Easy Rainbow Blanket – Free Crochet Pattern

This Rainbow Baby Blanket Crochet Pattern is an easy pattern that makes a wonderful baby blanket and a great gift. The finished size is approx. 29″ wide and 43″ high, which is a great size for a small crib blanket.

This unique blanket is soft, warm and cozy with a fun design and bright colors.

Speaking of colors, I’ve called this a rainbow blanket as I’ve used rainbow colors but you can make the blanket any colors you’d like. I think the ripple stripes would look amazing with just one color alternating with the main color.

This Rainbow Blanket Crochet Pattern also makes a wonderful regular-size crochet blanket. You can easily adjust the size (instructions below) and make crochet blankets in various sizes such as a throw for your living room or even to use as a twin, double, queen or king size blanket.

You can use various colors to match your home decor. This colorful blanket is completely reversible and looks beautiful on both sides. The finished blanket is truly stunning and makes a perfect gift for a new baby or for an adult.

The inspiration for this easy rainbow crochet blanket pattern came from making my Beginner Crochet Baby Blanket.

I love the simplicity of that blanket and how nice those two rows of stitches look together. I thought about how neat it would be if there were rows of ripples at the start and end of the blanket, like in my Crochet Ripple Scarf for Kids Pattern.

And with those two patterns in mind, I designed this new rainbow crochet blanket!

Use the Table of Contents below to jump to any section of this pattern or keep scrolling down for all the details, the video tutorial and the written instructions. 

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Pattern Details (Size, Yarn, Hook & Notes) 

Skill Level

Easy

Size

The pattern creates a blanket that is approx. 29” wide and 43” high. 

Materials

Yarn: can use any size 4 (medium) yarn. You will need approx. 750 yds for the main color and 60 yds x 6 colors for the rainbow. 

For the main color, I used Pound of Love by Lion Brand in the color Antique White. This yarn is medium (4) weight and 100% premium acrylic. A skein is 1020 yds / 932 m and 16 oz / 448 g. I used 750 yds (3/4 of a skein). 

For the rainbow, I used Flecks by Loops & Threads in the colors: Berry Pink (red), Sweet Orange (orange), Sunshine (yellow), Spring Green (green), Pool Blue (blue) and Violet (purple). This yarn is medium (4) weight and 79% acrylic / 21% polyester. A skein is 355 yds / 324 m and 6.53 oz / 185 g. I used 60 yds of each color. 

Crochet Hook Size: I/9 (5.50 mm) 

Other Materials: yarn needle, scissors and a measuring tape. 

Terminology

This pattern is written for right-handed crochet using standard US terminology. If you’re more familiar with UK terms, here’s my US to UK Conversion Chart. 

Abbreviations

• ch = chain
• st = stitch
• sts = stitches 
• sk = skip
• sc = single crochet
• hdc = half double crochet
• dc = double crochet 
• tr = triple/treble crochet 
• dc2tog = double crochet two together 

Gauge

4” x 4” = 12 sts and 9 rows following the Middle Section. 

How to Adjust the Size

The blanket is made from the bottom up. The number of starting chains determines the width and the number of rows determines the height.

To adjust the width, make fewer or more starting chains in multiples of 7 + 1 (pick any number that can be divided by 7 and then add 1 to that number). To adjust the height, make fewer or more rows of the Middle Section (Rows 31 – 62).

Changing Colors

Change colors when instructed to by placing the new color on your hook and pulling it through the loop of the current color on your hook. With your new color, begin the next row. Fasten off the old color.

The instructions include the exact color changes I made. You are absolutely welcome to use different colors! 

Stitch Explanations

In case you are new to “dc2tog over two stitches” or triple/treble crochet (tr) stitches: 

Double Crochet Two Together (dc2tog)

In this pattern, dc2tog is always worked over two stitches. This is sometimes called a (double crochet) decrease. 

Here’s how to “dc2tog over the next 2 sts”: 

Yarn over and insert hook into next st. Pull up a loop (3 loops on hook). Yarn over, pull yarn through 2 loops on hook (2 loops on hook). Yarn over and insert your hook into next st. Pull up a loop (4 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull yarn through 2 loops hook (3 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull yarn through last 3 loops on hook. 

When the instructions say “[Dc2tog over the next 2 sts.] x 2” what this means is: Over the next 2 sts, dc2tog and over the next 2 sts, dc2tog.

Triple/Treble Crochet (tr)

Here’s how to do a tr st:

Yarn over twice, insert hook into next st. Yarn over and pull up a loop (4 loops on hook). Yarn over, pull yarn through 2 loops on hook (3 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull yarn through 2 loops on hook (2 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull yarn through last 2 loops on hook.

Pattern Notes

• Always work into the first stitch (the stitch attached to the chain) unless instructed to skip it. 
• Chains never count as stitches. 

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Video Tutorial

Watch the video tutorial here or keep scrolling down for the written instructions.

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How to Crochet the Rainbow Blanket (Pattern Instructions)

Start: With your main color, chain 85. 

