Crochet Butterfly: A 5-Minute Appliqué in One Ring
Four wings worked into a single magic ring, a wrapped body and knotted antennae. Five minutes each, so make a dozen: for garlands, hair clips, cards, keychains or to decorate a blanket.
Pattern at a glance
US terms- Skill level
- Beginner
- Yarn
- DK (#3) cotton, about 4 yd per butterfly; black scrap
- Hook
- 3 mm (C-2/D-3)
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- Finished size
- About 2 in (5 cm) wide
You'll need
- DK (#3) cotton — about 4 yd per butterfly
- Black or dark scrap for the body
- 3 mm hook
- Tapestry needle
In this post
A crochet butterfly is four wings worked into one magic ring: two big wings in treble crochet and two small ones in double crochet. Pull the ring tight and the wings pinch together in the middle. Wrap a dark yarn around the centre for the body and knot the ends into antennae. One takes about five minutes.
The rest of this post is just below — free, as always.
The butterfly
- Big wing: Make a magic ring. Ch 3, 3 tr into the ring, ch 3, sl st into the ring.
- Second big wing: Ch 3, 3 tr into the ring, ch 3, sl st into the ring.
- Small wing: Ch 2, 3 dc into the ring, ch 2, sl st into the ring.
- Second small wing: Ch 2, 3 dc into the ring, ch 2, sl st into the ring.
- Close: Pull the ring tight so the wings bunch in the centre. Fasten off and weave in the ends.
- Body: Cut 12 in of black yarn. Wrap it 5–6 times around the centre, between the big and small wings, and tie it at the top.
- Antennae: Trim the two ends to about 1 in and tie a small knot at each tip.
Two-colour butterfly
For an outlined butterfly, join a second colour and sc around each wing: 2 sc in each chain space and 1 sc in each stitch, sl st between wings. It's an extra five minutes and looks much bolder.
What to make with butterflies
| Project | How many | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Garland | 12–15 | Thread on twine through the body wrap |
| Hair clip | 1–2 | Hot-glue to a snap clip |
| Keychain | 2 | Sew two back to back around a jump ring |
| Blanket or bag decoration | Any | Sew by the body only so wings lift |
| Card or gift tag | 1 | Glue onto card stock |
Pair them with the daisy charm and easy crochet flowers for a spring garden, or add them to a crochet wall hanging.
Common questions
How do you crochet a simple butterfly?
Into one magic ring, work two wings of (ch 3, 3 tr, ch 3, sl st) and two wings of (ch 2, 3 dc, ch 2, sl st). Pull the ring tight and wrap the centre for the body.
Can I make bigger butterflies?
Yes. Use worsted yarn on a 4.5 mm hook for 3-inch butterflies, or work 5 tr per big wing instead of 3.
Are crochet butterflies good for beginners?
Very. You only need a magic ring, chains, double and treble crochet.
How many butterflies can you make in an hour? 🦋
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