Garden Flutter is a light, airy wall hanging. Thirty-one lace butterflies sit on seven sage-green vines, and tiny ring leaves branch off on short stems. The vines hang from a simple wooden slat. The strands get longer toward the center, so the bottom edge forms a gentle V.
The palette is quiet and springlike: powder blue, soft lavender and cream butterflies against sage green. Each butterfly has open spoke-and-arch wings, a scalloped outline, a rolled body and two short antennae.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished hanging is 22 in (55.9 cm) wide at the slat. The center strand drops 29.5 in (74.9 cm) below the slat, and the shortest strands drop 22 in (55.9 cm).
Here is the construction in brief. You crochet each butterfly in the round in five rounds and sew a separate body onto it. Each vine starts as one long chain. You then slip-stitch back along that chain, adding ring leaves and joining butterflies as you go. Finally, you close a loop around the slat at the top of each vine.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 22 in (55.9 cm) wide; drops of 22 in, 24.5 in, 27 in and 29.5 in (55.9 cm, 62.2 cm, 68.6 cm, 74.9 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: DK / light (#3) cotton
- Hook: 3.5 mm (US E-4)
- Pieces: 31 butterflies, 31 bodies, 7 vines (ring leaves are worked into the vines)
- Layout: 7 strands spaced 3 in (7.6 cm) apart, center to center
- Butterfly size: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide × 2.75 in (7.0 cm) tall
- Butterfly before edging: 3 in (7.6 cm) × 2.25 in (5.7 cm)
- Edging depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm) on every side
Materials
Use a smooth mercerized or matte cotton DK. These quantities assume about 115 m per 50 g (2.3 m per g).
- Powder blue: 45 g / 104 m (12 butterflies)
- Cream: 35 g / 81 m (10 butterflies)
- Lavender: 35 g / 81 m (9 butterflies)
- Sage green: 50 g / 115 m (vines and 72 ring leaves)
Tools:
– 3.5 mm (E-4) hook
– Tapestry needle
– Scissors
– Stitch markers
– Rustproof pins and a blocking mat
– Spray bottle
– Fabric stiffener (optional, for the antennae)
– Wooden slat, 22 in (55.9 cm) long × 1.5 in (3.8 cm) × 0.75 in (1.9 cm)
– Sawtooth hanger or cord for the wall
All quantities include a margin of about 15–25% for swatching and tails.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sp(s) – space(s)
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- MR – magic ring
Ring leaf on a stem: Ch 9. Sl st in the 5th ch from the hook to form a ring; the 4 ch below it are the stem. Ch 1 and work 12 sc into the ring, then sl st to the first sc. Sl st into the back bump of each of the 4 stem chains to return to the vine.
Gauge and Checkpoints
- Gauge: 20 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm)
- Vine: 6 chains, slip-stitched back = 1 in (2.5 cm)
Make one complete butterfly before you start the rest. Check it after each round:
- After Rnd 2: the center circle is 1 in (2.5 cm) across.
- After Rnd 4: 3 in (7.6 cm) wide × 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall.
- After Rnd 5, blocked: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) × 2.75 in (7.0 cm).
If your butterfly is more than 0.25 in (0.6 cm) too big, go down a hook size. If it is too small, go up one. If only your vine is off, adjust your chain tension rather than the chain counts: tighten if 6 chains measure more than 1 in (2.5 cm), loosen if less.
Butterfly (make 31)
Starting stitch 1 sits at the top center of the butterfly. The 16 spaces in Rnd 3 are placed so the wings mirror each other.
Rnd 1: MR, ch 1, 8 sc in ring, sl st to first sc. (8 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, sl st to first sc. (16 sc)
Rnd 3 (spokes):
– Ch 1, sc in st 1, ch 1 (top notch).
– [Sc in next st, ch 5] 4 times (right upper wing).
– Sc in next st, ch 1 (waist).
– [Sc in next st, ch 4] twice (right lower wing).
– Sc in next st, ch 1 (bottom notch).
– [Sc in next st, ch 4] twice (left lower wing).
– Sc in next st, ch 1 (waist).
– [Sc in next st, ch 5] 4 times (left upper wing).
– Sl st to first sc.
Count: 16 sc and 16 spaces (8 ch-5, 4 ch-4, 4 ch-1).
Rnd 4 (arches):
– Sl st into the top-notch ch-1 sp, ch 1, sc in the same sp.
