Finally! This project was just an idea, then just a box of bare yarn, and then a pile of partially dyed yarn for so about two years. Labor Day weekend I finished dyeing the yarn. On Thursday I was trying to figure out a travel project for the weekend and I suddenly realized this would fill the bill.
Back from the trip with an octopus head almost finished!
09-16-2016
Made great progress at the conference getting all the head decreases done, the eyebulge increases done, and then started the last batch of decreases. Brought it to work for meeting knitting and lost the beginning of row stitchmarker. All hell broke lose! Ha ha! I just could not get it back in line. Ripped back to the eyebulge increases and finally got the beginning situated right so that the increases and decreases were lining up. But now my stitch count is off. I fear that more ripping and reknitting is in my future.
09-16-2016
READ ERRATA!!!!!!!!
09-19-2016
Started the tentacles last evening. It isn’t hard--not sure why I was worried. I started to follow the directions and make butterflies for the yarn, but making a 60 yard butterfly with two strands of worsted held double is just ridiculous. I couldn’t wind more than about 20 yards before it became too big for my hand and started getting tangled. As I was trying it I realized I’m better off using the cakes of yarn and just keeping one on either side of me so I can pull one over the other at the middle. I understand why someone would use a butterfly of yarn for a small intarsia detail, but this is just two colors that go all the way down the tentacle.
10-10-2016
Six tentacles are done. I have decided to finish all tentacles and wash it and block the tentacles before stuffing. That will make the tentacles easier to seam.
10-14-2016
Last night I finished the last tentacle. Yay! I am going to was and block the tentacles flat for easier sewing. I can’t wait to see it finished, unstuffed it is already impressive. What a great pattern!
08-27-2017
It took awhile, but now the tentacles are stuffed and seamed. Mattress stitch for days, I tell you! It was an all day Sunday project. And now he’s done. I might have just finished the best project I’ll ever make in my life. :-)