The Snowlight Butterfly is a small, lacy ornament with wings, worked in one soft blush-cream yarn. It has two mirrored wings made of fan-shaped lobes, a hanging loop at the top, and a slim corded tail at the bottom. It’s light and airy, so it suits winter windows, a neutral Christmas tree, or a gift tag.
Each wing has three lobes. A short chain spoke runs out from the center ring and ends in a fan of double crochet stitches. A return chain then runs back to the ring. This gives every lobe an open, chain-framed space near the body and a solid fan at its outer end. A round of single crochet edging gives the wings a smooth, scalloped outline.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished ornament measures 6.5 in (16.5 cm) across the wings and 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tall, from the top of the hanging loop to the tip of the tail.
You make the whole base with one continuous strand, in this order: center ring, hanging loop, right wing, tail and left wing. Then you add edging to each wing and to the hanging loop. There are no separate pieces to sew together.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 6.5 in (16.5 cm) wide x 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tall
- Skill level: Easy / advanced beginner
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
- Hook: 5.0 mm (US H-8)
- Number of pieces: 1 single motif
- Layout: Two mirrored wings around a center ring, with a hanging loop above and a corded tail below
- Piece size: 6.5 in (16.5 cm) x 4.5 in (11.4 cm)
- Size before border: 6 in (15.2 cm) wide x 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tall
- Border depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm) on each wing edge
Materials
Choose a smooth worsted-weight yarn so the fans and chain spokes stay crisp. Cotton or a cotton blend holds its shape best for a hanging ornament. Soft acrylic also works, but it needs firmer blocking. Avoid fuzzy or very loosely twisted yarns, because they blur the open spaces in the lobes.
- Blush cream (only color): 10 g, about 20 m (22 yd)
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (US H-8) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Stitch marker
- Blocking mat and rust-proof pins
- Spray bottle with water
- Optional: fabric stiffener for a firmer ornament
The amount above includes a small safety margin. The ornament itself uses about 6 g of yarn.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- sp – space
- rep – repeat
Special technique – sc over a chain: Put the hook under the whole chain, not into a single chain stitch. Yarn over and finish a sc. This wraps the chain neatly and lets you spread sts evenly along a curve.
Special stitch – fan: Several dc worked into the same chain. The 3 skipped chains count as the first dc. All sts come out of that one chain, so the fan opens into a half circle.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Before you start the full ornament, make one test ring and one middle lobe. Small motifs change size quickly with tension, so this short test saves time.
- Chain gauge: 4 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm)
- Dc height: about 0.625 in (1.6 cm)
- Edging gauge: 5 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm) when worked over a chain
Checkpoints:
- After Round 1: the center ring measures 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.
- After the middle lobe: the lobe reaches 2.625 in (6.7 cm) from the edge of the ring to the outer edge of the fan.
- After the base is finished: the wings span 6 in (15.2 cm). The height from loop top to tail tip is 4.5 in (11.4 cm).
- After the border: the wings span 6.5 in (16.5 cm). The height stays 4.5 in (11.4 cm).
If your test lobe is longer than 2.625 in (6.7 cm), go down 0.5 mm in hook size. If it’s shorter, go up 0.5 mm. Keep your chains even, because the spokes and return chains set most of the wing size.
Pattern
The base is one continuous strand. Every lobe starts from one ring stitch and ends with a sl st in the next ring stitch, so the ring is your map. Count your chains twice before you work each fan. One extra or missing chain is easy to miss in such a small piece.
Center Ring
Foundation: Ch 6, sl st in first ch to form a ring.
Round 1: Ch 1, work 12 sc into the ring, sl st in first sc to join. (12 sc)
Number the sts from sc 1 (the joining st) to sc 12, going around in your working direction. Sc 1 is the top of the ornament. Put a marker in sc 1 if that helps.
Checkpoint: the ring is 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.
Hanging Loop
Ch 12, sl st in the same sc (sc 1). (1 ch-12 loop)
The loop stands about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) above the ring.
Right Wing
Sl st in sc 2.
Upper lobe: Ch 12. Dc in 4th ch from hook, then 4 more dc in the same ch. (6 dc fan, counting the 3 skipped ch as 1 dc) Ch 10, sl st in next sc (sc 3).
