# Blue Morpho Butterfly Cardigan Free Crochet Pattern
The blue morpho butterfly might be the most stunning insect on the planet — that flash of iridescent blue against black edges — so I turned it into a cardigan. The body is a rich, wearable blue worked top-down in simple double crochet, with black trim along every edge, and then the magic: a big crocheted butterfly with blue wings, black borders, and tiny orange spots, sitting right between the shoulder blades like it’s about to take flight.
Don’t let the butterfly intimidate you. It’s just circles — two big ones for the upper wings, two smaller ones for the lower wings — with a little black body in the middle. The cardigan itself is beginner-friendly raglan shaping with zero seaming. If you’ve made one top-down sweater, you can absolutely make this.
What You’ll Need
- Worsted weight (#4) yarn:
- Bright blue — approximately 1,400 yards
- Black — approximately 200 yards
- Orange — approximately 30 yards
- US J-10 / 6.0 mm crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- 4 removable stitch markers
Finished size:
- Adult medium — approximately 38 inches bust circumference, 25 inches long, with 18-inch sleeves
- The open-front design is forgiving on fit
- Gauge: 12 double crochet x 8 rows = 4 inches
The Pattern
All stitches use US crochet terms. Join each round with a slip stitch. The chain 3 at the start of a double crochet round counts as a stitch.
Raglan Yoke
With blue, chain 96. Join with a slip stitch to form a ring, taking care not to twist.
Round 1: Chain 3, double crochet in each chain around. Join. (96 dc)
Place markers after stitches 15, 31, 65, and 81. This divides the round into: front 15, sleeve 16, back 34, sleeve 16, front 15.
Round 2 (increase round): Chain 3, *double crochet to 1 stitch before the marker, 2 double crochet in the next stitch, double crochet in the marked stitch, 2 double crochet in the next stitch; repeat from * 3 more times, double crochet to the end. Join. (104 dc)
Round 3: Chain 3, double crochet in each stitch around. Join. (104 dc)
Rounds 4 to 16: Repeat Rounds 2 and 3 alternately — increase on the even rounds, plain on the odd rounds. (112, 120, 128, 136, 144, 152, ending at 160 dc after Round 16)
CHECKPOINT: after Round 16 you should have 160 stitches — fronts 23 each, sleeves 32 each, back 50. The yoke should measure about 9.5 inches deep.
Body
Round 17 (separation round): Chain 3, double crochet across the 23 front stitches, chain 8, skip the 32 sleeve stitches, double crochet across the 50 back stitches, chain 8, skip the 32 sleeve stitches, double crochet across the 23 front stitches. Join. (96 dc + 16 ch = 112 sts)
Rounds 18 to 44: Chain 3, double crochet in each stitch around. Join. (112 dc each round)
Rounds 45 to 46 (black hem trim): Join black with a slip stitch. Chain 1, single crochet in each stitch around. Join. (112 sc each round) Fasten off.
Front and Neckline Trim
Join black at the bottom corner of one front edge. Single crochet evenly up the front edge, around the neckline, and down the other front edge (about 120 stitches total — don’t stress about the exact count, just keep it even). Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Sleeves
Join blue at one underarm. Work around the 40 stitches of the armhole (32 held stitches + 8 chain stitches).
Rounds 1 to 8: Chain 3, double crochet in each stitch around. Join. (40 dc each round)
Round 9 (decrease round): Chain 3, *double crochet in the next 18 stitches, double crochet 2 together; repeat from * once more. Join. (38 dc)
Rounds 10 to 16: Chain 3, double crochet in each stitch around. Join. (38 dc each round)
Round 17 (decrease round): Chain 3, *double crochet in the next 17 stitches, double crochet 2 together; repeat from * once more. Join. (36 dc)
Rounds 18 to 24: Chain 3, double crochet in each stitch around. Join. (36 dc each round)
Rounds 25 to 26 (black cuff): Join black. Chain 1, single crochet in each stitch around. Join. (36 sc each round) Fasten off.
Repeat for the second sleeve.
Morpho Butterfly Applique
Upper wings (make 2): With black, make a magic ring.
Round 1: 6 single crochet in the ring. (6 sc)
Round 2: increase in each stitch around. (12 sc) Join black. With blue:
Round 3: *single crochet in the next stitch, increase; repeat from * around. (18 sc)
Round 4: *single crochet in the next 2 stitches, increase; repeat from * around. (24 sc) Join and fasten off.
Lower wings (make 2): With blue, make a magic ring.
Round 1: 6 single crochet in the ring. (6 sc)
Round 2: increase in each stitch around. (12 sc)
Round 3: *single crochet in the next stitch, increase; repeat from * around. (18 sc) Join. With black:
Round 4: single crochet in each stitch around for a black border. (18 sc) Join and fasten off.
Orange spots (make 6): With orange, make a magic ring, 6 single crochet in the ring, join, and fasten off. Sew 3 spots onto each upper wing.
Butterfly body: With black, chain 8.
Row 1: single crochet in the 2nd chain from the hook and in each chain across. Turn. (7 sc) Rows 2 to 3: chain 1, single crochet in each stitch across. (7 sc each row) Fasten off.
Antennae (make 2): With black, chain 7, fasten off.
Assembly: Sew the two upper wings to the top of the body and the two lower wings below them, slightly overlapping. Sew the antennae to the top of the body. Sew the finished butterfly centered on the upper back of the cardigan.
Small butterflies (make 2 for the front panels): Work the upper wings only through Round 3 (18 sc) and the lower wings through Round 2 (12 sc), with a 5-stitch body (chain 6, 1 row of 5 sc). Add 2 orange spots per wing. Sew one to each front panel at chest height.
Weave in all ends and block lightly.
Sophie’s Tips
- The butterfly placement makes or breaks this cardigan — pin everything in place and try it on (or hold it up) before you sew a single stitch.
- Black yarn shows every uneven stitch, so keep your tension relaxed on the trim rounds; slightly loose beats slightly tight here.
- This cardigan is a perfect canvas for color play: try it in deep teal with the same black-and-orange butterfly, or go full monarch with orange wings.
Bold, blue, and ready to fly — happy crocheting, friend!
