Let’s be honest, some children’s books never really leave us. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one of those storytime classics that seems to live permanently in classrooms, nurseries, book week costumes and the back of every mum’s memory bank.
And of course crocheters looked at that bright green body, red little face and all those snacky story pieces and thought, “Well, I could make that.”
This roundup gathers together crochet patterns inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar, from quick baby hats to full storytime play sets. Some are free, some are paid, and some are more “inspired by” than officially licensed, so do check each designer’s wording and usage notes before making items to sell. Twinkie Chan, for example, clearly notes that the character is copyright/trademarked by Eric Carle and marks her free pattern for personal use only.
I also spotted a few related caterpillar ideas in my saved CraftGossip research files, including a kids’ button caterpillar craft and a CraftGossip sewing link for a Very Hungry Caterpillar costume, which could make a sweet internal link if you want to build this into a broader book week or storytime craft post.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Free Amigurumi Pattern
This free amigurumi caterpillar pattern is a lovely starting point if you want a simple crocheted version of the character without making a whole story sack. The design is described as an easy pattern, which makes it a good option for confident beginners who are ready to shape small toy pieces.
I like this one for classroom baskets, book week displays or as a little handmade extra tucked in with the book as a gift. You could use different greens from your scrap basket for a softer handmade look, because no two caterpillars really need to match perfectly.
Free Crochet Pattern: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Twinkie Chan’s free pattern is a fun little caterpillar headpiece/accessory rather than a traditional stuffed toy, and it has that playful, slightly cheeky crochet personality she is known for. The pattern uses worsted weight yarn, felt details and body segments that can be made as long as you like.
This would be brilliant for teachers, librarians, book week dress-ups or anyone who likes a craft project that gets noticed. Just note her personal-use reminder before making it for markets or sales.
Check out this fun little Hungry Caterpillar Scarf over on Etsy.
Free Hungry Little Caterpillar Crochet Pattern
Beginner-friendly amigurumi baby gift pattern
This cheerful little caterpillar is one of those sweet handmade baby gifts that feels extra special when paired with a classic children’s picture book. It is bright, soft, a little bit wiggly, and perfect for using up small amounts of DK yarn from the stash. You know the bits I mean — those half-balls of green yarn that are too useful to throw away but somehow multiply in the basket.
This pattern creates a long stuffed caterpillar with a red head, seven green body sections, little brown feet, bright eyes, purple antennae, and colourful yarn fuzz along the back.
Finished size: approximately 12 inches long, depending on yarn, hook size, and stuffing firmness.
Materials
You will need:
- DK yarn in red
- DK yarn in brown
- DK yarn in three or more shades of green
- Small amounts of yellow, purple, black, blue, and extra green yarn for details
- 3.5 mm crochet hook
- Toy stuffing
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
- Stitch marker
A soft DK acrylic or cotton-blend yarn works well for this project. If you are making it for a baby, choose yarn that is washable and make sure all pieces are securely stitched in place.
Abbreviations
This pattern uses US crochet terminology.
- ch – chain
- st/sts – stitch/stitches
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 stitches together
- inc – 2 single crochet in the same stitch
- fo – fasten off
Pattern Notes
The caterpillar is worked in continuous rounds unless otherwise stated. Use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of each round.
Stuff the head and body as you work. Do not wait until the very end, as the long body can become difficult to stuff neatly.
For a slightly chunkier caterpillar, use worsted weight yarn and a 4 mm hook, but remember your finished size will be larger.
The “fuzz” along the back is added at the end using short strands of yarn attached with a latch-hook style knot.
Begin with red yarn.
Round 1: ch 2, work 6 sc into the second ch from hook. (6)
Round 2: inc in each st around. (12)
Round 3: *sc in next st, inc in next st; repeat from * around. (18)
Round 4: *sc in next 2 sts, inc in next st; repeat from * around. (24)
Round 5: *sc in next 3 sts, inc in next st; repeat from * around. (30)
Round 6: *sc in next 4 sts, inc in next st; repeat from * around. (36)
Rounds 7–10: sc in each st around. (36)
Round 11: *sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around. (30)
Round 12: *sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around. (24)
Round 13: *sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around. (18)
Change to your first green yarn.
First Green Body Segment
Round 14: inc in each st around. (36)
Rounds 15–17: sc in each st around. (36)
Round 18: *sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around. (30)
Round 19: *sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around. (24)
Round 20: *sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around. (18)
Change to a different green shade.
Remaining Green Body Segments
Repeat Rounds 14–20 six more times, changing to a different green shade after each completed segment if desired.
You will have seven green body segments in total.
On the final green segment, do not change colour after Round 20. Continue below.
Final Decrease Round: *sc in next st, sc2tog; repeat from * around. (12)
Fasten off, leaving a long yarn tail.
Thread the tail onto a yarn needle. Weave the needle through the front loop only of each remaining stitch, then pull firmly to close the end. Weave in the tail securely.
Make 6 with brown yarn.
Round 1: ch 2, work 6 sc into the second ch from hook. (6)
Round 2: inc in each st around. (12)
Rounds 3–4: sc in each st around. (12)
Round 5: sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog 3 times, sc in next 3 sts. (9)
Rounds 6–7: sc in each st around. (9)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Lightly stuff each foot.
Sew two feet to the first green body segment, two feet to the second green body segment, and two feet to the fifth green body segment. Position them underneath the body so the caterpillar sits nicely.
Make 2.
Begin with dark green yarn.
Round 1: ch 2, work 6 sc into the second ch from hook. (6)
Change to yellow yarn.
Round 2: inc in each st around. (12)
Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.
