How to Crochet a Rainbow

A crocheted rainbow is easy to make, though it can look difficult.

A crocheted rainbow makes an attractive applique for bags, pillows or clothing. You can also hang it on the wall in a child's bedroom. A rainbow follows the color spectrum -- red on top, followed by orange, yellow, green, blue and purple on the bottom of the arch. If you are familiar with crochet terms such as chain, slip stitch and single crochet, this pattern will be very simple to complete.

Things You'll Need

• 2 oz purple yarn, any type
• 2 oz blue yarn, any type
• 2 oz green yarn, any type
• 2 oz yellow yarn, any type
• 2 oz orange yarn, any type
• 2 oz red yarn, any type
• Crochet hook
• Scissors
• Large-eyed yarn needle

Instructions

1. Make a chain of two stitches, then insert the hook into the second stitch from the hook. Wrap the yarn over the hook and pull it through the stitch; then wrap the yarn over the hook again, and pull it through the first loop. Wrap the yarn over the hook one more time and pull it through both loops on the hook.

2. Repeat this 40 times, or more if you want your rainbow to be longer. Cut the yarn and pull the yarn entirely through the loop on the hook, drawing the knot tight.

3. Loop the blue yarn onto the crochet hook; then make a slip stitch with the right-most stitch on the front of the purple row.

4. Make a row of single crochet stitches. Every five to eight stitches -- it doesn't need to be exact -- work an increase by making two single crochet stitches into the same purple stitch. Cut and tie off the blue yarn at the end.

5. Repeat this process for each color yarn in this order: green, yellow, orange, red. Use your judgment to decide when to add increases. If the rainbow seems to already have enough curvature when you are working a row, do not increase; increases make the curve larger.

6. Weave the ends of the different yarns into their respective rows using a yarn needle. End by trimming the tails as close to the rainbow as possible, on the back side.

References

• Crochet Geek -- Free Instructions and Patterns: Rainbow and Star Crochet Applique': Terese Richardson, March 17, 2010
• YouTube: Art of Crochet by Teresa - Star Rainbow Crochet Applique': Teresa Richardson, March 10, 2010

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish