Perfect for spring and summer my Dancing Butterflies Sweater is lightweight and can be worn with skirts, shorts or if you make it longer, it could be a beach cover.
The inspiration for this sweater came from the Dancing Butterflies Wrap that I made a few months ago. I modified the stitches in the original pattern for the lighter weight yarn and as I was making the wrap all I could think about was “this would make a great summer sweater”.
And I was right – it IS a great sweater!!!!
What I really love about this sweater is that it looks great on anybody. I have made a lot of tops lately that I could have worn 20 years (and 20 pounds) ago but this one I designed totally for myself right now!
This is a very versatile sweater design technique that can be modified in countless ways. I could have used the same stitch pattern to make this into a crew neck or a cardigan. The only difference in making each sweater style is where you decide to join the ends together. If I wanted a crew neck I would have joined at the very first row. If I wanted a cardigan I wouldn’t have joined at all. I chose a deep V neck for this design because I love wearing tank tops in the summer and this sweater really dresses it up. For the deep V neck I joined my rows together and started working in the round one row after the armpit joining row.I had some iridescent beads that matched perfectly so I crocheted them into the neckline for a little bit of bling! I also made the pretty glass necklace to wear with this top too for a little bit of extra sparkle! 😀
I have had some requests to write up a pattern for this sweater. I would love to do that but I also would need to make another one from scratch and take notes as I went along. With this basic sweater design concept, after I have established the increases for the arm hole construction in the first row I don’t really count or pay attention to any details after that. Plus with this particular stitch pattern, once I started working the body of it in the round I didn’t join each row. I just continued around and around so there would be no joining seam going down the middle.
It is a very easy design though and I really love this one so I don’t need an excuse to make another one in order to write up a pattern. No promises, but I will give it a go and see what I come up with. I’m pretty sure I will end up needing to make about five of these in order to get one pattern. I say that because I know I will forget that I’m supposed to write something down and not remember until I’m already done. Then I’ll need to make another one to pick up on the notes where I left off……..then I’ll forget again etc etc etc!! 😀

Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable in Tealberry
One last thing – I don’t usually do yarn reviews and I am NOT a paid sponsor for Red Heart (but I wouldn’t say no to a gig like that!) – Red Heart Unforgettable Yarn is my absolute favorite yarn for making apparel like this! The color combinations are amazing!! The yarn for this sweater is named Dragonfly. I used a little more than two full skeins for this. If I wanted to add sleeves or make it longer I estimate you would need four skeins.
Thanks for reading!
~ Tami
This is AWESOME. It’s even more so because you were so creative with it adding the bling and all.
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Thanks Tony! The beads were completely unplanned. I was clearing some crafting stuff off of the kitchen table and found them under some yarn. I had forgotten that I even had them. 😀
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It’s beautiful, Tami 😍 Great job! You’re right about the deep V …that’s my favorite style too. 😎 I love how you ‘blinged’ it up a bit…awesome! 🤗
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Thanks Tina!! I found the beads in my craft stash and was so excited that they were a perfect match! 😀
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Oh I believe it 😃 It’s a great feeling when everything comes together perfectly 😍
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Tami that is beautiful! I love the colour, and the beads are perfect. You are very talented
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Thank you so much Susan!! I fell in love with the colors and knew instantly that I wanted to use it for this sweater. 😀
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WOW! I love this! The color. The style! The beading. It looks great on too! Very beautiful.
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Thanks Robin!!! I was really happy with how it came out. I just love this yarn and I want to make one in every color combination! Good thing it was pretty easy to make!! 😀
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Nice colors!!!! 👌
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Thank you!!! I love purple, green and blue together and this yarn has a nice fuzz and soft sheen too! 😀
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Stunning! You are rocking that top. It’s so pretty. I love the necklace. It so perfect. Why haven’t I made one yet?! I’m a sucker for those colors. All my favorite colors in one place. 🙂 You make patterns like I make patterns. Doh! I was supposed to write that down! I’ll write it down on the next one. LOL
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Thanks Yolanda!! The necklace was super easy to make. I have a lot of decorative glass beads that I bought from the Dollar Store years ago. I just used some crochet thread and made a treble stitch to cradle the bead in then joined really tight and did a chain stitch long enough to fit over my head. I don’t know why I had never made one before either LOL!!! I’m going to try my hardest to write up something for this sweater. It is a little tricky because the butterflies in the body of the sweater came from the paid pattern and I want to be careful not to be disrespectful of her work in creating her pattern. I do want to write up the technique I use to make the yoke because it will be really easy for everyone to design their own unique sweaters. I would rather inspire and give the info for everyone to explore and discover their own “inner designer”. 😀
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That is a gorgeous sweater, Tami! You are so talented!
