Free Crochet Pattern: Sia the Strawberry Squid

Love is in the air and Valentine’s Day is only a few days away. I love flowers, don’t get me wrong, but chocolate-covered strawberries are truly the way to my heart! But this year instead of indulging in some crazy expensive edible arrangement, I thought why not crochet an ami inspired by my favorite treat? This free crochet pattern: Sia the Strawberry Squid, has all the adorable sweetness and none of the calories!

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©2023 cbfiberworks. This pattern or it’s parts are not allowed to be redistributed, copied or resold. Any items handmade by you from this pattern may be sold, but please credit me (cbfiberworks) as the designer.

Free Crochet Pattern: Sia the Strawberry Squid

Tester photos

Sia works up super fast, so if you need a last minute Valentine’s Day gift, look no further! And you can customize her colors and toppings! Check out some of the beautiful variations my testers created.

Project Materials

• Yarn: Wool of the Andes Worsted (6 skeins) -affiliate link
  • Color A: Red (33yds)
  • Color B: Grass (16yds)
  • Color C: Aurora Heather (7yds)
  • Color D: White (14yds)
  • Color E: Chocolate (1yd)
  • Color F: Coal (1yd)
• 3.00mm hook
• 14mm safety eyes (optional)
• Stitch markers
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors
• Polyfil/stuffing
• Needle felting supplies (optional)

For this project, you have all sorts of options for the eyes. If you use safety eyes, I recommend using at least 14mm, if not larger. If you’d like to felt on your eyes like mine, you’ll need felting supplies such as wool roving, a felting needle, finger gloves, etc… Check out this post about How to Felt on Amigurumi. You can also crochet eyes like one of my testers did (see above photos) or even embroider them!

Stitch Abbreviations

(**) – See Project Notes section

• MR – magic ring (**)
• Sc – single crochet (**)
• Inc – increase (**)
• Dec – decrease (**)
• St(s) – stitch(es)
• Rnd – round
• Ch – chain
• Sl st(s) – slip stitch(es)
• Sk – skip
• BLsc – back loop single crochet
• Dc – double crochet
• FDdc – foundation double crochet (**)
• FDhdc – foundation half double crochet (**)
• FDsc – foundation single crochet (**)
• [ ] – repeat everything within the brackets, the given number of times
• (#) – stitch count at the end of the Rnd/row
• ( ) – everything within is worked into one stitch

Project Notes

• Final dimensions: L: 7.5in x W: 3in
• This project is written in US terminology.
• Unless otherwise specified, work in continuous rounds without using a slip stitch to join rows.
• Move stitch markers up each row as you go.
• Magic Ring: Create a magic ring and work the specified number of single crochet into it (ex. MR6 = 6sc into the ring).
• Single Crochet: Unless otherwise specified, this project uses the yarn under technique. Insert your hook into the stitch, yarn under, pull up a loop (2 loops on your hook), yarn under, and pull through both loops.
• Increase: work 2sc into the same stitch.
• Decrease: Unless otherwise specified, use the invisible decrease method. Insert your hook into the front loop of the next stitch, then insert your hook into the front loop of the following stitch, yarn over and pull through the first loop (3 loops on the hook), then yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on the hook.
• FDdc/FDhdc/FDsc: if you’re unfamiliar with foundation stitches, check out this article: How to Make Foundation Stitches

There are a few tricky bits in this pattern and if you need some bonus instruction, the premium version of this pattern has a great video tutorial and 40+ photos! You can grab it in my Etsy, Ravelry & Ribblr shops!

Sia the Strawberry Squid Pattern

Head

Use Color A.

