Materials you’ll need:
- 3,5-4 mm crochet hook (G)
- yarn in all the colours you want to use for your rainbow (I used a lot of leftover yarns and all the sections aren’t equal) – I used purple, red, orange, yellow, light green, blue-green, blue and purple for the rainbow and white for the cloud.
- polyester filling
- tapestry needle for finishing
Abbreviations:
- YO = Yarn over
- SC = Single crochet
- CH = Chain
- INC = Increase (put two stitches in the same space; in this case, it will be two SC stitches)
- SLST = Slip stitch
- * – *= Repeat instructions between two markers to complete a stitch pattern
Special stitches in this project:
This project uses a bobble stitch to create that fun, bumpy pattern on the rainbow as well as the cloud underneath.
The good news is, it’s a really simple stitch!
How to do the bobble stitch: (all stitches for one bobble stitch are all worked in the same stitch) *YO, insert hook into stitch and pull up a loop, YO and pull through 2 loops on your hook*.
Repeat this 3 more times, until you have 5 loops on your hook. YO and pull through all 5 loops on your hook to create the puffy appearance!
How to change colours
Work your SC as normal, but stop right before finishing the stitch, with 2 loops on your hook. Pick up your next colour and pull it through the 2 loops on your hook, CH 1. Continue crocheting with your new colour.
How to crochet in the back loop
Once you’ve finished your starting chain, you flip it over and crochet into the back loop of the chain.
You don’t have to use this technique, you can just single crochet as you normally would, but I feel like the back bump technique is cleaner.
Crochet the front and back piece of the rainbow.
You’ll first work two identical panels for the sides of the rainbow, which you’ll join together later.
These are the instructions I was supposed to follow, but I’m a chaos crocheter and my end result does not match up with this pattern.
My two sides of the rainbow aren’t even identical, but once you put it all together, it doesn’t matter because it won’t be visible (and I have yet to encounter a house guest who starts counting the stitches and comparing the sides).
My point is, don’t worry if it’s not perfect.
The bobble stitch can feel tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it, it gets really easy (and you’ll be getting lots of practise on this project!).
And once you figure it out, you can start adjusting it to make it fit your project (aka chaos crocheting).
I always changed yarn colour on a bobble row, and I like how it turned out.
First yarn colour (PURPLE).
Make a slip knot and CH 11.
Row 1:
Skip the chain closest to your hook, SC 9 in the back loop of the chain. SC 6 in the last chain then SC 9 back down the other side of the starting chain. CH 1, turn. (24)
Row 2:
SC 9, INC in the next 6 stitches, SC 9. CH 1, turn. (30)
Row 3 (bobble row):
SC 1, *bobble stitch (YO, insert hook into stitch and pull up a loop, YO and pull through 2 loops on your hook. Repeat this 3 more times, until you have 5 loops on your hook. YO and pull through all 5 loops on your hook)* 14 times (14 bobbles), SC in last two stitches, CH 1, turn (30).
Row 4:
SC 9, *INC in the next stitch, SC in the next stitch* 6 times. SC 9. CH 1, turn (36).
Row 5:
SC 36. CH 1, turn (36).
Row 6:
SC 9, *SC in the next 2 stitches, INC in the next stitch* 6 times. SC 9, changing the yarn (for me, to RED) on the last SC. CH 1, turn (42).
Row 7 (bobble row, new colour):
SC 2, *bobble stitch, SC 1* 20 times. CH 1, turn (42).
Row 8:
SC 9, *INC in the next stitch, SC in the next 3 stitches* 6 times. SC 9. CH 1, turn (48).
Row 9:
SC 48. CH 1, turn (48).
Row 10:
SC 9, *SC in the next 4 stitches, INC in the next stitch* 6 times. SC 9, changing the yarn (for me, to ORANGE) on the last SC. CH 1, turn (54).
Row 11 (bobble row, new colour):
*SC 1, bobble stitch* 26 times, SC in last two stitches. CH 1, turn (54).
Row 12:
SC 9, *INC in the next stitch, SC in the next 5 stitches* 6 times. SC 9. CH 1, turn (60).
Row 13:
SC 60. CH 1, Turn (60).
