Reversible Rainbow Crochet Blanket

The Reversible Rainbow Crochet Blanket is a great stash buster blanket. The pattern lets you transform leftover skeins from your stash into a vibrant blanket. The beauty lies in its flexibility. We’ll use a single designated colour for Yarn A, providing a stable foundation. But Yarn B is your playground! Dive into your stash and choose a different colour for each even row, or pick a single contrasting shade. The possibilities are endless!

I really enjoyed picking random yarn from my stash and just going with it. I think you’ll agree that it’s turned out really well.

The blanket is made using reversible overlay mosaic crochet, a relatively new discovery of mine. It means that when you are using it, it doesn’t matter which way up it is. The effect on each side is very different from the other, which I absolutely love.

Both sides are absolutely stunning.

And if you decide to use all scrap yarn, rather than keeping to a single colour for yarn A, you’ll have a completely different effect again. Either way, your blanket is definitely going to be completely unique.

The pattern is fairly simple using a repeating pattern so you can watch TV whilst you crochet. This also means you can easily adapt it to make whatever sized blanket you like.

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What is Overlay Mosaic Crochet?

Overlay mosaic crochet is a beautiful crochet technique, which uses single and double crochet stitches in order to create amazing designs.

Overlay mosaic crochet uses the front loops and back loops to create a beautiful textured colourwork project. You work each alternate round in a different colour using a combination of two stitches: the single crochet in the back loops only; and the double crochet in the front loops only of the stitch two rounds below the current round.

The single crochet will always be worked into a stitch of the other colour, whilst the mosaic double crochet stitches are worked into a stitch of the same colour.

Click here to watch a tutorial on overlay mosaic crochet.

Overlay mosaic crochet is worked from right to left (for a right-handed crocheter) on the front of the work only. This means you would normally need to cut your yarn at the end of each row, and therefore have lots of ends.

How do you make it reversible?

Reversible overlay mosaic crochet uses the same technique, with the addition of two extra stitches, which make the whole piece reversible: the anchored dc and the anchored sc, which are explained in detail further down.

The anchored dc is used in the round directly above any mdc stitch. The anchored sc is only used for the very last round of the project.

Why make a reversible blanket?

I love crochet, and I love mosaic crochet. But the back of a mosaic crochet blanket looks a bit, well, rubbish!

How many times have you come into a room to find someone has left the beautiful crocheted blanket the wrong way up, looking less than pretty! I have, a lot!

But not anymore!

With a reversible blanket, it looks fantastic which ever way up it is discarded on the sofa.

I discovered reversible overlay mosaic crochet about a year ago, and instantly fell in love with it. It’s so easy to do, once you’ve learnt a couple of extra stitches. And the effects are just stunning.

Size

You can make your blanket however big you like. Obviously, you will need to adjust how much yarn you need if you make a different size.

My blanket is 35” x 47” (90 x 120cm) before adding the border.

To make your blanket any size, you will just need to ensure you use a multiple of 12 + 2 stitches. My blanket is 158 stitches wide, which is 12 x 13 = 156 +2 = 158.

For the length, continue crocheting until you reach approximately the required length, and then move onto the border.

The border will add 2” / 5cm to the width and length measurements.

PLEASE NOTE: This listing is for a pdf crochet pattern, written in English. It is not a finished project. You will receive a digital download.

Included in the pattern:

A 15 page pdf crochet pattern written in US crochet terms, including images, step by step instructions and guidance.

An accompanying video tutorial.

Stitch tutorials are also included as part of the pattern.

Pattern support if needed.

Difficulty level is Advanced Beginner.

You will need:

Stylecraft Special DK, 100% Acrylic (100g/3.5oz, 295m/323yds) in grey (Yarn A), and lots of different colours from your stash (Yarn B) – any DK yarn will work well for this. I used 4 balls of grey for the blanket and you will need around the same amount of stash yarn. I also used 2 balls of grey for the border.