The first 8 ch form the spoke, about 2 in (5.1 cm) long. The fan sits at the end of the spoke, and the ch-10 return chain closes the lobe into an open teardrop.
Middle lobe: Ch 11. Dc in 4th ch from hook, then 7 more dc in the same ch. (9 dc fan) Ch 9, sl st in next sc (sc 4).
On this lobe the spoke is 7 ch, about 1.75 in (4.4 cm).
Lower lobe: Ch 10. Dc in 4th ch from hook, then 7 more dc in the same ch. (9 dc fan) Ch 8, sl st in next sc (sc 5).
On this lobe the spoke is 6 ch.
Right wing totals: 3 lobes, 24 dc (6 + 9 + 9).
As you finish each lobe, lay it flat so the fan opens away from the ring. The upper lobe points up and out toward the wing tip. The middle lobe points straight out. The lower lobe points down and out.
Tail
Sl st in sc 6, sl st in sc 7.
Ch 10. Sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of the next 8 ch. (9 sl st) Sl st in sc 7.
The tail hangs about 2.25 in (5.7 cm) below the ring. Working sl sts back along the chain makes it firm and cord-like. Sc 7 is directly opposite sc 1, so the loop and the tail line up vertically.
Left Wing
Sl st in sc 8, sl st in sc 9. You work the left wing in reverse order so it mirrors the right wing.
Lower lobe: Ch 10. Dc in 4th ch from hook, then 7 more dc in the same ch. (9 dc fan) Ch 8, sl st in next sc (sc 10).
Middle lobe: Ch 11. Dc in 4th ch from hook, then 7 more dc in the same ch. (9 dc fan) Ch 9, sl st in next sc (sc 11).
Upper lobe: Ch 12. Dc in 4th ch from hook, then 4 more dc in the same ch. (6 dc fan) Ch 10, sl st in next sc (sc 12).
Sl st in sc 1. Fasten off and weave in the end.
Left wing totals: 3 lobes, 24 dc (9 + 9 + 6). Base totals: 12 sc ring, 6 lobes, 48 dc.
Checkpoint: lay the ornament flat and press each lobe into place with your fingers. The wings should span 6 in (15.2 cm): 0.75 in (1.9 cm) for the ring plus 2.625 in (6.7 cm) for each wing. The height should be 4.5 in (11.4 cm): 1.5 in (3.8 cm) loop + 0.75 in (1.9 cm) ring + 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tail.
Border
The border is one round of sc around the outer edge of each wing, plus a sc covering on the hanging loop. The tail isn’t edged.
Border gauge: 5 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm) over a chain. Chains work up at 4 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm), so you need about 1.25 sc for every chain. On the fans, the border sits one sc height farther from the fan’s center, so the outer curve is about one third longer. That’s why each fan gets 4 sc for every 3 dc.
Keep your sc snug but relaxed. The edging should sit flat on the chains without squeezing them shorter.
Part A: Right Wing Edging
With the right side facing you, join yarn with a sl st in sc 2 of the ring, at the base of the upper lobe’s spoke.
Upper lobe: Work 10 sc over the ch-8 spoke, ending at the base of the fan. Then work across the top of the fan, starting in the top of the skipped ch-3: [sc in next 2 dc, 2 sc in next dc] twice. (8 sc) Work 12 sc over the ch-10 return chain. Sl st in sc 3. (30 sc)
Middle lobe: Work 9 sc over the ch-7 spoke. Across the fan: [sc in next 2 dc, 2 sc in next dc] 3 times. (12 sc) Work 11 sc over the ch-9 return chain. Sl st in sc 4. (32 sc)
Lower lobe: Work 8 sc over the ch-6 spoke. Across the fan: [sc in next 2 dc, 2 sc in next dc] 3 times. (12 sc) Work 10 sc over the ch-8 return chain. Sl st in sc 5. (30 sc)
Fasten off. Right wing edging total: 92 sc (30 + 32 + 30).
Part B: Left Wing Edging
Join yarn with a sl st in sc 9, at the base of the left lower lobe’s spoke.
