Crochet Button Flowers: 4 Free Patterns and Button Sizes
Crochet button flowers are small flowers with a button for the centre: either the petals are worked straight through the button's holes, or a flat flower is made first and the button is sewn on top. The quickest take about 15 minutes and roughly 5 yards of yarn. Below are 4 free patterns with yarn, hook, button size and finished size, a video, and the button-to-flower sizes that work.
The 4 free patterns at a glance
| Pattern | Yarn | Hook | Button | Finished size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Button Flower (The Crochet Crowd) | Light (3) mercerised cotton | 3.5 mm (E/4) + 2.0 mm (B/1) | 1 in, 4 holes | Fits the button |
| Buttoned Flower Applique (Crochet Spot) | Medium (4), about 5 yd | 4 mm (G) | About 15 mm | 2 1/4 in (5.5 cm) |
| Little Flowers (Oombawka Design) | Medium (4) | 4 mm (G) | Optional, small | 1.5, 2 or 2.25 in |
| Button-On Flower (Cut Out + Keep) | Cotton worsted | G | 7/8 in (20 mm) | Slips over the button |
All four were free and online when this page was updated in October 2026.
- Through the holes: the first round is worked straight into the button's holes, so the button becomes part of the flower. This is the method in the step-by-step photos below.
- Sewn on top: crochet a flat flower, then sew or glue a button to the centre. It works with any button, including shank buttons, and it is the fastest way to use up odd buttons.
Photo: Craft and Fun.
Diagrams: Tejiendo Perú, one for 4-hole buttons and one for 2-hole buttons.
Michael Sellick works the petals directly through a 1 in (25 mm) button with 4 holes, using light-weight mercerised cotton such as Patons Grace. The pattern lists two hooks, 3.5 mm and 2.0 mm. It takes a little practice, so make 2 or 3 before you use them on a project. The pattern is a free PDF on The Crochet Crowd, and the video below follows it step by step.
Rachel Choi's flower is the quickest of the four: 2 rounds, about 5 yd of medium-weight yarn and a 4 mm (G) hook, for a flower 2 1/4 in (5.5 cm) across. The button, about 15 mm, is sewn or glued to the centre at the end, so you can use any button you like. Free on Crochet Spot.
3. Little Flowers by Oombawka Design
Rhondda Mol's pattern gives 3 sizes from the same medium-weight yarn and 4 mm (G) hook: small at 1.5 in (3.8 cm), medium at 2 in (5.1 cm) and large at 2.25 in (5.7 cm). She suggests a small pearl button in the centre. Three sizes are useful for layering a big and a small flower under one button. Free on Oombawka Design Crochet.
This one is clever: the flower is made to fit over a 7/8 in (20 mm) button that is already sewn on a bag or a cardigan, so you can change the flower whenever you want. It uses cotton worsted yarn and a G hook, and takes about 15 minutes. Free on Cut Out + Keep.
| Button | Flower size in these patterns | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| About 15 mm | 2 1/4 in (5.5 cm), Crochet Spot | Hair clips, cards, baby clothes |
| 7/8 in (20 mm) | Slips over the button, Cut Out + Keep | Changeable flowers on bags and cardigans |
| 1 in (25 mm), 4 holes | Petals worked through the holes, The Crochet Crowd | Brooches, wreaths, gift toppers |
With thicker yarn or a larger hook the same pattern makes a bigger flower, so check the first one against your button before you make a batch.
Photo: Craft and Fun. A wire heart wrapped in white yarn and covered in button flowers.
- Heart or round wreath: wrap a wire frame in yarn and sew on a ring of flowers, as in the photo above.
- Hair clips and bows: glue a flower to a clip or add one to a crochet ribbon bow.
- Coats, bags and hats: sew them on like crochet appliqués for a coat; the Cut Out + Keep version can be swapped.
- Gift wrapping and cards: one flower in place of a bow, or glued to a handmade card.
- Scrapbooking: flat flowers with flat buttons sit best on paper.
The original video of the heart wreath, by Craft and Fun, is in Italian, but the steps are easy to follow from the pictures:
- Cotton gives crisp, flat petals that hold their shape on clothes and wreaths; mercerised cotton adds a slight shine.
- Buttons with large holes are easiest to crochet through; check that a 2.0 mm hook fits before you start.
- Contrast a pale button with bright petals, or match the thread that shows across the button to the petal colour, as in the diagrams above.
- Keep loose buttons away from babies: on baby items, sew the button on firmly or use a crocheted centre instead.
Frequently asked questions
Either work the first round straight through the button's holes with a small hook (The Crochet Crowd method), or make a flat flower and sew a button to the centre (Crochet Spot and Oombawka). The second way works with any button.
About 15 mm for a 2 1/4 in flower in medium yarn, 7/8 in (20 mm) for the Cut Out + Keep slip-on flower, and 1 in (25 mm) with 4 holes for The Crochet Crowd pattern.
Very little: the Crochet Spot flower uses about 5 yards of medium-weight yarn, so button flowers are a good use for scraps.
Yes. The Tejiendo Perú diagrams above show one version for 2-hole buttons and one for 4-hole buttons.
More crochet flowers
- A 3D crochet rose for brooches and bouquets.
- A crochet hibiscus flower, step by step.
- Crocheted tulip appliqués for spring projects.
CHECK MORE CROCHET PATTERNS