Free Pattern: Somewhere Over the Rainbow

My Christmas gift crafting had yet to start and I had planned on going all in this weekend. The overwhelming sadness that took over on Friday changed that. Driving to pick up my 6 year old after work on Friday and listening to the latest updates on the Newtown shooting, I knew there were many parents who would not be picking up their 6 year olds from school ever again. It had not happened in Colorado. It happened just an hour away.

Saturday morning when I woke up I started looking through Ravelry to try to get going on those Christmas presents, but I couldn’t stop thinking about all of those who the day before were sent Somewhere Over the Rainbow. So in memory of them, I made a painted crochet version of the See My Stitches Color Party Throw called Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

My son curled up on top of it and fell asleep as I added the fringe. It was impossible not to cry.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow Throw

Materials:

19mm Crochet Hook

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).

Yarn Needle

Abbreviations (US terms used):

Ch = Chain

HDC = Half Double Crochet

FHDC = Foundation Half Double Crochet

BLO = Back Loops Only

Somewhere Over the Rainbow Pattern:

Final size is 54″ x 62″ not including the fringe.

You will be working this blanket from side to side.

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 repeating each color combination for two rows, then dropping one strand and picking up a new color strand.

Before you start, make balls around 44 yards of each color make 1 ball of each color around 44 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.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow – Full Image

Row 1: Using 3 strands of Purple, Ch2, 65 FHDC
(super easy alternative for Row 1: if you are afraid of the Foundation Half Double Crochet, you can Ch 67, then starting in 3rd chain from hook, 65 HDC)

Row 2: Turn, Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch), 65 HDC in BLO

Row 3: Drop one strand of Purple and pick up one strand of Dark Blue. Repeat Row 2.

Row 4: Repeat Row 2.

Rows 5-6: Repeat Row 3 then Row 2. You now have 1 Purple and 2 Dark Blue strands.

Rows 7-8: Repeat Row 3 then Row 2. You now have 3 Dark Blue strands.

Row 9: Drop one strand of Dark Blue and pick up one strand of Blue. Repeat Row 2.

Row 10: Repeat Row 2

Rows 11-12: Repeat Row 9 then Row 2. You now have 1 Dark Blue and 2 Blue strands.

Rows 13-14: Repeat Row 9 then Row 2. You now have 3 Blue strands.

Row 15: Drop one strand of Blue and pick up one strand of Green. Repeat Row 2.

Row 16: Repeat Row 2

Rows 17-18: Repeat Row 15 then Row 2. You now have 1 Blue and 2 Green strands.

Rows 19-20: Repeat Row 15 then Row 2. You now have 3 Green strands.

Row 21: Drop one strand of Green and pick up one strand of Yellow. Repeat Row 2.

Row 22: Repeat Row 2

Rows 23-24: Repeat Row 21 then Row 2. You now have 1 Green and 2 Yellow strands.

Rows 25-26: Repeat Row 21 then Row 2. You now have 3 Yellow strands.

Row 27: Drop one strand of Yellow and pick up one strand of Orange. Repeat Row 2.

Row 28: Repeat Row 2

Rows 29-30: Repeat Row 27 then Row 2. You now have 1 Yellow and 2 Orange strands.

Rows 31-32: Repeat Row 27 then Row 2. You now have 3 Orange strands.

Row 33: Drop one strand of Orange and pick up one strand of Red. Repeat Row 2.

Row 34: Repeat Row 2

Rows 35-36: Repeat Row 33 then Row 2. You now have 1 Orange and 2 Red strands.

Rows 37-38: Repeat Row 33 then Row 2. You now have 3 Red strands.

Add fringe. I added 1 fringe for each color combination, 19 fringes each side. For each fringe I cut 8 strands and incorporated any ends into the fringe.

Weave in any ends in the body of the blanket.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow Closeup

Free Pattern: See My Stitches Color Party Throw

As soon as I finished making the Supersized See My Stitches Scarf, I knew I wanted a blanket just like it. So bright, soft, and squishy, I just wanted to wrap myself inside. Last week with Charisma on sale yet again for $2.50/skein, I seized the opportunity and bought up all the Sunny Day I could get my hands on. Saturday morning my son woke up around 6AM, which means I was up too. I started the blanket after my morning coffee and by mid afternoon, my blanket was done! Based on the very simple pattern of the Supersized See My Stitches Scarf, but as a blanket, here’s how to make the See My Stitches Color Party Throw.

Materials:

10mm Crochet Hook

19mm Crochet Hook (Why 19mm over the Scarf’s 16mm? I bought the 19mm hook last week and wanted to try it out. If you only have a 16mm, you’ll be fine, but the blanket will be a little smaller unless you start with a few more stitches, use another skein or 2, and go more rows.)

10.2 Skeins Loops and Threads’ Charisma in Sunny Day – 1111 yards of bulky weight bright multi color yarn, this used the 10 Skeins for the blanket,  and just a little for the top and bott0m borders

Yarn Needle

Optional: A little glue

Abbreviations (US terms used):

Ch = Chain

SS = Slip Stitch

SC = Single Crochet

HDC = Half Double Crochet

FHDC = Foundation Half Double Crochet

DC = Double Crochet

BLO = Back Loops Only

See My Stitches Color Party Throw Pattern:

Final size is 44″ x 64″.

You will be working this blanket from side to side.

Hold 2 strands of yarn together throughout the pattern, except for the border.

Start using the 19mm hook.

Row 1: Ch3, 60 FHDC
(super easy alternative for Row 1: if you are afraid of the Foundation Half Double Crochet, you can Ch 62, then starting in 3rd chain from hook, 60 HDC)

Row 2: Turn, Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch), 60 HDC in BLO

Row 3 – 36: Repeat Row 2

Border: Work the border on the top and bottom of the blanket. It will be in the side of the stitches. You will be working with only 1 strand of yarn for the border and will use a 10mm hook. You will be working through both loops for the border rows.

Border Row 1: Attach yarn with a SS, Ch 1, SC across (around 74 stitches)

Border Row 2: Turn, Ch 3 (counts as first DC), (SS, DC) repeat across ending with a SS. (same # of stitches as Border Row 1)

**After trying several different border designs that didn’t work, I found this simple one through the Crochet Pattern Central website. It’s from The Sunroom and properly named Easiest Ever Crochet Edging. It works perfectly to finish off this blanket.

Finish Off and weave in ends. Use a little glue in a hidden location if needed. This will help keep the ends woven in since the yarn is so big and the stitches are huge, sometimes the yarn likes to come out. The glue will keep it from doing that. Mary Jane Hall talks about this tip on the Positively Crochet! blog.

Blanket Action Shot

Couch Wearing Blanket