Lower lobe: 8 sc over the spoke, 12 sc across the fan as above, 10 sc over the return chain, sl st in sc 10. (30 sc)
Middle lobe: 9 sc over the spoke, 12 sc across the fan, 11 sc over the return chain, sl st in sc 11. (32 sc)
Upper lobe: 10 sc over the spoke, 8 sc across the fan, 12 sc over the return chain, sl st in sc 12. (30 sc)
Fasten off. Left wing edging total: 92 sc.
Part C: Hanging Loop
Join yarn with a sl st in sc 1. Work 16 sc over the ch-12 loop. Sl st in sc 1. Fasten off. (16 sc)
This covering makes the loop thicker and stronger, but not longer.
Border total: 92 + 92 + 16 = 200 sc.
Why the Math Works
For each chain section, multiply the chain count by 1.25 and round: 6 ch → 8 sc, 7 ch → 9 sc, 8 ch → 10 sc, 9 ch → 11 sc and 10 ch → 12 sc. The hanging loop has 12 ch, which gives 15 sc. It gets 1 extra sc because the outside of a loop is a longer curve. Fans follow the 3 dc → 4 sc rule: 6 dc → 8 sc and 9 dc → 12 sc. Both fan counts divide evenly by 3, so the [sc, sc, 2 sc] repeat always ends cleanly on the last dc.
The edging adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm) to the outer end of each wing, taking the span from 6 in (15.2 cm) to 6.5 in (16.5 cm). Each lobe now reaches about 2.875 in (7.3 cm) from the ring edge.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends along the back of the chains and fans, then trim.
- Lightly mist the ornament with water until it’s damp, not wet.
- Lay it right side up on a blocking mat.
- Pin the center ring first so the ornament can’t shift.
- Pin the hanging loop straight up and the tail straight down.
- Shape each lobe: pin the tip of each fan so the spoke and return chain open into an even teardrop.
- Check both wings with a ruler. The span should be 6.5 in (16.5 cm), and the two wings should match within 0.125 in (0.3 cm).
- For a stiffer ornament, brush on fabric stiffener at this point.
- Let it dry completely before you remove the pins.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The center ring has 12 sc, with the loop on sc 1 and the tail on sc 7.
- Each wing has 3 lobes: one 6-dc fan and two 9-dc fans.
- Every lobe has an open teardrop space between its spoke and return chain.
- Each wing edging has 92 sc: 30, 32 and 30 per lobe.
- The hanging loop has 16 sc.
- The wings are mirror images when laid flat.
- The finished size is 6.5 in (16.5 cm) x 4.5 in (11.4 cm).
- All ends are woven in and can’t be seen from the front.
Troubleshooting
The fans curl or cup. Your dc are tight compared to your chains. Loosen the dc slightly, or block the fans flat with extra pins.
The edging ruffles on the fans. You may have added extra increases. Check that the upper fan has exactly 8 sc and the middle and lower fans have 12 sc each.
The edging puckers the chains. Your sc are too tight. Relax your tension, or go up 0.5 mm for the border only.
The wings don’t match. Count the spoke and return chains on each lobe. One missing chain changes the lobe length by 0.25 in (0.6 cm).
The ornament twists when it hangs. Check that the hanging loop is on sc 1 and the tail is on sc 7, directly opposite. Re-block if needed.
The ring is crowded. Push the 12 sc close together during Round 1, and make sure each lobe’s sl st goes into its own sc.
The open spaces close up. The return chains are too short or too tight. Chain a little more loosely, and pin each teardrop open while blocking.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, then lay flat to dry and pin the lobes back into shape. If you used fabric stiffener, just dust the ornament, or stiffen it again after washing.
Final Notes
The size of this ornament comes from a short chain of measurements. The center ring is 0.75 in (1.9 cm). Each wing lobe reaches 2.625 in (6.7 cm) before edging, which gives a 6 in (15.2 cm) span. The 0.25 in (0.6 cm) border brings the wings to 6.5 in (16.5 cm). From top to bottom, the 1.5 in (3.8 cm) loop, the 0.75 in (1.9 cm) ring and the 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tail add up to 4.5 in (11.4 cm).
Once your first butterfly matches these numbers, the next ones will too. Hang it on a tree branch, tie it to a gift, or let it catch the winter light in a window.
Happy crocheting!