Jun
Basic Worm Body Construction
So you crochet a worm basically by making a really long tube, which sounds simple but there’s actually some stuff to figure out. I made my first one in spring 2022 when I was watching that Netflix show about the chess player and honestly it was a good distraction project because you don’t have to think too much once you get the rhythm down.
Start with a magic ring. If you don’t know how to do that just look it up real quick but basically you’re making an adjustable loop. Work 6 single crochets into the ring, pull it tight. Then you’re gonna do increases for maybe 2 rounds to get the worm body width you want. For a normal sized worm I usually do:
- Round 1: 6 sc in magic ring
- Round 2: inc in each stitch (12 total)
- Round 3: sc, inc around (18 total)
Then you just single crochet in each stitch for like… as long as you want the worm to be? I did mine for probably 30 rounds or something. My cat kept trying to grab the working yarn which was super annoying, had to keep moving her.
Stuffing and Shaping Problems
Here’s what annoyed me the most about making these things: the stuffing gets lumpy so easily. You’re working with this long tube and if you wait until the end to stuff it, you’re screwed because you can’t reach down inside properly. What I figured out is you gotta stuff as you go, like every 5-6 rounds just pause and add more polyfill.
I used Red Heart Super Saver for my first worm because that’s what I had lying around. The pink color, I think it was called Perfect Pink or maybe just Pink? It worked fine. The yarn is acrylic and kind of squeaky when you work with it but it’s cheap and worms don’t need to be fancy. Later I tried some Loops & Threads Impeccable in a brown color that looked more like an actual earthworm.
When you’re stuffing, don’t pack it too tight or the worm gets stiff and looks weird. You want it slightly floppy so it can curl and pose. But not too loose either or it looks sad and deflated. It’s this whole balance thing that you kinda just feel out.
Decreasing for the Tail End
Once your worm is long enough you need to taper the end. Same as the beginning but backwards. Do some decrease rounds:
- Round 1: sc, dec around
- Round 2: dec around
- Round 3: dec until closed
Fasten off and weave in the end. The tail end should look pointy-ish, like a real worm tail. Sometimes I skip round 3 and just sew it shut because I’m lazy and it ends up looking the same basically.
Face Details That Actually Matter
Worms don’t really have faces in real life but for amigurumi you gotta give them something or they just look like a lumpy sausage. I usually just do eyes. Safety eyes work if you have them, size 6mm or 8mm depending on how big you made the worm body. Put them kind of close together near one end of the tube.
If you don’t have safety eyes just embroider some with black yarn. Two little X shapes or French knots or whatever. I’ve done it both ways and honestly the embroidered ones look cuter sometimes because you can make them look in different directions.
Some people add a little smile or blush marks with pink embroidery floss but I think that makes it look too cutesy. A worm is a worm, you know? But do what you want.
Adding Segments or Stripes
Real worms have those segmented ring things on their bodies. You can replicate this by changing colors every few rounds or by adding surface stitches after you’re done. The color change method is easier while you’re working but you end up with a million yarn ends to weave in, which is the worst part of any project honestly.
For surface stitches, thread a tapestry needle with a contrasting color and just weave it around the body in a spiral or in rings. I did this on one worm using some cream colored yarn over a brown body and it looked pretty good. Took forever though because I kept losing track of where I was and having to pull it out and start over.
Another option is to crochet the whole body in one color then add texture with bumps or bobbles. You can throw in a bobble stitch every so often to make it look more organic and lumpy like actual worm skin. I tried this once but it made the stuffing situation even more complicated so I haven’t done it since.
Size Variations
You can make tiny worms or huge worms depending on your hook size and starting round count. For a small worm use like a 3.5mm hook and start with just 6 sc and one increase round. For a chunky boi use a 5mm or bigger hook and do more increase rounds at the start.
I made a whole family of different sized worms in summer 2024 when my friend asked me to make some for her kid’s garden themed birthday party. Used Bernat Blanket yarn for the biggest one which was probably a mistake because it got HUGE and used so much yarn, but the kid loved it so whatever. That chunky yarn works up fast at least.
