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. 

You can carry on reading to find the free pattern here in this blogpost or purchase an ad-free, printable PDF version of the Rainbow Splash Blanket pattern in my store to download and print.

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About the 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.

It’s only a four-row repeat and you change colour nice and regularly so is really fun to do too!

So, if you’re looking for a stash busting, uplifting, rhythmical and plain good fun pattern then this one might be for you.

Pattern Options

This crochet blanket pattern is a free crochet pattern in both UK and US terms on the blog for everyone to enjoy, just scroll down to find it.

There are a few ways you can access and enjoy this crochet pattern:

Access for free >>> Scroll down to find the pattern in this blogpost.

You can also find this pattern in my brand new eBook!

Join and save>>> Join HanJan Crochet and receive regular discount codes (and more free patterns too!)

Pin for later >>> Pin the crochet pattern to your crochet Pinterest board.

Other Patterns You Might Enjoy

Here are a few other blanket patterns you might like to crochet!

Yarn

I used Scheepjes Cahlista 100% cotton Aran yarn (50g/85m) 1 ball of colours A, C, D, E, M, R, Y and EE, 15g of other colours – 

Yarn Colours:

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 – you’ll need around 500g of an equivalent yarn.

A great alternative if you’d rather not use cotton is Swish Worsted by WeCrochet (100% superwash merino), or Paintbox Simply Aran (100% acrylic) which both come in a great range of colours.

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.

Tension and Sizing

The finished blanket will be 82cm by 74cm

14st and 12 rows = 10cm by 10cm but tension is not essential 

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

Glossary and Abbreviations

ch – chain

ss – slip stitch

st- stitch

sk – skip

BL – back loop

FL – front loop

rep – repeat

RS – right side

UK:

dc – double crochet

tr – treble

US:

sc – single crochet

dc – double crochet

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. 

Mosaic Crochet Patterns

If like me you are loving all things mosaic at the moment then I’d love you to check out my other patterns and posts about it:

You might fancy making my knee high crochet socks that use the overlay mosaic crochet technique – you can make them any length you like!

The Wanderers Blanket – a free inset mosaic crochet blanket pattern.

How to work the 2 row inset mosaic crochet technique.

A guide to the 14 best mosaic crochet patterns on Etsy.

Hayden Bag – Free Mosaic Crochet Tote Bag Pattern

Diamond Mosaic Blanket – a great beginner overlay mosaic crochet blanket pattern.

Crochet Pattern

Standard UK and US Terms

UK Terms/US Terms

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 together along each side of the blanket. Tie securely as you won’t be weaving in the ends. 

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