Butterfly Babe

For the first time, I’m sharing my Butterfly Babe knitting pattern free on the blog. This is a super cute pattern for a butterfly photography prop onesie perfect for use in Newborn baby photos. The 3D wings make it quite unique, and it’s a fun project to kick your crafty side into gear. The butterfly wings use 1/4″ tubing to create the outside frame and shape the wings. This tubing can be found at your local hardware store, and is often used for swamp coolers or other small plumbing projects.

This knit baby butterfly pattern includes sizes Newborn through 6-12 Months.

This photography prop pattern calls for Super Bulky yarn and size 10.0mm (US 15) knitting needles.

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You’ll find this knit butterfly baby pattern available on Etsy here.

You’ll find this butterfly photography prop pattern available on Ravelry here.

Butterfly Babe Knitting Pattern

Average Baby Waist Sizes:

Newborn 13-14″

0-3 Months 13-16”

3-6 Months 14-18”

6-12 Months 16-20”

Materials:

●Yarn: Approximately 200 yards of super bulky (6) weight yarn – 100 for the wings, and 95 for the bodysuit (I used Berroco’s Sundae)

●Knitting Needles: Size 10.0 mm (US 15) straight needles

● 84 inches of 1/4″ tubing (can be found at your local hardware store and is generally used for swamp coolers or air conditioners) or a thicker, fairly stiff wire that can be molded into the frame of the wings.

● Yarn or Tapestry Needle

Gauge:

5 sts and 7 rows = 2 inches (5 centimeters) in stockinette stitch    ***It is important to check your gauge!***

Abbreviations:

M1 (Make 1):  Insert left needle, front to back, under the strand between st on left needle and st on right needle making a new loop on left needle.  Knit this loop through the back.

K2tog: Knit two stitches together

P2tog: Purl two stitches together

**: Repeat the section in between the two stars as specified

Butterfly Wing Pattern

Inside of larger part of wing – Make 2

Cast on 13 sts onto straight needles with wing color yarn

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: P1, M1, P11, M1, P1   (15 total sts)

Row 3: K1, M1, K13, M1, K1   (17 total sts)

Row 4: P1, M1, P15, M1, P1   (19 total sts)

Rows 5 – 8: Alternate between knitting and purling, knitting row 5

Row 9: K2tog, K15, K2tog   (17 total sts)

Row 10: Purl

Row 11: K2tog, K13, K2tog   (15 total sts)

Row 12: Purl

Row 13: K2tog, K11, K2tog   (13 total sts)

Row 14: Purl

Row 15: K2tog, K9, K2tog   (11 total sts)

Row 16: Purl

Row 17: K2tog, K7, K2tog  (9 total sts)

Row 18: Purl

Row 19: K2tog, K5, K2tog  (7 total sts)

Row 20: Purl

Row 21: K2tog, K3, K2tog  (5 total sts)

Row 22: Purl

Row 23: K2tog, K1, K2tog  (3 total sts)

Row 24: Purl

Do not bind off.  Cut yarn leaving a 5-7 inch tail.  Using yarn needle, remove sts from needles as if to purl and pull end through.  Secure.

Inside of smaller part of wing – Make 2

Cast on 9 sts onto straight needles with wing color yarn

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: P1, M1, P7, M1, P1   (11 total sts)

Row 3: K1, M1, K9, M1, K1   (13 total sts)

Row 4: P1, M1, P11, M1, P1   (15 total sts)

Rows 5 – 8: Alternate between knitting and purling, knitting row 5

Row 9: K2tog, K11, K2tog   (13 total sts)

Row 10: Purl

Row 11: K2tog, K9, K2tog   (11 total sts)

Row 12: Purl

Row 13: K2tog, K7, K2tog   (9 total sts)

Row 14: Purl

Row 15: K2tog, K5, K2tog   (7 total sts)

Row 16: Purl

Row 17: K2tog, K3, K2tog  (5 total sts)

Row 18: Purl

Row 19: K2tog, K1, K2tog  (3 total sts)

Row 20: Purl

Do not bind off.  Cut yarn leaving a 5-7 inch tail.  Using yarn needle, remove sts from needles as if to purl and pull end through.  Secure.

Outer covering of larger part of wing – Make 2

Cast on 58 sts onto straight needles with wing color yarn

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: Purl

Row 3: Knit

Bind off as if to purl

Outer covering of smaller part of wing – Make 2

Cast on 48 sts onto straight needles with wing color yarn

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: Purl

Row 3: Knit

Bind off as if to purl

Cut 2 pieces of 1/4″ tubing at 23” each, and 2 pieces at 19” each.

The larger part of wings will use the 23” tubing, while the smaller will use the 19”.

For all four pieces, weave the tubing through the edges of the wings, as pictured below:

After weaving tubing completely through outer edges and stretching the inside wing piece,  cover the tubing with the outer wing covering.  Use yarn needle to sew it around tubing as shown below (purled side should be facing out):

Secure all yarn ends and weave in wherever possible.  Trim whatever is left.

Use your yarn needle to attach the wings in a butterfly shape just above the center part of the body suit in the back.  Larger pieces should go on top.  I did this by sewing the outer covering down onto the bodysuit.  You will need to sew them in a few different places to ensure that they are not flimsy.  Do not sew too far out though, or your wings will not stand up. 