Posing and Wire Armature
If you want your worm to hold a specific pose you need to put wire inside it. Just get some craft wire or pipe cleaners from the dollar store. Measure it to the length of your worm body minus a couple inches on each end so it doesn’t poke through.
Insert the wire after you’ve crocheted maybe half the body length. Then keep stuffing and crocheting around it. The wire lets you bend the worm into curves and S-shapes and it’ll stay that way. Without wire the worm just kinda… lies there in a blob.
One time I used wire that was too thick and it poked through the stitches after I bent it a few times, so use something flexible but not super thick gauge. 20 or 22 gauge works good.
Variations and Extra Features
You can add little leaves or flowers that the worm is “holding” or crawling through. Just crochet a basic leaf shape (chain a few, then sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc back down the other side) and sew it near the worm’s head. Or make a tiny mushroom or apple or whatever garden themed stuff.
Some patterns have the worm coming out of a crocheted dirt pile or apple but that seems like a lot of extra work. I just make the worm by itself.
Oh and you could add a little segment band in a different color to show where the clitellum is, which is that thick band real worms have, but nobody’s gonna know what that is unless they’re really into worms so it’s probably not worth it.
Yarn Weight Considerations
I’ve used worsted weight (like Red Heart Super Saver, Caron Simply Soft, that kind of stuff) and it works fine with a 4mm or 4.5mm hook. DK weight makes a smaller more delicate worm. Bulky yarn makes it go faster but the stitches show more so your tension needs to be tighter.
Cotton yarn like Lily Sugar’n Cream gives the worm more structure and it holds its shape better than acrylic but it’s also stiffer. Acrylic is squishier and better for a toy that kids are actually gonna play with. I don’t think I’d use expensive yarn for a worm honestly, seems wasteful when cheap stuff works just as good.
Common Problems I’ve Run Into
The body twisting as you work is super common. This happens when your tension isn’t even or you’re accidentally working in a spiral that’s too tight on one side. I haven’t really figured out how to prevent it completely but you can block it afterwards by getting it damp and pinning it straight while it dries.
Running out of yarn partway through is annoying because then you have to join new yarn in the middle of the body and that join is visible sometimes. Try to estimate how much you’ll need before starting or just have extra on hand.
The head and tail being different sizes even though you did the same increases and decreases. This happens to me more than I want to admit and I think it’s because my tension changes over the course of a project. By the time I get to the tail end I’m working looser or tighter than I was at the start. Just try to stay consistent I guess or don’t worry about it because worms aren’t supposed to be symmetrical anyway.
What Hook Size Actually Works
For worsted weight yarn I use a 4mm hook usually. Some people say to size down so the stuffing doesn’t show through but I think that makes the fabric too stiff. A 4.5mm works too and goes a bit faster. For chunky yarn obviously bigger hook, like 6mm or 6.5mm.
The goal is to have stitches tight enough that the polyfill doesn’t poke through but loose enough that the worm has some drape to it. You’ll figure out what works for your tension after making one or two.
How Long Does It Take
A basic worm takes me maybe 2-3 hours? That’s for a medium sized one that’s like 8-10 inches long. Tiny ones are faster, maybe an hour. The huge Bernat Blanket one I made took like 5 hours but I was also watching TV and not really paying attention so it could probably be done faster.
The stuffing and weaving in ends adds time. If you do color changes for segments add another hour at least for all those ends. This is why I usually just do solid color worms now because I hate weaving in ends with a burning passion.
Pattern or No Pattern
You don’t really need a written pattern for this. It’s just tube, that’s it. Once you understand the basic construction (increases at start, work even for length, decreases at end) you can make a worm any size or shape you want. I’ve never actually followed a written worm pattern, just kinda figured it out.
If you’re the type who needs everything written out then sure, find a pattern online, there’s tons of free ones. But it’s gonna tell you the same thing I just explained here. Magic ring, increase, work even, decrease, done.
The only time a pattern might be helpful is if you’re making a specific character worm that has details like a hat or something. But for a basic garden worm you can just wing it and it’ll turn out fine. That’s how I learned to make most amigurumi stuff anyway, just trying things and seeing what happens.
