83 Free Rainbow Projects
Rainbow is my favorite color! You can make a simple rainbow with one stripe of each color or a more gradual one with several versions of each color. Here are dozens of FREE rainbow projects to knit, crochet, and craft from Yarnspirations for baby blankets, throws, home decor items, and things to wear!
Baby Blankets
Rainbows work with almost any nursery theme! The bright, bold colors are right at home with babies’ outfits.
All families can enjoy rainbow baby blankets, but families with rainbow babies may especially appreciate them. Rainbow babies are babies born after the loss of a baby. To learn more and see more examples of rainbow baby blankets, see Crochet Rainbow Blankets for Rainbow Babies.
- Radiant Rainbow Blanket
- Chasing Rainbows Blanket
- Rickrack Rainbow Baby Blanket
- End of the Rainbow Blanket
- Rainbow Crochet Blanket
- Tunisian Entrelac Baby Blanket
- Rainbow Blanket
- Caterpillar Crochet Snuggle Sack
- Crochet Rainbow Stripe Baby Blanket
- Honeycomb Baby Rainbow Knit Blanket
- Crochet Rainbow Milestone Blanket
Free Rainbow Projects: Throws
Almost any throw can be made into a rainbow gradient, but these patterns are designed to show off the rainbow!
- Rainbow Ripple Blanket
- Rainbow Waves Throw
- Stripes and Flowers Throw
- Southwestern Rainbow Throw
- In Love with Color Throw
- Rainbow View Throw
- Loop-It Rainbow Blanket
- Rainbow Chic Throw
- Crochet A Rainbow Blanket
- Tumbling Blocks Throw
- After the Rain Throw
- Bright and Breezy Throw
- Color Block Throw
- Bright Squares Art Throw
- Pop-A-Minute Crochet Blanket
- Happy Mitered Squares Knit Throw
- 100 Motif Afghan
- Cheerful Ripple Knit Blanket
- Marled Knit Blanket
- Great Squares Knit Blanket
- Tweedle Doo Knit Blanket
- Nordic Stripes Crochet Blanket
- Fading Rainbow C2C Crochet Blanket
- Rainbow Moss Stitch Blanket
- Over the Rainbow Crochet Blanket
- Big Ripple Knit Rainbow Blanket
Home Decor
Brighten your house with these rainbow items, from a literal rainbow-shaped pillow to beach bags made in rainbow motifs.
- Rainbow Stripes Tablet or Phone Case
- Crochet Rainbow Pillow
- Knit Rainbow Pillow
- Rainbow Hexagon Beach Bag
- Rainbow Burst Stool Cover
- Rainbow Rug
- Wrapped Rainbow Wall Art
- Over the Rainbow Crochet Snuggle Sack
- Over the Rainbow Dishcloth
- Hot Hibiscus Tea Cozy
- Rainbow of Colors Wreath
- Mini Stockings
- Unicorn Wall Hanging Art
- Rainbow Plate Weaving
- Pompom Rainbow Lampshade
- Spiraling Tassel Mobile
- Wrapped Raincloud
- Rainbow and Clouds Greeting Card
- Colorful Elephant
- Fabulous Fringe Crochet Pillow
- Bright Market Bag
- Crochet Rainbow Tunnel Wall Hanging
- Pompom and Tassels Garland
- Mini Stockings
- Pride Party Tassel Garland
- Holiday Light Garland
- Tweed Stitch Knit Rectangular Case
- Crochet Rainbow Stripe Basket
- Over the Rainbow Wall Hanging
Free Rainbow Projects: Wear a Rainbow
Show your love of rainbows with rainbow hats, ponchos, cowls, and more!
- Rainbow Crochet Hat
- Chasing Rainbows Hat
- Tunisian Hoop Earrings
- Fire and Ice Poncho
- Rainbow Circle Vest
- Crochet Rainbow Shawl
- Adult Knit Crew Neck Striped Pullover
- Small Shapes Shawl
- Rainbow Granny Stripes Hat
- Rainbow Chip Crochet Cowl
- Color for Everyone Knit Hat
- Beach Girl Cover Up
- Rainbow Yoke Knit Sweater
- Crochet Rainbow Jumper Dress
- Totally Tubular Rainbow Knit Cowl
- Rainbow Road Crochet Scarf
- Let’s Go Rib Knit Dog Sweater
More Blogs About Rainbows
- Crochet Rainbow Blankets for Rainbow Babies
- Rainbow Knit Hat
- Rainbow Sprinkles Crescent Shawl
- Yarn Thing Podcast episode on Rainbow Crochet Blankets
- Yarn Thing Podcast episode on Knitting with Rainbows
- Chasing Rainbows Baby Blanket: Story Behind It and Free Video Tutorial
Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of rainbow knit and crochet projects are most popular?
Rainbow blankets are absolutely beloved… a granny stripe or C2C blanket in rainbow order is incredibly satisfying to make and look at. Rainbow shawls and scarves let the colors flow across a long piece beautifully. Rainbow amigurumi creatures (a rainbow unicorn! a rainbow caterpillar!) are joyful. Rainbow dishcloths and kitchen items brighten up everyday life. Rainbow hats and accessories for kids are always popular. And rainbow temperature projects… blankets and scarves that use rainbow colors to represent temperature ranges… have their own dedicated fanbase.
What’s the best way to organize yarn colors for a rainbow project?
Sort them in spectral order… red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet (ROYGBIV). Lay them out physically before you start so you can see the whole progression. For projects where you want very smooth color transitions, choose yarns that share undertones (all cool-toned, or all warm-toned). For a classic saturated rainbow look, bright primaries and secondaries in consistent saturation give you that perfect rainbow aesthetic. Gradient yarn that transitions through the rainbow automatically is another popular option… no yarn juggling required!
How do I work with many different colors without ending up with millions of ends to weave in?
A few strategies! For striped projects, carry the yarn up the side of the work by twisting it around the working yarn instead of cutting after each stripe. This works when stripes are narrow (2-4 rows each) and you’re coming back to each color regularly. For color sections you won’t revisit, cut and weave in as you go rather than saving all ends for the end… spreading the end-weaving through the project makes it less overwhelming. Russian join or spit splice techniques eliminate some ends entirely. And honestly… a rainbow blanket with a lot of ends is a small price for how beautiful the finished piece is.
Are rainbow projects good for using up stash yarn?
They’re PERFECT for it! A rainbow blanket made from stash leftovers is wonderful… the variety of yarns adds richness and the rainbow order gives it cohesion. Even if the yarns are different textures or weights, arranging them in color order creates visual harmony. The only thing to watch is making sure all yarns are the same weight category for a project with consistent gauge. For a deliberately eclectic, scrappy rainbow blanket… just go for it. The variety is a feature, not a bug.
Are rainbow-themed knit and crochet projects popular as Pride Month projects?
Yes! Rainbow crafts have a deep connection to LGBTQ+ pride, and crafters often specifically make rainbow-themed projects in June and throughout the year as expressions of support and identity. A rainbow shawl, rainbow accessory, or rainbow amigurumi creature can be both a beautiful craft project and a personal statement. There are also specific Pride-themed colorways from yarn dyers available during Pride Month. Making rainbow projects is for everyone who loves the color combination… and many crafters love it for both the aesthetic and the meaning.
Categories: Round Ups