For the center piece of the wings:

Cast on 10 sts

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: Purl

Bind off as if to knit

          Sew this piece very tightly between the bottom of the two wings. This should help the wings to stand up slightly.  Make sure to cover all tubing ends as shown:

Newborn Baby Butterfly Body Suit Pattern

Loosely cast on 18 sts onto straight needles with body color yarn

Row 1: Purl

Rows 2 & 3: Knit

Rows 4 – 21:  Alternate between purling and knitting, purling row 4

Row 22: P2tog, P2tog, P10, P2tog, P2tog  (14 total sts)

Row 23: K2tog, K10, K2tog  (12 total sts)

Row 24: P2tog, P8, P2tog  (10 total sts)

Row 25: K2tog, K6, K2tog  (8 total sts)

Rows 26 – 32: Alternate between purling and knitting, purling row 26

Row 33: K1, M1, K6, M1, K1  (10 total sts)

Row 34: Purl

Row 35: K1, M1, K1, M1, K6, M1, K1, M1, K1  (14 total sts)

Row 36: Purl

Row 37: K1, M1, K12 M1, K1  (16 total sts)

Row 38: Purl

Row 39: K1, M1, K14, M1, K1  (18 total sts)

Rows 40 – 63: Alternate between knitting and purling, purling row 40

Row 64: Knit

Row 65: Purl

Bind off as if to knit

Fold together with the purled side facing out, taking care to line up the purled top edges.  Using a yarn or tapestry needle, sew the two side edges together – leave plenty of room for leg holes.  Weave in all ends.  Turn right side out.

0-3 Month Baby Butterfly Body Suit Pattern

Loosely cast on 19 sts onto straight needles with body color yarn

Row 1: Purl

Rows 2 & 3: Knit

Rows 4 – 23:  Alternate between purling and knitting, purling row 4

Row 24: P2tog, P2tog, P11, P2tog, P2tog  (15 total sts)

Row 25: K2tog, K11, K2tog  (13 total sts)

Row 26: P2tog, P9, P2tog  (11 total sts)

Row 27: K2tog, K7, K2tog  (9 total sts)

Rows 28 – 34: Alternate between purling and knitting, purling row 28

Row 35: K1, M1, K7, M1, K1  (11 total sts)

Row 36: Purl

Row 37: K1, M1, K1, M1, K7, M1, K1, M1, K1  (15 total sts)

Row 38: Purl

Row 39: K1, M1, K13, M1, K1  (17 total sts)

Row 40: Purl

Row 41: K1, M1, K15, M1, K1  (19 total sts)

Rows 42 – 67: Alternate between knitting and purling, purling row 42

Row 68: Knit

Row 69: Purl

Bind off as if to knit

Fold together with the purled side facing out, taking care to line up the purled top edges.  Using a yarn or tapestry needle, sew the two side edges together – leave plenty of room for leg holes.  Weave in all ends.  Turn right side out.

3-6 Month Baby Butterfly Body Suit Pattern

Loosely cast on 21 sts onto straight needles with body color yarn

Row 1: Purl

Rows 2 & 3: Knit

Rows 4 – 25:  Alternate between purling and knitting, purling row 4

Row 26: P2tog, P2tog, P13, P2tog, P2tog  (17 total sts)

Row 27: K2tog, K13, K2tog  (15 total sts)

Row 28: P2tog, P11, P2tog  (13 total sts)

Row 29: K2tog, K9, K2tog  (11 total sts)

Row 30: P2tog, P7, P2tog  (9 total sts)

Rows 31 – 38: Alternate between purling and knitting, knitting row 31

Row 39: K1, M1, K7, M1, K1  (11 total sts)

Row 40: Purl

Row 41: K1, M1, K1, M1, K7, M1, K1, M1, K1  (15 total sts)

Row 42: Purl

Row 43: K1, M1, K13, M1, K1  (17 total sts)

Row 44: Purl

Row 45: K1, M1, K15, M1, K1  (19 total sts)

Row 46: Purl

Row 47: K1, M1, K17, M1, K1  (21 total sts)

Rows 48 – 71: Alternate between knitting and purling, purling row 48

Row 72: Knit

Row 73: Purl

Bind off as if to knit

Fold together with the purled side facing out, taking care to line up the purled top edges.  Using a yarn or tapestry needle, sew the two side edges together – leave plenty of room for leg holes.  Weave in all ends.  Turn right side out.

6-12 Month Baby Butterfly Body Suit Pattern

Loosely cast on 23 sts onto straight needles with body color yarn

Row 1: Purl

Rows 2 & 3: Knit

Rows 4 – 31:  Alternate between purling and knitting, purling row 4

Row 32: P2tog, P2tog, P15, P2tog, P2tog  (19 total sts)

Row 33: K2tog, K2tog, K11, K2tog, K2tog  (15 total sts)

Row 34: P2tog, P11, P2tog  (13 total sts)

Row 35: K2tog, K9, K2tog  (11 total sts)

Rows 36 – 44: Alternate between purling and knitting, purling row 36

Row 45: K1, M1, K9, M1, K1  (13 total sts)

Row 46: Purl

Row 47: K1, M1, K1, M1, K9, M1, K1, M1, K1  (17 total sts)

Row 48: Purl

Row 49: K1, M1, K15, M1, K1  (19 total sts)

Row 50: Purl

Row 51: K1, M1, K17, M1, K1  (21 total sts)

Row 52: Purl

Row 53: K1, M1, K19, M1, K1  (23 total sts)

Rows 54 – 83: Alternate between knitting and purling, purling row 54

Row 84: Knit

Row 85: Purl

Bind off as if to knit

Fold together with the purled side facing out, taking care to line up the purled top edges.  Using a yarn or tapestry needle, sew the two side edges together – leave plenty of room for leg holes.  Weave in all ends.  Turn right side out.

This design, a written work and images are a copyright of
©MelodysMakings and may not be copied or reproduced in any way.

You have permission to sell finished products made from this pattern, but please leave a link to my website, www.melodys-makings.com, in your product listing specifying that I am the designer of this pattern.  Thank you for supporting me as a work at home mother!