While searching for yarn for No More Snow! in the closet, I came across the pillow inserts I had intended to become the Rainbow Collection’s ombre pillow set over 2 years ago. I was on vacation so I got all “I’m going to make everything I’ve been meaning to make for like 3 years.” I didn’t get quite that far, but I did whip up these pillows pretty quickly.
The Ombre Pillow Set includes 14″ and 16″ pillows made in the round using all single crochet and the painted crochet technique from Somewhere Over the Rainbow. You basically single crochet in the round with three strands together throughout the pattern, swapping out one strand at a time to get the ombre effect, and do 3 sc in the corners.
So here’s the next pattern in my Rainbow Collection Series, the Ombre Pillow Set.
Materials:
7 skeins of Red Heart Super Saver Solids (worsted weight yarn in 364 yd skeins). 1 skein in each of the following colors: Hot Red (Red), Pumpkin (Orange), Bright Yellow (Yellow), Paddy Green (Green), Blue (Blue), Royal (Dark Blue), Amethyst (Purple). *See Notes below as you may find it easier to work from 2 skeins of each color.
16 inch square pillow insert (this is for the 14 inch pillow)
18 inch square pillow insert (this is for the 18 inch pillow)
Tapestry Needle
N/10mm Crochet Hook
2 removable stitch markers
Abbreviations (US terms used):
SC: Single Crochet
SC3TOG: Single Crochet 3 stitches together
Notes:
You will need a pillow insert 2 inches larger than the finished pillow size.
You will be crocheting in the round from corner to corner and will not turn. I do recommend marking the corners with stitch markers and moving them up along with your work.
Hold 3 strands of yarn together throughout the pattern. The painted crochet technique creates an ombre effect by changing the color of one of the three strands at a time. You will be dropping one strand and picking up a new color strand when indicated.
Before you start, make 1 ball of each color around 90 yards long. When you need two strands of a color, pick up from both ends of the skein. When you need the third strand of the same color, add the ball you just made. *You may just want to buy 2 skeins of each color instead to avoid making the balls of each color. It’s easier.
The first pillow will be 3 colors and 40 rounds total:
3 strands of red for 11.5 rounds
2 strands of red, 1 strand of orange for 2 rounds
1 strand of red, 2 strands of orange for 2 rounds
3 strands of orange for 8 rounds
2 strands of orange, 1 strand of yellow for 2 rounds
1 strand of orange, 2 strands of yellow for 2 rounds
3 strands of yellow for 12.5 rounds
The second pillow will be 4 colors and 44 rounds total:
3 strands of green for 9.5 rounds
2 strands of green, 1 strand of blue for 2 rounds
1 strand of green, 2 strands of blue for 2 rounds
3 strands of blue for 6 rounds
2 strands of blue, 1 strand of dark blue for 2 rounds
1 strand of blue, 2 strands of dark blue for 2 rounds
3 strands of dark blue for 6 rounds
2 strands of dark blue, 1 strand of purple for 2 rounds
1 strand of dark blue, 2 strands of purple for 2 rounds
3 strands of purple for 10.5 rounds
Pattern:
First Pillow (3 colors, 16″ pillow insert):
Round 1: Starting with 3 strands of Red Yarn, 6SC in a magic ring [6]
Round 2: (1 SC, 3 SC in the next SC – mark center SC with a stitch marker – move these up when you work each row, 1 SC) 2x (10)
Round 3: (2 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 2 SC) 2x (14)
Round 4: (3 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 3 SC) 2x (18)
Round 5: (4 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 4 SC) 2x (22)
