Free Crochet Butterfly Pattern

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With this free crochet butterfly pattern, you’ll learn how to crochet adorable butterflies in less than 10 minutes. Isn’t it amazing the cheer that these colorful insects bring to your garden in Spring?

I know I always look forward to seeing them in my yard every year. Not to mention, the life cycle of a butterfly is so interesting. And do you know what’s it’s even better? If you’re a butterfly lover, you can make your own with yarn. In any color you like.

This is an easy-to-follow, quick free pattern that you will love to work on. Keep scrolling for the supplies you’ll need and for the pattern. But before you scroll, please make sure you read through the recommendations and ideas to customize your butterflies.

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Save it Now to Make Later

Would you rather work on this free crochet butterfly pattern later? No problem, save it to your Ravelry queue or pin it with the imagine below.

Why You’ll Love These Butterflies 

Butterflies are not only fun Spring crochet projects, but they are great for adorning other projects or decorating your home. Not to mention, they are perfect for using your leftover yarns as well. Here is what you can use this free crochet butterfly pattern for:

• Spring bunting – make several of them and attach to a string to use as a garland to decorate a mantel or window.
• Beautiful motifs – use thinner yarns to make them small and use them to embellish garments, hats, purses, gift tops, and kid’s dresses.
• Hair accessories – you can attach them to tiaras or to a hair clip to make cute hair accessories for girls.
• Cute gifts – simply make them to give away as small gifts.
• Magnets – Use a hot glue gun to attach a magnet do decorate your fridge in Spring and Summer.

The Basic Steps to Crochet a Butterfly

This is a simple pattern that has an octagon shape with 3 rounds. The full instructions are further down, but here are the basic steps:

1. Firstly, you’ll create a magic circle.
2. Secondly, you’ll add 8 3-double crochet clusters to the magic circle.
3. Thirdly, you’ll crochet the second round using 3-double crochet clusters to create 8 points.
4. Lastly, you’ll crochet round 3 using a “single crochet spike” technique. Which means you’ll crochet the points of the butterfly and crochet an extended single crochet stitch in the center stitch in the round below.

Customization Ideas

Wondering what you can do to customize this free crochet butterfly pattern? Here are some ideas:

• Size – use different yarn weights to make your butterflies smaller or larger. 
• Colors – the pattern has 3 rounds, make each round in different colors. Ideally, it’s best if you use 4 colors. One color for each of the 3 rounds and a fourth color for the antennae and body. Or you can use speckled or print yarns to make it super colorful.
• Add-ons – use beads and/or pipe cleaners for the antennae and body. That option would be a great alternative to using yarn.

Materials

You don’t need much for this free crochet butterfly pattern. In fact, this is a perfect project to use your yarn leftovers. Here is what you’ll need:

• Crochet Hook – I used a 4mm (US 7) Tulip hook.
• Yarn – I used worsted weight (#4) yarns from my stash. 
• Tapestry needle to weave in the ends.
• Yarn Scissors

Free Crochet Butterfly Pattern

This pattern uses US crochet terminology.

Difficulty level: Easy.

Finished project size: 4” (10 cm) wide x 3” (7.5 cm) tall without the antennae.

Use your yarn stash for this free crochet butterfly pattern. Most yarns will be suitable, depending on the size you want your finished project to be. 

Stitches & Abbreviations (US terms)

• ch(s): chain(s)
• dc: double crochet
• cluster: a group of 3 double crochet stitches in the same space
• extended sc: insert the hook in the designated stitch in the round below, yarn over, pull up an extended loop to make a single crochet stitch 
• mc: magic circle
• sc: single crochet
• sp: space
• sl st: slip stitch
• st(s): stitch(es)

Instructions

Before you get started with the free crochet butterfly pattern, make sure you check the “customization ideas” section above for recommendations on how to use yarn colors.

• Step 1: Create a magic circle and ch 4.

• Step 2: Crochet the first round. In the mc (dc 3, ch 1) 7 times, dc 3, join to initial ch-4 space with a sl st.

• Step 3: Crochet the second round. Ch 4, dc 3 in same space as ch 4, *(dc 3, ch 1, dc 3) in next ch 1 sp. Repeat from the asterisk 6 more times, dc 3 in the initial space to complete the first point of the octagon, join to initial ch-4 space with a sl st.

• Step 4: Crochet the third and last round.
  • Ch 4, dc 3 in same space as ch 4,
  • *extended sc in the middle st of next cluster in round 1, (dc 3, ch 1, dc 3) in next ch 1 sp.
  • Repeat from the asterisk 6 more times, dc 3 in the initial space to complete the first point of the octagon, join to initial ch-4 space with a sl st.

• Step 5: Body and antennae – ch 27, sl st in back bump of next 20 chs. Do not cut the yarn.

• Step 6: Assembling the free crochet butterfly pattern.
  • Fold the octagon in half to shape the butterfly, with 4 points on each side. 
  • Next, wrap the partially made chain from step 5 around the center of the butterfly, so half is in the back and the other half in the front. 
  • Then, sl st in 20^th st of the antennae strip to join and form the body and two antennae.
  • Sl st in back bump of the 6 remaining chains to finish. 
  • Fasten off. Cut the yarn. Weave-in the ends. 

And just like that, you’re done with your free crochet butterfly pattern. Hopefully, you enjoyed making them.

FAQ

More Free Patterns

Before you go, you may like to check these other free patterns out here on the blog:

• No-Sew Crochet Chick
• No-Sew Amigurumi Bee
• No-Sew Long-Eared Amigurumi Bunny
• Amigurumi Strawberry
• Flower Granny Squares Patterns Roundup
• Crochet Amigurumi Ducks

What do do next

Drop a comment below if you have any questions about this free crochet butterfly pattern or if you would just like to say “hi”. Another way to reach out to me is by joining my community group on Facebook. 

If you use any of my patterns or tutorials for a project, please tag me @zamiguz or use the hashtag #zamiguzmakers. I would love to see what you make.

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Join my Facebook Community Group

I have a community group on Facebook to share all things crochet related (not only my patterns). You’re more than welcome to join to share your makes and to ask questions about this free crochet butterfly pattern or any of my other pattern. It’s free and you and private. Click this link and give it a try.

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