Previously, I shared my pattern for the Mini Magic Mandala Squares - a great 6" afghan block pattern made in worsted weight yarn. This week, I take that pattern, change the yarn size, add an easy join as you go technique, and a big bold border... and present the Magic Rainbow Baby Blanket free crochet pattern!

Disclaimer: Yarn for this pattern was provided by Lion Brand. This post contains affiliate links.

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Chainette Yarn

Lion Brand Modern Baby yarn is the bright bold star of the show here. Isn't it gorgeous? It's a DK weight acrylic/nylon blend made with "chainette" construction. This means that the yarn itself seems to be "woven" rather than twisted - and doesn't split while you crochet it! And it's super soft, and bright, and I just love it. It comes in 12 color, and I used every one of them except the black.

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Magic Rainbow Baby Blanket

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US - H, 5.0 mm hook (Furls)

1552 yds Lion Brand Modern Baby (DK weight, yarn symbol "3", 50% acrylic/50% nylon, 173 yds per skein; see below for specifics)

Yarn needle (Susan Bates Finishing Needles used)

Finished Size: 36" x 36"

Helpful Links and Tutorials

CLICK HERE for a video tutorial for the squares

CLICK HERE for a video tutorial for the joining

Crochet Abbreviations

Magic Circle

Seamless Join

BLO - Back Loop Only

Squares Layout for the Modern Rainbow Baby Blanket

To make this pattern, you'll make 36 squares using 10 colors, and finish and join them with an 11th color. The Lion Brand Modern Baby colors and amounts used here are:

• Color A: Cream - 426 yds (3 skeins)
• Color B: Pink - 75 yds (1 skein)
• Color C: Red - 75 yds (1 skein)
• Color D: Orange - 75 yds (1 skein)
• Color E: Yellow - 90 yds (1 skein)
• Color F: Chartreuse - 100 yds (1 skein)
• Color G: Green - 110 yds (1 skein)
• Color H: Turquoise - 90 yds (1 skein)
• Color I: Blue - 90 yds (1 skein)
• Color J: Purple - 75 yds (1 skein)
• Color K: Gray - 346 yds (2 skeins - note: some people have found they needed 3)

Each of the squares in DK weight yarn are 5" x 5" - after Round 8. Above, the squares are finished through Round 7.  To join them, you'll work Rounds 8 and 9 on the first square, then work Rounds 8 and join during Round 9 on the second and each subsequent square. So you can make and join the squares as you go, or make them all through Round 7 and then do the last round and join afterwards.

Modern Rainbow Baby Blanket Square Instructions

Rounds 1 - 7 - Start the Squares

Below are the instructions for Rounds 1 - 7. You can refer to the photo above for layout, or see the table below the rounds instructions for how many to make using the colors above.

Round 1: With first color, make a magic circle. Working into the ring, ch 4 (counts as first dc and ch 1). [Dc, ch 1] into the ring 7 more times. Join to 3rd ch with sl st . (8 dc, 8 ch)

Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2dc in next ch sp. *Dc in next dc, 2 dc in next ch sp. Repeat from * to end. Break yarn and seamless join to second dc. (24 sts)

Round 3: With next color, join with a sl st to top of one of the dc sts that is worked into a dc (not a dc that’s worked into the ch sp). Work a spike st into the top of the dc from Round 1 directly below. Sc in the next st, sc between posts of previous st and next st, sc in next st. *Work a spike st into the top of the dc from Round 1 directly below the next st. Sc in the next st, sc between posts of previous st and next st, sc in next st. Repeat from * to end. Join with a sl st to top of first spike st. (32 sts)

Round 4: Ch 1, sc in first st. Ch 4, skip next 3 sts. *Sc in next st, ch 4, skip next 3 sts. Repeat from * to end. Break yarn and seamless join to first sc of round. (40 sts)

Round 5: With next color, join with a sl st to the top of a sc st from previous round. Ch 1, sc in same st. [2 hdc, ch 1, 2 hdc] in ch sp. *Sc in next st, [2 hdc, ch 1, 2 hdc] in ch sp. Repeat from * to end. Join with a sl st to first sc of round. (48 sts)

Round 6: Ch 1, sc in first st. Skip next 2 sts, work 6 hdc in ch sp. Skip next 2 sts. *Sc in next st, skip next 2 sts, work 6 hdc in ch sp. Skip next 2 sts. Repeat from * to end. Break yarn and seamless join to top of first sc of round. (56 sts)

