Giant Squid

Giant Squid Knitting Pattern by Rachel Borello Carroll

What Is Being Made

Giant Squid is an intermediate-level knitting pattern designed to create a soft, stuffed toy squid inspired by real giant squid found in the ocean. This pattern is the second design in Rachel Borello Carroll's Summer of Sea Creatures series for 2019, which celebrates "The Biggest Animals in the Ocean." The finished squid measures nearly 4 feet long and features 8 legs plus 2 extra-long tentacles, making it an impressive and playful oversized toy perfect for ocean-themed nurseries, children's rooms, or as a unique handmade gift.

Knitting Techniques and Construction

This intermediate knitting project uses a combination of needle sizes and yarn weights to create dimension and texture. The pattern employs double-pointed needles in two different sizes to construct various components of the squid. The primary body is worked in super bulky weight yarn on size US 11 (8mm) double-pointed needles, which creates the large, quick-to-knit main structure. Finer details and contrast elements are added using size US 3 (3.25mm) double-pointed needles with worsted weight yarn, allowing for more intricate stitch work on smaller features like the squid's eyes and facial details.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches suitable for toy construction. Key stitches include:

• Knit (K): The basic stitch forming the foundation of the squid's body and limbs
• Purl (P): Used to create texture variation and reverse stockinette details
• Knit through front and back loops (Kfb): An increase stitch used to shape the squid's body, legs, and tentacles as they expand or taper
• Cast on (CO): The foundation method for beginning each component

Materials and Yarn

The pattern calls for specific materials chosen to achieve the desired finished size and texture:

• Main color (MC): One ball of Bernat Blanket in Country Blue (10106), or any super bulky weight yarn in a comparable blue shade. Super bulky yarn allows the project to work up quickly while creating a soft, plush fabric suitable for a toy.
• Contrast color 1 (CC1): A small amount of Cascade 220 or comparable worsted weight yarn in black, used for details such as eyes or mouth features
• Contrast color 2 (CC2): A small amount of Cascade 220 or comparable worsted weight yarn in white, providing additional contrast for facial features
• Needles: One set of 4 size US 11 (8mm) double-pointed needles for the main body, and one set of 4 size US 3 (3.25mm) double-pointed needles for finer details
• Stuffing: Polyester fiberfill stuffing to fill the completed squid and give it structure and dimension
• Finishing tools: A yarn needle for weaving in ends and seaming components together

Finished Measurements

When worked in super bulky weight yarn on size US 11 needles as specified, the completed Giant Squid measures 45 inches long, making it an impressively large handmade toy that captures the grandeur of its ocean-dwelling inspiration.