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Thank you so much Kate!!! It really is a very easy design. I will be making a lot more sweaters and I’ll be sure to write up some instructions or a pattern so that everyone will see just how easy it is to make! 😀
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That looks lovely, and those colours are gorgeous 🙂
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Thank you Carole! I really love these colors too! I knew this yarn would be perfect for this sweater. 😀
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Girl I’ll just have you make me a whole fall sweater line cause I adore this one too… I’m a sweater freak Tami lol
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Awww shucks Ricci – you are way too sweet!! I already have plans in my head for making a bunch of sweaters. 😀
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Nah I’m just me lol My mom use to knit me and my sister sweaters every year and I still have two of them.. i love thick cable knit sweaters … My favorite time of year is what I call sweater weather.. early spring and fall 😀❤😀❤😀❤
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How pretty!!! you did a fantastic job and it looks beautiful on. I love it!!!!!.
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Thank you Tammy!!! I’m glad I decided to make it for myself because I don’t think I would have been able to give it away if I had been making it for someone else! 😀
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LOL I agree!!! it is way to cute!!!! =)
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Your top is fab! I’m so glad you made one that you enjoy wearing. The colours are gorgeous, I Might have to check out that yarn! And i love the beads too. What a great job 😊
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Thanks Julia! I’m going to need to make another one with this same color yarn and put some sleeves on it so I can wear it in the winter! I actually didn’t like working with the Unforgettable yarn at first. But I LOVED the colors and after a few rows I got used to it and really enjoyed it. Be careful though it is a nightmare if you have to frog it! 😀
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Yep that bling is perfect! I want one now, it looks so comfy and just awesomesauce
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Thanks Hannah!! I like it because sometimes the tank top is a little too tight and this sweater covers up my tummy nicely!! 😀
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really gorgeous Tami, and just my colours too ^^
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Thank you so much Claire!! I love this combination of colors too! It reminds me of peacocks or mermaids or a treasure chest of jewels!! 😀
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FAbulous make Tami …. LOVE LOVE LOVE the colours. They have a fairy magic about them.
Adore the whole sweater. I agree, this would suit just about anyone.
GREAT make, miss clever fingers!
Oooo… ‘Fairy Clever Fingers’. It has a ring about it. 😀
Cobs. xxx 🌷 🌷 🌷
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Hello and thank you dearest Cobs!
It does look very fairyish! I believe that the yarn was enchanted because even I was surprised at how well it came out!
Ms. Fairy Clever Fingers – I love it! I should get business cards made up! ❤ ❤ ❤
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Yes … I think that would sound rather catchy!
And … I cannot imagine anyone better suiting the title.
I’m hoping that your card will arrive by the weekend …. but … the last thing I posted to the US took almost 3 weeks! I think it’s the extra thorough customs checks that they do now. If it is held up in customs, I do hope that they treat it with love if they open it. I don’t want it arriving damaged, ’cause that will make me want to wave a magic wand and put a spell over them which makes them stick holes in their socks or nylons, with their toe nails! hmpft.
Crossing my fingers that it get their this week…. and my eyes, and my legs. (not looking my most attractive at the moment, but hey, if it helps, I’ll do it!).
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I’ll let you know the minute the precious cargo is in my hands!! If there is a delay at customs I suspect it would be because the national security teams would either:
1) Immediately contact the Louvre to see if the card had been stolen from them
or
2) Your lovely card is on it’s way to a museum because it has been determined to be a national treasure and confiscated by the authorities in order to serve the greater good of humanity.
I have my fingers, arms, legs and eyes crossed too that it arrives soon!
❤ ❤ ❤
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Aw Tami… you are just SO lovely.
love you to pieces. ❤ ❤ ❤ xxx
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What a nice job you did on this…it has everything! Great colors, stitch pattern, nice fit, sone subtle bling, you will need to do 5 more, because you’ll probably wear this one out!😉
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Thank you Kathy! I should make one in every color of Unforgettable that they sell. You know, just to be sure that I have enough of these. 😀 😀 😀
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Absolutely, Tami. In some cases you might need two, so don’t forget to buy extra! 😉
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Great sweater Tami, looks fabulous on you! Love the beaded edge too😊. I’m the same way with patterns, I get into the stitching, then forget counting!
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Awww thanks Brenna!! I wish I was better at taking notes and writing things down as I go along. I always think I’ll remember and just write it down later but I never do. 😀
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It turned out great! I love the color combinations of that yarn. The beads were a very nice finishing touch.
