and Glossy Black (B).
| Round | Bead Count | Increase / Decrease | Colour Breakdown | Technique Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 (base ring) | 6 | — | 6T | Thread 6 beads; form ring with slip knot |
| R2 | 12 | +6 (2× every) | 12T | Add 2 beads between each R1 bead |
| R3 | 18 | +6 (1 increase per pair) | 16T · 2C | Introduce coral accent beads at positions 8–9 |
| R4 | 24 | +6 | 24T | Regular increase round — all teal |
| R5 | 30 | +6 | 26T · 4B | Place 4 black beads (eyes): pos. 7–8 and 22–23 |
| R6 | 36 | +6 | 36T | Max-width equator row — no colour changes |
| R7 | 36 | No change (even) | 34T · 2C | Hold count; coral at positions 12 & 24 for mantle blush |
| R8 | 30 | −6 (skip every 6th) | 30T | Begin decrease — zip through every 6th bead without adding |
| R9 | 24 | −6 | 24T | Insert polyfill stuffing before closing beyond 50% |
| R10 | 18 | −6 | 18T | Tighten tension gradually; base opening begins forming |
| R11 | 12 | −6 | 12T | Leave base open (12-bead ring) — tentacles attach here |
Cut 1.5 m of Miyuki thread. Condition fully with beeswax. Thread your size-12 needle. String 6 Ocean Teal DB-0027 beads, leaving a 15 cm tail. Pass back through all 6 beads again to form a ring and tie a half-hitch knot to secure. Do not cut the tail — it anchors the tension throughout Row 2 increases.
Work standard circular peyote increases following the count table above. For R2, add 2 beads between each of the 6 base beads, yielding 12. For R3–R6, step up at the end of each round by passing through the first bead of the round. Place coral beads exactly at the positions noted in the table. Do not substitute positions — symmetry across the dome is critical for a balanced finished figure.
In Round 5, place 4 Glossy Black DB-0010 beads at positions 7–8 and 22–23 (counting from your round-start marker). These pairs form the two eyes of the octopus. Optionally reinforce each eye bead by passing through it a second time after completing the round. For extra dimension, substitute each 11/0 eye bead with a 3 mm round crystal in jet black.
Begin decreasing from R8 by skipping every 6th bead without adding a new bead. After completing R9 (24 beads), insert a small pinch of polyfill stuffing through the base opening. Do not overfill — the body should hold a firm dome shape without distortion. Continue decreasing through R10 and R11. Leave the final 12-bead ring open. Weave in thread tail securely with two half-hitches before trimming.
Each tentacle is worked as a two-bead-wide ladder-stitch strip using alternating Ocean Teal and Salmon Coral beads, with Ivory Cream sucker beads placed centrally at every 3rd row. Tentacles are shaped to curl naturally by shortening the outer thread path. Complete all 8 tentacles individually before attaching them to the body. Attach from the 12-bead base ring, spacing tentacles evenly at every 1.5 beads.
| Row | Left Bead | Right Bead | Centre Bead | Function | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-R1 | 1T | 1T | — | Base anchor | Attach to body ring bead; pass through twice |
| T-R2 | 1T | 1T | — | Ladder row | Step tension firm here — sets tentacle angle |
| T-R3 | 1T | 1T | 1 Ivory (sucker) | Sucker row | Pass centre bead on separate thread segment |
| T-R4 | 1C | 1C | — | Coral accent | Introduce Salmon Coral for ventral stripe |
| T-R5 | 1T | 1T | — | Ladder row | Resume teal |
| T-R6 | 1T | 1T | 1 Ivory (sucker) | Sucker row | Place sucker; repeat pattern T-R3 onwards |
| T-R7 to T-R14 | Alternating T/C | Alternating T/C | Sucker every 3rd | Mid-body | 8 rows total; taper thread tension toward tip |
| T-R15 (tip) | 1T | — | — | Tip bead | Single tip bead; pass through and knot to finish |
Space 8 tentacles evenly around the 12-bead base ring (every 1.5 beads). Use a fresh 30 cm thread length for each tentacle attachment. Pass through the tentacle anchor bead and the corresponding body ring bead at least twice for structural integrity. Alternate tentacle curl directions — 4 curl left, 4 curl right — for a natural, dynamic pose.