An ode in knitting to the humble nautilus, family Nautilidae, the most ancient of the modern cephalopods, a living testament to eons past and the diverse life forms that have evolved on our planet. Designed with awe, reverence, and love.

Continuing in the spirit of knitting the peculiar, Nautilidae contains clear, detailed instructions for creating your very own nautilus amigurumi. This comprehensive pattern is 15 pages of pure fun, and includes 23 photographic illustrations, schematic diagrams, and easy-to-read text for knitting your cephalopod pal.

The pattern contains two shell options: a single-color shell, or a two-color shell. The instructions for the two-color shell are available in charted form only, and will appear as separate downloadable PDFs once the pattern has been purchased. All other instructions are in written form.

Required techniques include knit, purl, standard decreases (k2tog and ssk), make 1 increases (left and right slanting), slip 2 - knit 1 - pass slipped stitch over (centered double decrease), short rows (wrap & turns and picking up wrapped stitches), small-diameter knitting in the round, kitchener stitch, mattress stitch, fake grafting, and picking up and knitting stitches along a selvedge. Working the striped shell also requires knowledge of the stranded (Fair Isle) knitting technique and the ability to read a large chart. Please note: this pattern is intended for experienced knitters!

Nautilidae may be knitted with any weight yarn, though worsted weight is recommended. Estimated yarn quantities are as follows:

• For single-color shell version: 120 yards in Color 1 for body, 150 yards in Color 2 for shell, and 50 yards in Color 3 for hood.
• For two-color shell version: 120 yards in Color 1 for body, 120 yards in Color 2A for main shell color, 80 yards in Color 2B for contrasting shell color, and 50 yards in Color 3 for hood.

In addition, you will also need the following materials and notions: tapestry needle, small amount of dark yarn (for embroidering eye), stuffing-of-choice (either fiberfill, roving, or waste yarn), 10 stitch markers, and 11 chenille stems for tentacle armature (these are optional, and should not be used if the intended recipient is a small child).

A special thanks to my persistent, detailed, and patient test knitters, Mingjane, David, Molly, and Jess!