Crochet Planets and Solar System Play Set

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Make learning fun and portable with my Crochet Planets and Solar System Play Set! Suited for all ages and all learning stages.

Finished crochet planets and solar system mat.

I absolutely love making crochet toys to teach my son different science concepts, as well as emotional learning, through projects like my reversible crochet volcano and reversible crochet cloud patterns. The reversible patterns are great because they double as fidget toys. However, I wanted to create something he could interact with a bit more.

The crochet planetary system allows him to arrange the crochet planets and sun from largest to smallest, as well as in their proper orbits. There are so many games to play and endless fun to be had!

The design of the crochet planets and solar system was intentional. My kid has a ton of toys and always asks to bring a few when we visit friends and family. The crochet solar system mat folds up into a bag that's big enough to carry all the crochet planets and the sun! This also makes for easy clean-up and storage at home.

So let's get started!

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✏️ Things To Note:
🪡 Materials Needed
💭Abbreviations to Remember (US terms)
🧋Variations
🍵Instructions for Crochet Play Mat and Solar System
🐌Expert Tips
🧵Pattern FAQs
🧶More Crochet Plushie Patterns

✏️ Things To Note:

Yarn Usage: I used scrap yarn for my crochet planets to creatively use up leftover materials. You can use new skeins if you'd like, but you won’t need much yarn for the project. I love scrap yarn projects and use them for all sorts of things - toys, blankets and scarves like my crochet moss stitch scarf.
Orbit Lines: The orbit lines are embroidered on, but you can also surface crochet them or make a round of single crochet.
Travel Play Set: If you want to make this a travel play set, follow the instructions for the drawstring. Otherwise, you can skip those parts.

🪡 Materials Needed

1 skein of Red Heart Navy
1 skein of Red Heart Yellow
Scrap Yarns - mostly 3-4 different blues, 1 green, a few different creams, browns yellows and also rusty orange.
5mm crochet hook
4.5mm crochet hook
Tapestry needle

💭Abbreviations to Remember (US terms)

Magic ring (mr)
Single crochet (sc)
Double crochet (dc)
Increase (inc) - 2 stitches in the same stitch
Chains (ch)
Slip stitch (sl st)

🧋Variations

Feel free to change the colors of the crochet planets to suit your preferences. You can surface crochet the orbit lines instead of embroidering them. If surface crocheting is difficult for you for the rings of Saturn and Uranus, consider sewing on felt for the rings.

🍵Instructions for Crochet Play Mat and Solar System

For this pattern we will be working in rounds.

Round 1: Using the 5mm hook and navy yarn, make a mr, next ch x2 and then dc x12 into the mr, sl st to first dc (12). If you find it difficult making a magic ring you can chain 2 and then in the second chain from hook, slip stitch then ch x2 and crochet dc x12 in the second chain from the hook, then sl st to first dc. (12)

Every round you will begin with a ch x2 but that does not count as a stitch, that is for you to get the height necessary to make the next dc.

Round 2: Ch x2, inc in every dc, sl st to first dc. (24)

Round 3: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (36)

Round 4: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x2) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (48)

Round 5: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x3) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (60)

Round 6: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x4) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (72)

Round 7: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x5) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (84)

Round 8: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x6) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (96)

Round 9: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x7) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (108)

Round 10: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x8) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (120)

Round 11: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x9) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (132)

Round 12: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x10) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (144)

Round 13: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x11) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (156)

Round 14: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x12) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (168)

Round 15: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x13) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (180)

Round 16: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x14) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (192)

Round 17: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x15) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (204)

Round 18: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x16) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (216)

Round 19: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x17) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (228)

Round 20: Ch x2, (inc dc, dc x18) repeat what's in the brackets for the rest of the round, sl st to first dc. (240)

Round 21: Make a sc, then ch x3 + skip 2 stitches then sc. Then repeat for the rest of the round. When the round is finished, sl st to the beginning.

Round 22: Ch x2, then in each ch space dc x4. Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Finished blue circle playmat with embroidered lines.

Drawstring:

To make the drawstring I just chained roughly 350 chains tightly. You may need more or less depending on your tension. Weave in the ends.

Then weave the drawstring in between the holes left from the chains on the playmat.

