How to Make a Crocheted Rainbow Afghan

Pastel-colored crocheted afghans make wonderful gifts for babies.

Rainbows are so striking in the sky, in prisms and on a sunny day through the garden hose water, so why not incorporate that temporary splendor into a beautiful heirloom crocheted afghan? The pastel colors associated with rainbows are delightful to the eye. Rainbow-themed items are especially appropriate for babies but can be made for people of all ages. A rainbow afghan can include six pastel colors or a just a few colors with white incorporated throughout for an even softer look. The creator decides how many yarn colors to incorporate into her rainbow afghan. Use the softest pastel baby yarn you can find to crochet your rainbow afghan.

Things You'll Need

• Yarn in white and rainbow colors
• Crochet hook
• Scissors
• 1/4-inch satin ribbon

Instructions

1. Draw a sketch of your afghan with pastel colored pencils or crayons for a visual reference of what your finished product will look like. The colors of a normal pastel rainbow usually consist of pink, peach, yellow, green, blue and lavender. The seventh and smallest color of a regular rainbow is violet, which is not a pastel color, so most crocheters leave it out completely or substitute a pastel variegated yarn.

2. Write your rainbow color changes in order on your pattern before you begin so you will know which color to crochet when. Figure out how many rows you want by dividing the number of colors you plan to use into the finished length you desire. Remember that tighter crocheted stitches will produce smaller rows and looser stitches will produce longer rows.

3. Make a dropped double crochet afghan by making 108 chain stitches to start with the white yarn. Leave a 2-inch tail at the beginning for fringe. Work a single crochet in the back loop of the second chain from the hook and in every chain loop across. Fasten off yarn at the end of each row, leaving a 2-inch tail of yarn. Join the yarn with a slip stitch at the beginning of the row and single crochet in the back loops of each single crochet across. Make three rows of white.

4. Start the dropped double crochet (ddc) pattern in row four with the peach yarn. Make a single crochet in each of the first four stitches. Work a double crochet in the front loop of the next stitch in the previous row. Single crochet in each of the next eight stitches. Make another ddc. Follow this pattern across and single crochet in each of the last four stitches of the row. Fasten off. With white yarn, join at the beginning of the row and single crochet in each of the first five stitches of row five, ddc in the next stitch (which is beside the first ddc you made in row four). Single crochet in each of the next eight stitches. Make a ddc in the next stitch. Follow this pattern across and single crochet in each of the last 12 stitches of the row. Fasten off.

5. Join the pink yarn and single crochet in the first six stitches. Make a ddc. Single crochet in each of the next eight stitches. Make a ddc. Repeat this pattern until there are 11 stitches left. Single crochet in each of the last 11 stitches. Tie off.

6. Continue in this manner until you have incorporated all the colors of the rainbow and the afghan is the length you want. To end the blanket, make three rows consisting only of single crochets with the white yarn to match the beginning rows. Trim fringe ends to 2 inches.

7. If you do not want fringe, add an attractive border or ruffled edging. One striking rainbow design idea is to add a white double crochet border and weave ¼-inch satin pastel colored ribbons through the double crochet stitches. Tie the ends at the corners into bows. You could also create an edging using the violet rainbow color that is often left out of pastel rainbow afghans.

Tips & Warnings

• You can make a rainbow afghan using almost any afghan pattern that you love. The crocheted ripple stitch makes a nice rainbow afghan. Simple single crochet or double crochet stitches make up afghans quickly. Motifs or granny squares crocheted in the pastel colors and sewn together also look nice in rainbow colors.

• Baby weight yarns take smaller hooks and will take longer to make but are beautiful and light for baby. Worsted weight acrylic yarns are heavier and work up faster because they use a larger crochet hook.

Resources

• Moms Love of Crochet: Free Pastel Rainbow Baby Afghan
• Coats & Clark: Free Rainbow Waves Throw Crochet Pattern
• Fave Crafts: Free Crochet Pastel Single Shell Ripple Afghan
• Crafting Granny: Free Crochet Rainbow Afghan Pattern
• Crochet Cabana: Free Crochet Ripple Stitch Tutorial
• Crochet Pattern Central:Free Crochet Afghan Pattern Directory