For the littlest social butterfly, this sweater will be the highlight of her new spring play clothes. Crochet as many butterflies as you would like and pretty soon she’ll be asking for butterflies on everything you make for her!
Skill Level: Intermediate
Size: 6 (12, 18, 24) months
Shown in size 18 months
Gauge: 19 sts and 24 rows = 4” [10 cm]
Materials
Yarn: Katia Alabama (50% Acrylic, 50% Cotton; 115 yards [105 meters]/50 grams): 62 Green (CC1, 4 ball), 20 Turquoise (CC2, 1 ball), 34 Coral (CC3, 1 ball), 35 Yellow (CC4, 1 ball), 21 Fuchsia (CC5, 1 ball)
Hook: US size 6 (4.25 mm)
Notions: Tapestry needle
Pattern Notes
This sweater is worked in pieces which are then seamed together. The front and back are seamed and then the 3/4 sleeves are added.
At the end, the butterflies on the front will be sewn.
Pattern
Front
With MC, ch 34 (41, 48, 55). Turn.
Row 1: Dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across row. Turn. (32 (39, 46, 53) sts)
Row 2: Ch 3 (count as dc), dc in all sts. Turn. (32 (39, 46, 53) sts)
Rep Row 2 until Front meas 8 (9.5, 10.5, 12)”.
Fasten off.
Back
With MC, ch 34 (41, 48, 55). Turn.
Row 1: Dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across row. Turn. (32 (39, 46, 53) sts)
Row 2: Ch 3, dc in next 2 sts, *ch 1, sk next 2 dc, 4 dc in next st, sk next 2 sts, dc in next 2 sts; rep from * until 1 st rem, dc in last st.
Row 3: Ch 3, *dc in next 2 dc, ch 1, sk next 2 sts, 4 dc in the next st, sk ch-1 sp from previous row; rep from * until 3 sts rem, dc in last 3 sts.
Rep Rows 2-3 until Back meas 8 (9.5, 10.5, 12)”.
Fasten off.
Sleeves (make 2)
With MC, ch 27 (27, 34, 34). Turn.
Rnd 1: Dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across. (25 (25, 32, 32 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in next 2 sts, *ch 1, sk next 2 dc, 4 dc in next st, sk next 2 sts, dc in next 2 st; rep from * until 1 st rem, dc in last st.
Rnd 3: Ch 3, *dc in next 2 dc, ch 1, sk next 3 sts, 4 dc in the next st, sk next ch-1 sp from previous row; rep from * until 3 sts rem, dc in last 3 sts.
Rep Rows 2-3 until Sleeve meas 4.5 (4.5, 6, 6)”.
Fasten off.
Butterfly
With CC1 (CC2, CC3, CC4), ch 6, sl st in first ch to make a circle.
Rnd 1: Ch 3, 1 dc in the circle, ch 2 to separate first pairs of 2 dc
*2 dc, ch 2; rep from * repeat until there are 8 couple of dc. (16 dc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, *6 dc in ch-2 sp, mb in sp between the dc of the previous rnd; rep from * all rnd.
Rnd 3: Ch 8.
Fasten off.
Fold the butterfly in half and roll the 8 ch into a circle. Close the ch-8 with mb.
Cut a small piece of wire and make a knot to make the butterfly’s antennae.
Finishing
Thread tapestry needle with MC and sew one of the shoulders. Place the front and back right side up lining up the shoulder seams, and sew the stitches by picking up one st from the back and one from the front. Sew 6 (6, 10, 10) sts.
Sew Sleeves to Body of sweater, lining up center of sleeve with shoulder seam.
Sew side seams using tapestry needle.
Sew Butterflies Front of sweater.
I don’t understand why the pretty shell pattern wasn’t also used for the front of the sweater, instead of a plain double crochet.
Hi Terese! I think the double crochet offers a bit more coverage for the body of the sweater, but there is probably a way to use the shell pattern throughout, you would just have to do some modifying of the pattern. – Nicola, Editor
What stitch is mb
Hi Patricia! MB stands for “make bobble”. Hope that helps! – Nicola, Editor
Close the ch 8 with “make bobble”? That doesn’t make sense. How do you close a ch 8 with a bobble stitch?
Hello Terese! I’ve reached out to the designer for advice and she or I will reply as soon as possible. Thanks! – Nicola, Editor
I’m curious why there aren’t pictures to show what the patterns look like.