Free knitting pattern coaster / cleaning pad "Butterfly"

This cute little square with a butterfly theme is very easily made with only knit and purl stitches – it is really fun to do and completed very quickly. It is an ideal starter project for beginners as you don’t need to master complicated stitches, and you hold the result (and thus the success) in your hands in a very short time. This is pure motivation for knitting starters! But also as advanced knitter it still brings joy to make such small projects in between, don’t you think?

In this blog you will find a knitting chart for the motif as well as written row-by-row instrutions. You can choose which instructions you work with preferably. The finished item has the ideal size for a coaster or for a cleaning / make-up removal pad.

A knitted cleaning pad is a good and sustainable alternative to disposable cleaning tissues you buy in the supermarket. If you choose a mashine washable material, e.g. cotton or a cotton mix, they are very hygienic – you can wash them in the washing machine after single use. It is helpful if you knit several pads, so you will also have a sufficient stock. In my shop you will find various designs, some as patterns to purchase, but also some free patterns. Feel free to browse 😊If you like making these coasters / pads, you are invited to visit my store and blog regularly, so you don’t miss out when there is a new design. And new designs are certainly to come, as I am myself a huge fan of these little motifs and use them in various ways. If there is a desired motif you wish to knit, please feel free to write me – either via the contact button on the website, or you can leave a comment at the end of this thread. I’m looking forward to your ideas.

Now I hope you have lots of fun knitting the little butterfly!

General information:

Material

• Approx. 10 gr per coaster, e.g. 100 % cotton 125 m / 50 gr in your desired colour
• 2,5 mm (US 1 or 2) knitting needles
• Tapestry needle, scissors

Required skills

• Basic knitting skills (cast on, cast off, knit and purl)
• Abbreviations:
  k = knit, p = purl, s = selvedge stitch, R = row
  words are not written out in full, but you will get the number of stitches and then k (knit) or p (purl)
  e.g. R 7: 4 k, 22 p, 3 k, 1 s (= Row 7: 4 knit, 22 purl, 3 knit, 1 selvedge stitch)

Size

When using the suggested yarn (cotton with 125 m / 50 gr), the coaster / pad will be approx. 11,5 cm x 11, 5 cm, depending on your personal gauge. For a cleaning pad you could also use finer yarn, e.g. Schachenmayr Organic Cotton, which is a very soft and comfortable cotton yarn with 155 m / 50 gr.

Let’s start

The motif appears by alternating between stockinette stitch (front row all knit, back row all purl) and garter stitch (front and back row all knit).

In this pattern, the motif is created in the rows with odd numbers (on the back side), there you will knit for the motif and border, and purl for the background. In the rows with even numbers (on the front side), all stitches are knit.

Cast on 30 stitches.

For cast on you can use any cast on method you like.

Do a selvedge stitch from row 1 as follows:

Last stitch on the needle: slip purlwise, yarn forward:

Turn. Knit selvedge stitch rather loosely. After some rows, the edge should look like this:

Knitting chart:

Please note that only rows with odd numbers are shown. Rows with even numbers are all knit. Rows with odd numbers are always read from right to left (in working direction).

Written instructions:

R 1: 29 k, 1 s

R 2: 29 k, 1 s

R 3: 29 k, 1 s

R 4: 29 k, 1 s

R 5: 29 k, 1 s

R 6: 29 k, 1 s

R 7: 4 k, 22 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 8: 29 k, 1 s

R 9: 4 k, 22 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 10: 29 k, 1 s

R 11: 4 k, 8 p, 4 k, 10 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 12: 29 k, 1 s

R 13: 4 k, 7 p, 6 k, 9 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 14: 29 k, 1 s

R 15: 4 k, 2 p, 4 k, 1 p, 3 k, 1 p, 2 k, 9 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 16: 29 k, 1 s

R 17: 4 k, 1 p, 3 k, 1 p, 5 k, 1 p, 2 k, 9 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 18: 29 k, 1 s

R 19: 4 k, 1 p, 4 k, 1 p, 1 k, 1 p, 3 k, 1 p, 3 k, 7 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 20: 29 k, 1 s

R 21: 4 k, 1 p, 4 k, 1 p, 2 k, 1 p, 9 k, 4 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 22: 29 k, 1 s

R 23: 4 k, 2 p, 7 k, 1 p, 5 k, 1 p, 3 k, 3 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 24: 29 k, 1 s

R 25: 4 k, 4 p, 6 k, 1 p, 5 k, 1 p, 3 k, 2 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 26: 29 k, 1 s

R 27: 4 k, 3 p, 2 k, 1 p, 11 k, 1 p, 2 k, 2 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 28: 29 k, 1 s

R 29: 4 k, 2 p, 2 k, 1 p, 5 k, 3 p, 4 k, 1 p, 2 k, 2 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 30: 29 k, 1 s

R 31: 4 k, 2 p, 2 k, 1 p, 5 k, 1 p, 1 k, 2 p, 2 k, 1 p, 3 k, 2 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 32: 29 k, 1 s

R 33: 4 k, 2 p, 2 k, 1 p, 4 k, 3 p, 1 k, 2 p, 4 k, 3 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 34: 29 k, 1 s

R 35: 4 k, 2 p, 3 k, 2 p, 2 k, 13 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 36: 29 k, 1 s

R 37: 4 k, 2 p, 6 k, 14 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 38: 29 k, 1 s

R 39: 4 k, 3 p, 4 k, 15 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 40: 29 k, 1 s

R 41: 4 k, 22 p, 3 k, 1 s

R 42: 29 k, 1 s

R 43: 29 k, 1 s

R 44: 29 k, 1 s

R 45: 29 k, 1 s

R 46: 29 k, 1 s

R 47: 29 k, 1 s

Then cast off all stitches. You can either choose a cast off method you are familiar with. Or you can cast off by passing over stitches as follows:

Knit 2; pass the next to last knitted stitch over the last knitted stitch; knit 1; pass the next to last knitted stitch over the last knitted stitch; repeat till end of row. Knit rather loosely so the edge stays elastic.

Cut yarn and pull through. Weave in all ends, and already you have finished your coaster / cleaning pad.

I wish you lots of joy with your little butterfly! Maybe you have a Mom / daughter / dear friend, who absolutely must have one as well, and you will knit another one right away.

Of course, you could work the motif several times in width and in height, so it will be the fitting size for a cushion cover or a small blanket. If you work the motif several times in width, I recommend that you don’t work the border twice but only once between two motifs (i.e. only 4 stitches garter stitch). Combining different motifs will make your project very unique and creative.

If knitting several motifs in one piece seems complicated for you, you can also work several patches separately and join them in the end. Either by sewing them together or by crocheting. This is recommended especially if you work the patches in different colours.

The butterfly is part of the knitting patter “Squares” which is available for purchase in my Crazypatterns shop. There included you will find not only several motifs, but also all letters from A-Z. The pattern as well as some example pictures you will find here: https://www.crazypatterns.net/en/items/82199/knitting-pattern-squares-12-motifs-a-z-for-blankets-accessories-etc

As you see there are so many ways to use this motif – be creative and show me your work! I’m looking forward to see your designs. If you like, you can show pictures of your finished projects in the Crazypatterns gallery.

If you have questions or suggestions, please write to me or leave a comment.

Kind regards, Sonja