The Lilac Window Butterfly is a lacy, open-wing appliqué worked in one soft lavender cotton. Each of its four wings is built around a chain loop, so a large window sits in the middle of every wing. A fan of stitches circles the window and is finished with a rope-like edge.
The body is a raised oval with a corded ridge on top. Two twisted antennae with puff-stitch knobs sit at the head. The look is light and delicate, and it suits baskets, tote bags, cushions, cards, or a nursery wall.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished butterfly measures 6 in (15.2 cm) wide × 4 in (10.2 cm) tall across the wings. It is 4.75 in (12.1 cm) tall including the antennae.
You crochet a small oval body first. The antennae are worked from the head, and each wing grows out of the body’s free front loops in two rows. A reverse single crochet border finishes both sides. There is no sewing between parts; the only ends to weave in are your yarn tails.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 6 in (15.2 cm) wide × 4 in (10.2 cm) tall across the wings; 4.75 in (12.1 cm) tall with the antennae
- Skill level: Intermediate (you need puff stitch and reverse single crochet)
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: DK / light (#3) cotton
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
- Number of pieces: 1 (one-piece motif)
- Layout: body down the center, with an upper and a lower wing on each side
- Body size: 2.5 in (6.4 cm) long × 0.6 in (1.5 cm) wide
- Size before border: 5.75 in (14.6 cm) × 3.75 in (9.5 cm)
- Border depth: about 0.125 in (0.3 cm) on every outer edge
Materials
Use a smooth mercerized or combed cotton in DK weight. Cotton holds the open wing shapes crisply after blocking, and it shows off the rope edge. Acrylic also works, but the wings will be softer and less defined.
- Lavender DK cotton: 10 g (about 22 m). One butterfly uses about 6 g (13 m). The listed amount includes a margin for your gauge swatch and yarn tails.
- 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Locking stitch marker (1 or 2)
- Rust-proof pins and a foam blocking mat
- Spray bottle with water
- Scissors
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- BLO – back loop only
- FLO – front loop only
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
- rev sc – reverse single crochet (crab stitch): work from left to right (right-handed). Insert the hook into the next stitch to the right, yarn over, pull up a loop, then yarn over and pull through both loops.
- puff – puff stitch: (yarn over, insert hook in the stitch indicated, yarn over, pull up a loop to 0.25 in / 0.6 cm) 3 times. You now have 7 loops on the hook; yarn over, pull through all 7 loops, then ch 1 to lock.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge is not critical for an appliqué, but it controls the final size. Make the body first and measure it before you go on.
- Chain gauge: 5 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm), worked loosely and evenly.
- Checkpoint 1 (after Body Rnd 1): 2.4 in (6.1 cm) long × 0.5 in (1.3 cm) wide.
- Checkpoint 2 (after Body Rnd 2): 2.5 in (6.4 cm) × 0.6 in (1.5 cm).
- Checkpoint 3 (after one upper wing, Rows 1–2): the wing reaches about 2.6 in (6.6 cm) out from the body.
- Checkpoint 4 (after one lower wing, Rows 1–2): the wing reaches about 2.2 in (5.6 cm) out from the body.
If your body is more than 0.25 in (0.6 cm) too long, change to a 3.25 mm hook. If it is too short, change to a 3.75 mm hook. Chain tension matters most for the wing loops. Tight chains shrink the windows and make the fans ruffle.
Pattern
Body
Foundation: Ch 12.
Rnd 1:
– Sc in 2nd ch from hook (this is the tail end). Sc in each of the next 9 ch.
– Work 3 sc in the last ch. These are the head stitches; call them H1, H2, H3.
– Working along the other side of the foundation chain, sc in each of the next 9 ch.
– Work 2 sc in the last ch. This is the same ch that holds the first sc, so the tail end also has 3 sc.
– Sl st to the first sc. (24 sts: 3 head + 9 side + 3 tail + 9 side.)
The 9 stitches along each long side are the side stitches. Number them 1 to 9 from the head end to the tail end on both sides. Place a marker in side st 1 of the first side (Side A).
Rnd 2: Ch 1, then sl st BLO in each st around. Join to the first sl st and fasten off. (24 sl sts.)
This round makes the raised rope ridge on top of the body. It also leaves every front loop of Rnd 1 free, and all the remaining parts are worked into those loops. The RS of the body is the side facing you during Rnd 2.
Antennae
With RS facing, join yarn with a sl st in the FLO of H1.
Antenna 1:
– Ch 10.
– Puff in the 3rd ch from hook.
– Sl st in each of the next 7 ch. (1 puff + 7 sl sts.)
– Sl st in the FLO of H1 again.
Move across the head: Sl st in the FLO of H2, then in the FLO of H3.
Antenna 2: Work it exactly like Antenna 1. End with a sl st in the FLO of H3, then fasten off.
Each stem measures about 1.4 in (3.6 cm). Slip stitching back along the chain twists it, so the stems look like cord.
Upper Wing (make 2: one on Side A, one on Side B)
Work all wing stitches into the free FLO of Rnd 1 side stitches.
Loop:
– Join yarn with a sl st in side st 2.
– Ch 24.
– Sl st in side st 4.
This makes a teardrop loop of 24 ch, about 2 in (5.1 cm) long.
Row 1 (WS):
– Ch 1. Working into each loop ch (not around the loop), starting at the side st 4 end:
– sc in next 3 ch, hdc in next 2 ch, dc in next 2 ch, 2 dc in each of the next 10 ch, dc in next 2 ch, hdc in next 2 ch, sc in next 3 ch.