Pin the eyes onto the red head before sewing. Once you are happy with the placement, stitch them securely in place.
Using black yarn, embroider a small nose or smile detail beneath the eyes.
For baby-safe making, embroider all facial details rather than using plastic safety eyes.
Make 2 with purple yarn.
Round 1: ch 2, work 6 sc into the second ch from hook. (6)
Round 2: inc in each st around. (12)
Rounds 3–5: sc in each st around. (12)
Round 6: *sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * around. (9)
Rounds 7–9: sc in each st around. (9)
Round 10: *sc in next st, sc2tog; repeat from * around. (6)
Rounds 11–13: sc in each st around. (6)
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Lightly stuff the wider end of each antenna. Sew both antennae securely to the top of the red head.
Cut several 4-inch strands of yarn in yellow, blue, red, and green.
To attach each strand:
Fold one strand in half. Insert your hook into a stitch along the top/back of the caterpillar. Pull the folded centre of the yarn strand partly through the stitch to form a loop. Pull the two loose ends through the loop and tighten gently.
Continue adding strands along the back of the caterpillar until you are happy with the amount of fuzz.
Trim the ends evenly so the fuzzy top looks neat and playful.
Very Hungry Caterpillar Hat and Cocoon
This Ravelry pattern by Melody Adams is a classic newborn photo prop style, with a caterpillar hat and cocoon worked in aran weight yarn. The listing notes crochet as the craft, costume as the category, and gives hook sizes of 5.5 mm and 3.75 mm.
It is the kind of pattern that would have been everywhere in baby photography circles a few years back, and honestly, it still has that sweet “new baby with a favourite book” appeal. Best for crocheters comfortable with baby sizing and simple costume-style shaping.
Very Hungry Caterpillar Hat 3–6 Months
This downloadable PDF by Aria Raymond is an easy beginner baby hat pattern sized for 3–6 months. The listing says it uses red yarn for the hat with accent colours added to create the caterpillar theme.
This is a nice small project if you want the look without committing to a full blanket or play set. It would make a cute baby shower gift, especially paired with a board book and a little handmade card.
Caterpillar Crochet Baby Blanket Pattern
This Etsy PDF pattern by NorthernHooksy is a bright caterpillar-themed baby blanket design with a bold striped background and large caterpillar motif. The listing shows the finished blanket at approximately 80 x 100 cm, with a 160 x 240 stitch chart, 11 colours, and a 4 mm crochet chart included.
I like this one for a nursery or reading corner because it has that cheerful storybook energy without being a tiny fiddly toy project. It is listed as a digital download with three PDF files, and the listing notes it was updated in May 2026 with improved row clarity, which is always reassuring when you are dealing with colour changes and chart work.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Crochet Pattern, Hungry Caterpillar Eating Game
This Etsy PDF pattern by HandmadePhuongGifts is a full crochet play set rather than just a single caterpillar, which makes it especially appealing for story sacks, preschool shelves and Montessori-style play baskets. The listing includes a large hungry caterpillar, approximately 50 cm / 19.7 inches long, plus 20 different fruits and vegetables for children to “feed” the caterpillar as they read along.
Hungry Caterpillar Scarf
The Hungry Caterpillar Scarf by BearOhDear is a wearable version of the storybook favourite, and the sample scarf is listed as 52 inches long. The designer notes the length can be made shorter or longer, which is handy if you are making it for a child or an adult storytime outfit.
This is the one I’d pick for teachers, librarians or anyone who wants a themed accessory without dressing head-to-toe as a caterpillar. Use soft yarn so it is comfortable around the neck, and keep any embellishments secure if it is for younger children.
Hungry Caterpillar Life Cycle
This educational crochet play set by Moara Crochet includes four life stages: egg, caterpillar, cocoon and butterfly. The pattern is written in US terms, includes a UK conversion table, and has step-by-step instructions with additional photos.
This is a lovely pick for story sacks, homeschool shelves, preschool classrooms or grandmas who like making gifts with a little learning tucked inside. It moves beyond just the character and turns the whole caterpillar-to-butterfly theme into a hands-on crochet activity.
The Hungry Caterpillar Food
This Ravelry pattern by Yarn Obsessions by Debbie focuses on the caterpillar and food items, using three strands of DK yarn held together for the caterpillar and single strands for the food pieces. The designer notes it can be made stuffed or unstuffed and estimates 40–60 hours to complete, depending on experience.
This is not a one-evening project, but it is exactly the sort of thing that becomes a family heirloom if you enjoy detailed toy crochet. If your scrap yarn stash is anything like mine, this would also be dangerously good at using up all those little fruit-coloured leftovers.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by The Knit’wits
This downloadable pattern by The Knit’wits includes instructions to make the caterpillar along with food pieces from the book. The listing describes it as beginner level and notes that any yarn size with a matching hook can be used, with the sample made in cotton yarn and a 3 mm hook.
This is a good all-rounder if you want the caterpillar plus story props, but you do not want to hunt down separate fruit and snack patterns. I’d use cotton for the food pieces if making them for little hands, as it gives a nice clean stitch finish and holds shape well.
Extra Storytime Crochet Ideas
If you want to bulk out the article a little more, you could also include a “make your own story basket” section with simple crochet apples, pears, plums, strawberries, oranges, leaves and butterflies. Your crochet file already has apple, banana, fruit and rainbow crochet references that could be useful for building a wider children’s story-sack crochet cluster later.
For internal linking, this would pair nicely with CraftGossip’s Very Hungry Caterpillar costume inspiration for readers looking for book week ideas beyond crochet.
