Bright, cheerful, and full of color, this Rainbow Ripple Blanket is a joyful project for crocheters who love working with vibrant hues and interesting textures. The design radiates outward in rippling waves of color, beautifully blending pinks, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, lavenders, and whites into a stunning rainbow display. Whether used as a baby blanket, a throw for your living room, or a colorful accent on your bed, this pattern is sure to bring warmth and happiness wherever it goes.
The pattern is worked in rounds, with each section building upon the previous one to create the iconic ripple effect. The mix of double crochet (dc) and treble crochet (tr) stitches gives the blanket its textured rhythm, while the color transitions keep the project engaging and lively.
Gauge Information
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Swatch Gauge: 3″ (7.5 cm) square
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Test Sample: Work the Body pattern through Round 3
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Result: 36 double crochet (dc) and 12 spaces (sps)
Stitch Guide
Treble Crochet (tr):
Yarn over (YO) twice, insert hook into the stitch indicated, YO and pull up a loop (4 loops on hook).
(YO and draw through 2 loops) three times.
Pattern: Body
With larger hook and Pink yarn:
Rnd 1 (Right Side): Ch 4, join with slip stitch to form a ring. Ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc in ring, ch 2, (3 dc in ring, ch 2) three times; join with slip stitch to first dc. Fasten off. (12 dc, 4 ch-2 sps)
Tip: Mark this round as the right side with a small piece of yarn.
Rnd 2 (Orange): Join in any ch-2 space. Ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same space, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 space, ch 1 repeat around. Join and fasten off. (24 dc, 8 sps)
Rnd 3 (Yellow): Join in corner ch-2 space. Ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next corner ch-2 sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) repeat around. Join and fasten off. (36 dc, 12 sps)
Rnd 4 (Green): Join in corner ch-2 sp. Ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same sp, ch 1, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1) to next corner, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in corner sp, ch 1) repeat around. Join and fasten off. (48 dc, 16 sps)
Rnd 5 (Turquoise): Repeat Round 4. (60 dc, 20 sps)
Rnd 6 (Lavender): Repeat Round 4. (72 dc, 24 sps)
Rnd 7 (White): Join in corner ch-2 sp. Work (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in corner, continue the pattern across sides. Finish with hdc in first dc to form the final ch-2 sp. Do not fasten off. (84 dc, 28 sps)
Rnd 8–30: Continue following the pattern as established, changing colors in this order:
Pink → Orange → Yellow → Green → Turquoise → Lavender → White
Each new color increases the number of double crochet stitches per side, giving the blanket its ripple expansion.
(By Round 30, you should have 77 dc per side.)
Corner Squares (Make 24)
With smaller hook and White yarn:
Rnd 1: Ch 4, join with slip st to form a ring. Ch 3, 2 dc in ring, (ch 2, 3 dc in ring) three times, ch 1, hdc in first dc to close round. (12 dc, 4 ch-2 sps)
Rnd 2: Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2), 3 dc in same sp, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp, ch 1) repeat around. Join. (24 dc, 8 sps)
Finished square should measure approx. 2 â…›” (5.5 cm).
Assembly:
Join 6 corner squares together in rows using back loops only. Attach to the points of the ripple blanket to fill the corners, aligning the ch-2 spaces with the blanket’s ripple points.
Edging
Rnd 1: Join White yarn along any straight side. Ch 3, dc across until next ripple, work decreases as needed (YO, insert in next ch-2 sp, YO and pull up loop, YO and draw through 2 loops; repeat once more, YO and draw through all 3 loops). Continue pattern around with (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in each corner.
Rnds 2–3: Continue evenly in dc with corners worked as (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc).
Rnd 4: Work as previous round, changing to Turquoise at the end.
Rnd 5: Repeat with Turquoise.
Rnd 6: Work one round of reverse single crochet (crab stitch) around entire edge for a polished finish.
Finishing Touches
Weave in all ends neatly with a tapestry needle. Gently block your blanket to even out edges and enhance stitch definition.
The Rainbow Ripple Blanket is the perfect expression of creativity and color harmony. It makes a wonderful gift for babies, housewarmings, or simply as a cheerful addition to your home décor. The flowing ripple texture combined with soft rainbow hues brings warmth and joy to any space — a true crochet masterpiece to treasure.
