Crochet Rainbow Flower Butterfly Free Pattern: A Step-by-Step Guide to Your Most Colorful Project Yet
There is something genuinely magical about combining two of nature’s most cheerful symbols into a single crochet project. The rainbow flower butterfly brings together the softness of blooming petals, the vivid sweep of rainbow colors, and the delicate silhouette of a butterfly in a way that feels joyful from the very first stitch. Whether you are a beginner looking for a confidence-boosting project or an experienced crocheter searching for something whimsical to add to your collection, this free crochet rainbow flower butterfly pattern has everything you need to create a showstopping piece that celebrates color, texture, and creativity all at once.
In this guide, you will find a complete free pattern with detailed instructions, material recommendations, helpful tips for getting clean results, and plenty of inspiration for how to use your finished butterfly. Grab your hook, pull out those colorful yarn scraps, and let’s get started.
Why You’ll Love This Crochet Rainbow Flower Butterfly Pattern
The rainbow flower butterfly is one of those designs that looks impressively complex but is actually built from simple, repeatable motifs. Each wing is essentially a layered flower shape constructed from basic crochet stitches, and the butterfly body is a straightforward center piece that holds everything together. The rainbow color scheme means you get to play with multiple colors without committing to any complicated colorwork techniques like tapestry crochet or intarsia. You simply change colors as you move from one element to the next.
This pattern is also incredibly versatile. You can make it large as a wall hanging, small as a gift tag, or somewhere in between as a hair accessory, brooch, or appliqué for a child’s sweater. Because each butterfly is essentially a collection of flower motifs, you can also modify the size by adjusting your hook size and yarn weight without changing a single stitch count.
If you have been accumulating yarn scraps from other projects and wondering what to do with them, this is your answer. The rainbow flower butterfly is practically designed to use up small amounts of multiple colors, and the more varied your palette, the more vibrant and eye-catching the result.
Materials You Will Need
Before diving into the pattern itself, gather your supplies. Having everything ready before you start will make the process much smoother.
For a medium-sized butterfly measuring approximately six inches across, you will need worsted weight yarn in at least six colors representing the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. You can also add pink, white, or any accent color you love. You do not need large amounts of each color — even ten to fifteen yards per color is often enough for the smaller flower elements.
A size 5.0 mm crochet hook works well for worsted weight yarn, though you can go slightly larger or smaller depending on your tension and the finished size you prefer. You will also need a yarn needle for weaving in ends, a pair of scissors, and stitch markers if you find them helpful when working in the round.
Optional but useful materials include wire or a pipe cleaner for the butterfly antennae, a small amount of black yarn or embroidery thread for antenna tips, and a pin back or hair clip if you plan to turn the butterfly into a wearable accessory.
Understanding the Pattern Structure
The rainbow flower butterfly is constructed in three main parts: the upper wings, the lower wings, and the body. Each wing set is made from layered flower motifs. The upper wings are typically larger, using a five-petal or six-petal flower base, while the lower wings are smaller, using a four-petal base. Layering two flower rounds on top of each other creates the dimensional, ruffled look that gives the butterfly its distinctive character.
The body is a simple oval or elongated shape worked in black or dark brown yarn, and it serves as the spine of the butterfly. Once all the pieces are made, you assemble them by sewing the wings onto the body and adding finishing details like antennae.
All stitches used are standard crochet stitches: chain (ch), slip stitch (sl st), single crochet (sc), half double crochet (hdc), double crochet (dc), and treble crochet (tr). If you know these stitches, you have everything you need.
Free Pattern Instructions
Abbreviations
ch — chain
sl st — slip stitch
sc — single crochet
hdc — half double crochet
dc — double crochet
tr — treble crochet
sp — space
rep — repeat
st — stitch
yo — yarn over
Part One: Upper Wing Flower (Make 2)
The upper wing is a two-layer flower. You will make the base layer first in one color, then add a second layer on top in a contrasting color.
Base Layer — Color A (for example, yellow)
Make a magic ring or chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to form a ring.
Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 11 dc into the ring, join with sl st to top of ch-3. You will have 12 dc total.
Round 2: Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 4, skip 1 st, sc in next st, rep from around, ending with ch 4 and joining with sl st to first sc. You will have 6 ch-4 spaces.
Round 3: Sl st into the first ch-4 sp, ch 3, work 4 dc in the same sp (half petal made), ch 1. Work 5 dc in next ch-4 sp, ch 1, rep from around, join with sl st to top of ch-3. You now have 6 petals.
Fasten off Color A and weave in ends.
Top Layer — Color B (for example, orange)
With Color B, join yarn to any ch-1 sp between petals on the base layer.
Round 4: Ch 1, sc in the ch-1 sp, ch 5, sc in next ch-1 sp, rep from around, ending with ch 5 and joining with sl st to first sc. You will have 6 ch-5 spaces.
Round 5: Sl st into first ch-5 sp, ch 3, work 5 dc in same sp, ch 1. Work 6 dc in next ch-5 sp, ch 1, rep from around, join with sl st to top of ch-3.
Fasten off Color B and weave in ends.
Make two of these upper wing flowers, using whatever rainbow color combinations you like. For a true rainbow effect, try yellow and orange for one flower and blue and violet for the other.
Part Two: Lower Wing Flower (Make 2)
The lower wings are smaller and simpler, using a four-petal structure.
Base Layer — Color C (for example, green)
Make a magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 3, work 7 dc into the ring, join with sl st to top of ch-3. You will have 8 dc total.
Round 2: Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 3, skip 1 st, sc in next st, rep from around, ending with ch 3 and joining with sl st to first sc. You will have 4 ch-3 spaces.
Round 3: Sl st into first ch-3 sp, ch 3, work 3 dc in same sp, ch 1. Work 4 dc in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, rep from around, join with sl st to top of ch-3.
Fasten off Color C.
Top Layer — Color D (for example, red)
Join Color D to any ch-1 sp between petals.
Round 4: Ch 1, sc in ch-1 sp, ch 4, sc in next ch-1 sp, rep from around, ending with ch 4 and joining with sl st to first sc.
Round 5: Sl st into first ch-4 sp, ch 3, work 4 dc in same sp, ch 1. Work 5 dc in next ch-4 sp, ch 1, rep from around, join with sl st to top of ch-3.
Fasten off Color D and weave in ends.
Make two lower wing flowers, varying the colors as you like.
Part Three: Butterfly Body (Make 1)
The body is worked in black or very dark yarn and creates the center spine of the butterfly.
Chain 16.
Row 1: Starting in second ch from hook, sc across. (15 sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (13 sc)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc across.
Row 4: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (11 sc)
Rows 5–8: Ch 1, turn, sc across.
Row 9: Ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first st, sc to last st, 2 sc in last st. (13 sc)
Row 10: Ch 1, turn, sc across.
Row 11: Ch 1, turn, 2 sc in first st, sc to last st, 2 sc in last st. (15 sc)
Row 12: Ch 1, turn, sc across.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
The body piece will have two slightly wider sections (the thorax at each end) connected by a narrower waist in the middle, which is exactly the silhouette you want.
Part Four: Antennae (Make 2)
Cut two pieces of wire or pipe cleaner, each about four inches long. Alternatively, you can crochet the antennae by chaining 12, then working a sc back into the second chain from the hook (this creates a small bobble at the tip), and continuing with sc across the remaining chains until you have a short, stiff strand.
If using wire, wrap it with black yarn by holding the end of the yarn against the wire and wrapping tightly until covered.
Assembly Instructions
Lay your four flower motifs out in front of you, positioning the two large upper wing flowers at the top and the two smaller lower wing flowers at the bottom. Place the body piece vertically through the center, with the narrowed waist sitting at the middle point where the wings will meet.
Using your yarn needle and a length of black yarn, sew the upper right wing to the right side of the body. Position the flower so that two or three petals sit above the body’s midpoint and the remaining petals angle slightly downward and outward. Repeat for the upper left wing on the left side, mirroring the positioning.
