Rainbow Splash – Free Overlay Mosaic Crochet Blanket Pattern

The Rainbow Splash Blanket is a great beginner’s overlay mosaic crochet blanket pattern for anyone wanting a perfect gift for a special new baby, child or grown-up!

Great for yarn stash-busting, this easy to adapt blanket has a simple 4-row repeat, optional tassels and endless ombre crochet colour possibilities to really make it unique.

Whether you’re looking for a rainbow crochet baby blanket or you fancy making it in just a solid colour, this project will be loved and treasured by everyone. 

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Scroll down and sign in to find this modern overlay mosaic crochet blanket pattern, or purchase an ad-free, printable PDF version here:

More about this overlay mosaic crochet blanket

I designed this blanket last year to celebrate the 10th birthday of AllFreeCrochet – I was so excited when they asked me!

Oliver was still really little at the time and I was still really struggling with PTSD after my husband was really unwell and this pattern helped me so very much to start designing again and to fall back in love with crochet.

It’s the perfect stash buster (all of the yarn in it is from my own stash, and yes, I do have a large stash!) and it was great as a project to make just a row or two of at a time.

How do you crochet an easy gender neutral crochet blanket like this?

This blanket is made up of only a four-row repeat and you can change colour nice and regularly which makes it so much fun.

So, if you’re looking for a stashbusting, uplifting, and rhythmic pattern, this one is definitely for you. While I’ve worked mine with a specific set of colors repeated over and over, another great option is to create a gradient.

If you don’t know about the difference between overlay and inset mosaic crochet, you can check out my tutorial on how to work the 2 row inset mosaic crochet technique. I also have a very helpful guide to the 14 best mosaic crochet patterns on Etsy.

Yarn

I used Scheepjes Cahlista (100% cotton, 50g/85m) and needed 1 ball of colours A, C, D, E, M, R, Y and EE as well as 15g of other colours mentioned below.

• A: Bridal White 105
• B: Primrose 522
• C: Yellow Gold 208
• D: Royal Orange 189
• E: Hot Red 115
• F: Candy Apple 516
• G: Rich Coral 410
• H: Apricot 524
• I: Old Rose 408
• J: Marshmallow 518
• K: Soft Rose 409
• L: Cornelia Rose 256
• M: Shocking Pink 114
• N: Rosewood 258
• O: Garden Rose 251
• P: Lavender 520
• Q: Delphinium 113
• R: Deep Violet 521
• S: Deep Amethyst 508
• T: Ultramarine 124
• U: Metal Grey 242
• V: Light Navy 164
• W: Electric Blue 201
• X: Petrol Blue 400
• Y: Vivid Blue 146
• Z: Bluebell 173
• AA: Crystalline 385
• BB: Tropic 253
• CC: Emerald 515
• DD: Kiwi 205
• EE: Lime 512
• FF: Lime Juice 392

Any colours from your stash will do really well that create a similar rainbow scheme if that’s the look you’re going for. You’ll need around 500g of an equivalent yarn. Alternatively, you can use the following aran weight yarn which come in a great range of colours:

• Swish Worsted by WeCrochet (100% superwash merino)
• Paintbox Simply Aran (100% acrylic)

Finding the right yarn for your projects can be tricky sometimes and depends on so many things like fibre content, yarn weight, budget, colour choices and more. I’ve put together a guide for the best yarn for crochet blankets to help you discover the things I’ve learnt over the years as both a designer and maker that help me choose the perfect one.

Materials

Along with your yarn, you will need the following:

• 5 mm (US H) crochet hook (my favourites are Furls Streamline Swirl crochet hooks or Clover Amour crochet hooks)
• Scissors
• Tapestry Needle
• Stitch Markers

Pattern Options

Get this crochet pattern free in this blog post in both US and UK terms! You can also purchase an ad-free, printable PDF in US terms with added extras in my pattern stores: 

Don’t forget to join HanJan Crochet to receive regular discount codes (and more free patterns!) and Pin this free mosaic baby blanket pattern to your crochet Pinterest board!

