Your Unique Rainbow Caterpillar: A 2025 Temperature Crochet Project

2024-12-16

Hello My Crochet Friends!

Let's create a rainbow masterpiece together!

Have you ever heard of temperature crochet? It's an amazing way to document the entire year in a single, unique project! And that's exactly what we're going to do together - create a colorful, cheerful, and original caterpillar that will reflect all the moods of the weather.

Imagine how its coloring will change from month to month. One month it will shine with spring green, another it will be wrapped in summer orange tones, and in winter it will dress in frosty blue. Each ball of our caterpillar will tell its own story about the weather, and we will create it together.

How to do it?

We will need plenty of colorful Dolly yarn, which will allow us to create a truly vibrant and radiant caterpillar. And of course, a crochet hook that will be our magic wand. Throughout the year, we will measure the highest temperature every day and choose the color of yarn accordingly. Each month we will crochet one ball and gradually create a twelve-part rainbow caterpillar.

Join me and let's create something truly special together! We will inspire each other, share our progress, and enjoy the results. We will create a special hashtag on social networks where we will share photos of our caterpillars.

#rainbowcrochetcaterpillar

I'm already curious about the amazing caterpillars we'll create together!

And now, let's get crocheting!

Check out my special VLOG: Temperature projects - original colorful crochet! Fun for the whole year! Great tips:

The pillow is crocheted from a beautiful soft velvet yarn and I am so glad I chose it because it is very pleasant to the touch and has beautiful vibrant colors. And what about it? One colorful temperature square per week? It's a challenge! I'm sure you'll enjoy crocheting and after a year you'll be proud of your pillows.

Let's start or PIN this idea to your Pinterest boards for later.

MATERIALS:

What will we need?

For this project, I've chosen Dolly yarn.

https://www.vlnika.cz/z25414-prize-dolly

It's an incredibly soft, smooth, and shiny yarn that comes in a vibrant array of colors.

1 ball = 100% microacrylic, 100g/350m

We'll also need a 3.0mm crochet hook, stuffing for our project, a sewing and embroidery needle, a stitch marker, and scissors.

Difficulty level: 1 - Easy crochet for beginners

Abbreviations used in the pattern:

sc - single crochet
ch - chain
row - row
next - next
st - stitch
rep - repeat
RS - right side
WS - wrong side
join - join
skip - skip
sl st - slip stitch

PATTERN NOTES

Starting chain: In this pattern, the starting chain does not substitute for a stitch.
Magic ring: It is recommended to start with a magic ring and continue working in continuous rounds.
Caterpillar parts: The caterpillar consists of the following parts:
1. head
2. antennae
3. body: made up of 12 balls, all the same size. The number of rows varies depending on the days of the month.
4. legs: a total of 24, always 2 balls per body ball. The balls are all the same size.
Stitch count: The number in parentheses indicates the total number of stitches in a row after completing the entire row.
Size: The size may vary depending on your crochet tension. If you want a smaller or larger cushion, you can use a smaller or larger hook and change the yarn.

THE WRITTEN PATTERN

Head

Explanation of terms:

ch: chain
sc: single crochet
st: stitch
rep: repeat
inc: increase (by working 2 stitches in one stitch)

What this pattern does:

This pattern creates a gradually increasing circle of stitches, forming the base for a head. The increases are evenly distributed to create a smooth round shape.

This part is worked in continuous rounds.

R1: Ch 6, 6 sc in magic ring (6 sc)
R2: 2 sc in each st around (12 sc)
R3: 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next st repeat from * to * around (18 sc)
R4: 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 2 st repeat from * to * around (24 sc)
R5: 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 3 st repeat from * to * around (30 sc)
R6: 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 4 st repeat from * to * around (36 sc)
R7: 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 5 st repeat from * to * around (42 sc)
R8: 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next 6 st repeat from * to * around (48 sc)
R9-17: 1 sc in each st around (48 sc)
R18: 1 sc in next 6 st, 2 sc in next st repeat from * to * around (42 sc)
R19: 1 sc in next 5 st, 2 sc in next st repeat from * to * around (36 sc)
R20: 1 sc in next 4 st, 2 sc in next st repeat from * to * around (30 sc)
R21: 1 sc in next 3 st, 2 sc in next st repeat from * to * around (24 sc)
R22: 1 sc in next 2 st, 2 sc in next st repeat from * to * around (18 sc)
R23: 1 sc in next 1 st, 2 sc in next st repeat from * to * around (12 sc)
R24: 2 sc in each st around (6 sc)
Sew 6 sc together to close the ball.
Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Caterpillar Body = Colorful Balls

We will crochet according to the measured temperatures. I will measure the highest temperature during the day.