Attach the lower right wing below the midpoint on the right side, angling the petals downward and outward. Repeat for the lower left wing on the left side.
Once all four wings are attached, fold the antennae in half to create a V shape and sew or glue the fold point to the top of the body. If you crocheted the antennae, sew them on in the same way.
Take a moment to adjust the petals gently with your fingers, fanning them out evenly and making sure the layered petals are visible. A light spritz of water and gentle blocking can help the flowers sit flat and the petals lie evenly.
Color Combination Ideas
One of the most exciting parts of this pattern is choosing your colors. The word “rainbow” suggests the traditional red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet sequence, but there is no rule saying you have to follow it strictly. Here are some color palette ideas to spark your imagination.
A true rainbow butterfly uses warm colors on the upper wings (red, orange, yellow) and cool colors on the lower wings (green, blue, violet), with each flower incorporating two adjacent rainbow colors for a gradient-like blending effect.
A pastel butterfly swaps the saturated hues for soft lavender, baby pink, mint green, peach, and sky blue, creating a dreamy, vintage look that is especially beautiful on baby items or spring wreaths.
A desert sunset butterfly uses terracotta, burnt orange, dusty rose, golden yellow, and sage green for a warm, earthy palette that feels bohemian and modern.
A monochromatic butterfly plays with different shades of a single color family — imagine five shades of blue ranging from icy pale to deep navy — for an elegant, sophisticated effect.
Tips for the Best Results
Tension consistency matters more than most crocheters expect on a project like this. Because the flower petals are worked in the round and each petal needs to match the others, uneven tension can cause petals to cup, curl, or twist. Try to maintain a relaxed, even grip throughout.
When changing colors, always make sure to finish your last pull-through of the old color with the new color. This keeps the color transitions clean and prevents muddy blending at the joins.
Weaving in ends thoroughly is especially important on a layered project like this. Because the butterfly has multiple layers, any loose ends can work their way to the surface over time. Weave each end in at least two different directions before trimming.
If you find the flowers are not lying flat even after weaving in ends, wet blocking is extremely effective. Soak the finished pieces briefly in cool water, squeeze out the excess moisture gently, pin them flat on a foam board, and allow them to dry completely. The difference is remarkable.
Ways to Use Your Rainbow Flower Butterfly
The finished butterfly is wonderfully versatile. Sew a pin back onto the body and wear it as a brooch on a jacket lapel, hat, or bag. Attach a hair clip to the back and wear it as a hair accessory. Sew it directly onto a child’s sweater, headband, or backpack as a decorative appliqué. Hot-glue it onto a wreath form among faux greenery for a cheerful spring or summer wreath. String several butterflies together on a garland for a party decoration or a nursery mobile. Frame it in an embroidery hoop as fiber art wall decor.
You can also make a collection of butterflies in different sizes — scaling up for a bold wall hanging, keeping to medium size for wearable accessories, or working in crochet thread with a steel hook for miniature jewelry-scale versions. The pattern scales beautifully in any direction.
Sharing Your Makes
If you make this rainbow flower butterfly, please share it! There is nothing more inspiring to other crocheters than seeing a pattern interpreted through someone else’s color sense and creativity. Tag your projects on Instagram, Pinterest, or Ravelry so others can find inspiration and encouragement. Crochet communities are wonderfully generous spaces, and your version of this pattern might be exactly what someone else needs to pick up their hook for the first time.
Feel free to make this pattern for personal use, gifts, and even small-scale craft fair sales. Just please link back to the original pattern when sharing online so that others can find the free instructions.
Final Thoughts
The crochet rainbow flower butterfly is proof that simple stitches, layered thoughtfully and colored boldly, can produce something that looks truly extraordinary. This pattern asks nothing of you except a willingness to play with color and enjoy the process stitch by stitch. Whether you finish your butterfly in an afternoon or spread the making over several cozy evenings, the result is a small, vibrant piece of handmade art that carries the energy of flowers and the freedom of flight in every petal.
Now go pick your favorite rainbow colors, find a comfortable spot, and start crocheting. Your butterfly is waiting.