Glossary and Abbreviations

ch – chain

ss – slip stitch

st- stitch

sk – skip

BL – back loop

FL – front loop

rep – repeat

RS – right side

Stitches

The mosaic crochet blanket uses the following crochet stitches:

sc – single crochet (UK dc – double crochet)

dc – double crochet (UK tr – treble crochet)

Special Stitches

We’re using the mosaic overlay technique in this rainbow blanket which gives it that unique texture.

If you want to make more crochet projects using the mosaic technique, I’ve got a few suggestions for you (and you can search my blog for more patterns too):

• Hayden Bag (this is worked in the round too)
• Wanderers Blanket (lots of geometry and texture in this one)
• Hydrangea Crochet Socks (you can make them any length you like)

Pattern Notes

A ch1 at the beginning of a row does not count as a stitch. 

Work in the back loop of stitches throughout. 

Always work from the RS (right side) of the piece. At the end of each row, break the yarn and return to the 1st stitch of that row with RS facing to start the next row. 

Leave tails long enough to create a 6cm fringe on either end of your work. 

Gauge and Sizing

The gauge for the overlay mosaic crochet blanket is 14 sts and 12 rows of Main Set Pattern = 4″ by 4″ (10cm by 10cm) but it is not essential for this pattern.

The finished blanket will measure 82 cm by 74 cm, unless you change the yarn weight and hook size. In which case, it will vary accordingly.

Free Overlay Mosaic Crochet Blanket Pattern

US and UK Terminology

Foundation chain: using A, ch102

Row 1: RS: dc/sc in 2nd ch from hook and each across [101], break the yarn, leave a tail for fringe and return to the first stitch of this row just worked with RS facing to start the next row. Repeat this for every row you work.

Row 2: (working in back loops throughout now) using B, ch1, dc/sc in each across.

Row 3: using C, ch1, dc/sc in 2, *tr/dc in unworked FL of st 2 rows below, dc/sc in 5, tr/dc in unworked FL of st 2 rows below, dc/sc in 3, rep from * 8 more times, tr/dc in unworked FL of st 2 rows below, dc/sc in 5, tr/dc in unworked FL of st 2 rows below, dc/sc in 2. 

Row 4: using D, dc/sc in 3, *tr/dc in unworked FL of st 2 rows below, dc/sc in 3, tr/dc in unworked FL of st 2 rows below, dc/sc in 5, rep from * 8 more times, tr/dc in unworked FL of st 2 rows below, dc/sc in 3, tr/dc in unworked FL of st 2 rows below, dc/sc in 3.

Row 5: using E, dc/sc in 4, *tr/dc in unworked FL of st 2 rows below, dc/sc in 1, tr/dc in unworked FL of st 2 rows below, dc/sc in 7, rep from * 8 more times, tr/dc in unworked FL of st 2 rows below, dc/sc in 1, tr/dc in unworked FL of st 2 rows below, dc/sc in 4.

Row 6: using F, dc/sc in 5, *tr/dc in unworked FL of st 2 rows below, dc/sc in 9, rep from * 8 more times, tr/dc in unworked FL of st 2 rows below, dc/sc in 5.

Rows 3-6 create the pattern. 

Repeat the pattern 24 more times in the following colour sequence:

7: G,

8: H,

9: I,

10: J,

11: K,

12: L,

13: M,

14: N,

15: O,

16: P,

17: Q,

18: R,

19: S,

20: T,

21: U,

22: V,

23: W,

24: X,

25: Y,

26: Z,

27: AA,

28: BB,

29: CC,

30: DD,

31: EE,

32: FF,

33-38: A

39-42: C,

43-46: D,

47-50: E,

51-54: M,

55-58: R,

59-62: Y,

63-66: EE,

67: A,

68: B,

69: C,

70: D,

71: E,

72: F,

73: G,

74: H,

75: I,

76: J,

77: K,

78: L,

79: M,

80: N,

81: O,

82: P,

83: Q,

84: R,

85: S,

86: T,

87: U,

88: V,

89: W,

90: X,

91: Y,

92: Z,

93: AA,

94: BB,

95: CC,

96: DD,

97: EE,

98:FF,

99-103: A. 

Finish the blanket by creating the fringe. Tie four strands of ends securely together along each side of the blanket as you won’t be weaving in the ends. 

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