# Sunset Ombre Butterfly Wrap Free Crochet Pattern
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been drawn to wearable pieces that make a statement without saying a word. This butterfly wrap delivers exactly that. The gradient color shift from deep rose down through coral, peach, golden yellow, and cream creates a sunset effect that looks far more complicated than it actually is. When you spread your arms, those wing panels fan out in the most dramatic way — pure wearable art.
The construction is surprisingly straightforward once you understand the rhythm. You work top down in one flat piece, no seaming required. The feather and fan stitch creates those gorgeous radiating petal textures, and a central spine of decorative picots runs down the back center, dividing the two wings beautifully. This is an advanced intermediate project — but if you’re comfortable with lace shawls and top-down construction, you can absolutely tackle this over a weekend to two weeks.
Special Stitches
V-st: (dc, ch 2, dc) in the same stitch
shell: (dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1, dc) in the same st
What You’ll Need
- DK weight yarn (CYCA 3 Light) in a gradient colorway, approximately 1200 to 1400 yards total: Color A (Deep Rose) approximately 200 yards; Color B (Coral) approximately 250 yards; Color C (Peach) approximately 250 yards; Color D (Golden Yellow) approximately 250 yards; Color E (Cream) approximately 300 yards (includes border). A single gradient cake of about 1300 yards works, or use five separate skeins for more color control.
- US G-6 / 4.0 mm hook (primary)
- US F-5 / 3.75 mm hook (optional, for tighter tension on neckline rows)
- Tapestry needle, rust-proof blocking pins (at least 50 recommended), blocking mats, 6 locking stitch markers, scissors
Finished size:
- Wingspan approximately 68 inches (173 cm) from tip to tip
- Length from the top of the neckline to the hem at center back approximately 28 inches (71 cm)
- These dimensions reflect the blocked piece
The Pattern
Gauge:
- 18 stitches and 10 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in the feather and fan pattern, blocked, with the G-6 / 4.0 mm hook and DK weight yarn
- Gauge matters here — going up half a hook size adds approximately 4 to 6 inches to your wingspan
Notes: The wrap is worked top down, beginning at the center back neckline. Four increase points are maintained throughout (far left edge, the junction between the left wing and center spine, the junction between the right wing and center spine, far right edge) — you’ll add 8 stitches every RS row (2 at each point). WS rows are worked even with no increases. Ch 3 counts as first dc throughout.
Color transitions (separate skeins): Color A (Rose): Rows 1 through 10. Color B (Coral): Rows 11 through 22. Color C (Peach): Rows 23 through 34. Color D (Golden Yellow): Rows 35 through 46. Color E (Cream): Rows 47 through 56 plus all border rows.
Yoke Section (Rows 1 through 10, Color A)
Foundation: With Color A and the G-6 hook, chain 78.
Row 1 (RS): Dc in 4th ch from hook (ch-3 counts as first dc). Dc in each ch across. Turn. (76 dc)
Row 2 (WS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next 2 sts, ch 2, sk 2 sts, (V-st in next st, ch 1, sk 2 sts) 23 times, V-st in next st, ch 2, sk 2 sts, dc in last 3 sts. Turn. (24 V-sts, plus 6 edge dc) Place stitch markers in the two ch-2 spaces near each edge; these mark your future increase junction points.
Row 3 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next 2 dc, (3 dc in ch-2 sp, V-st in ch-2 sp of next V-st, ch 1) across to last edge section, 3 dc in final ch-2 sp, dc in last 3 sts. Increase 8 sts evenly across (2 sts at each marker point). (84 sts)
Row 4 (WS): Work even in V-st mesh pattern. (84 sts)
Row 5 (RS): Increase 8 sts at the 4 marker points. (92 sts)
Row 6 (WS): Work even. (92 sts)
Row 7 (RS): Increase 8 sts at the 4 marker points. (100 sts)
Row 8 (WS): Work even. (100 sts)
Row 9 (RS): Increase 8 sts at the 4 marker points. (108 sts)
Row 10 (WS): Work even in V-st mesh. Transition to Color B at the final yo of the last st. (108 sts)
Checkpoint: The piece should measure approximately 4 inches from the foundation edge and span approximately 24 inches across.
Body Section (Rows 11 through 56)
Now the feather and fan pattern. At Row 11 your 108-stitch count divides evenly into 6 complete repeats of the 18-stitch repeat.