Embroidery work:

Take a long piece of white yarn and thread it on your needle, then embroider one inch white lines every other row starting on the 5th inner circle and working your way out. You should be able to have 8 or so white embroidered circles on your playmat.

To embroider, go through or around a dc post, if the needle is on the top side of the playmat, skip 3 dc posts and then go under or through the next dc post and then bring the needle through the top and skip 3 more dc posts. The long white lines should be about 1 inch while the little blue blank spots should be about a third of an inch.

Crochet Planets:

USE THE 4.5MM HOOK TO CROCHET THE PLANETS AND THE SUN.

Pluto:

Round 1: Using a light blue yarn, make a mr and then sc x5 into the mr. (5)

Round 2: Inc in every sc. (10)

Round 3: Inc, sc, then repeat until end of round (15)

Round 4: Sc in every stitch. (15)

Round 5: Dec, sc, then repeat for the entire round (10)

Round 6: Dec and then repeat for the entire round (5). Then fasten off and sew the ball shut.

Neptune:

Round 1: Using a medium to dark blue yarn, make a mr and then sc x6 into the mr. (6)

Round 2: Inc in every sc. (12)

Round 3: Inc, sc, then repeat until end of round (18)

Round 4: Inc, sc x2, then repeat until end of round (24)

Round 5: Inc, sc x3, then repeat until end of round (30)

Round 6-9: Sc in every stitch (30)

Round 10: Dec, sc x3, then repeat for the entire round (24)

Round 11: Dec, sc x2, then repeat for the entire round (18)

Round 12: Dec, sc, then repeat for the entire round (12)

Round 13: Dec and then repeat for the entire round (6). Then fasten off and sew the ball shut.

Uranus:

Round 1: Using a medium blue yarn, make a mr and then sc x6 into the mr. (6)

Round 2: Inc in every sc. (12)

Round 3: Inc, sc, then repeat until end of round (18)

Round 4: Inc, sc x2, then repeat until end of round (24)

Round 5-7: Sc in every stitch (24)

Round 8: Dec, sc x2, then repeat for the entire round (18)

Round 9: Dec, sc, then repeat for the entire round (12)

Round 10: Dec and then repeat for the entire round (6). Then fasten off and sew the ball shut.

Uranus rings:

Like Saturn, Uranus has faint rings. We will surface crochet the ring, but you can do Uranus’s rings in either light blue or white depending on the colors you have.

Round 1: Now find the middle of the ball, then insert the hook into the middle row of the sphere and pull the yarn meant for Uranus’ ring through the hole with the hook. Slip stitch the entire round by grabbing the sc posts from the row.

Round 2: Inc, sc x3, then repeat for the entire round. (30). Fasten off the yarn and weave in any ends.

Earth:

Round 1: Using a more medium blue, make a mr and then sc x6 into the mr. (6)

Round 2: Inc in every sc using this particular order of colored stitches: 3 green, 3 blue, 4 green, 2 blue.

In order to make continents, you are going to trail either green or blue under your stitches for the ball depending on the color you are currently using. Also the continents wont look 100% like Earth but are close enough that it gives off the effect that this ball represents Earth. (12)

Round 3: Inc, sc, then repeat until end of round. Colored stitches: 4 green, 4 blue, 6 green, 4 blue. (18)

Round 4: Inc, sc x2, then repeat until end of round. Colored stitches: 6 green, 2 blue, 1 green, 3 blue, 6 green, 6 blue. (24)

Round 5: Sc in every stitch (24). Colored stitches: 5 green, 3 blue, 1 green, 5 blue, 4 green, 6 blue.

Round 6: Sc in every stitch (24) Colored stitches: 7 green, 9 blue, 1 green, 6 blue, 9 green.

Round 7: Sc in every stitch (24) Colored stitches: 5 green, 10 blue, 4 green, 5 blue.

Round 8: Dec, sc x2, then repeat for the entire round (18). Green - dec plus sc x2, Blue - Dec, sc x2, dec, sc x2, dec and then sc. Green - Sc, dec, sc x2, Blue - Dec, sc x2.

Round 9: Dec, sc, then repeat for the entire round (12). Green - dec, Blue - sc, dec, sc, dec, sc, dec, sc, Green - Dec, sc. Blue - dec and then sc.

Round 10: In just blue, dec and then repeat for the entire round (6). Then fasten off and sew the ball shut.

