Hi, all! Last week we promised a new ragdoll-style pattern for you. Unfortunately, this post is not it (lol, sorry!) Turns out, we are waiting on some safety eyes to arrive in the mail that we need for our upcoming patterns. We were hoping to get them last week, but they didn’t arrive in time (should have sprung for express shipping!).
So, instead, we are bringing you the pattern for this cheerful little rainbow! The mane and tail of our Ragdoll Unicorn has put us in the mood for all things rainbow, it seems! It’s a great little project if you’re looking for something quick to whip up. His full name is Roy G. Biv…..get it?! (*insert Bad Pun Dog meme here*) Sadly, our rainbow is not exactly accurate in the colour department but he sure is cute : )
Here’s what we used:
- 3.5mm hook (I use THESE hooks!);
- Bernat Handicrafter cotton in the following colours:
- Lavender
- Robin’s Egg
- Aloe Vera
- Pale Yellow
- Chamomile
- White
- Black yarn for mouth
- Light weight pink yarn for cheeks
- Safety eyes
- Stuffing
- Tapestry needle
Stitches and Special Terms (US terminology):
Ch – Chain
Slst – Slipstitch
Sc – Single crochet
Inc – Increase. Work 2 sc in the same st.
Dec – Decrease. Work 2 sc together (when working in the round, I use an invisible decrease).
Rainbow:
*Work in continuous rounds*
With Lavender, ch 24. Join to the first ch to make a circle.
Rnd 1: Starting in the same ch, sc 24 around (24 sts)
Rnd 2: Sc, inc. Repeat around (36 sts)
Switch to Robin’s Egg (blue) coloured yarn. To change colours seamlessly, insert your hook into the stitch and pull up a loop in Lavender. Then yarn over using Robin’s Egg and pull through both loops. Continue with Robin’s Egg.
Rnd 3: Sc 2, inc. Repeat around (48 sts)
Rnd 4: Sc 3, inc. Repeat around (60 sts)
Switch to Aloe Vera (green).
Rnd 5: Sc 4, inc. Repeat around (72 sts)
Rnd 6: Sc 5, inc. Repeat around (84 sts)
Switch to Pale Yellow:
Rnd 7: Sc 13, inc. Repeat around (90 sts)
Rnd 8: Sc 14, inc. Repeat around (96 sts)
Switch to Chamomile (pink).
Rnd 9: Sc 38, dec three times, sc 42, dec three times, sc 4 (90 sts)
Rnd 10: Sc 38, dec, sc 42, dec, sc 4 (86 sts)
Slst to next st and tie off, leaving a long tail for sewing closed later.
Assembly and Stuffing:
You should now have a big circle with a hole in the middle. Your circle should naturally fold in half to make the half-circle/rainbow shape. Match up all sides. Cut a length of Lavender yarn and, with your tapestry needle, stitch the purple edges together. Secure with a knot and hide the tail inside the piece.
Place your safety eyes, mouth and cheeks. We placed the mouth at Rnd 2 and the eyes between Rnds 4 and 5. Tie a knot to secure and hide the tails inside the piece.
For the cheeks, we simply sewed some light pink yarn around one stitch beneath each eye. Tie a knot and hide the tails inside the piece.
Begin stitching the top (pink edges) together at one end using the leftover tail. Stuff as you go. Continue stuffing a little after every few stitches. When finished, poke the tail back inside the piece using the back of your tapestry needle.
Clouds (make 2) in white:
We used THIS free cloud appliqué pattern from Pattern-Paradise.com, using Cloud #1 (5 puff cloud) for both.
We turned our clouds upside-down so the single puff is pointing down and covering the tips of the rainbow. Stitch your clouds onto the ends of your rainbow by stitching all around the outside. However, when you reach the outer-most puff of each cloud, do not sew all around the edge of that puff, but rather, let it stick off the end of your rainbow.
Roy the Rainbow would make a great bag charm or keychain! You could make him even smaller with some light weight yarn and a 2.25mm hook.
That’s it! Enjoy!
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Hi! I’m absolutely in love with this pattern. I’ve made 3 of them over the past few days! Im on Etsy under Stars and Beyond Co and IG @starsandbeyondco and I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind me doing a video tutorial using your pattern, giving you credit of course. 2 of the 3 I’ve made I’ve used NFL team colors with a brown football as the cloud. I would like to share your pattern as well as use my own color schemes, considering football season is right around the corner I think it’s a great idea!
Hi Britney, I just sent you an email!
I think there is a discrepancy in line 10. You only call for two decreases which would result in 88 stitches from 90 not 86. Am I missing something?
Hi! Thank you so much for this pattern! I realize I’m commenting awhile after you posted it, but it’s the best rainbow pattern I’ve found. I was trying to adapt it for 6 colors in the rainbow part, and I ran into a problem (on my part, not yours), as it didn’t work. If you are willing and able, could you let me know how you’d add 2 rows for an extra color? Thank you for your amazing patterns!
Hi Minnow,
I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying Roy’s pattern! 🙂 I would have to rework the pattern in order to figure out exact stitch counts for additional rows, unfortunately. However, I think, with some trial and error, you could add a couple of extra rows by increasing evenly around so as to keep it more or less flat (before folding it of course). Best of luck with it!
Did you ever figure out how to add another color? I want to do a 6th color also. If you wouldn’t mind sharing how you did it, it would be great!
Hi Tricia,
After my initial attempt that didn’t work right, I haven’t revisited it yet. If I get it figured out, I’ll let you know!
Thanks so much for your prompt reply! I’ll keep working at it! I really appreciate your fun patterns! Thank you!
Hey, this is by far the best rainbow pattern I have found online. I am just wondering if it’s possible to make it bigger (aside from just using a large hook and chunkier wool) I have a 4 year old itching for a rainbow pillow for Christmas so any guidance in making this pattern larger would be amazing!
Hi Hayley,
Hrm, I’d have to rework the pattern to figure it out for sure, but you could try some trial and error with starting with a bigger chain to start, or perhaps just keep adding rows.
Hey, thanks for getting back to me so fast! I have experimented starting with a bigger chain and it keeps curling in one itself and doesn’t translate into the foldable circle from your pattern. I will continue to experiment but thought there may be a simple solution that I don’t know about!
Hi!
Luv this pattern – so cute! wud luv to make some for nursing homes & also give some to my PSW’S (Personal Support Workers) who come in for me 3x/wk – I wud luv to make some for their other patients as well – my question is this: wud like to add something to hook to a wall, mirror, etc. can u pls tell me where I cud attach a cord for this purpose – many tks.