Feather and fan unit: Over the next 3 sts, work a 3-dc cluster (yo, insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops; repeat in the next 2 sts, then yo and pull through all 4 loops on hook). Ch 2. Dc in next st, (ch 1, dc in next st) 5 times, dc in next st. Work another 3-dc cluster over the next 3 sts.
Row 11 (RS, Color B): Ch 3 (counts as dc). Edge: dc in first 2 sts. Feather and fan sequence across, with an additional (ch 2, dc, ch 2) cluster at the two center-spine markers and 2 dc instead of the standard cluster at the two edge markers. Edge: dc in last 2 sts. (116 sts)
Row 12 (WS): Ch 3, dc in each st and ch-1 sp across. Over the larger ch-2 spaces at spine junctions, ch 2 instead of working dc. (116 sts)
Continue the feather and fan pattern with increases at the 4 marked positions on every RS row:
Rows 13-22:
Row 13: (124 sts).
Row 14: (124 sts).
Row 15: (132 sts).
Row 16: (132 sts).
Row 17: (140 sts).
Row 18: (140 sts).
Row 19: (148 sts).
Row 20: (148 sts).
Row 21: (156 sts).
Row 22: Transition to Color C. (156 sts)
**Checkpoint after
Row 22:** Approximately 10 to 11 inches from the neckline; wingspan approximately 35 inches.
Rows 23-34 (Color C):
Row 23: (164 sts).
Row 24: (164 sts).
Row 25: (172 sts).
Row 26: (172 sts).
Row 27: (180 sts).
Row 28: (180 sts).
Row 29: (188 sts).
Row 30: (188 sts).
Row 31: (196 sts).
Row 32: (196 sts).
Row 33: (204 sts).
Row 34: Transition to Color D. (204 sts)
**Checkpoint after
Row 34:** Approximately 15 to 16 inches; wingspan approximately 46 inches.
Rows 35-46 (Color D):
Row 35: (212 sts).
Row 36: (212 sts).
Row 37: (220 sts).
Row 38: (220 sts).
Row 39: (228 sts).
Row 40: (228 sts).
Row 41: (236 sts).
Row 42: (236 sts).
Row 43: (244 sts).
Row 44: (244 sts).
Row 45: (252 sts).
Row 46: Transition to Color E. (252 sts)
**Checkpoint after
Row 46:** Approximately 21 to 22 inches; wingspan approximately 57 inches.
Rows 47-56 (Color E):
Row 47: (260 sts).
Row 48: (260 sts).
Row 49: (268 sts).
Row 50: (268 sts).
Row 51: (276 sts).
Row 52: (276 sts).
Row 53: (284 sts).
Row 54: (284 sts).
Row 55: (292 sts).
Row 56: Do not fasten off. (292 sts)
Final checkpoint: Approximately 27 to 28 inches from the neckline; wingspan approximately 65 to 66 inches before the border.
Border
The border is two passes in Color E.
**Border
Round 1 (foundation):** With RS facing, join yarn at the bottom right corner of the right front edge. Ch 1. Right front edge: sc evenly up the edge, approximately 1 sc per row end (approximately 56 sc). Neckline: sc across the foundation chain edge (76 sc). Left front edge: sc evenly down (approximately 56 sc). Hem: sc across the lower hem, working 1 sc into each st and each ch-1 sp (approximately 292 sc); work 3 sc into each corner wingtip. Sl st to first sc. (Approximately 482 sc total)
**Border
Round 2 (picot-shell edging):** With RS facing, sl st to first sc of the right front edge. Shell-picot sequence: (sk 2 sc, shell in next sc At the neckline: (sc in next sc, picot — ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook — sc in next sc) across.
At each wingtip corner: work 2 shells separated by a picot. Sl st to first st to close. Fasten off.
Center Spine Picot Column
With Color E and your crochet hook, work a surface slip stitch chain along the center spine ch-2 spaces from the neckline to the hem. This decorative column divides the two wings beautifully.
Sophie’s Tips
- Place stitch markers at all four increase points and move them up as you work. Losing track of an increase point on row 40 is a recipe for frogging.
- Wet block the finished wrap and pin it aggressively — blocking opens up the feather and fan lace and adds several inches to the wingspan.
- Avoid very fuzzy or heavily textured yarns. They’ll obscure the beautiful feather and fan detail you worked so hard to create.
Spread your wings — this one’s a showstopper!
