Doug the caterpillar knitting pattern

Using 5mm double pointed needles and Denim Blue yarn cast on 5 stitches. 

1. Row 1 Increase in each of the next 2 sts, K1, inc in each of the next 2 sts (9sts)
2. Row 2 Purl
3. Row 3 (K1, m1) to last st, K1 (17sts)
4. Row 4 Purl
5. Row 5 (K2, m1) to last st, K1 (25sts)
6. Row 6 Purl
7. Row 7 Knit
8. Row 8 Purl
9. Row 9 (K3, m1) to last st, K1 (33sts)
10. Row 10 Purl
11. Row 11 Knit
12. Row 12 Purl
13. Row 13 (K4, m1) to last st, K1 (41sts)  
    Place a marker, join work into a round and work as follows:
14. Row 14-33 Knit 

34. Row 34 Change to 4.5mm needles and knit one round

Doug’s body is made from twelve different coloured segments. Repeat rows 35-52 for each colour change. 

Doug’s colour sequence is: 

• Grass Green,
• Rosehip Pink,
• Marigold Yellow,
• Denim Blue,
• Grass Green,
• Denim Blue,
• Rosehip Pink,
• Marigold Yellow,
• Denim Blue,
• Grass Green,
• Rosehip Pink, and
• Marigold Yellow for the tail. 

35. Row 35 Change yarn colour, knit one round
36. Row 36 Purl
37. Row 37 Change back to size 5mm needles. Knit
38. Row 38 Purl Row
39. 39 Knit
40. Row 40 Purl
41. Row 41 Knit
42. Row 42-45 Purl 

46. Row 46 Knit
47. Row 47 Purl
48. Row 48 Knit
49. Row 49 Purl
50. Row 50 Knit
51. Row 51 Change to 4.5mm needles and purl one round
52. Row 52 Knit 

NOTE: You may want to sew up the head and start stuffing the body as you go along rather than waiting until the end.

Before beginning the tail segment sew up the head section and fully stuff your caterpillar with wadding. Continue to stuff the tail end as you taper off the body. 

1. Row 1 Change yarn colour, knit one round
2. Row 2 Purl
3. Row 3 Change back to size 5mm needles. Knit
4. Row 4 Purl
5. Row 5 Knit
6. Row 6 Purl
7. Row 7 Knit
8. Row 8-11 Purl 

12. Row 12 *K4, K2tog* repeat to last stitch, K1 (33sts)
13. Row 13 Purl
14. Row 14 *K3, K2tog* repeat to last stitch, K1 (25sts)
15. Row 15 Purl
16. Row 16 *K2, K2tog* repeat to last stitch, K1 (17sts)
17. Row 17 K2tog to last stitch, K1 (9sts) 

Cut yarn leaving a long tail and using a needle thread yarn through the remaining stitches on the needle. Pull tight, and secure.

Make four for each body segment and two for tail end (46 for a full length Doug) Using 5mm double pointed needles cast on 9 stitches, (leave enough yarn from cast on to sew leg on to body later). Join into a round. 

1. Row 1 *K1, inc 1, K2, inc 1,*repeat to last 2 stitches, K2 (14 stitches)
2. Row 2 Knit all stitches
3. Row 3 Knit all stitches Row 4 *K2, K2 tog, *repeat to end (7 stitches) 

Cut yarn leaving long tail and using a needle, thread yarn through remaining stitches on the needle. Pull tight and secure. Turn your work inside out, you want the wrong side showing to match the body segments. Stuff with wadding and set aside to be sewn on to the main body later.

Sew four legs of matching colour to the underside of each segment. Sew the two antenna to the top of the head. 

Using pins mark the start and finish of a 9cm long line in the centre of Doug’s face (about 8cm up from his neck line where you started the first body segment). Doug’s moustache is made from random tassels of yarn knotted along this line. Start by cutting several 7-8cm lengths of yarn in blue, grey and rusty brown colours. Take each length individually and, using a needle, sew into the work. Draw the yarn through to its halfway point; hold both ends of yarn together and tie a knot as close to the face as possible. Repeat this all the way along Doug’s top lip alternating between the three yarn colours. For an extra bushy moustache, make a second line of tassels underneath the first. His moustache should look quite raggedy and fluffy. Finally find two small black buttons, they don’t have to be identical and sew them on for eyes. This will bring your cosy caterpillar to life.