For Row 1 (only), work into the back ridge loops. 

Row 1: In the second chain from hook, sc. Sc in each ch across. (84 sts). 

Row 2: Ch 2 and turn. Reminder: always work into the first st unless instructed to skip it. Dc in each st across. (84 sts. Reminder: chains never count as sts). 

Row 3: Ch 1 and turn. Sc in each st across. (84 sts). 

Row 4: Ch 1 and turn. 

*Sc in the next st. 

Hdc in the next st. 

Dc in the next st. 

In the next st, 3 tr in the same st. 

Dc in the next st. 

Hdc in the next st. 

Sc in the next st.*

Repeat from * to * across. 

(108 sts). 

Change to purple. Reminder: when changing colors, always fasten off the old color. 

Row 5: Ch 1 and turn. 

Sk the first stitch. 

Sc in the next 3 sts. 

In the next st, 3 sc in the same st. 

*Sc in the next 3 sts. 

Sk the next 2 sts. 

Sc in the next 3 sts. 

In the next st, 3 sc in the same st.* 

Repeat from * to * across until there are 4 sts left. 

Sc in the next 2 sts. 

Sk the next st. 

Sc in the last st. 

(108 sts). 

Continue using the same color. 

Row 6: Ch 2 and turn. 

Dc2tog over the next 2 sts (the first and second sts).

Dc in the next 2 sts. 

In the next st, 3 dc in the same st. 

*Dc in the next 2 sts. 

[Dc2tog over the next 2 sts.] x 2 

Dc in the next 2 sts.

In the next st, 3 dc in the same st.*

Repeat from * to * across until there are 4 sts left. 

Dc in the next 2 sts. 

Dc2tog over the last 2 sts. 

(108 sts). 

Row 7: Change to main color. Repeat Row 5.

Row 8: Continue using main color. Repeat Row 6. 

Row 9: Change to blue. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 10: Continue using blue. Repeat Row 6. 

Row 11: Change to main color. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 12: Continue using main color. Repeat Row 6. 

Row 13: Change to green. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 14: Continue using green. Repeat Row 6. 

Row 15: Change to main color. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 16: Continue using main color. Repeat Row 6.

Row 17: Change to yellow. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 18: Continue using yellow. Repeat Row 6.

Row 19: Change to main color. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 20: Continue using main color. Repeat Row 6.

Row 21: Change to orange. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 22: Continue using orange. Repeat Row 6.

Row 23: Change to main color. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 24: Continue using main color. Repeat Row 6.

Row 25: Change to red. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 26: Continue using red. Repeat Row 6.

Row 27: Change to main color. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 28: Continue using main color until instructed to change. 

Ch 3 and turn. 

*In the next st, tr. 

In the next st, dc. 

In the next st, hdc. 

Sk the next st. 

In the next st, sc.

Sk the next st.  

In the next st, hdc. 

In the next st, dc.

In the next st, tr.* 

Repeat from * to * across.

(84 sts). 

Row 29: Ch 1 and turn. Sc in each st across. (84 sts). 

Row 30: Ch 2 and turn. Dc in each st across. (84 sts). 

Rows 31 – 62 (Middle Section): Repeat Rows 29 & 30 consecutively.

After Row 62, work measures approx. 29” high and 29” wide. Note: measurements don’t need to be exact and it’s okay if your blanket is a different size. 

If you want to adjust the height of the blanket, make fewer or more rows in the middle section.

Row 63: Ch 1 and turn. Sc in each st across. (84 sts). 

Row 64: Repeat Row 4. (But don’t change to purple after the row). 

Row 65: Change to red. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 66: Continue using red. Repeat Row 6.

Row 67: Change to main color. Repeat Row 5.

Row 68: Continue using main color. Repeat Row 6. 

Row 69: Change to orange. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 70: Continue using orange. Repeat Row 6. 

Row 71: Change to main color. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 72: Continue using main color. Repeat Row 6. 

Row 73: Change to yellow. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 74: Continue using yellow. Repeat Row 6. 

Row 75: Change to main color. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 76: Continue using main color. Repeat Row 6.

Row 77: Change to green. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 78: Continue using green. Repeat Row 6.

Row 79: Change to main color. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 80: Continue using main color. Repeat Row 6.

Row 81: Change to blue. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 82: Continue using blue. Repeat Row 6. 

Row 83: Change to main color. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 84: Continue using main color. Repeat Row 6. 

Row 85: Change to purple. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 86: Continue using purple. Repeat Row 6. 

Row 87: Change to main color. Repeat Row 5. 

Row 88: Continue using main color. Repeat Row 28.

Continue using main color for rest of pattern. 

Row 89: Ch 1 and turn. Sc in each st across. (84 sts).

Row 90: Ch 2 and turn. Dc in each st across. (84 sts).

Row 91: Ch 1 and turn. Sc in each st across (84 sts).

Fasten off and weave in all loose ends. 

And now you have a new rainbow blanket!

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