Row 14:
SC 9, *SC in the next 6 stitches, INC in the next stitch* 6 times. SC 9, changing the yarn (for me, to YELLOW) on the last SC. CH 1, turn (66).
Row 15 (bobble row, new colour):
SC 2 *bobble stitch, SC 1* 32 times. CH 1, turn (66).
Row 16:
SC 9, *INC in the next stitch, SC in the next 7 stitches* 6 times. SC 9. CH 1, turn (72).
Row 17:
SC 72. CH 1, turn (72).
Row 18:
SC 9, *SC in the next 8 stitches, INC in the next stitch* 6 times. SC 9, changing the yarn (for me, to LIGHT GREEN) on the last SC. CH 1, turn (78).
Row 19 (bobble stitch, new colour):
*SC 1, bobble stitch* 38 times, SC in last two stitches. CH 1, turn (78).
Row 20:
SC 9, *INC in the next stitch, SC in the next 9 stitches* 6 times. SC 9. CH 1, turn (84).
Row 22:
SC 84. CH 1, turn (84).
Row 23:
SC 9, *SC in the next 10 stitches, INC in the next stitch* 6 times. SC 9, changing the yarn (for me, to BLUE-GREEN) on the last SC. CH 1, turn (90).
Row 24 (bobble stitch, new colour):
*SC 1, bobble stitch* 44 times, SC in last two stitches. CH 1, turn (90).
Row 25:
SC 9, *INC in the next stitch, SC in the next 11 stitches* 6 times. SC 9. CH 1, turn (96).
Row 26:
SC 102. CH 1, turn (96).
Row 27:
SC 9, *SC in the next 12 stitches, INC in the next stitch* 6 times. SC 9, changing the yarn (for me, to PURPLE) on the last SC. CH 1, turn (102).
Row 28 (bobble stitch, new colour):
*SC 1, bobble stitch* 50 times, SC in last two stitches. CH 1, turn (102).
Row 29:
SC 9, *INC in the next stitch, SC in the next 13 stitches* 6 times. SC 9. CH 1, turn (108).
Row 30:
SC 108. CH 1, turn (108).
Row 30:
SC 108. Slst, tie off.
Remember to make two identical pieces (front and back). You can leave a long tail on one of the pieces for sewing together later.
It’s easiest to weave in the ends before you sew the two parts together.
How to join the rainbow.
From here on out, I gave up on any kind of order and just went with whatever worked, so instructions will be more vague from now on.
Once you’ve got your front and back piece, join together along the top arch.
You can crochet them together or you can sew them with whatever stitch you prefer. I used a mattress stitch.
To prevent the filling from bunching up in one part of the cushion, and to give the clouds more definition, I separated the rainbow and clouds into two distinct compartments.
To join the bottom of the rainbow, I picked up stitches from the purple section where the rainbow joins with single crochet. I used black scrap yarn for this (the colour doesn’t matter because the clouds will hide it once finished).
I then crocheted a flat bottom (10 sts wide) for the rainbow, picking up stitches from each side to close it off.
Before I finished it completely, I stuffed the rainbow with polyester filling, then finished crocheting the floor of the rainbow, tying off and weaving in the end.
How to make the cloud for the rainbow.
Go all around the bottom of the rainbow, picking up loops with single crochet in a white yarn.
At this point it doesn’t really matter how many you pick up (and will vary depending on the size of the project).
After a row of single crochet, I did 3 rounds of bobble stitch.
Then I roughly divided the cloud (which looks like a skirt at this point) into 3 parts and joined the hem to make it look more cloud-like and not just one big blob.
I then began to crochet around that one smaller section (far left section), still using only bobble stitches for 4 more rounds. Then I used single crochet to close the section of cloud together.
I repeated the same thing for the middle section of cloud. Rinse and repeat for the final section, leaving a large enough hole for stuffing.
The stuffing is a little tricky, but there’s plenty of space to push it through to the first section of cloud. Stuff all three clouds, then close up the last section of cloud with single crochet, tie off and weave in ends.
I made this rainbow in a sock yarn, which is 80% wool and 20% polyamide. We’ve had the cushion in daily use on the sofa, it’s been washed several times, and has worn incredibly well with minimal pilling.
It’s a companion to my daughter’s rainbow blanket.