Rnd 0: MR6

Rnd 1: inc 6 times. (12)

Rnd 2: sc around. (12)

Rnd 3: [inc, sc] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 4: sc around. (18)

Rnd 5: [sc, inc, sc] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 6: sc around. (24)

Rnd 7: [inc, 3sc] 6 times. (30)

Rnd 8: sc around. (30)

Rnd 9: [2sc, inc, 2sc] 6 times. (36)

Rnd 10: sc around. (36)

Rnd 11: [inc, 5sc] 6 times. (42)

Rnd 12: sc around. (42)

Rnd 13: [3sc, inc, 3sc] 6 times. (48)

Rnds 14-17: sc around. (48)

Rnd 18: [3sc, dec, 3sc] 6 times. (42)

Rnd 19: [dec, 5sc] 6 times. (36)

If you’re using safety eyes, place them between Rnds 14 & 18 with about 7 stitches in between. If you’re felting/embroidering them, finish the head first. Start stuffing the head.

NOTE: Rnd 20 is worked completely in the back loops. Instead of the invisible decrease, use regular decreases: insert your hook into the next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert your hook into the next stitch and pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops.

Rnd 20: [2BLsc, dec, 2BLsc] 6 times. (30)

Rnd 21: [dec, 3sc] 6 times. (24)

NOTE: Rnd 22 is also worked completely in the back loops. Similar to Rnd 20, use regular decreases.

Rnd 22: [BLsc, dec, BLsc] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 23: [dec, sc] 6 times. (12)

Rnd 24: dec 6 times. (6)

Fasten off and sew the remaining hole shut with a tapestry needle. Weave in the remaining yarn tail.

Eyes

If you want to felt your eyes, but don’t know where to start, check out this post.

I felted on my eyes after finishing the head by first placing pins to mark where I wanted them to sit. Then using a felting needle, I first added a light grey, then the black pupil, then a ring of light green around the pupil. Finally, I finished off with a small round, white highlight in the top left corner of each eye.

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Head Fins x 2

Use Color A.

Ch 3, 3FDdc, 2FDhdc, FDsc, ch 2, working down the flat side: 6sc, in the first ch 3: 3sc in the first ch, 2sc, up the curved side: 6sc, 2sl st. (19)

Leaves

Use Color B.

Start by holding your squid with the point facing down toward your lap/tabletop. Attach Color B to the first unworked front loop of Rnd 20 with a ch 1. The ch 1 does not count as a stitch.

[Sc, sk 1 st, (3dc, ch 3, 3dc), sk 1 st] 9 times, sl st into the first sc to join. (91)

You should have 9 leaves in total.

NOTE: The stitch count above includes the chains and the final slip stitch.

Fasten off with a short tail. Weave the remaining yarn tail into the body with a tapestry needle.

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Arms

Use Color B.

Similar to the Leaves Section, start by holding your squid with the point facing down. Attach Color B to the first unworked front loop of Rnd 22 with a ch 1. The ch 1 does not count as a stitch.

Sc, [ch 21, starting in the second ch from the hook: 20sl st, 3sc] 7 times, ch 21, starting in the second ch from the hook: 20 sl st, 2sc, sl st to the first sc to join. (184)

You should have 8 arms in total.

Fasten off with a short tail. Weave the remaining yarn tail into the body with a tapestry needle.

Tentacles x2

Use Color C.

Ch 31, starting in the second ch from the hook: 30sl st, ch 1, in the last sl st: (5dc, ch 1, 5dc, sl st). (42)

NOTE: The stitch count above includes the ch 1 and the sl st. 

Fasten off with a long tail. Use a tapestry needle to weave the yarn tail up through the tentacle so that it’s coming out of the top of the chain.

Pin the top of each tentacle in the center on the bottom of your squid (within the ring of arms). You may have to pin the arms out of the way. Use a tapestry needle to sew the tentacles to the body.

Chocolate Sauce

The Chocolate Sauce section is a little tricky since it involves a lot of short rows and if you need a little extra help, the premium pattern has a great video tutorial. You can get the ad-free, printable pdf in my Etsy, Ravelry & Ribblr shops!

Use Color D.

Rnd 0: MR6

Rnd 1: inc 6 times. (12)

Rnd 2: [inc, sc] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 3: [sc, inc, sc] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 4: [inc, 3sc] 6 times. (30)

NOTE: From here on, we’ll be working in short rows. Remove your stitch marker. Place a stitch marker in the 6th (blue), 11th (yellow), 22nd (pink) & 27th stitches (purple). This marks where the drips start and end.

