Now revised with instructions for 2 different gauges! I’ve also added a tip for avoiding the somewhat pointy crown some knitters have been encountering.

Did you like the Octopus Slippers but think, “What if I wanted octopuses on my head?” Then this is the pattern for you. Worked in stranded colourwork using fingering weight yarn, Enter Octopus has octopuses swirling around the body, meeting in a tentacular crown. This pattern has instructions for 3 sizes each in 2 different gauges, with a slightly different chart for each size; you can further tweak the sizing by adjusting the gauge. The finer gauge matches that of the Octopus Point mittens and the Octopus Cowl. To make Enter Octopus, you will need to know how to do 2-colour stranded colourwork in the round from charts.

Buy Enter Octopus, Octopus Cowl, & Octopus Point for $16 USD! You do not have to buy them at the same time to receive the discount.

Sizes
Small, Medium, Large

Version 1: Circumference: 17.75 (19.75, 22) in/45 (50, 56) cm
To fit (approximately): 19.25 (21.25, 23.5) in/49 (54, 59.5) cm head circumference
Length from cast on to top of crown: 7.75 (9, 9.25) in/20 (22.5, 23.5) cm

Version 2:
Circumference: {18.5, 19.75, 22.25} in/{47, 50, 57} cm
To fit (approximately): {20, 21.25, 23.75} in/{51, 54, 60.5} cm head circumference
Length from cast on to top of crown: {7.5, 8.5, 9.25} in/{19, 21, 23.5} cm

Both versions can be made deeper by extending the brim.

Yarn

Version 1: Small Bird Workshop Shropshire Fingering (100% Canadian Shropshire wool; 500 yds/457 m per 3.9 oz/110 g): MC: 1 skein (shown in Evensong), CC: 1 skein (shown in Pinot Gris)

Version 2: Drops Flora (65% wool, 35% alpaca; 230 yds/210 m per 1.79 oz/50 g): MC: 1 skein (shown in 05), CC: 1 skein (shown in 27)

See below for yardage needed + more information about the yarn.

Needles

Version 1:

• US 2.5/3 mm 16 in/40 cm needles, or size needed for correct gauge
• US 2.5/3 mm needles for working small circumference in the round, or size needed for correct gauge
• US 2/2.75 mm 16 in/40 cm needles, or one size smaller than gauge needle
• US 2/2.75 mm needles for working small circumference in the round, or one size smaller than gauge needle

Version 2:

• US 2/2.75 mm 16 in/40 cm needles, or size needed for correct gauge
• US 2/2.75 mm needles for working small circumference in the round, or size needed for correct gauge
• US 1.5/2.5 mm 16 in/40 cm needles, or size needed for correct gauge
• US 1.5/2.5 mm needles for working small circumference in the round, or one size smaller than gauge needle

Note: At this needle size, the US/metric conversion is inconsistent. I recommend using the metric size as a starting point for swatching.

Gauge
Version 1: 29 sts & 40 rows = 4 in/10cm in stranded colourwork on larger needles, worked in the round and blocked

27 sts & 40 rows = 4 in/10 cm in stockinette stitch on US 2.5/3 mm needles, worked flat and blocked

There is no recommended stockinette gauge for this yarn, but it is roughly a sport weight

Version 2:
36.5 sts & 40 rows = 4 in/10cm in stranded colourwork on larger needles, worked in the round and blocked.

Recommended stockinette gauge (for reference if substituting yarn): 24 sts & 32 rows = 4 in/10 cm on US 2.5/3 mm needles, worked flat and blocked

For a good fit, take time to check your gauge.

Notions
2 (Version 1) or 3 (Version 2) stitch markers; yarn needle

About the Yarn
Version 1:
Small Bird Workshop Shropshire Fingering is a woolen-spun, 2-ply yarn, spun and dyed in Canada using 100% Shropshire wool from a small, purebred flock in Oyama, BC. The Shropshire sheep breed produces springy, matte, medium wool that resists felting, making this fibre a great choice for sweaters, mitts, hats, and socks. Shropshire’s characteristics combine with the woolen-spun structure to make a cushy, warm, cohesive, fabric that holds up well to wear and works at a range of gauges. The stitches plump up and nestle together with washing, making this an excellent yarn for stranded colourwork. Shropshire Fingering is
available at smallbirdworkshop.com.

Medium wools are not as soft as fine wools, so while some people will have no problem wearing this yarn next to their skin, you may wish to test how it feels to you with a swatch first. This yarn does soften with knitting and washing, so it’s worth taking the time to wash your test swatch before making your decision. If you know you find non-fine wools uncomfortable against your skin, finer wools such as Rambouillet, Cormo, or Merino would make a good substitute.

Version 2:
DROPS Flora is a 3-ply, fingering weight, wool/alpaca blend. The 3-ply structure makes for round stitches with good definition, which is slightly blurred by the faint halo of the alpaca. The wool gives memory to the fabric, while the alpaca adds softness and extra warmth.

If you’re substituting yarn, look for a springy, fingering weight yarn that gives a cohesive (but not stiff) fabric at the pattern’s gauge and that is comfortable against your forehead and neck.

For Version 1 you will need approximately 115 (140, 160) yds/105 (130, 150) m of MC and 90 (110, 130) yds/80 (105, 115) m of CC.

For Version 2 you will need approximately {115, 140, 170} yds/{105, 130, 155} m of MC and {90, 110, 135} yds/{85, 100, 125} m of CC.