Happy Free Pattern Friday! Today’s pattern is this adorable rainbow baby blanket from Red Heart Yarns. The pastel colors make it perfect for spring, and we love the creative crochet stitching! This adorable crochet afghan pattern uses the camel stitch, resulting in a blanket that’s warm, colorful, and unique. Your child will love getting wrapped up in this gorgeous blanket! From story-time to bedtime, this colorful crochet blanket is just what your child needs. If you want to make a truly unique crochet blanket this spring, this is definitely the one you need.
Free Pattern Friday: Rainbow Afghan Pattern from Red Heart!
Chasing Rainbows Pattern
Designed by Marly Bird
MATERIALS
RED HEART® With Love®: 2 skeins 1001 White B 
RED HEART® Gumdrop®: 1 ball each 750 Grape A, 625 Apple C, 530 Blueberry D, 620 Cherry E, 501 Smoothie F, and 202 Lemon G
Susan Bates® Crochet Hook: 5mm [US H-8].
Yarn needle
GAUGE
2 pattern repeats = 3” (7.5 cm) (one pattern repeat consists of 5 double crochet and one single crochet); 8 rows = 3” (7.5 cm).
Blanket measures 36½” wide x 35½” long (92.5 x 90 cm).
Notes
- Blanket is worked back and forth in rows with color changes at the beginning of each row. All even-numbered rows are made with B-colored yarn.
- When instructed to skip a stitch or work into a space “2 rows below”, skip or work into the row numbered 2 less than the current row. For example, if you are working Row 4, a stitch “2 rows below” is in Row 4 – 2 = Row 2.
- Border is worked in joined rounds with right side facing at all times.
ABBREVIATIONS
- A, B, C = Color A, Color B, Color C, etc.
- ch = chain(s)
- dc = double crochet
- hdc = half double crochet
- sc = single crochet
- st(s) = stitch(es)
- ( ) = work directions in parentheses into same st
- [ ] = work directions in brackets the number of times specified
- * = repeat whatever follows the * as indicated.
Special Stitch
Camel st (camel stitch) = hdc in horizontal back bar on wrong side of piece directly below top loops.
Special Techniques
Join with dc = Place slip knot on hook, yarn over, insert hook in indicated stitch and pull up a loop, [yarn over and pull through 2 loops] twice.
Join with sc = Place a slip knot on hook, insert hook in indicated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through both loops on hook.
BLANKET
With A, ch 130.
Row 1 (right side): Work 2 dc in 4th ch from hook (beginning ch count as first dc), skip next 2 ch, sc in next ch, *skip next 2 ch, 5 dc in next ch, skip next 2 ch, sc in next ch; repeat from * across to last 3 ch, skip next 2 ch, 3 dc in last ch; turn—106 dc and 21 sc.
Fasten off.
Row 2: With wrong side facing, join B with sc in first dc, *ch 1, skip next 2 dc, skip next sc, dc in space between skipped sc and next dc, ch 2, working in front of dc just made, dc in space between 2nd skipped dc and skipped sc, ch 1, skip next 2 dc, sc in next dc; repeat from * across working last sc in top of beginning ch, turn—42 dc, 22 sc, 42 ch-1 spaces, and 21 ch-2 spaces. Fasten off.
Row 3: With right side facing, join C with sc in first sc, 5 dc in first ch-2 space, (ch 1, 5 dc) in each ch-2 space across, sc in last sc, turn—105 dc, 2 sc, and 21 ch-1 spaces.
Fasten off.
Row 4: With wrong side facing, join B with dc in first sc, dc in same st, ch 1, skip next 2 dc, sc in next dc, *ch 1, skip next sc 2 rows below, dc in next ch-1 space 2 rows below, ch 2, working in front of dc just made, dc in ch-1 space before skipped sc 2 rows below, ch 1, skip next 2 dc, sc in next dc; repeat from * across to last 3 sts, ch 1, skip last 2 dc, 2 dc in last sc, turn—44 dc, 21 sc, 21 ch-2 spaces. Fasten off.
Row 5: With right side facing, join D with dc in first dc, 2 dc in same st, (ch 1, 5 dc) in each ch-2 space across, ch 1, 3 dc in last dc, turn—106 dc and 21 ch-1 spaces. Fasten off.
Row 6: With wrong side facing, join B with sc in first dc, *ch 1, skip next sc 2 rows below, dc in ch-1 space after skipped sc 2 rows below, ch 2, working in front of dc just made, dc in ch-1 space before skipped sc 2 rows below, ch 1, skip next 2 dc, sc in next dc; repeat from * across, turn—42 dc, 22 sc, and 21 ch-2 spaces. Fasten off.
Rows 7–82: Working all even-numbered rows with B, repeat Rows 3–6 nineteen times, changing color in odd-numbered rows in the following color sequence: Work 1 row with E, 1 row with F, [1 row with G, 1 row with A, 1 row with C, 1 row with D, 1 row with E, 1 row with F] 6 times.
Row 83: With G, repeat Row 3.
Row 84: With B, repeat Row 4. Do not fasten off.
BORDER
Round 1: With right side facing, ch 1, hdc evenly spaced around, working 3 hdc in each corner st or space; join with slip st in first hdc—four 3-hdc groups.
Round 2: Ch 2, camel st in each st around, working 3 camel sts in center st of each 3-hdc group; join with slip st in first camel st—four 3-camel st groups.
Rounds 3–6: Ch 2, camel st in each st around, working 3 camel sts in center st of each 3-camel st group; join with slip st in first camel st.
Fasten off.
FINISHING
Weave in ends.
Who would you make this blanket for?
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