Drip 1

Row 1: 5sc, ch 1, turn. (5)

Row 2: 5sc, ch 1, turn. (5) Leave the remaining 3 sts unworked.

Row 3: 5sc, ch 1, turn. (5)

Row 4: sc, dec, 2sc, ch 1, turn. (4)

Row 5: 4sc, ch 1, turn. (4)

Row 6: sc, dec, sc, ch 1, turn. (3)

Row 7: 3sc, ch 1, turn. (3)

Row 8: dec, sc. (2) Fasten off with a short tail.

To start the second drip, you’ll attach your yarn with a ch 1 in the stitch to the left of your 4th stitch marker (the purple one in the 27th stitch).

Drip 2

Row 1: 3sc, sc into the side of Row 2 from Drip 1, ch 1 turn. (4)

Row 2: 4sc, ch 1, turn. (4)

Row 3: 2sc, dec, ch 1, turn. (3)

Row 4: inc, 2sc, ch 1, turn. (4)

Row 5: sc, dec, sc, ch 1, turn. (3)

Row 6: dec, sc. (2) Fasten off with a short tail.

To start the third drop, you’ll attach your yarn with a ch 1 in the stitch to the left of your second stitch marker (the yellow one in the 11th stitch).

Drip 3

Row 1: 10sc, ch 1, turn. (10)

Row 2: 5sc, ch 1, turn. (5) Leave the remaining 5 sts unworked. 

Row 3: 5sc, ch 1, turn. (5)

Row 4: sc, dec, 2sc, ch 1, turn. (4)

Row 5: sc, dec, sc, ch 1, turn. (3)

Row 6: 3sc, ch 1, turn. (3)

Row 7: dec, sc. (2) Fasten off with a short tail.

To start the last drip, you’ll attach your yarn with a ch 1 in the first sc on Row 1 of Drip 3.

Drip 4

Row 1: 5sc, sc in the side of Row 2 of Drip 3, ch 1, turn. (6)

Row 2: dec, 4sc, ch 1, turn. (5)

Row 3: inc, 2sc, dec, ch 1, turn. (5)

Row 4: sc, dec, 2sc, ch 1, turn. (4)

Row 5: 4sc, ch 1, turn. (4)

Row 6: sc, dec, sc, ch 1, turn. (3)

Row 7: 3sc, ch 1, turn. (3)

Row 8: dec, sc, ch 1, turn. (2) Don’t fasten off.

The border row will be worked around the entire outside edge of the shape.

Border Row: sc around, sl st to join in the first st. (74)

Fasten off with a long tail for sewing later. Weave in any other short yarn tails with a tapestry needle.

Assembly: Head Fins

Pin the head fins to the sides of the head with the flat edge touching the body. The points of each fin should be angled toward the very tip of the head. Use a tapestry needle to sew the flat edge of each head fin to the head. Weave any remaining yarn tails into the body.

Assembly: Chocolate Sauce

With your squid facing you and looking from the top down, line the MR of the Chocolate Sauce up with the MR of the Head.

Fold the Chocolate Sauce in half, conforming to the shape of the head fins and head. Pin the corners around the head fins first. Then pin along the edges.

Use a tapestry needle to sew the outside edge of the Chocolate Sauce to the head.

Chocolate Drizzle (optional)

Using Color E and a tapestry needle, embroider a few long lines zigzagging across the top of the chocolate sauce.

Weave any remaining yarn tails into the body.

Details: Strawberry Seeds

Using Color F and a tapestry needle, embroider a bunch of small vertical lines all around your squid’s head. Try to keep them relatively random, but somewhat evenly spaced apart. 

Weave any remaining yarn tails into the body.

Wrap Up

You’re done! I hope you loved this pattern and that it makes you smile this Valentine’s Day! Make sure to Pin it for later or share it with your strawberry-loving friends. If you want to share your beautiful squid with me, I’d love to see it! Tag me on social (@cbfiberworks).