Octopus or...

Sometimes, I like to pretend that I know how to crochet. I mean, I know the basics and can do ok as long as I am making some variation of a quadrilateral shape. Often, though, I over estimate my skills. Such was the case when I decided I was going to make a crocheted octopus similar to the one below:

 

 

I followed the free pattern here (posted on Squidoo) and gave it a shot.  Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand here is the GORGEOUS "octopus" I ended up with:

Wamp wamp.
The result here was mostly due to mediocre skills and failing to follow instructions/count stitches. A few adult beverages may also have been the problem.
I did try this again a few days later and got much better results:

So, unlike Ikea furniture, following the instructions actually helps with this one.