Ulysses Butterfly Bookmark- free crochet pattern

Ulysses Butterfly Book Mark

Butterflies have long been associated with spiritual freedom, new beginnings and transformation.

This is my attempt at a butterfly bookmark in crochet using the Ulysses Butterfly as a model.

The Ulysses Butterfly is also known as the Blue Mountain Swallowtail, the Blue Emperor, Dunk Island Butterfly, and the Mountain Blue.

It is a spectacular bright blue and black Australian swallowtail butterfly. It lives in tropical rain forests in Australia. It is often used up north, notably Dunk Island as a local symbol. I also noticed recently that one of the charitable agencies had started marketing Ulysses brooches and badges as a fund raiser.

I have made this pattern as a thank you gift to all those who have done kind deeds for others. It is my way of saying thank you to the many gifts, and acts of kindness I have received along the way. I hope you enjoy making these. While the native Ulysses is in the Blue and black colours, the pattern does look very pretty in other combinations. I had fun experimenting with some lovely threads that the elves had sent me.

Ulysses Butterfly crochet pattern © 2006 crochetroo@hotmail.com

Do not reproduce pattern by any means. You may use it for personal use, gifts and limited charity fundraising. Do not sell the product or the pattern to make a personal profit.

Make as many as you want to give away and bring a smile to someone's face.

Like my patterns? Check out my etsy store in the links

Australian Instructions

4ply, size 10 cotton 1.75 hook. Thread two beads on to thread to use for eyes.

The body is worked in rounds

Body -start with black ordarkk colour
Round 1: Make 12ch, starting 2nd ch from hook working into each chain make 10 dc, 4dc in last stitch, turn and work 10 dc down other side of chain working into spare ch loop, 2ch, 1slst into first ch of round 1, 1ch.

Round 2 : Working along L side of body: 9dc
Head: Miss 1, into next stitch work 2htr, push bead up to hook, 1ch, 1dc, into next stitch. (This is at the point of the head.)
Antenna - *7ch, then work back along ch starting from 2nd ch from hook; 1dc next 6ch* , 1slst same st as dc, repeat from *-* then 1dc next st, push bead to hook, 1ch, 2htr next stitch, miss 1stitch, 1dc next 10 to bring you back to tail, 3ch, 1slst first st of round 2. Finish off black and weave in ends.

Wings in blue or a contrast – worked separately in rows
Join blue into the 3rd dc from the finish slst of the tail.

1. 4ch, 1dtr into same st, 2dtr next st, (1tr,1htr) next st, 1dc next st, 1htr next st, 1tr next st, 2dtr next st, 2dtr next st, TURN.

2. 3ch 1dc top of first tr, (2ch, 1dc next st) 4times, 1dc next 4st, 2ch, 1dc next st, (2ch, 1htr) next 2st, 1tr into last st which is top of 3ch start or row 2. TURN

3. 1ch, 1dc into top of last tr, (2ch, 1dc into space) 3times. 1dc next st, 1slst next 3st, 1dc, (2ch, 1dc) next sp 3 times, 2ch, then 2tr into each of last 2 loops.

4. 2ch, 1tr next 3st, (3ch, 1dc into space) 3 times, 2ch 1dc next space, 1slst finish blue off and leave end as a marker. This with be between the top and bottom wings.

5. Join Black into the bottom corner dc of the wing then work: 1ch, 1dc same space, 1dc next 2ch sp, 4ch, then work back along ch starting from 2nd ch from hook: 1htr, 2dc, 1dc into same sp of wing,

Continue along wing: 2ch, 1dc next sp, 2ch (2tr 1htr) next sp, miss one st, 1dc then into the finishing st of blue on top wing 1dc, (I then work over the end thread) (2ch, 1dc) into next sp four times, 2ch, 1tr next 3st, 1htr into wing tip and finish off.

Flip your butterfly over and repeat along the second side.

Cut 4 threads 36cm / 14in, fold in half and loops through ch loop at tail. Spray starch and block your butterfly.

Give this to someone special, or as a thank you for a kind deed.

American Instructions

4ply, size 10 cotton 1.75 hook.Thread two beads on to thread to use for eyes.
Body - worked in rounds

Body - start with black/ dark colour
Round 1: Make 12ch, starting 2nd ch from hook working into each chain make 10sc, 4sc in last stitch, turn and work 10sc down other side of chain working into spare ch loop, 2ch, 1slst into first ch of round 1, 1ch.

Round 2: Working along L side of body: 9sc
Head: Miss 1, into next stitch work 2hdc, push bead up to hook, 1ch, 1sc, into next stitch. (This is at the point of the head.)
Antenna - *7ch, then work back along ch starting from 2nd ch from hook; 1sc next 6ch* , 1slst same st as sc, repeat from *-* then 1sc next st, push bead to hook, 1ch, 2hdc next stitch, miss 1st, 1sc next 10 to bring you back to tail, 3ch, 1slst first st of round 2. Finish off black and weave in ends.

Wings in blue or contrast – worked separately in rows
Join blue into the 3rd sc from the finish slst of the tail.

1. 4ch, 1tr into same st, 2tr next st, (1dc, 1hdc) next st, 1sc next st, 1hdc next st, 1dc next st, 2tr next st, 2tr next st, TURN.

2. 3ch 1sc top of first dc, (2ch, 1sc next st) 4times, 1sc next 4st, 2ch, 1sc next st, (2ch, 1htr) next 2st, 1dc into last st which is top of 3ch start or row 2. TURN

3. 1ch, 1sc into top of last dc, (2ch, 1sc into space) 3times. 1sc next st, 1slst next 3st, 1sc, (2ch, 1sc) next sp 3 times, 2ch, then 2dc into each of last 2 loops.

4. 2ch, 1dc next 3st, (3ch, 1sc into space) 3 times, 2ch 1sc next space, 1slst finish blue off and leave end as a marker. This with be between the top and bottom wings.

5. Join Black into the bottom corner sc of the wing then work: 1ch, 1sc same space, 1sc next 2ch sp, 4ch, then work back along ch starting from 2nd ch from hook: 1hdc, 2sc, 1sc into same sp of wing,

Continue along wing: 2ch, 1sc next sp, 2ch (2tr 1hdc) next sp, miss one st, 1sc then into the finishing st of blue on top wing 1sc, (I then work over the end thread) (2ch, 1sc) into next sp four times, 2ch, 1dc next 3st, 1hdc into wing tip and finish off.

Flip your butterfly over and repeat along the second side.

Cut 4 threads 36cm / 14in, fold in half and loops through ch loop at tail. Spray starch and block your butterfly

Give this to someone special or as a thank you for a kind deed.

Please respect copyright as posted above.