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Rainbow Knitting Patterns for Pride and Beyond

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Rainbow is a color scheme that most people like, and it’s an easy way to bring color into your knitting projects without having to put a whole lot of thought into it. Whether you’re stitching for Pride or just for someone who loves cheerful colors, these rainbow knitting patterns are a perfect place to start.

The Paintbox Hoodie by Brooklyn Downer, which is available on Knit Picks, is a great classic hoodie design with rainbow striped sleeves. It includes cropped and standard length options, and four roomy sizes to choose from. There’s also an optional kangaroo pocket. It uses sport weight yarn.

If you prefer allover rainbow stripes, the Rainbow Ring sweater by Stephen West is a great choice. This top-down, circular yoke sweater is worked in fingering weight yarn and is available in nine sizes. The color stripes are worked in stockinette while the background color stripes are reverse stockinette for a bit of added texture. You can find the pattern on Ravelry.

Or how about a sweater with bold rainbow stripes? The Pride Jumper from Popsicle Emporium on Etsy uses wide stripes and is available in two sizes. It’s an easy drop shoulder style great for your first sweater project.

The yoke on the Somewhere Rainbow sweater from 1 Knitty Little Thing on Etsy features rainbow stripes in reverse order from the Pride flag, but you can work them in the other direction if you’d rather. It comes in seven sizes and uses DK weight yarn.

Or how about some rainbow-striped leg warmers? The Rainbow Gems leg warmers pattern from The Barbarian Hoarde on Ravelry uses worsted weight yarn in rainbow colors and black. There are three size options so you should be able to keep just about anyone’s legs cozy with this pattern.

And if you’re looking for a quick rainbow project to use up leftovers from a bigger Pride project, try this rainbow striped heart from Marianna’s Lazy Daisy Days. This was meant to be an applique for a baby blanket but you could make two and sew them together to make a tiny pillow, use them as patch pockets on a project, sew onto your jacket or whatever you like.

Or stitch up this pretty teeny tiny rainbow from Rosie Posie Knit Co. on Etsy. It’s worked flat in whatever weight of yarn you like, then you fold it and sew it together into a little amigurumi-style rainbow perfect as a keychain or zipper pull.

Easy Rainbow Knitting Patterns

The Cloudbreak Shawl is Like Knitting a Rainbow in a Cloud

Finished Object: Rainbow Dash Shawl

 

 

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Have you read?

A Short and Sweet Top to Knit for Summer

I think one of the things that keeps me from wearing some of the summer tops that I have knit is that when they use worsted weight yarn, they’re actually heavier and warmer than a normal T-shirt would be. Which sometimes is fine, since I tend to be cold, but it’s not always what you want from your warm-weather gear.

That’s why shirts and tops knit with fingering (aka sock) yarn are so great. They’re super light weight and honestly they don’t take as long to knit as you probably think they will.

I’m sure that’s true with the Maya Top from Gavriella Treminio, especially if you choose the cropped length option. This top down sweater has a textured circular yoke with bobbles and eyelets, while the rest of the body is worked in stockinette stitch. Other than the integrated ribbed neckband, other edges are left in stockinette so they will roll slightly to finish the casual look. 

The design comes with seven different size options, ranging from 36 to 62 inches in the chest. The pattern page doesn’t say how much ease is meant to be included in the pattern, but starting at size 36 would leave it pretty roomy for folks in the smaller sizes.

I don’t think the suggested yarn is made anymore, but it looks like a top that would be lovely in a mercerized cotton or a linen and silk blend, something with a little bit of shine to it. This is one of those times when the yarn suggestions on Ravelry can be super helpful because you can see what yarn other people used and how their finished projects came out.

You can get this pattern on Ravelry.

Looking for more summer top patterns? I’ve collected some lacy top knitting patterns here, and a few great tank top knitting patterns here.

[Photo: Gavriella Treminio.]

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