6-Day Retro Rainbow Blanket
A variation of the classic crochet pattern the
6-Day Kid Blanket by Betty McKnit
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Introduction
This pattern is a variation of the classic 6-Day Kid Blanket (6DKB), worked in the drama-free Tranquility Stripe, which features the same foundational six rows of single crochet, double crochet, and double crochet granny clusters without the characteristic chevrons of the 6DKB. The dreamy Retro Rainbow colored stripes are finished off with an adorable floating clouds border – a variation of #14 from Edie Eckman’s book “Around the Corner Crochet Borders.”
There is also a baby blanket version of this pattern, the 6-Day Retro Rainbow Baby Blanket.
This pattern is provided free with advertisements on this page. If you would like an ad-free .pdf, you can purchase one at the bottom of the page. The .pdf is the same as this pattern, with the exception of the ads.
What’s the difference between this pattern and the original 6-Day Blanket?
- Size – this pattern makes full-size blanket, the original pattern made a toddler sized blanket. This pattern can also written to be easily adaptable.
- Yarn Weight – The original blanket used chunky weight yarn, this pattern uses worsted weight, and is adaptable to different weights of yarns.
- Edge and Border – this pattern has instructions for an edge and a custom-designed-by-Betty (inspired by Edie) border. The original only gave instructions for tassels.
- Stitches: this pattern uses the same six rows of stitches as the original 6-Day Kid Blanket uses minus the chevrons.
Details
US Terminology with UK Conversions given
Finished Size: 65”x 78” as shown (resizable – see chart on last page)
Skill Level: Easy
Gauge: 13 stitches, 14 rows over 4” in sc
It is not crucial to match gauge.
Materials
Yarn: #4 Worsted Weight acrylic yards of each of eight colors
Shown in Big Twist Value Worsted Acrylic Yarn
Two skeins each of the following:
Color A: Magenta
Color B: Coral
Color C: Varsity Yellow
Color D: Green Gecko
Color E: Sky Blue
Color F: Varsity Blue
Color G: Lilac
Color H: White
Some ideas for substitution:
Knit Picks Brava Worsted: Rouge, Orange, Canary, Peaped, Sky, Celestial, Freesia, and White
Premiere Basix: Fuscia, Coral, Sunny, Spring Green, Carolina Sky, Twilight, Thistle, and White
Premiere Just Yarn Value: Magenta, Orange, Spring Green, Light Blue, Royal Blue, Thistle, and White.
You can make this blanket with any number of colors you like. My favorite number of colors for this stripe is seven colors and changing colors every row. I like having one more color than repeat rows, so that the colors shift rows on each repeat.
Hook: J (6.5 mm), and I (6 mm)
(make a swatch to determine the best hook for your yarn and for resizing purposes).
Stitch markers, Tapestry needle, Scissors
Abbreviations
6DKB: 6-Day Kid Blanket
bet: between
ch: chain
dc: double crochet
hdc: half double crochet
rep: repeat
sc: single crochet
sl st: slip stitch
stsc: stacked single crochet
sk: skip
sp(s): space(s)
yo: yarn over
| US terms abbreviation | UK terms abbreviation |
| single crochet sc | double crochet dc |
| half double crochet hdc | half treble crochet htr |
| double crochet dc | treble crochet tr |
Special Stitches
stacked single crochet: only used at the beginning of the row. sc in first st of the row, insert the hook into the side the sc just made, and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through both loops. stsc complete.
Repeats
[ ] Repeat everything within the brackets the indicated number of times.
( ) Repeat everything within the brackets the indicated number of times.
* indicates the beginning of the repeat
Stitch Counts
Stitch counts between < >
stsc counts as dc.
To help you adapt this pattern to different sizes, stitch counts are given as +/- difference from starting chain.
Does it Really Only Take Six Days?
All of my patterns that use the same six rows alternating rows of sc, dc, and clusters, with or without chevrons, is named 6-Day Crochet. The name of this pattern comes from the original 6-Day Kid Blanket, which was toddler sized and made with chunky yarn, and took me an easy six days to make. This variation uses the same stitches as that original pattern, but you can use any yarn and make it any size you want. Whether you can meet the six day deadline will depend on several factors, including your experience and speed with which you crochet, and how much time you have to spend each day crocheting, what yarn you use, and what size blanket you wish to create. It is 100% possible to complete a large blanket in six days, regardless, you will love how fast the 6-Day Retro Rainbow Blanket works up.
For more information please see my article, Why is it Called the 6-Day Kid Blanket?
Tips for Completing in Six Days
To complete this project in six days:
- Plan to spend 3-4 hours per day crocheting.
- Use worsted weight or heavier yarn.
- Limit the size of your blanket to 163 starting chains or less.
First Timers
This is an easy pattern, and a good option for newer crocheters, but it is not meant to be a beginner pattern. I assume you already know how to chain, single crochet, and double crochet, and I don’t teach those skills in this pattern. There are plenty of resources online and elsewhere to learn those beginning crochet skills.
You will also need to be brave enough to read this whole pattern and follow instructions here. I have very good tutorials on YouTube that will help you, but they are only meant to help with this pattern, they are not a replacement for this written pattern.
How to Resize
You will need to make a swatch with your chosen yarn and hook. Start by chaining 21 and follow the stitch instructions below through Row 7, repeat Rows 2-7, and then 2-4.
