Free Octopus Dishcloth or Afghan Square Knitting Pattern

Our latest creation is a free knitting pattern for an Octopus Square!

This square would work great as a washcloth or dishcloth , or you could put it together with some of the other squares to make an afghan. If you wanted to make a nautical themed afghan, there are other nautical themed squares here.

If you would prefer a PDF version of this pattern or you would like to help support Daisy and Storm to continue to make free patterns, you can purchase a PDF version of this pattern from ETSY by clicking here

Size and Materials

Size depends on yarn and needle size used:

With DK/Light Worsted Weight yarn and 4 mm (US 6, UK 8) knitting needles, finished squares are approximately 22 cm x 22 cm (8.5 inches x 8.5 inches)

With Worsted Weight yarn and and 4.5 mm knitting needles (US size 7, UK size 7) finished square is approximately 26 cm x 26 cm (10 inches x 10 inches)

Any sized needle and yarn can be used (please refer to yarn label for recommended needle size), however different needle and yarn sizes will produce different sized squares, so if you plan to make an afghan or a set of these it is best to use the same needle size and yarn for each square.

Chart Instructions

On Right Side: Knit white squares and purl black dots

On Wrong Side: Purl white squares and knit black dots

Cast on 45 stitches and start at bottom left hand corner of chart with a wrong side row.

Written Instructions

Cast on 45

Work 7 rows of (K1,P1) to last stitch, K1

Row 8: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 9 and All Odd Numbered Rows: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P35, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1

Even Rows 10-12: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 14: K1, P1, K1, P1, K20, P2, K15, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 16: K1, P1, K1, P1, K11, P3, K5, P1, K2, P2, K13, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 18: K1, P1, K1, P1, K10, P1, K2, P2, K8, P2, K12, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 20: K1, P1, K1, P1, K6, P3, K4, P3, K5, P3, K4, P3, K6, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 22: K1, P1, K1, P1, K5, P2, K1, P3, K3, P3, K3, P3, K3, P3, K1, P2, K5, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 24: K1, P1, K1, P1, K5, P1, K4, P3, K2, P3, K1, P3, K2, P3, K4, P1, K5, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 26: K1, P1, K1, P1, K6, P1, K4, P15, K11, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 28: K1, P1, K1, P1, K8, P21, K8, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 30: K1, P1, K1, P1, K6, P24, K7, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 32: K1, P1, K1, P1, K3, P1, K2, P2, K3, P14, K3, P2, K2, P1, K4, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 34: K1, P1, K1, P1, K4, P3, K3, P17, K2, P3, K5, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 36: K1, P1, K1, P1, K9, P19, K9, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 38: K1, P1, K1, P1, K7, P4, K2, P10, K3, P3, K4, P1, K3, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 40: K1, P1, K1, P1, K7, P3, K2, P12, K3, P3, K2, P2, K3, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 42: K1, P1, K1, P1, K6, P3, K3, P12, K4, P5, K4, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 44: K1, P1, K1, P1, K7, P3, K2, P12, K13, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 46: K1, P1, K1, P1, K8, P2, K3, P10, K14, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 48: K1, P1, K1, P1, K6, P3, K5, P8, K15, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 50: K1, P1, K1, P1, K16, P4, K17, P1, K1, P1, K1

Even Rows 52-56: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Rows 57-63: Work 7 rows of (K1, P1) to last stitch, K1

Cast off, weave in ends and block.