The Retro Butterfly Day Bag Crochet Pattern

Hi Friends!

Whose ready for a new go-to bag design for the summer months? Introducing the Retro Butterfly Day Bag! Delightfully cute and functional, ready to carry all your summer must haves. Including your current summer WIPS if you can fit them all in there.

This design is definitely a head turner with its beautiful vibrant colors and would for sure make a great ice breaker at your summer events. What better way to showcase your love for crochet than wearing a piece you made yourself! This design definitely checks off the must haves when it comes to any good bag, functionality and charm.

So whether you make one for yourself or a friend this bag would make an excellent addition to your summer wardrobe. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t mind hiding all of my stuff in a beautiful butterfly bag. So grab your hooks and let’s get started with the pattern. Happy Crocheting!

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Pin It For Later

Interested in the pattern and want to save it for later? You can use my Pinterest pin by clicking here or the image below.

Copyright @ Love & Stitch LLC 2025. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the author. Sales of finished products are permitted, but the designer requests that you link back to the pattern and credit Love & Stitch with the original design. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact loveandstitch@outlook.com.

You can purchase the Printable PDF on Etsy here! The PDF includes the complete step-by-step pattern so you can follow along on paper, highlighting and making notes as needed. It is a total of 11 pages, including the front and back cover pages. I’ve also included a PDF download of the chart for this pattern.

Materials

*4.50 mm Crochet Hook

Weight 4 Worsted Weight Yarn (yarn I used is listed below)

*Yarn Needle

*Scissors

*Hand Steamer (optional)

*Cotton Fabric (optional, for lining the bag)

Yarn Choice

For most of my patterns I prefer to use a thicker and tighter spun worsted weight yarn. I feel like it gives a lot more definition to the piece and details tend to stand out more. I really don’t focus too much on the texture of the yarn because I steam every single one of my projects, which softens the piece and makes it more flexible and flowy. This is especially helpful for tighter crocheters. The brands I tend to gravitate the most towards are Red Heart Super Saver, Loops & Threads Impeccable and We Crochet Brava Worsted.

For this pattern I used the following yarn:

-Loops & Threads Impeccable in Putty, approx. 150 yards

-Loops & Threads Impeccable in Sea Green, approx. 35 yards

-Loops & Threads Impeccable in Glacier, approx. 45 yards

-Loops & Threads Impeccable in Citron, approx. 50 yards

-Loops & Threads Impeccable in Teal, approx. 10 yards

-Loops & Threads Impeccable in Aran, approx. 150 yards

-Loops & Threads Impeccable in Plum, approx. 30 yards

-Loops & Threads Impeccable in Peach Pink, approx. 35 yards

-Loops & Threads Impeccable in Petunia, approx. 50 yards

-Loops & Threads Impeccable in Black, approx. 10 yards

Color Abbreviations

P = Putty

SG = Sea Green

G = Glacier

CT = Citron

T = Teal

AR = Aran

PL = Plum

PP = Peach Pink

PE =Petunia

BL = Black

Stitch Key (US Terms)

Ch = Chain

St/sts = Stitch(es)

Sc = Single Crochet

Special Notes

-The bag panels and strap are worked in rows.

-The bag panels are worked from the bottom up.

-The 1st st of each row should be placed into the same stitch as the turning chain.

-The turning chain does not count as the 1st stitch of the row.

-The pattern is written as: # of single crochet stitches (color abbreviation), example: 8 (P) means 8 sc in Putty.

-The odd rows are the right side rows. Even rows will be the wrong side.

-The bag panels and strap are crocheted separately and then seamed together.

Dimensions: 15 inches wide x 12 long, strap is 35 inches.

Gauge: 14 sts x 19 rows = 4 inch square worked in single crochet.

Color Changing

Want to learn how to do a seamless color change? Click here or the image below for the link to my YouTube channel. There you will find tutorials on the tapestry, cut & tie and intarsia color changing techniques.

Pattern

If you would rather follow a written pattern than a chart I have a download available in my Etsy shop that includes both the written pattern and the chart. For this free online pattern a printable version of the Retro Butterfly Front Panel and Retro Butterfly Back Panel are available for download. A link for how to follow a pixel chart as well as how to work the pattern will be linked below!

FRONT PANEL

Begin by chaining 63 in Putty.

Row 1: Working in the foundation 31 (P), 31 (AR). Ch 1, turn. (62)

Row 2: 31 (AR), 31 (P). Ch 1, turn. (62)

Row 3: 31 (P), 31 (AR). Ch 1, turn. (62)

Row 4: 31 (AR), 31 (P). Ch 1, turn. (62)

Row 5: 31 (P), 31 (AR). Ch 1, turn. (62)

Row 6: 8 (AR), 3 (PL), 9 (AR), 3 (PL), 8 (AR), 8 (P), 3 (SG), 9 (P), 3 (SG), 8 (P). Ch 1, turn. (62)

Row 7: 7 (P), 2 (SG), 3 (G), 7 (P), 3 (G), 2 (SG), 7 (P), 7 (AR), 2 (PL), 3 (PP), 7 (AR), 3 (PP), 2 (PL), 7 (AR). Ch 1, turn. (62)

Follow the Front Panel and Back Panel charts. When you fasten off after finishing the back panel, leave a tail long enough to seam both panels together.

Want to follow the video tutorial? Click here or the image below!

How to Follow a Crochet Pixel Chart

If you need some help following the crochet pixel charts or need a refresher I have a video tutorial on YouTube. Click Here or the image below to check it out!

Creating the Strap

Begin by chaining 9 in Putty

Row 1: Working in the foundation chain, 4 (P), 4 (AR). Ch 1, turn. (8)

Row 2: 4 (AR), 4 (P). Ch 1, turn. (8)

Row 3: 4 (P), 4 (AR). Ch 1, turn. (8)

Row 4 – Row 87: repeat Rows 2 and Row 3, ending with a repeat of Row 3.

-switching color pattern after Row 87.

Row 88: 4 (P), 4 (AR). Ch 1, turn. (8)

Row 89: 4 (AR), 4 (P). Ch 1, turn. (8)

Row 90 – Row 175: Repeat Rows 88 and 89, ending with a repeat of Row 89. Leave a tail long enough to attach to bag.

Seaming Together The Front and Back Panels

Begin by laying the front and back panels down on top of each other with the right sides facing each other. Using the tail left over from completing the back panel, thread the tail through a yarn needle.

Weave the tail through both of the panels as pictured below.

Seam together the right , bottom and left sides of the panels keeping the top of the bag open. When you have finish seaming the 3rd side knot off and weave in your ends and flip the bag inside out so that the right sides are facing outward.

Optional: if you prefer not to use a yarn needle to seam up the bag you could also use a crochet hook and either slip stitch or single crochet the front and back panels together, leaving the top of the bag open.

Attaching The Strap

Begin by lining up the finished strap to one the side of the bag so the color patterns match. I used stitch markers to mark 4 stitches from the center on each side.

After you line up the strap to the bag use the long tail you fastened off with and begin seaming the strap to the bag, weaving through the stitches of the strap and the bag. Be sure to tighten with each seam to make sure the strap doesn’t come undone. Repeat with the other side of the strap, attaching yarn to use as a tail for seaming if needed. Weave in all your ends when finished.

NOTE: If you prefer not to use a yarn needle for attaching the strap you could also use a crochet hook and slip stitch or single crochet the strap to the bag.