4.0mm Crochet Hook

Stitch markers

A tapestry needle for working in ends

Scissors

Yarn Alternatives

There are so many options for yarn for this blanket and using your stash for Yarn B is the best idea. You will need to remember to keep to the same weight of yarn throughout though, otherwise your blanket will end up uneven. I would recommend using DK yarn, but a combination of different brands will work fine. Here are a few alternative options:

Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, 100% Acrylic (100g/3.5oz, 276m/302yds)

Hayfield Bonus DK, 100% Acrylic (100/3.5oz, 280m/306yds)

Deramores Studio DK, 100% Acrylic (100g/3.5oz, 250m/273yds)

Tension

18 stitches and 18 rows over mosaic crochet = 4” / 10cm square.

If your sample swatch is bigger than the tension given, try with a smaller hook size. If your swatch is smaller than the tension given, try with a larger hook size.

If you are happy with the feel of the fabric, you are welcome to stick to that tension, but remember that it will affect the size of your blanket.

Abbreviations

Adc – anchored double crochet (see special stitches)

Asc – anchored single crochet (see special stitches)

blo – back loops only

ch(s) – chain(s)

dc – double crochet

flo – front loops only

Mdc – mosaic double crochet (see special stitches)

rep – repeat

RS – right side

sc – single crochet

ss – slip stitch

st(s) – stitch

WS – wrong side

() – repeat the instructions in brackets as directed

Pattern Notes

The Blanket is worked in reversible overlay mosaic crochet in rows. There is a mosaic crochet tutorial included in the special stitches. Odd numbered Rows are made with Yarn A (grey), even numbered Rows are made with Yarn B (any scraps from your stash).

At the start of each Row, put a slipknot on your hook with around a 10cm / 4″ tail, before starting the single crochet. The first single crochet of the Row is always a single crochet through both loops in the top of the single crochet from the Row below.

The last stitch of the Row is always a single crochet through both loops. At the end of each Row, cut your yarn leaving around 10cm / 4″, pull it through the loop on your hook and leave it to be tied and enclosed in the envelope border at the end.

I only changed colour at the start of a Row, however if you would like to change colour halfway across a Row, you can change colour on the last yarn over of the stitch, remembering to weave in the ends before they are covered up by the next Row.

St count is not shown as it will be the same throughout.

Tips

There is a stitch chart at the end of the premium pdf pattern, showing the 12-row repeating pattern, plus the first stitch of the Row, if you prefer to use a chart over written instructions.

This tutorial is written for right-handed crocheters. If you are left-handed, you will be working from left to right across the blanket. Because the pattern repeats, you should be able to follow the pattern as it is.

The blanket is finished with an envelope border, which will enclose all of your ends, and so you won’t need to sew then all in.

Special Stitches

Mosaic Double Crochet (mdc)

1. Yarn over and insert your hook into the unworked front loop of the stitch from the round below the one you would normally work into (it will be the same colour as the yarn you are using). 2. Yarn over and pull through. 3. Yarn over and pull through two loops. 4. Yarn over and pull through the remaining two loops to complete the stitch.

Anchored dc (Adc)

An anchored dc is worked into the back of your work to replicate what you did on the front of the round below. It will look like an sc on the front and an mdc on the back. It is achieved by working an sc in the blo of the stitch and then dropping down the back to work an mdc, as follows:

1. Insert hook into blo of next stitch. 2. Yarn over. 3. Pull through. 4. Yarn over and turn to look over the top and down to the back of your work. 5. Insert hook into the front loop of the stitch two rounds down on the back. It looks like the flo when doing a normal mdc on the front and will be the same colour as the yarn you are working with. 6. Yarn over. 7. Pull through. 8. Yarn over. 9. Pull through two loops. 10. Yarn over. 11. Pull through the remaining three loops.

Anchored sc (Asc)

The anchored sc is only used for the final round of the blanket. It works as catch up round: because we have been working the motif on the back one round above what is on the front, we now need to do a final round to catch the back up to the front. It is essentially the reverse of the anchored dc, whereby it looks like an mdc on the front and an sc on the back. It is worked as follows:

1. Yarn over. 2. Insert the hook into the front loop of the stitch two rounds below (same colour as working yarn). 3. Yarn over. 4. Pull through. 5. Yarn over. 6. Pull through two. 7. Insert the hook into the back loop of the stitch on the current round, immediately above where you already inserted your hook. 8. Yarn over. 9. Pull through. 10. Yarn over and pull through the remaining three loops.

