Saturday 8 December 2012

My Pet Caterpillar or Worm


It's that time of year again when I've been busy making lots of tiny things for the Christmas Bazaar at my son's school. These little caterpillars (which can be fuzzy or not as you choose) or worms, are very quick to make, they don't even need stuffing. I think it's cute to put them in little matchboxes, so they look like something that a kid would pick up in the garden.


My Pet Caterpillar or Worm
Use whatever colour yarn you want your worm or caterpillar to be. If you want your caterpillar to be fuzzy, you’ll need a little bit of eyelash yarn. You’ll also need some black yarn to make the face. 4mm hook.
Abbreviations:
ch = chain
st = stitch or stitches
sc = single crochet (US), double crochet (UK)
dc = double crochet (US), treble crochet (UK)

Special stitch instructions:

3 dc bobble: YOH (yarn over hook), insert hook into second ch from hook, YOH and pull through loop, YOH, pull through 2 loops, *YOH, insert hook into same stitch, YOH and pull through loop, YOH, pull through 2 loops, repeat once from*, YOH, pull through all 4 loops on hook.
 
2 dc bobble: YOH (yarn over hook), insert hook into next stitch, YOH and pull through loop, YOH, pull through 2 loops, YOH, insert hook into same stitch, YOH and pull through loop, YOH, pull through 2 loops, YOH, pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Ch 13, turn.
Miss 1st 2 ch and do 3 dc bobble into 3rd ch, (sc in next ch, 2 dc bobble in next ch) 4 times, sc in next 2 ch, ch 1, turn.
Sc in next 11 st, ch 2, turn.
3 dc bobble in next st, (sc in next ch, 2 dc bobble in next ch) 4 times, sc in next 2 ch, (change to eyelash yarn here if you’re using it) ch 1, turn.

Join the edges with slipstitch, putting the hook through back loop of current row and the other side of the original chain. Make sure you put the original tail of yarn in the inside as you join, you’ll need it to make an antenna. (Keep the start of the fuzzy yarn inside too, it’ll save tidying it up later). Finish off, leaving enough yarn to make the other antenna. This is the head. If it’s a caterpillar, the joined side is the top (I think the bobbles look like stumpy legs at the bottom), the other way up for a worm, so take that into account when you sew on the features. There is an open part at the front of the head, so tie a knot in the black yarn and sew it through from the inside to make an eye. Leave the black yarn hanging and use one of the ends to sew up the front of the head, then make an antenna by sewing once in the same place, tying a knot where you want the end of the antenna to be, and cutting off any excess. Do the same with the other end for the other antenna. Finish off sewing the features, another eye & a mouth (the creature is so small it doesn’t have to be very detailed), take the black yarn through the body & cut off.  You can also glue on small googly eyes instead of sewing features.

8 comments:

Stitch 'n Frog said...

Oh how I wish I'd had this pattern a week ago! Today was Wiregrass Christmas at the Agrirama and the boys, & some girls, would have LOVED getting one of them!

Will have to make a huge bunch for next year's Wiregrass Christmas. They will be a favored giveaway to the kids I'm sure!

Love it! Thank you for so generously sharing with us!

LucyRavenscar said...

Thanks! At least you've got a year to collect matchboxes or something similar to put them in.

Silwen said...

Lucy, wonderful creatures. Since I found your blog you amaze me with those tiny creatures. I would like to have to time to try them all. Maybe next year.
Oh, I have a new idea for my New Year to do list. ;)
Thank you.

LucyRavenscar said...

Thanks Silwen! These would make fun little presents any time.

Beadyjan said...

Thankyou they are so sweet - as soon as I teach myself to follow a pattern I'll have go at these.

LucyRavenscar said...

Thanks! It's not a very detailed pattern, hopefully it will make sense if you just work through it as you're reading it.

Βασιλική Μπαλίδου said...

This is sooo cute!!! I made two of those, and designed some simple wings for one of them to transform it to a butterfy. Thank you so much for the pattern.

LucyRavenscar said...

Thanks! I love the idea of turning them into butterflies.