Rainbows have long symbolized hope, joy, and diversity. Infusing these vibrant hues into your crafting projects can bring a sense of warmth and positivity to any space. One delightful way to incorporate the beauty of a rainbow into your home decor is by crocheting or knitting a rainbow afghan. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or a beginner looking for a fun and rewarding project, creating a rainbow afghan is sure to brighten your day and add a cheerful touch to your surroundings.

Choosing Yarn: The key to a stunning rainbow afghan lies in selecting the right yarn colors. Opt for a variety of shades spanning the spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. You can choose to use solid colors for a bold and striking look, or experiment with variegated yarn for a more subtle gradient effect. Worsted weight yarn is a popular choice for afghans due to its durability and ease of use, but feel free to explore different weights and textures to achieve the desired look and feel.

Pattern Selection: When it comes to patterns, the options are endless. For beginners, a simple striped pattern worked in single crochet or garter stitch is a great place to start. More experienced crafters may enjoy exploring more intricate stitch patterns such as granny squares, chevrons, or ripple stitches to add texture and visual interest to their afghan.

Step By step:

AVERAGE: For those with some experience

Directions are given for an afghan measuring 48″ wide x 64″ long

MATERIALS:

Any 4 ply worsted weight yarn: 48 ounces of white (A),

8 ounces each of red (B), orange (C), yellow (D),

lime green (E), turquoise (F), med. blue (G) and lavender (H)

crochet hook, size H, or any size hook to obtain gauge below;

tapestry needle.

GAUGE: 4 sc =1″; 4 rows = 1″. Each full fan = 15″ wide (at widest point) x 8″ deep

NOTE: Afghan is made up of 38 full fans and 14 half fans that are sewn together afterwards.

FULL FAN: (make 35 multi-colored and 3 white):

Starting at bottom point with A, ch 2,

ROW 1: Sc in second ch from hook. ch 1 turn. hereafter ch 1, turn at end of each row unless otherwise stated.

ROW 2: (right side); 3 sc in sc.

ROW 3: 2 sc in first sc–inc. made; sc in next sc, 2 sc in last sc–inc. made—5 sc.

ROWS 4-11: continue increasing in first and last sc until there are 21 sc.

ROW 12: 2 sc in first sc* sc in each of the next 4 SC, 2 SC in next SC; rep from 3 times more—26sc.

ROW 13: Sc in each sc across. Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc of next row), turn.

ROW 14: Dc in first sc and in each sc across to within last sc, 2 dc in last sc—28 dc. Ch 1, turn.

ROW 15: sc in each dc across—28 sc. Ch 3, turn.

NOTE: to work a popcorn stitch (pcn st): 5 dc in same st, drop loop from hook, insert hook in first dc of the 5 dc group and draw dropped loop through, ch 1 to secure.

ROW 16: ( pcn st row) Pcn st in first sc* dc in next sc pcn st in next sc; rep from * across, ending with dc in last sc—14 pcn sts. Fasten off.

ROW 17: with wrong side facing attach B to first st, sc in each st across (including ch 1 at top of pcn st)—43 sc.

ROW 18: with B sc in each sc across. At the end of this row change to C as follows: work last sc of row until there are 2 loops on hook, drop B yo with C and draw through 2 loops on hook. Ch 1, turn. Fasten off. Here after change colors in this way.

ROW 19: with C 2 sc in first sc, sc in each sc across to last sc 2 sc in last sc—45 sc.

ROW 20: with C sc in each sc across. At the end of this row change to D.

ROWS 21-30: Rep rows 19 and 20 working in the following color sequence:

2 rows ea of D, E, F, G, and H. At the end of row 30 change to A.

ROW 31: With A rep row 19—57 sc. Ch 3, turn.

ROW 32: Skip first sc*pcn st in next sc, dc in next sc; rep from * across ending with dc in last sc—28 pcn sts. Fasten off.

HALF FAN: 1 (make 7): Starting at bottom point with A, ch2.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook. Ch 1, turn. Hereafter ch 1, turn at end of each row unless otherwise stated.

ROW 2(right side) 2 sc in sc. Note: increases are made on left side edge only

ROW 3: 2 sc in first sc–inc made on left side edge–3 sc.

ROW 4: Sc in each sc to within last sc, 2 sc in last sc —– inc made on left side edge —– 4 sc

ROWS 5-12: rep rows 3 and 4 until there are 13 sc.

ROW 13: Sc in each sc across. Ch 3, turn. ch 3 counts as 1 dc of next row, turn.

ROW 14: Skip first sc, dc in each sc across to within last sc,

2 dc in last sc–inc made on left side edge–14 dc. Ch 1, turn.

ROW 15: Sc in each dc across. Ch 3, turn.

ROW 16: ( pcn st row): Rep row 16 as for full fan—7 pcn sts.

Fasten off A; turn.

ROW 17: With B rep row 17 as for full fan–22 sc. Ch 2, turn.

ROWS 18-31 Rep rows 18-31 as for full fan in the same color sequence—29 sc, increasing on left side edge only. Ch 3, turn.

ROW 32: Rep row 32 as for full fan—14 pcn sts. Fasten off A.

Pin together with large safety pin and set aside.

HALF FAN 2: (make 7) Work same as half fan 1, increasing on right side edge only.

Pin together and set aside.

BLOCKING: Pin each fan to measurements on a padded surface: cover with a damp cloth and allow to dry; do not press.

ASSEMBLY: With right side up, invert the 3 white fans so that the last pcn st row is at the bottom edge of the afghan. Select the multi-colored fans of row 2 (half fan 2, two full fans and half fan 1) sew them to Row 1 with right side up, along adjoining edges working through back loops only of each st. In the same way, sew the 3 multi-colored fans of row 3 in between the fans of row 2. Rep rows 2 and 3, six times more, joining each fan to the previous row. I didn’t like how the sides looked when I got it finished so I did a row of sc then a row of popcorn seats. You will need an extra skein of white yarn to do this. It’s a lot more work to finish it this way but the end result is beautiful. Also, I whipped stitched blocks together to assemble.

Crocheting or knitting a rainbow afghan is not only a fun and creative project, but it also allows you to bring a little bit of color and joy into your home. Whether you’re cuddled up with it on the couch, using it as a picnic blanket, or gifting it to a loved one, your rainbow afghan is sure to be cherished for years to come. So gather your yarn and needles, unleash your creativity, and let the colors of the rainbow inspire your next crafting adventure!