– Right side: ch 6, sc in next ch-5 sp; [ch 7, sc in next ch-5 sp] 3 times; ch 6, sc in waist sp; ch 5, sc in next ch-4 sp; ch 6, sc in next ch-4 sp; ch 5, sc in bottom-notch sp.
– Left side: ch 5, sc in next ch-4 sp; ch 6, sc in next ch-4 sp; ch 5, sc in waist sp; ch 6, sc in next ch-5 sp; [ch 7, sc in next ch-5 sp] 3 times; ch 6.
– Sl st to first sc.
Count: 16 sc and 16 arches (6 ch-7, 6 ch-6, 4 ch-5).
Each sc sits at a spoke tip, so the arches link the spokes into open lace. The sc in the waist spaces and the notch spaces pull the outline inward between the wings.
Work Rnd 5 from the Border section before you join anything.
Body (make 31, matching butterfly color)
Row 1: Ch 10. Sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next 2 ch, dc in next 3 ch, hdc in next 2 ch, sc in last ch. (9 sts)
Fold the strip lengthwise and whipstitch the long edges together to make a rolled, tapered body about 1.75 in (4.4 cm) long.
Sew the body down the center of the butterfly, covering Rnds 1–2, from the top notch to the bottom notch.
For the antennae, thread a 5 in (12.7 cm) strand through the top of the body and tie it once. Knot each end 0.75 in (1.9 cm) from the body and trim close to the knots.
Vine (make 7)
Each vine has a hanging section of H chains plus a 30-chain slat loop.
Strand lengths and counts:
| Strand | Hanging drop | H | Total chain | Butterflies | Top-end rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1, S7 | 22 in (55.9 cm) | 132 | 162 | 4 | gap 18 |
| S2, S6 | 24.5 in (62.2 cm) | 147 | 177 | 4 | gap 33 |
| S3, S5 | 27 in (68.6 cm) | 162 | 192 | 5 | gap 18 |
| S4 | 29.5 in (74.9 cm) | 177 | 207 | 5 | gap 33 |
Step 1: With sage, chain the total count for your strand. Without turning, ch 5, sl st in the 5th ch from the hook, ch 1, work 12 sc into the ring and sl st to the first sc. This is the bottom tip leaf.
Step 2: Slip-stitch back up the vine, working into the back bump of each chain. Count sl sts from the bottom.
Bottom section:
– Sl st 8, then make a ring leaf (right).
– Sl st 10 and join the bottom notch (see Joining).
– Sl st 12 and join the top notch. The first butterfly is centered at chain 24, which is 4 in (10.2 cm) from the bottom.
Repeat section (once for each remaining butterfly):
– Sl st 6, ring leaf (left).
– Sl st 8, ring leaf (right).
– Sl st 4, join the bottom notch.
– Sl st 12, join the top notch.
Each repeat is 30 sts, so butterflies sit 5 in (12.7 cm) apart.
Top section:
– Sl st 6, ring leaf (left).
– Gap-33 strands only: sl st 8, ring leaf (right).
– Sl st the remaining chains up to H: 6 more on gap-18 strands, 13 more on gap-33 strands.
– Sl st 30 across the loop chains.
Step 3: Fold the loop over the slat from front to back and sl st into chain H. Fasten off.
Make All Pieces
Totals:
– Powder blue: 12 butterflies + 12 bodies
– Cream: 10 butterflies + 10 bodies
– Lavender: 9 butterflies + 9 bodies
– Sage green: 7 vines with 72 ring leaves in total (S1/S7: 9 each, S2/S6: 10 each, S3/S5: 11 each, S4: 12)
Layout grid (butterfly centers measured from the underside of the slat; B = blue, C = cream, L = lavender):
S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7
3 in B . L . L . B
5.5 in . C . B . C .
8 in C . B . B . C
10.5 in . L . C . L .
13 in L . C . C . L
15.5 in . B . L . B .
18 in B . L . L . B
20.5 in . C . B . C .
23 in . . B . B . .
25.5 in . . . C . . .
In cm, those heights are 7.6, 14.0, 20.3, 26.7, 33.0, 39.4, 45.7, 52.1, 58.4 and 64.8.
Because you work the vine from the bottom up, join the butterflies in reverse grid order. On S1, for example, that is B, L, C, B.
Joining
Method: sl st join-as-you-go, with the vine running behind the butterfly.