Foundation sc

A foundation sc allows you to create that first round of your project without using a chain.

• Start with a slipknot and ch2 (this does not count as a stitch).
• Insert hook in second ch from hook and pull through a loop.
• Yarn over and pull through one loop (this makes the chain part of your first Foundation sc).
• Yarn over and pull through both loops on your hook (this makes the sc part of your first Foundation sc).
• Insert your hook into the chain part of the previous stitch, going through the two top ‘v’ shape strands of the chain.
• Yarn over and pull through one loop (this makes the chain part of the Foundation sc).
• Yarn over and pull through both loops on your hook (this makes the sc part of the Foundation sc).
• Repeat steps 5 to 7.

Surface Slip Stitch & the Envelope Border

The surface slip stitch will create a border line, which we will then use to crochet into for the envelope border.

Starting with the RS facing, insert your hook through any edge st on the top of your blanket, pull up a loop and pull through. Insert your hook into the next st, pull through a loop and continue pulling this through the loop already on your hook.

This is exactly the same as a normal ss, but you are working through to the back of your work and your yarn will always be held at the back. Make sure not to pull these sts tight at all: it might help to go up a hook size for this.

Now we have a line to crochet into for the envelope border. Work a dc into each loop of the surface ss along the back of your blanket, following the pattern for instructions at the corners. Work a second round of dc before fastening off.

Repeat this on the front of your blanket, working 2 rounds of dc into the 2 loops of the surface ss, again paying attention to instructions in the pattern.

To close the envelope border, ss the 2 sides of the border together, making sure not to pull it too tight.

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Full-length Video Tutorial

Follow along as I create a mini version of the reversible rainbow crochet blanket. I’ll show you all the stitches and techniques you’ll need to complete your own blanket.

The Reversible Rainbow Crochet Blanket Pattern

BORDER

Tie your ends together in pairs on each side of your blanket to secure using a simple granny knot, and then cut them short (around 1”/2.5cm).

Using Yarn B (any yarn) and the right side of the blanket facing you, surface slip stitch all the way around your blanket. Along the top and bottom on the blanket, you will be inserting your hook into the stitches as normal. Along the sides, your hook will go through the side of the sc that we crocheted at the start and end of each row. Fasten off with an invisible join.

Round 1: Using Yarn A, starting on the back of your blanket, insert your hook into the back of any stitch of the surface slip stitch (this will just be a single loop and can be hard to see), ch2 (does not count as a st), dc in each ss around, making sure you work a ch2 between the 2 stitches at each corner, ss in the top of the first st to join.

Round 2: ch2 (does not count as a st), dc in each st around, making sure you work (dc, ch2, dc) in each corner, invisible join.

Rep Rounds 1-2 on the front side of your blanket, working into the front of your surface slip stitch (which will be 2 loops).

You now have an envelope. Join the front and back parts of the envelope together with a slipstitch join, working with the wrong side facing, making sure to enclose all of the ends. Join using the back loop of the front piece of the envelope and the front loop of the back piece.

Enjoy your blanket.

Pattern help

There is a lot more detail regarding all of the different stitches in the pdf pattern. Also please do watch all of the stitch tutorials on my YouTube channel for extra guidance.

If you are struggling with the pattern, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Find me on Facebook or Instagram @concretegemscrochet or you can also drop me a message.

This pattern is the property of  Concrete Gems, please do not share, copy, alter or distribute it in any way. You are welcome to sell items you make using this pattern on a small scale but please credit @concretegemscrochet when doing this.

What next?

I’ve really loved designing this pattern for you and hope you have had fun making it. I’m Gemma, a crochet tech editor, designer and overall crochet enthusiast. I’m also a mum of 3 kids, and enjoy running, reading, walking and crafting, but mostly crochet!

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