Have you ever been invited to a baby shower and panicked at the thought of giving a gift? There’s no telling what others are bringing, and redundant presents are typically gotten rid of, with the exception of practical presents like diapers, wipes, and cleaning supplies. But who wants to bring a boring gift to a baby shower? We’ve found an original solution, one that will delight the recipient as well as their soon-to-be-born. This crocheted butterfly rattle will provide hours of entertainment for baby, and kept for the next generation.
To make a Butterfly Rattle, you will need to gather up the following tools and materials:
- Yarn (you’ll need nine colors total: three for the eyes, six for the body, unless you want to do something else like ombre, a single color, or colors that will coordinate with the nursery theme – it’s up to you! You may also want to consider using 100% cotton yarn, as it is safe for baby and easy to wash)
- Plastic rattle (If you get a big one you can use it for the butterfly’s entire body, but if you have a small one, you can use the rattle in just the butterfly’s tail)
- Stuffing (polyfiber or leftover cotton scraps)
- Wooden beads (these are for the antenna but if you want them to be softer you can stuff them with cotton balls or the stuffing you’re using for the rest of the body)
- Crochet hook (make sure it will work with the size of yarn you’re using)
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch marker
Once you’ve got these items in hand, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the pattern, which includes these stitches:
- Chain (ch)
- Stitch (st)
- Slip stitch (sl st)
- Single crochet (sc)
- Increase (two stitches in the same stitch)
- Decrease (two stitches together)
Have a baby shower to attend? Give yourself a few days of planning and prep and you can have your own gorgeous little gift for the new baby in your life, whether it’s yours, your sibling’s, or your friend’s or co-worker’s. You can find the list of materials, the stitch guide, and the written tutorial here.