Stitch-to-stitch logic:
1. Hold the butterfly right side facing you, top notch pointing up, with the vine behind it.
2. At a bottom-notch join, insert the hook through the next vine chain, then through the bottom-notch sc of Rnd 4 from back to front. Rnd 5 skips that sc, so it shows in the dip between the lower wings. Sl st.
3. Work the 12 sl sts behind the body. The span between the notches measures 2 in (5.1 cm).
4. Join the top-notch sc of Rnd 4 the same way.
Tension: Keep the 12 behind-body sl sts at your normal vine tension. If they are too tight the butterfly will cup. If they are too loose it will flop forward.
Spacing: Space the loops along the slat 3 in (7.6 cm) apart, center to center. S1 and S7 sit 2 in (5.1 cm) in from the slat ends, so 2 + 18 + 2 = 22 in (55.9 cm).
Size checkpoint: Hang the piece and measure each drop. It should match the strand table within 0.5 in (1.3 cm).
Border: Butterfly Wing Edging (Rnd 5)
Border gauge: this round adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm) on every side, taking each butterfly from 3 in × 2.25 in (7.6 cm × 5.7 cm) to 3.5 in × 2.75 in (8.9 cm × 7.0 cm).
Rnd 5: Sl st into the first ch-6 arch, ch 1 (does not count as a stitch). Then work into every arch around:
- Each ch-7 arch: (2 sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, 2 sc) = 9 sts
- Each ch-6 arch: (2 sc, hdc, dc, hdc, 2 sc) = 7 sts
- Each ch-5 arch: (2 sc, 2 hdc, 2 sc) = 6 sts
Sl st to the first sc and fasten off.
Counts per side:
– Upper wing: 7 + 9 + 9 + 9 + 7 = 41 sts
– Lower wing: 6 + 7 + 6 = 19 sts
– Each side: 41 + 19 = 60 sts
– Round total: 120 sts
Why the math works: The arches contain 98 chains in total (42 + 36 + 20). Rnd 5 works 1 stitch per chain (98) plus 22 extra stitches, for 120. The extras are 2 per ch-7 arch (12) and 1 per ch-6 or ch-5 arch (10).
The extra stitches on the long outer arches make the scallops flare. The inner and lower arches get only 1 extra, so they lie flat. No stitches go into the notch sc, which keeps the dips between the wings sharp.
Final Blocking
- Before joining, wet-block each butterfly to 3.5 in × 2.75 in (8.9 cm × 7.0 cm), pinning out each scallop and opening every spoke.
- Dab stiffener on the antennae if you like, and shape them into a gentle curve.
- Once assembled, hang the piece and mist the vines lightly.
- Pull each vine gently straight and let it dry hanging.
- Press any curling ring leaves flat between your fingers while they are still damp.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 31 butterflies, each 120 sts in Rnd 5, matching the color grid
- All bodies centered, with both antennae even
- Leaf counts per strand: 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 11 / 10 / 9
- Drops measure 22, 24.5, 27, 29.5, 27, 24.5 and 22 in
- Loops spaced 3 in (7.6 cm) apart, closed securely around the slat
- All tails woven in
Troubleshooting
- Wings ruffle: Your ch-7 arches are too long. Chain more tightly or drop a hook size.
- Wings cup: Your arches are too short, or the edging stitches are crowded. Check the counts against Rnd 5.
- Butterfly sits off-center: You made a counting error between the notch joins. It must be exactly 12 sl sts.
- Vine twists: Make sure every sl st goes into a back bump, then steam lightly while the piece hangs.
- Strand too long: Your vine gauge is loose. Re-chain with more tension; do not drop chains.
Care
Spot clean only, or hand-wash in cool water and dry flat, re-pinning the butterflies. Keep the hanging out of strong direct sun so the soft colors don’t fade.
Final Notes
Here is the measurement chain in order:
1. Gauge: 20 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm), and 6 chains = 1 in (2.5 cm).
2. Butterfly: Rnd 2 measures 1 in (2.5 cm); Rnd 4 measures 3 in × 2.25 in (7.6 cm × 5.7 cm); Rnd 5 brings it to 3.5 in × 2.75 in (8.9 cm × 7.0 cm) at 120 sts.
3. Vines: butterflies every 30 sts, or 5 in (12.7 cm).
4. Strands: 3 in (7.6 cm) apart on a 22 in (55.9 cm) slat.
Check each stage before moving on, and the finished hanging will match. Happy crocheting!