* You can purchase the INEXPENSIVE AD-FREE PDF of this pattern on Etsy! This printer friendly, stylishly formatted PDF includes a step-by-step picture tutorial explaining how to turn the rainbow shape into a square shape, crochet charts detailing how to make the rainbow + how to turn the rainbow shape into a square shape, extra colour combinations, a colouring page so you can see how your blanket will look with your colours and is a total of 16 pages including the cover page. *
Blankets are the main reason why I got into crochet and knitting. I just love snuggling under a cozy blanket year-round.
Of course, my first thought when I found out I was pregnant was I need to make blankets. Never mind the cute outfits I could have made; all I could think was that babies need blankets!
The idea for this one came when I saw Lion Brand Yarn’s Hue + Me yarn in person for the first time. The colour palette of this yarn is so beautiful; they go so well with each other that you can mix and match them very easily. In no time, I had picked the 6-colour palette you see in this pattern.
It took some time and lots of frogging and starting over to get the proper sized rainbow and the perfect transition from rainbow shape to square shape but I’m very happy with the result!
To make it extra special, this pattern also coincides with the launch of my brand-new blog, something I’ve been hard at work on for months in the background and that’s been a dream of mine for years now. I have a ton of ideas swirling in my head so there will be plenty more free patterns coming soon!
Pattern Description: The Over the Rainbow Blanket is made up of 12 individually crocheted squares which are then seamed together to create the core of the blanket. A colourful moss stitch border is then added to finish things off nicely. Each square starts with a rainbow shape before being turned into a square.
Skill level: Intermediate
Materials:
Hook
7mm or size needed to obtain gauge
Yarn
The blanket is worked in bulky (level 5) yarn and uses a total of 6 different colours: 5 colours for the rainbow + 1 colour as the main/background colour. I opted for Lion Brand Yarn – Hue and Me as the colours pair so well with each other. You will need:
- 5 skeins (685 yards / 625m / 625g) of your chosen Main Colour
- 2 skeins (274 yards / 250m / 625g) of each of your rainbow colours (Colours A, B, C, D and E).
The pictures in this pattern show:
- Main Colour: Salt
- Colour A: Bellini
- Colour B: Love Song
- Colour C: Mustard
- Colour D: Fatigues
- Colour E: Artichoke
Notions
Gauge: In hdc, using 7 mm hook: 4”x4” (10cm x 10cm) = 10 stitches across x 8 rows high.
A completed rainbow square should measure about 14.5″ x 14.5″ (37cm x 37cm). The border should measure approximately 2.25″ (5.75cm) wide.
Final measurements: The finished blanket including the border measures 48″ (122cm) wide x 62.5″ (159cm) long.
Notes:
Chain 2 at the beginning of each row does not count as a stitch.
Abbreviations and special stitches:
This pattern uses standard US crochet terms.
- Fhdc – foundation half double crochet
- St(s) – stitch(es)
- Hdc – half double crochet
- Ch – chain
- Inc – increase (two hdc in the same st)
- Sc – single crochet
- Sl st – slip stitch
- Dc – double crochet
- Trc – treble crochet
Rainbow quantities:
To add some visual appeal to the blanket there are 5 types of rainbows to make, each alternating the position of the colours. Below are the quantities of each.
Type 1 – Make 3:
Type 2 – Make 3:
Type 3 – Make 2:
Type 4 – Make 2:
Type 5 – Make 2:
Rainbow Square Pattern:
Row 1: Using a 7mm crochet hook and your Main Colour, fhdc 17 sts, hdc 4 in the last st (see PHOTO A – this creates the inner curve of the rainbow), working in the bottom/back of the foundation chain; hdc in remaining 16 sts (see PHOTO B), turn.
Row 2: Using your first rainbow colour, ch 2, hdc 16, inc in the next 5 sts, hdc 16, turn. (42 sts)
Row 3: Ch 2, hdc 16, [inc, hdc], repeat [] 5 times, hdc 16, turn. (47 sts)
Row 4: Using your second rainbow colour, ch 2, hdc 16, [inc, hdc 2], repeat [] 5 times, hdc 16, turn. (52 sts)
Row 5: Ch 2, hdc 16, [inc, hdc 3], repeat [] 5 times, hdc 16, turn. (57 sts)
Row 6: Using your third rainbow colour, ch 2, hdc 16, [inc, hdc 4], repeat [] 5 times, hdc 16, turn. (62 sts)
Row 7: Ch 2, hdc 16, [inc, hdc 5], repeat [] 5 times, hdc 16, turn. (67 sts)
Row 8: Using your fourth rainbow colour, ch 2, hdc 16, [inc, hdc 6], repeat [] 5 times, hdc 16, turn. (72 sts)
Row 9: Ch 2, hdc 16, [inc, hdc 7], repeat [] 5 times, hdc 16, turn. (77 sts)
Row 10: Using your fifth and final rainbow colour, ch 2, hdc 16, [inc, hdc 8], repeat [] 5 times, hdc 16, turn. (82 sts)
Row 11: Ch 2, hdc 16, [inc, hdc 9], repeat [] 5 times, hdc 16, turn. (87 sts)
Your rainbow is now complete. The next two rows will turn the rainbow shape into a square shape.