Round 6: (5 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 5 SC) 2x (26)
Round 7: (6 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 6 SC) 2x (30)
Round 8: (7 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 7 SC) 2x (34)
Round 9: (8 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 8 SC) 2x (38)
Round 10: (9 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 9 SC) 2x (42)
Round 11: (10 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 10 SC) 2x (46)
Round 12: 11 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 22 SC, 3 SC in the next SC (after the first stitch, drop one strand of red and pick up one strand of orange, you will now be working with 2 strands red and 1 strand orange), 11 SC (50)
Round 13: (12 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 12 SC) 2x (54)
Round 14: 13 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 26 SC, 3 SC in the next SC (after the first stitch, drop one strand of red and pick up another strand of orange, you will now be working with 1 strand red and 2 strands orange), 13 SC (58)
Round 15: (14 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 14 SC) 2x (62)
Round 16: 15 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 30 SC, 3 SC in the next SC (after the first stitch, drop one strand of red and pick up another strand of orange, you will now be working with 3 strands orange), 15 SC (66)
Round 17: (16 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 16 SC) 2x (70)
Round 18: (17 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 17 SC) 2x (74)
Round 19: (18 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 18 SC) 2x (78)
Round 20: (19 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 19 SC) 2x (82)
Round 21: SC in each stitch around (82)
Round 22: (19 SC, SC3TOG, 19 SC) 2x (78)
Round 23: (18 SC, SC3TOG, 18 SC) 2x (74)
Round 24: 17 SC, SC3TOG, 34 SC, SC3TOG (to finish the stitch, at the pull through all loops on hook, drop one strand of orange and pick up a strand of yellow then pull through all loops on hook, you will now be working with two strands orange and one strand yellow), 17 SC (70)
Round 25: (16 SC, SC3TOG, 16 SC) 2x (66)
Round 26: 15 SC, SC3TOG, 30 SC, SC3TOG (to finish the stitch, at the pull through all loops on hook, drop one strand of orange and pick up another strand of yellow then pull through all loops on hook, you will now be working with one strand orange and two strands yellow), 15 SC (62)
Round 27: (14 SC, SC3TOG, 14 SC) 2x (58)
Round 28: 13 SC, SC3TOG, 26 SC, SC3TOG (to finish the stitch, at the pull through all loops on hook, drop one strand of orange and pick up another strand of yellow then pull through all loops on hook, you will now be working with three strands yellow), 13 SC (54)
Round 29: (12 SC, SC3TOG, 12 SC) 2x (48)
Round 30: (11 SC, SC3TOG, 11 SC) 2x (44)
Turn inside out and weave in the ends, turn right side out and continue.
Round 31: (10 SC, SC3TOG, 10 SC) 2x (40)
Round 32: (9 SC, SC3TOG, 9 SC) 2x (36)
Round 33: (8 SC, SC3TOG, 8 SC) 2x (32)
Round 34: (7 SC, SC3TOG, 7 SC) 2x (30)
Put the pillow insert in. You will be crocheting around the pillow insert for the rest of the pillow.
Round 35: (6 SC, SC3TOG, 6 SC) 2x (26)
Round 36: (5 SC, SC3TOG, 5 SC) 2x (22)
Round 37: (4 SC, SC3TOG, 4 SC) 2x (18)
Round 38: (3 SC, SC3TOG, 3 SC) 2x (14)
Round 39: (2 SC, SC3TOG, 2 SC) 2x (10)
Round 40: (1 SC, SC3TOG, 1 SC) 2x (6)
Finish off leaving a long tail, thread tail through the last six stitches and pull tight. Stitch a few times to close up the corner and weave in the ends.
