How to: Make a Crafty Octopus

Okay moms, we've all been there. We log onto Pinterest to do a cute craft with our kids and 1 of 3 things happen

1. All the materials are more expensive than we thought they'd be
2. The craft takes too long (leading your child to lose interest)
3. The craft turns out nothing like the example

So I thought I'd share a craft I learned back in middle school. It's extremely thrifty and takes about 15 minutes. It does require minimal materials

• A tennis ball sized Styrofoam ball
• A bail of yarn 
• Googly eyes (optional)
• Scissors
• Hardback book about legal or letter size

Once you're finished, you'll have a cute, soft octopus. The tentacles are great for babies grabbing on to, or it's just a nice snuggle toy for toddlers. Either way, you'll love it. 

1. Tennis ball sized Styrofoam ball

2. Bail of yarn

3. Hardback book- legal size

4. Wrap yarn around book (lengthwise)

5. Wrap yarn around enough to braid 8 braids (Note: I wrapped this around about 124 times)
Then, cut the yarn to separate it form the bail 

6. Cut a piece of yarn about a foot in length

7. slip the lose string of yarn under the wrapped yarn at the top

8. Tie a not

9. Cut the yarn at the bottom; this should allow the yarn to look like a pom-pom

10. what yarn looks like once you cut the bottom and it's off the book

11. Slip the Styrofoam ball into the yarn "pom-pom" center

12. Secure yarn over the ball
It should look like a shrunken head

13. Use a lose string of yarn to securely tie the yarn "pom-pom" around the ball

14. Separate the lose yarn into two sections (this will make it easier to braid)

15. In one of the sections, braid 4 strands

16. Once it is braided, use a lose string of yarn to tie it

17. Once the 1st section is done, continue to the second section and repeat the process

18. Once all the strands are braided, you can cut the bottom of the strands to make sure they're all even.

19. Finished product

20. Feel free to add googly eyes to your octopus. My son love to carry this around!