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Thanks Meghan!! I love this yarn and I have like a million things I want to make with it!!! 😀
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FIRSTLY, Unforgettable yarn is beautiful! It reminds just like Cygnet boho. Secondly that jumper is so cute! I love it. I am actually looking at your future, cute necklaces and bracelets like the one you’ve made in a little shop with really nice sweaters and gypsy skirts and all kinds of boho crochet items ❤ The beads was a super nice touch x
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I have a big jar full of those glass beads so I will definitely be making more necklaces and bracelets!! They’re super easy – you should whip some up for your stall at the craft show!! I LOVE this yarn!! I’m going to be keeping an eye out for sales because it is a little expensive for me, but I definitely want to get more into my stash!! 😀
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Ooooo guuuuuurl you should!!! Funny I was looking at my stash of jewellery making stuff the other day and thought about making bracelets again! Yeh it is expensive, but the expensive stuff is so worth it sometimes if its for yourself. If you ever find local businesses that sell yarn and do deliver check them out they might have discount codes or something. I bet with Xmas coming up though plenty of places will do yarn sales!
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so fun! how creative your mind is, Tami! I think it’s wonderful that you made this as a one-of-a-kind piece, and that’s terrific. Perhaps the sweater was not meant to be duplicated … it may have a mind of its own! bwah, ha ha! (evil laugh) 🙂
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Oh Theresa, maybe it’s not the sweater with a mind of its own…….. maybe it’s an enchanted hook that makes one of a kind pieces!! There’s a story in there somewhere. 😀 😀 😀
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oooh! Enchanted hook! Very nice idea. 🙂
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Wow, what a gorgeous sweater! I’m glad you liked the butterfly pattern enough to use it in a design! Love what the self-striping yarn did in the sweater, and the beads are to die for!
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Thank you Erica!! 😀 It’s a fantastic little stitch pattern. I may make a winter version of this sweater with the shorter stitches from your original pattern and add some sleeves to it. The beads weren’t part of my original design but then I found them while tidying up some of my crafting supplies and knew they would be perfect! 😀
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The sweater came out gorgeous in those colors! I love the deep vee neckline too, I also wear a lot of tank tops and love pairing with sweaters as you did. Great colors!
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Thanks Lyn!! I am so in love with the color of this yarn. The sweater came out exactly how I envisioned it and I think that the yarn was why it all came together!! I wish I had made it earlier in the summer because I’m not going to want to pack it away when the warm weather ends. 😀
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I haven’t taken the risk of trying to crochet a sweater, it seems like such a daunting task. But you make it look easy, and those colors are so beautiful!
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Thank you! It really is easy. You should give it a try. Here is the pattern/formula that I use to create the yoke and shoulders – http://www.bobwilson123.org/uploads/1/6/3/0/16302954/adult_v_neck_cardigan_bobwilson123.pdf – then I just use whatever stitches I like to make the body. 😀
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Tami, You’re right. It does make up a pretty summer sweater! I’ve downloaded the pattern from the link in the comment above, because, like you said, once the arm holes are worked out and you determine the neckline it would be smooth sailing in the round.
When it turns cooler, and I don’t mind a pile of yarn in my lap, I’ll finish up some projects and I will start one of these sweaters! I’ve saved a pattern for a boatneck sweater that also goes into the round after the armholes. Maybe between the pattern you used and the one I have I’ll be able to figure that out and make one of these up.
Thanks for your inspiration!
Jan
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Thank you Jan!! Oh I can’t wait to see what you design! I already have dozens more sweaters in mind – I just don’t have the time to make them all. Fortunately once you get the top section done down to the armhole join it goes pretty quick after that. I was so shocked how easy it was and wish that I had learned how to do this years ago. I have a ton of things to make before Christmas but I think I’m going to spend all of January and February making sweaters!! 😀
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Nominated you for the Sunshine Blogger Award
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Thank you for thinking of me Crystal!! 😀
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A good site deserves awards
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Nominated you for the Blue Tag Award and the Liebster Award
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Thank you Crystal!!! 😀
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You’re Welcome
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
LIGHT, AIRY AND WONDERFULLY PRODUCED–I LIKE THIS!
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Oh thank you so much Jonathan!! I had so much fun making this sweater and I’ve already worn it several times!! 😀
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We can see that..in your modeling of it AND BY how well it is made!
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So beautiful! 😍
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Thanks Emma! I’ve worn it at least 4 times already. 😀
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Hihi you’re like me and my new shawls. I finish them and don’t take them off for several weeks 😁
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This is so super beautiful! Well done!
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Thank you! I need to make one with long sleeves now so I can wear it in the winter!! 😀
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Pingback: A September to Remember | Tanglewood Knots·
Wow love that sweater so much I love the blogpost , you are such a beautiful blogger , thanks for sharing it , ❤️ it so much
Btw please check my new Blog on Fall SWEATERs – https://sunainadasblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/10/favorite-staple-sweaters-for-this-fall-%F0%9F%8D%82/
Hope you will like it.
Xoxo 💓
Thank you
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Thank you so much!! I’ll check out your sweater blog now. I love sweater season! 😀 😀 😀
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