Second Pillow (4 colors, 18″ pillow insert):
Round 1: Starting with 3 strands of Green Yarn, 6SC in a magic ring [6]
Round 2: (1 SC, 3 SC in the next SC – mark center SC with a stitch marker – move these up when you work each row, 1 SC) 2x (10)
Round 3: (2 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 2 SC) 2x (14)
Round 4: (3 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 3 SC) 2x (18)
Round 5: (4 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 4 SC) 2x (22)
Round 6: (5 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 5 SC) 2x (26)
Round 7: (6 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 6 SC) 2x (30)
Round 8: (7 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 7 SC) 2x (34)
Round 9: (8 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 8 SC) 2x (38)
Round 10: 9 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 18 SC, 3SC in the next SC (after the first stitch, drop one strand of green and pick up one strand of blue, you will now be working with 2 strands green and 1 strand blue), 9 SC (42)
Round 11: (10 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 10 SC) 2x (46)
Round 12: 11 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 22 SC, 3 SC in the next SC (after the first stitch, drop one strand of green and pick up one strand of blue, you will now be working with 2 strands blue and 1 strand green), 11 SC (50)
Round 13: (12 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 12 SC) 2x (54)
Round 14: 13 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 26 SC, 3 SC in the next SC (after the first stitch, drop one strand of green and pick up another strand of blue, you will now be working with 3 strands blue), 13 SC (58)
Round 15: (14 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 14 SC) 2x (62)
Round 16: (15 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 15 SC) 2x (66)
Round 17: (16 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 16 SC) 2x (70)
Round 18: (17 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 17 SC) 2x (74)
Round 19: (18 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 18 SC) 2x (78)
Round 20: 19 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 38 SC, 3 SC in the next SC (after the first stitch, drop one strand of blue and pick up one strand of dark blue, you will now be working with 2 strands blue and 1 strand dark blue), 19 SC(82)
Round 21: (20 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 20 SC) 2x (86)
Round 22: 21 SC, 3 SC in the next SC, 42 SC, 3 SC in the next SC (after the first stitch, drop one strand of blue and pick up one strand of dark blue, you will now be working with 2 strands dark blue and 1 strand blue), 21 SC (90)
Round 23: SC in each stitch around (90)
Round 24: 21 SC, SC3TOG, 42 SC, SC3TOG (to finish the stitch, at the pull through all loops on hook, drop one strand of blue and pick up a strand of dark blue then pull through all loops on hook, you will now be working with 3 strands dark blue), 21 SC(86)
Round 25: (20 SC, SC3TOG, 20 SC) 2x (82)
Round 26: (19 SC, SC3TOG, 19 SC) 2x (78)
Round 27: (18 SC, SC3TOG, 18 SC) 2x (74)
Round 28: (17 SC, SC3TOG, 17 SC) 2x (70)
Round 29: (16 SC, SC3TOG, 16 SC) 2x (66)
Round 30: 15 SC, SC3TOG, 30 SC, SC3TOG (to finish the stitch, at the pull through all loops on hook, drop one strand of dark blue and pick up a strand of purple then pull through all loops on hook, you will now be working with 2 strands dark blue and 1 strand purple), 15 SC (62)
Round 31: (14 SC, SC3TOG, 14 SC) 2x (58)
Round 32: 13 SC, SC3TOG, 26 SC, SC3TOG (to finish the stitch, at the pull through all loops on hook, drop one strand of dark blue and pick up a strand of purple then pull through all loops on hook, you will now be working with 2 strands purple and 1 strand dark blue), 13 SC(54)
Round 33: (12 SC, SC3TOG, 12 SC) 2x (48)
Round 34: 11 SC, SC3TOG, 22 SC, SC3TOG (to finish the stitch, at the pull through all loops on hook, drop one strand of dark blue and pick up a strand of purple then pull through all loops on hook, you will now be working with 3 strands purple), 11 SC (44)
Round 35: (10 SC, SC3TOG, 10 SC) 2x (40)
Round 36: (9 SC, SC3TOG, 9 SC) 2x (36)
Round 37: (8 SC, SC3TOG, 8 SC) 2x (32)
Turn inside out and weave in the ends, turn right side out. Put the pillow insert in. You will be crocheting around the pillow insert for the rest of the pillow.
Round 38: (7 SC, SC3TOG, 7 SC) 2x (30)
Round 39: (6 SC, SC3TOG, 6 SC) 2x (26)
Round 40: (5 SC, SC3TOG, 5 SC) 2x (22)
Round 41: (4 SC, SC3TOG, 4 SC) 2x (18)
Round 42: (3 SC, SC3TOG, 3 SC) 2x (14)
Round 43: (2 SC, SC3TOG, 2 SC) 2x (10)
Round 44: (1 SC, SC3TOG, 1 SC) 2x (6)
Finish off leaving a long tail, thread tail through the last six stitches and pull tight. Stitch a few times to close up the corner and weave in the ends.
I was very sad to hear of the passing of an old friend from high school earlier this week. Tania this pattern is dedicated to you. I hope you have finally found peace on the other side of the rainbow.
Tania was a kind and sad creative soul. Her documentary New York City Subculture 1996 about the NYC mid-90’s punk scene lives on on YouTube and her book of poems, Elusive, is available for Kindle.
Hookers Don't Bite 
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