Saturn:

If you don't have a variegated yarn of white, yellow, cream or brown you can cut strips of different yarn and change the colors as the strips run out (I did this with my own Saturn planet).

Round 1: Using either white, yellow or brown yarn, make a mr and then sc x6 into the mr. (6)

Round 2: Inc in every sc. (12)

Round 3: Inc, sc, then repeat until end of round (18)

Round 4: Inc, sc x2, then repeat until end of round (24)

Round 5: Inc, sc x3, then repeat until end of round (30)

Round 6: Inc, sc x4, then repeat until end of round (36)

Round 7: Inc, sc x5, then repeat until end of round (42)

Round 8-13: Sc in every stitch (42)

Round 14: Dec, sc x5, then repeat for the entire round (36)

Round 15: Dec, sc x4, then repeat for the entire round (30). Stuff ball if you haven’t already yet.

Round 16: Dec, sc x3, then repeat for the entire round (24)

Round 17: Dec, sc x2, then repeat for the entire round (18)

Round 18: Dec, sc, then repeat for the entire round (12)

Round 19: Dec and then repeat for the entire round (6). Then fasten off and sew the ball shut.

Saturn rings:

We will surface crochet the ring, but you can do Saturn’s rings in either light yellow/brown or white depending on the colors you have.

Round 1: Now find the middle of the ball, then insert the hook into the middle row of the sphere and pull the yarn meant for Saturn’s rings through the hole with the hook. Slip stitch the entire round by grabbing the sc posts from the row.

Round 2: Inc, sc x6, then repeat for the entire round. (48).

Round 3: Inc, sc x7, then repeat for the entire round. (56). Fasten off the yarn and weave in any ends.

Jupiter:

If you don't have a variegated yarn of white, red, orange, or brown you can cut strips of different yarn and change the colors as the strips run out.

Round 1: Using either white, orange or brown yarn, make a mr and then sc x6 into the mr. (6)

Round 2: Inc in every sc. (12)

Round 3: Inc, sc, then repeat until end of round (18)

Round 4: Inc, sc x2, then repeat until end of round (24)

Round 5: Inc, sc x3, then repeat until end of round (30)

Round 6: Inc, sc x4, then repeat until end of round (36)

Round 7: Inc, sc x5, then repeat until end of round (42)

Round 8: Inc, sc x6, then repeat until end of round (48)

Round 9: Inc, sc x7, then repeat until end of round (54)

Round 10-17: Sc in every stitch (54)

Round 18: Dec, sc x7, then repeat for the entire round (48)

Round 19: Dec, sc x6, then repeat for the entire round (42)

Round 20: Dec, sc x5, then repeat for the entire round (36)

Round 21: Dec, sc x4, then repeat for the entire round (30)

Round 22: Dec, sc x3, then repeat for the entire round (24). Stuff ball if you haven’t already yet.

Round 23: Dec, sc x2, then repeat for the entire round (18)

Round 24: Dec, sc then repeat for the entire round (12)

Round 25: Dec, repeat for the entire round (6). Then fasten off and sew the ball shut.

Mars:

Round 1: Using a red yarn, make a mr and then sc x5 into the mr. (5)

Round 2: Inc in every sc. (10)

Round 3: Inc, sc, then repeat until end of round (15)

Round 4: Inc, sc x2, then repeat until end of round (20)

Round 5-6: Sc in every stitch (20)

Round 7: Dec, sc x2, then repeat for the entire round (15)

Round 8: Dec, sc, then repeat for the entire round (10)

Round 9: Dec and then repeat for the entire round (5). Then fasten off and sew the ball shut.

Venus:

Round 1: Using a more dark yellow mustardy yarn, make a mr and then sc x6 into the mr. (6)

Round 2: Inc in every sc. (12)

Round 3: Inc, sc, then repeat until end of round (18)

Round 4: Inc, sc x2, then repeat until end of round (24)

Round 5-7: Sc in every stitch (24)

Round 8: Dec, sc x2, then repeat for the entire round (18)

Round 9: Dec, sc, then repeat for the entire round (12)

Round 10: Dec and then repeat for the entire round (6). Then fasten off and sew the ball shut.