Measure your swatch to determine how many chains to start with to achieve your desired width, and to determine how many repeats you will need for your desired length. The starting chain multiple is 3.
Side Edges
This pattern utilizes the stacked single crochet at the start of the rows in order to create straight side edges. Please see the abbreviations at the beginning of this pattern for an explanation of the stitch. stsc counts as 1 dc.
Changing Colors
This pattern uses seven colors and changes colors at the end of every row. To change colors, draw the new color through the last two loops of the last stitch of the row. I suggest working your border rounds first and weaving in the yarn ends last. I do not recommend tying knots as they can and do come undone. Weaving in ends is time consuming, but if you’re planning to give your project away or sell it, give yourself the peace of mind knowing that your work will not unravel, and weave in all of your ends.
Carrying Yarns up the Sides of the Work
In the baby blanket version of this pattern, I gave instructions for floating the yarns up the sides of the work and working the border over them. I don’t recommend that technique for yarns heavier than DK.
Striping
The original 6-Day Kid Blanket stitches can take on many different looks depending on which rows the color changes fall on. If you would like to use this pattern variation with another 6-Day Kid Blanket stripe please see my article “No Two 6-Day Kid Blankets are Alike” for more information about the different 6DKB stripes and how to create them.
Video Tutorials
This pattern has video tutorials on YouTube. The tutorials are meant to help you understand this pattern, but they are not intended to replace this pattern or be used without it.
Community Support
The best way to get support is through my Facebook community dedicated to helping crocheters with the 6-Day Crochet Projects, loaded with free resources and people to answer your questions.
Join my membership community The Betty McKnitiverse and ask questions directly during one of my many community zoom calls.
Join one of my online communities to knit and crochet along with friends, get help with pattern questions, show off your makes, and access tons of free resources for making 6-Day Crochet and other Betty McKnit designs.
Begin
With Color A and larger hook, chain 168 (or a multiple of 3). Switch to smaller hook.
Row 1: Starting in the second chain from the hook, sc across. <Stitch count = starting ch – 1>
Turn
Change to Color B
Row 2: stsc (counts as dc, here and throughout), dc in next st, [sk 2, 3 dc in next st] to last 3 sts, sk 2, 2 dc in last st.
Turn
<Stitch count = starting ch – 2>
Change to Color C
Row 3: stsc, sk 1, 3 dc in next and in each sp across, sk 1, dc in last st.
Turn
<Stitch count = starting ch – 1>
Change to Color D
Row 4: ch 1, sc in same st, sc in each st across, sc in top of ch 3.
Turn
<Stitch count = starting ch – 1>
Change to Color E
Row 5: stsc, dc in next and each st across.
Turn
<Stitch count = starting ch – 1>
Change to Color F
Row 6: stsc, dc in next and each st across.
Turn
<Stitch count = starting ch – 1>
Change to Color G
Row 7: ch 1,sc in same st, sc in each st across, sc in last st.
Turn
<Stitch count = starting ch – 1>
Change to Color A
Repeat rows 2-7, 22 times (or to desired length) changing colors in established sequence. Your color sequence will not match your row sequence since there are seven colors and six rows.
Repeat rows 2-4 once more in established color sequence. Fasten off.
Proceed to Border.
Border
Border Round 1: With the same hook, attach Color G in any stitch along the top row and work a round of sc around the entire piece, working 3 sc in each corner.
When working the sides, work into dc/sc stitches treating them like you would a foundation chain by working
under 2 threads of each stitch.
Check your work often to make sure it is lying flat. Join with a sl st to the first sc. Fasten off.
Border Round 2: With Color A and same hook, and same side facing, join with sc in any stitch. *(ch 1, sk 1, sc) to corner, (sc, ch 2, sc) in corner. Repeat from * around. Fasten off.
Border Round 3: With same side facing, join Color B in any ch-1 space. sc in same sp, *(ch 1, sk 1, sc in next ch 1 sp) to corner, (sc, ch 2, sc) in corner. Repeat from * around. Fasten off.
Border Round 4 – 7: Repeat Border Round 3 with Colors C, D, E, and F in that order. Join each new color in a different place each time.
Border Round 8: Join Color G (White) with sc in any corner, *sk 1 ch-1 sp, dc in next ch-1 sp. ch 1, (sc, hdc, 4 dc, hdc) around dc, into sp bet dc and Border Round 7, sc in next ch-1 sp. Repeat from * around, finish with sc in first corner sp.
Adjust your skips if needed so that sc falls in the corner sps. Do not dc over a corner.
Fasten off.
Weave in all ends.
Many thanks to Audrey Blackburn who tested this pattern and crocheted the sample pictured in this publication. Visit Audrey’s Etsy Store, Over Yarn Crafts, to learn more about her and her amazing artistic creations.
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Resources
Additional resources to help you make this pattern.
This pattern is the intellectual property of Beth McKee Elliott aka Betty McKnit®. This pattern, The 6-Day Kid Blanket, 6-Day Crochet™, 6-Day Star Blanket™, and all derivative works are protected by copyright. Publishing translations, corrections, variations, or tutorials of this pattern, online or elsewhere without written permission from the owner is a violation of copyright.
The 6-Day Crochet stitch pattern was inspired by “Vivid Chevrons” #110 from 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns by Jan Eaton.
Items created with this pattern may be used for commercial sale with credit to Betty McKnit in your listing. Mass production is not permitted.
©Beth McKee Elliott/Betty McKnit®
www.bettymcknit.com
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