Round 7: With next color, join with sl st to the top of a sc st from previous round. Ch 1, *dc spike st into the top of the sc from Round 4 directly below, hdc in the next 3 sts, (dc, ch 2, dc, hdc) in next st, hdc in the next 2 sts, dc spike st into to top of the sc from Round 4 directly below, hdc in the next st, sc in the next 4 sts, hdc in the next st; repeat from * 3 times, break yarn and join. (64 sts)

Squares to Make:

Make:	Rnd 1-2	Rnd 3-4	Rnd 5-6	Rnd 7
3....	Color B	Color A	Color C	Color A
3....	Color C	Color A	Color D	Color A
4....	Color D	Color A	Color E	Color A
5....	Color E	Color A	Color F	Color A
6....	Color F	Color A	Color G	Color A
5....	Color G	Color A	Color H	Color A
4....	Color H	Color A	Color I	Color A
3....	Color I	Color A	Color J	Color A
3....	Color J	Color A	Color B	Color A

 

Rounds 8 and 9 - First Square Only

When you're ready to start connecting your squares (again, see photos or layout), with Color K, work Round 8 and 9 on the first square as follows:

Round 8: With next color, join with sl st to any corner ch-2 sp. *(Sc, ch 2, sc) in ch sp, working in BLO sc in the next 6 sts, sl st loosely in the next 4 sts, sc in the next 6 sts; repeat from * 3 times, break yarn and join.

Round 9: Sl st to corner ch sp, ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in ch sp, *[ch 2, skip 2 sts, sc in next st] 3 times, sc in next st, [ch 2, skip 2 sts, sc in next st] 3 times, finishing last repeat in ch sp, ch 2, sc in same ch sp; repeat from *3 times, break yarn and join.

Rounds 8 and 9 - Adding the Other Squares

Now to add the other squares, work Round 8 as above, then work Round 9 as above EXCEPT where the blocks need to join together, work as follows:

At adjoining corner, ch 1, remove hook from working loop of working square, insert in matching corner ch sp of square you're joining to, re-insert hook in working loop, ch 1, sc in ch sp of working square; *ch 1, remove hook from working loop of working square, insert in next ch-2 sp of square you're joining to, re-insert hook in working loop, ch 1, skip 2 sts on working square, sc in next st of working square; repeat from * twice; sc in next st of working square, then repeat from * 3 times, and rejoin same way at the corner as at the first corner. Then finish the rest of the Round 9 as above.

NOTES:

I recommend adding square in rows - all the way across the top, then go to row 2 and work left to right, etc. When you get to the second square in the second row, you'll need to join to two sides. Do just as above, turning the corner and joining from corner to corner on the second side.

At the corner where 4 squares meet, sc into the working square, ch 1, remove the hook and insert the hook into the ch-2 corner of the first joining square, ch 1, remove the hook and insert the hook into the ch-2 corner of the second joining square, ch 1, and sc in the corner sp of the working square, continuing along the second joining square as before. Be sure to work the ch-2 sps on the non joining sides of all squares so they can be joined to later.

Do not break the yarn after the very last right bottom square has been joined.

Add the Border, continuing with Color K:

Ch 1, sc  in around entire blanket, working 3 sc in each corner of the 4 final ch-2 sps and a sc in each sc,  2 sc in each ch-2 sp along the sides, and 1 sc in the ch-2 loop of each joined corner. Join and break yarn.

With Colors A - J, join with a sl st to BLO of any st in the previous round, ch 1, and sc around in BLO of each st, working 3 sc in each corner st.

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And that's it! I know it looks like a lot, but the squares in Rounds 1-7 work up pretty fast, and the joining is super fast!

Remember too, that while this pattern is written for a baby sized blanket in DK weight yarn, it's easy to upsize! Use a worsted weight yarn like Lion Brand Vanna's Choice, and you'll have a 42" x 42" + blanket as written - or add more squares for your own custom size! I can't wait to see your Magic Rainbow Blankets and Throws!

The Fine Print

Written pattern copyright Tamara Kelly 2014. Please do not reprint or repost this pattern, but please do link to this page to share this pattern with others. If you wish to make items for sale from this pattern, please visit the About page for details. Thank you to Lion Brand Yarn for providing the yarn for this pattern!