Mercury:

Round 1: Using a gray yarn, make a mr and then sc x6 into the mr. (6)

Round 2: Inc in every sc. (12)

Round 3: Inc, sc, then repeat until end of round (18)

Round 4-5: Sc in every stitch (18)

Round 6: Dec, sc, then repeat for the entire round (12)

Round 7: Dec and then repeat for the entire round (6). Then fasten off and sew the ball shut.

And that's it for the crochet planets.

Crochet Sun:

Round 1: Using yellow yarn, make a mr and then sc x6 into the mr. (6)

Round 2: Inc in every sc. (12)

Round 3: Inc, sc, then repeat until end of round. (18).

Round 4: Inc, sc x2, then repeat until end of round. (24).

Round 5: Inc, sc x3, then repeat until end of round (30)

Round 6: Inc, sc x4, then repeat until end of round. (36).

Round 7: Inc, sc x5, then repeat until end of round (42)

Round 8: Inc, sc x6, then repeat until end of round (48)

Round 9: Inc, sc x7, then repeat until end of round (54)

Round 10: Inc, sc x8, then repeat until end of round (60)

Round 11-19: Sc in every stitch. (60)

Round 20: Dec, sc x8, then repeat for the entire round (54)

Round 21: Dec, sc x7, then repeat for the entire round (48)

Round 22: Dec, sc x6, then repeat for the entire round (42)

Round 23: Dec, sc x5, then repeat for the entire round (36)

Round 24: Dec, sc x4, then repeat for the entire round (30). Stuff ball if you haven’t already yet.

Round 25: Dec, sc x3, then repeat for the entire round. (24).

Round 26: Dec, sc x2, then repeat for the entire round (18)

Round 27: Dec, sc, then repeat for the entire round (12)

Round 28: Dec and then repeat for the entire round (6). Then fasten off and sew the ball shut.

Once all the crochet planets and crochet sun have all the tails weaved in, you are officially done with the crochet planets and solar system travel play set.

If you are looking for more science-esque designs you can check out my crochet potion bottle pattern! A perfect crochet pillow pattern for little scientists!

If you are wanting to add more astronomy designs to your repertoire outside of making crochet planets you can make my crochet moon pillow pattern or crochet star garland pattern!

🐌Expert Tips

Experiment with Variegated Yarn: This can add a unique effect to each planet, mimicking real-life planetary colors.
Practice Before Starting: If you’re new to surface crocheting, practice on a swatch before applying it to your planets for better results.
Label Your Planets: If you create multiple sets, consider labeling the planets for easy identification during play.
Incorporate Educational Games: Use the solar system play set to teach your child about the order of the planets or their distances from the sun.

🧵Pattern FAQs

Can I use chunky yarn for this project?

I suggest medium or light weight yarn (4 or 3 weight) versus chunky because the balls would come out very huge.

I am struggling with the surface crocheting for the rings, are there other options to do the rings?

As far as crocheting, I don't think so, but you can use felt and sew on rings that way.

How long did you make your color strips for Saturn and Jupiter?

About an arm span for each color, some slightly shorter or longer for more variation.

Finished crochet planets and solar system mat bagged up.

🧶More Crochet Plushie Patterns

If you tried this Crochet Planets and Solar System Play Set (or any other pattern on my website), please let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear from you!

Finished crochet planet and solar system pattern.

Crochet Planets and Solar System Play Set

Make learning fun and portable with my Crochet Planets and Solar System Play Set! Suited for all ages and all learning stages.

Author: Kimberly Arenas

Materials

▢ 1 skein of Red Heart Navy
▢ 1 skein of Red Heart Yellow
▢ Scrap Yarns mostly 3-4 different blues, 1 green, a few different creams, browns yellows and also rusty orange.
▢ 5mm crochet hook
▢ 4.5mm hook
▢ Tapestry needle

Abbreviations (US terms)

mr = Magic ring
sc = Single crochet
dc = Double Crochet
inc = Increase (2 stitches in the same stitch)
ch = Chain
sl st = Slip Stitch

Notes

Used scrap yarn for crochet planets, great for using up leftovers. New skeins also work, requiring minimal yarn. Orbit lines embroidered, surface crocheted, or single crochet round. Designed as a travel play set; omit drawstring if not desired. Customize planet colors, choose between surface crochet and embroidery. For Saturn and Uranus rings, consider sewing on felt if surface crocheting is challenging.