Lesbian Pride Flag | Free Crochet Pattern

Mini Lesbian Pride Flag Free Crochet Pattern

This lesbian pride flag pattern is the newest addition to my growing list of free pride flag patterns celebrating the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2020, I shared 15 pride flag patterns. I started with rainbow flags: the original 1978 version, followed by the six stripe rainbow , then the 2017 inclusive rainbow flag and the Pride Progress flag. Then we moved into a few gender identity flags: the Transgender pride flag, the Genderqueer pride flag, the Non-Binary pride flag and the Genderfluid pride flag. Then sexual & romantic orientation flags, starting with the bisexual pride flag first, then the pansexual pride flag, the polysexual pride flag, the demisexual pride flag, the demiromantic pride flag, the aromantic pride flag, and ending with the asexual pride flag.

Purchase a PDF ebook of the first fifteen mini pride flag crochet patterns here
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The lesbian pride flag has some growing pains in its history. I did not include it in my original fifteen flags because honestly I was not able to sort through all the different iterations of the flag and come to a solid conclusion on which flag was the correct one to use in 2020. As of now in 2022, the consensus seems to be this flag, sometimes referred to by the nickname ‘the sunset flag’.  There is also a seven stripe version. There are a lot of other flags out there too so if this doesn’t speak to you, go explore the rest!

Lesbian Pride Flags Through History

The Lesbian Labrys Flag – This is the purple flag that features an inverted black triangle with a white double headed axe (labrys) on the triangle. Objectively, it’s a pretty cool design. Unfortunately, we have a lot of reasons not to use this flag today. It was created by a gay man, Sean Campbell, in 1999, and not a lesbian. The labrys is a feminist symbol dating back to the 70s which is cool, but the inverted black triangle is used because that’s how homosexual women were marked during Nazi times (big yikes). This flag has also been used in the past by trans exclusionary radical feminists (you may know them as TERFS) and we don’t like them.

The Lipstick Lesbian Flag & The Pink Lesbian Flag

Created in 2010 by Natalie McCray, the lipstick lesbian flag features seven stripes in pinks and purples with white in the middle and a cartoon kiss in the upper lefthand corner. I assumed this was much older than 2010 for some reason. No explanation was given for the colors. The kiss was removed and the Pink Lesbian Flag created from just the seven stripes, but neither of these flags were ever embraced. Partly because butch women felt excluded from the flag and partly because the flag’s creator posted racist, transphobic and biphobic content on their blog.

The Sunset Lesbian Flag

The sunset flag was a rework of the seven stripe pink lesbian flags, and features shades of orange and pink. It was first posted to Twitter by Emily Gwen in 2019. (No wonder I didn’t know what flag to use in 2020…) The flag is intended to be inclusive of not just butch women, but also trans women and gender non-conforming lesbians. The colors are: dark orange for gender non-conformity, coral orange for independence, light orange for community, white for unique relationship to womanhood, pink for serenity and peace, pastel pink for love and sex and dark pink for femininity. The pinks look very purple to me but are listed as pinks so honestly they’re a little tough to color match in my opinion. The five stripe version of the sunset flag uses dark orange, light orange, white, pink and dark pink.

Sources & Additional Information

The Lesbian Flag: How Did We Get Here?
This is a great article with screenshots of the first ‘sightings’ of each flag.

Mini Lesbian Pride Flag Free Crochet Pattern

If you use this free pattern we would love to see! We are a small blog and would love to celebrate other LGBTQ+ makers and allies. You can find us @unicornhideout on Instagram, Facebook and Ravelry.

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SUPPLIES
3.75mm (F) hook
Yarn needle (for weaving in ends)
4 medium worsted weight yarn, a small amount in the following colors: Dark orange, light orange, white, pink and dark pink. (I use mostly Red Heart Super Saver or Big Twist Value)

COMPLETED PROJECT SIZE/GAUGE
Flag size is approximately 3.5 x 5 inches. My gauge: 2 x 2 inch square = 9 rows of 10 stitches.

NOTES
This pattern uses only single crochet and is worked in rows from the bottom up. It calls for a single crochet chainless foundation row only because it is how I made my samples. The pattern is not adjusted for the slightly larger foundation row, meaning your stripes may not be perfectly even. If your preferred beginning method is a chain, substitute this for Row 1: ch 25, turn, sc 24 across beginning in second chain from hook, ch 1, turn. (24 sc)

LET’S CROCHET!
Row 1: (dark pink) chainless foundation sc 24, ch 1, turn [24 st]
Row 2-3: (dark pink) sc 24 st across, ch 1, turn [24 st]
Row 4-6: (pink) sc 24 st across, ch 1, turn [24 st]
Row 7-9: (white) sc 24 st across, ch 1, turn [24 st]
Row 10-12: (light orange) sc 24 st across, ch 1, turn [24 st]
Row 13-15: (dark orange) sc 24 st across, ch 1, turn [24 st]
Finish and fasten off. Weave in ends.

Purchase a PDF ebook of all fifteen mini pride flag crochet patterns here
buy now on Ravelry
buy now on Etsy

Did you make a mini Pride flag? We would love to see! Tag us on Instagram @unicornhideout, share on our Facebook page – @unicornhideout or post your project on Ravelry.

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Copyright 2022 Carly Arnold, UnicornHideout.com

PATTERN DISCLAIMER
If you sell products made from this pattern please credit the design to Carly Arnold of Unicorn Hideout, and provide a link to the website www.unicornhideout.com. If you wish to sell your own products made from this pattern, you are not permitted to use, in part or full, any descriptions or photos from this pattern. Photos from unicornhideout.com are not permitted for use on any website, social media or pattern roundup page. If you would like to share a photo and link to this pattern, please email me at unicornhideout@gmail.com for permission. Please do not sell, distribute, duplicate, or share these patterns or downloads in any printed or digital form, or claim patterns as your own original designs.