– Sl st in side st 1. (34 sts: 3 + 2 + 2 + 20 + 2 + 2 + 3.)
– Turn.
Row 2 (RS):
– Skip the sl st.
– Sc in next 3 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next 2 sts.
– (Tr in next st, 2 tr in next st) 10 times.
– Dc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 3 sts.
– Sl st in side st 5. (44 sts: 7 + 30 + 7.)
– Fasten off.
The short sc and hdc stitches at both ends keep the wing narrow where it meets the body. The tr increases in the middle flare out the rounded outer curve.
Lower Wing (make 2: one on Side A, one on Side B)
Loop:
– Join yarn with a sl st in side st 6.
– Ch 18.
– Sl st in side st 8.
This makes a teardrop loop of 18 ch, about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) long.
Row 1 (WS):
– Ch 1. Working into each loop ch, starting at the side st 8 end:
– sc in next 2 ch, hdc in next 2 ch, dc in next ch, 2 dc in each of the next 8 ch, dc in next ch, hdc in next 2 ch, sc in next 2 ch.
– Sl st in side st 5. (26 sts: 2 + 2 + 1 + 16 + 1 + 2 + 2.)
– Turn.
Row 2 (RS):
– Skip the sl st.
– Sc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next st.
– (Dc in next st, 2 dc in next st) 8 times.
– Dc in next st, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 2 sts.
– Sl st in side st 9. (34 sts: 5 + 24 + 5.)
– Fasten off.
Side st 5 is shared by both wings on each side, and it forms the notch between the upper and lower wing.
Repeat both wings on Side B, numbering its side stitches from the head as well. Because the body has turned over, the wings come out as a mirror image.
Border: Reverse Single Crochet Rope Edge
Border gauge: 1 rev sc in each Row 2 stitch. The border adds about 0.125 in (0.3 cm) of depth on each outer edge.
Each side is edged in one pass. Rev sc is worked left to right (right-handed). With RS facing, that means starting at the head end on one side and at the tail end on the other. Left-handed crocheters work right to left, so the starting ends swap.
Side starting at the head:
– Join with a sl st in side st 1, then ch 1.
– Rev sc in each of the 44 upper-wing sts.
– Sl st in side st 5.
– Rev sc in each of the 34 lower-wing sts.
– Sl st in side st 9 and fasten off. (78 rev sc: 44 + 34.)
Side starting at the tail:
– Join with a sl st in side st 9, then ch 1.
– Rev sc in each of the 34 lower-wing sts.
– Sl st in side st 5.
– Rev sc in each of the 44 upper-wing sts.
– Sl st in side st 1 and fasten off. (78 rev sc.)
Total border: 156 rev sc.
Why the math works: All the flare was already built into Row 2, through 10 tr increases on each upper wing and 8 dc increases on each lower wing. Working exactly one rev sc per stitch keeps the edge the same length as the fan. Extra stitches would make the edge ruffle, and skipped stitches would make the wing cup. The sl st into side st 5 pins the notch to the body, so both wings stay clearly separate.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends along the body or inside the wing stitches. Don’t weave them into the open windows.
- Lightly mist the butterfly until it is evenly damp.
- Lay it RS up on the mat. Pin the body straight at 2.5 in (6.4 cm) long.
- Pin the upper wing tips so the full width is 6 in (15.2 cm), angling the upper wings slightly upward.
- Pin the lower wings angled downward so the total height is 4 in (10.2 cm).
- Pin each window open into a clean teardrop, with one pin inside the loop at its widest point.
- Pin each antenna into a slight outward curve, with the knobs about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) apart.
- Let it dry completely before you unpin it. For a crisper finish, use a light spray starch.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Body: 24 sts in each round, raised ridge centered on top.
- Antennae: 1 puff + 7 sl sts each, both the same length.
- Upper wings: 34 sts in Row 1 and 44 sts in Row 2, on both sides.
- Lower wings: 26 sts in Row 1 and 34 sts in Row 2, on both sides.
- Border: 78 rev sc per side, 156 in total.
- All four windows are open, clean, and mirror-matched.
- Finished size is 6 in (15.2 cm) × 4 in (10.2 cm), or 4.75 in (12.1 cm) tall with antennae.
- No loose ends show from the RS.
Troubleshooting
- Wings ruffle: Your chain loop is too tight. Remake the loop with looser chains, or go up a hook size for the loop only.
- Wings cup inward: Your Row 2 tension is too tight. Pull up taller tr stitches and block firmly.
- Windows close up: You worked around the loop instead of into each chain. Rework Row 1 into the chain stitches.
- Wings look uneven side to side: Count the side stitches again. Each wing must anchor at the same numbered stitches on both sides.
- Antennae droop: Use firmer sl sts, or add a little starch when blocking.
- Rev sc looks twisted: Make sure you work left to right and keep each loop the same height.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press out the water in a towel, and reshape it flat to dry. If the butterfly is sewn onto a basket or bag, spot clean it and re-pin the wings while damp if they lose shape.
Final Notes
Keep track of each stage’s measurement as you work:
- Chain gauge of 5 ch = 1 in (2.5 cm)
- Body 2.5 in (6.4 cm) long
- Upper wings reaching 2.6 in (6.6 cm) from the body, lower wings reaching 2.2 in (5.6 cm)
- Size before the border: 5.75 in × 3.75 in (14.6 × 9.5 cm)
- A 0.125 in (0.3 cm) rope edge brings it to 6 in × 4 in (15.2 × 10.2 cm)
If each checkpoint matches, the finished butterfly will too. Make one, then make a flight of them.
Happy crocheting!