One ball represents one month. A ball has a number of rows equal to the number of days in the month.

Month with 30 days: 24 rows
Month with 31 days: 25 rows
Month with 28 days: 23 rows

According to this table:

R = row
S = number of stitches in a row
D = day of the month

We crochet according to the highest daily temperature, working in continuous rounds.

Explanation of the concept: The text describes a crochet project where each colored ball represents a month of the year. The number of rows in each ball corresponds to the number of days in that month. The height of each row will likely vary based on the temperature measurement for that day, creating a unique and visually interesting pattern.

Antennae

This part is worked in continuous rounds.

R1: Ch 6, 6 sc in magic ring (6 sc)
R2: 2 sc in each st around (12 sc)
R3: 1 sc in each st around (12 sc)
R4: 2 sc in each st around (6 sc)
R5-8: 1 sc in each st around (6 sc)

Stuff lightly with stuffing. Crochet another antenna, exactly the same. Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing onto the head.

Leg

This part is worked in continuous rounds.

R1: Ch 6, 6 sc in magic ring (6 sc)
R2: 2 sc in each st around (12 sc)
R3: 1 sc in next 3 st, 2 sc in next st repeat from * to * around (15 sc)
R4-6: 1 sc in each st around (15 sc)
R7: 1 sc in next 3 st, sh2ks repeat from * to * around (12 sc)
R8: 1 sc in each st around (15 sc)

Lightly stuff with stuffing. Crochet 24 legs in total. Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing onto the body.

What this pattern does: This pattern creates a small, cylindrical shape that can be used as an antenna for a crocheted creature. The piece is worked in continuous rounds and then stuffed for a 3D effect.

You can crochet the legs in the same color, or you can make each pair a different color.

We have everything ready, and now I can only wish you a fun time crocheting the colorful balls!

Continue with the balls according to the chosen temperature scale, one row or half a row each day. And I look forward to seeing how your caterpillar is happily coloring!

NOW WE HAVE PREPARED EVERYTHING FOR THE TEMPERATURE PILLOW FISH! LET ME WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY AND FUN CROCHETING!

It is up to you whether you choose to record the highest, lowest, or average daily temperatures, but whatever value you choose, simply use the assigned color from your gradient for that day’s temperature.

I am so excited, we can share and post photos of our pillows, to compare the progress with everyone else’s and admire how the fishes’ colors are changing, giving you accountability and encouragement to keep going!

All over the world, temperature projects look different - imagine how opposite an Australian pillow would be, compared to one from Italy or Sweden!

By the end of the year, you’ll have your own unique and personal pillow!

We can fully appreciate the colorful results of this year-long project. How will our fishes vary across the world? I can’t wait to find out! The great thing about this project is that, although we don’t know in advance exactly how our snakes will turn out and that’s part of the fun! I guarantee that they’re all going to look fantastic!

Stay in touch at Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

This pattern is made for beginners - only a basic skill level is required to make it. If you don't understand any of my instructions, don't worry I am here for you.

Have questions? Join the Facebook Group!

I hope this article will be useful for you! If you have any additional questions, feel free to join my Facebook Group. I created this group for you to share pictures, ask questions, and help each other out.

MORE TEMPERATURES PROJECTS?

TRY UNIQUE RAINBOW FISH PILLOW

In part 1, we showed you how to create a temperature scale and how to crochet the base for the pillow.

In part 2, we showed you how to crochet colorful scales, fins, mouth, and tail.

In the third part, you will see the final result:

MORE PATTERNS?
You know me, I love making homemade things and creating beautiful gifts for my family and my friends. I also love doing my own crochet Amigurumi.
If you do as well, you may would love to try these patterns as well:

For even more crochet Home decor patterns, check out my collection.

All of the patterns on that list of beautifully designed, and suitable for both beginners and experienced crocheters.

Explore More Crochet Patterns
If you love to crochet as much as I do, I think you’ll love these other free crochet patterns.

What’s Next?

Pin this post: Save this tutorial to your Pinterest boards so that you can come back to it later.

Leave a comment: I love to hear your feedback. Tell me in the comments below!

Share on Instagram and Facebook: When you make this project, share it on social media and tag me @sonanebeska. I love to see what you make!

♥♥♥

Have fun and let me know what you make. I would love to know how your project turns out.
Please don't forget to like and I really appreciate your comments.
If the pattern did not make sense to you, please don’t hesitate to contact me, I am happy to help :)
If you like this pattern, please follow and share my projects on social networks as a THANK YOU and to help me to create new projects and patterns for you.
Thank you very much once again for your visit and see you soon!

♥♥♥

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