The next row includes some back and forth to create the shaping in the corners. This means that you will need to turn your work a few times in the same row and continue on with the row, this is normal.
Row 12: Refer to PHOTO C throughout this row if you need help understanding the flow of this row.
Ch 2, hdc 14, inc in next st, hdc 23, sc, turn.
Skip the first st, sl st in the next 2 sts (see PHOTO D), sc 3, hdc 3, dc, dc 2 in next st, dc, hdc 3, sc 3, sl st 3, turn.
Skip the first st, sl st in the next 2 sts (see PHOTO E), sc 2, hdc 3, dc 2, dc + trc in next st, trc + dc in next st, dc 2, hdc 3, sc 3, sl st, hdc 8 (see PHOTO F), sc, hdc 20, turn.
Skip the first st, sl st in the next 2 sts (see PHOTO G), sc 3, hdc 3, dc, dc 2 in next st, dc, hdc 3, sc 3, sl st 3, turn.
Skip the first st, sl st in the next st (see PHOTO H), sc 3, hdc 3, dc 2, dc + trc in the next st, trc + dc in the next st, dc 2, hdc 3, sc 2, sl st 2, hdc 18 (see PHOTO I), inc in the next st, hdc 29 evenly along bottom edge, sl st into the top of the beginning ch 2.
The space between the two trc on each side is considered the corner. You should now have 30 sts along each of the 4 sides of your rainbow for a total of 120 sts.
Row 13: Ch 2, inc in the next st, hdc 28, inc in the next 2 sts, hdc 28, inc in the next 2 sts, hdc 28, inc in the next 2 sts, hdc 28, inc in the next st, sl st in the top of the beginning ch 2 and fasten off leaving a 24″/61 cm long tail.
The space between both increases is considered the corner. You should now have 32 sts per side, for a total of 128 sts.
I highly recommend blocking each square individually before joining them together.
Rainbow square photo tutorial:
JOINING THE SQUARES
Now that all 12 of your squares are completed, it is time to join them together using the long tail left when binding off. I used the whip stitch method but feel free to use any method of your choice.
The diagram below indicates the order in which the squares are attached along with their types. The black dots show where your tail is, and the arrows show the direction in which you’ll use it to seam the squares.
BORDER
The border is comprised of a row of hdc in the main colour followed by five rows of moss stitch, one in each of the 5 rainbow colours.
With main/background colour, join yarn to the bottom left corner of your blanket.
Row 1: Ch 3, hdc in each st across the left side (128 sts), ch 2 (creates the first corner), hdc in each st across the top (128 sts), ch 2 (creates the second corner), hdc in each st across the right side (128 sts), ch 2 (creates the third corner), hdc in each st across the bottom (128 sts), sl st to the top of the initial ch 3 and fasten off.
Row 2: With colour A, (sc, ch 2, sc) in the corner space created by the chains from the previous row, ch1, skip next st, [sc in next st, ch1, skip next st] repeat across side, sc in last stitch, ch 2, repeat sequence from [ along 3 other sides, sl st to first sc to join and fasten off.
Row 3: Repeat row 2 using colour B.
Row 4: Repeat row 2 using colour C.
Row 5: Repeat row 2 using colour D.
Row 6: Repeat row 2 using colour E.
Weave in ends and voilà!
The rainbows are so addictive to make especially with all the colour changes, you’ll just want to keep going and going. The bulky weight makes this blanket a quick make as well.
If you’ve never made anything with the Hue + Me, you’re missing out! The colour palette has been so carefully created that every single colour goes well with any other colour making it easy to change up the colour combinations to suit your personal or home style.
Another great feature of Hue + Me yarn, besides it being machine washable and dryable is that it becomes softer and softer with every wash.
Grab your newly finished blanket, your favorite warm drink, put on a feel-good show and snuggle in for a comfortable evening.
If you like this pattern, please share on social media using #OverTheRainbowBlanket and tag @KnitalieCo.
If you would like to purchase the INEXPENSIVE AD-FREE PDF of this pattern, here’s the link! Purchasing the printer friendly, 16-page stylishly formatted PDF (which includes bonus content like crochet charts, extra colour combinations and a colouring page so you can see exactly how your blanket will look with your colours) helps me continue sharing free content.
