Rainbow Cushion Crochet Pattern

Add a little bit of cheer to your home with this modern crochet rainbow cushion. It’s the perfect size to prop up your head when reading, or as an extra lumbar support.

Rainbow Cushion Crochet Pattern - mypoppet.com.au - Girl holding crochet rainbow shape pillow

This yarn review and free Crochet Rainbow Cushion Pattern is a collaboration with American Yarns. This post contains affiliate links.

This rainbow pillow is a fun little crochet project to make with just a few balls of yarn. Its simple modern design would look great in a contemporary nursery, or kids room.

Crochet pattern rainbow cushion

The crochet pattern only requires a few basic stitches, and is a great project to make if you are just starting on your crochet journey.

I’ve added a few tips in this post explaining why you should try, yarn under single crochet. And I’ve also included instructions for an invisible decrease crochet stitch. Read on for that info.

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This style of crochet is also known as Amigurumi, which uses single crochet stitches to make 3D shapes which are then stuffed. The same stitches used in this project can be used to make all sorts of cute crochet toys.

Choose any colours you wish to make your crochet rainbow – Pastels or Brights!

I’ve used a lovey selection of colours in the Fair Isle Sugar Yarn Range from American Yarns.

Fair Isle Sugar Yarn

Fair Isle Sugar is a great everyday yarn that is perfect for general crochet, and is especially good for Amigurumi, because it gives great stitch definition.

About  Fair Isle Sugar Yarn:

  • 70% acrylic 30% nylon
  • 100g balls 156 meters (3.5oz/170 yards)
  • 8 PLY (medium/DK)
  • Silky-soft luxurious hand-feel
  • Lustrous finish
  • Machine wash cold on gentle cycle, tumble dry low
  • 17 colours available – Dye lotted
  • Great Value – Discontinued line and on sale for $4.50 AUS per ball

Crochet pattern rainbow cushion

Emma has already claimed this little rainbow pillow for her bed.

The rainbow cushion is stuffed really firmly, so not only does it look good, it’s comfortable too. The semicircular shape makes it ideal to prop up your head when reading, or as an extra lumbar support.

Girl reading book in bed

How to make a Crochet Rainbow Cushion

crochet rainbow cushion on pink background

You will need:

  • 1 ball Fair Isle Sugar Yarn – Apricot
  • 1 ball Fair Isle Sugar Yarn – Violet
  • 1 ball Fair Isle Sugar Yarn – Aqua
  • 4.5 mm crochet hook
  • Stitch Markers
  • Polyester Fill Stuffing 200g (or filling of choice)
  • Yarn needle
  • Scissors

Crochet Stitches used (US terminology):

  • Magic Ring
  • Sc – single crochet
  • inc = make 2 sc stitches in 1 stitch
  • dec = combine two stitches into one with an invisible decrease (see below)

How to make an Invisible Decrease – An alternative to sc2tog

In the past I’ve used a sc2tog for my decreases.

Get the instructions for sc2tog in this post.

It’s a fine stitch, but can leave small gaps which are a little annoying if you are stuffing a shape and the filling shows.

Thanks to this blog post from Planet June, I discovered the invisible decrease.

It’s super simple to make, and is barely noticeable.

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the invisible decrease crochet stitch:

1. Insert hook though the FRONT LOOPS only of the next 2 stitches.

invisible decrease crochet stitch

2. Pull yarn though both loops. Now 2 loops on hook.

invisible decrease crochet stitch

3. Complete stitch by pulling yarn though both loops.

invisible decrease crochet stitch

You’ve just decreased 2 stitches into one.

Rainbow Cushion Crochet Pattern instructions:

Gauge: 2.5×2.5cm (1″x1″) sq = 5st x 5 rows in sc

Finished Size:Height 22cm/8.5″, Width 33cm/13″

Crochet components to make rainbow pillow

Notes:

  • Pattern is worked continuously as a spiral in the Amigurumi style.
  • Use a stitch marker to keep track of where one round ends and the next begins. Place the stitch marker in the last stitch of the round.
  • This rainbow pillow is made up of 3 separate shapes – Two tubes and one ball which are then sewn together.
  • Each shape has the same pattern for the ends, the only difference is how many rounds are crocheted in the middle sections.
  • Shape 1 (Apricot) – length 43cm/17″ total length
  • Shape 2 (Violet) – length 28cm/11″ total length
  • Shape 3 (Aqua) – length 7.5cm/3″ total length
  • To avoid gaps between sc stitches I recommend using a YARN UNDER (as opposed to yarn over) crochet stitch – see instructions for Yarn Under Amigurumi single crochet at the end of this pattern.

All pattern pieces:

Starting section:

R1 – start 8 sc into a magic ring [8]

R2 – inc in each st around [16]

R3 – *sc, inc* rpt 8 times [24]

R4 – *sc 2, inc* rpt 8 times [32]

R5 – *sc 3, inc* rpt 8 times [40]

Insert stitch marker to keep track of rounds in next section.

insert stitch marker

Middle section:

Shape 1 (Apricot) – sc all stitches [40] for 79 rounds

Shape 2 (Violet) – sc all stitches [40] for 50 rounds

Shape 3 (Aqua) – sc all stitches [40] for 10 rounds

Stuff firmly as you go (especially for the longer tubes)

stuff crochet tubes firmly

Closing section:

R1 – *sc 3, dec* rpt 8 times [32]

R2 – *sc 2, dec* rpt 8 times [24]

R3 – *sc, dec* rpt 8 times [16]

Add extra stuffing until shape is firmly packed.

R4 – dec in each st around [8]

stuff crochet tubes firmly

Fasten off by running yarn end though 8 remaining stitch loops and tightening.

Leave a 28cm/11″ yarn tail for sewing on Aqua ball (Shape 3), weave in ends for other sections.

Crochet Rainbow Pillow Assembly

1. Line up all sections and mark center.

crochet rainbow cushion assembly instructions

2. With tail of ball section 3, sew through both tubes as per diagram below and secure with some hidden stitches.

crochet rainbow cushion assembly instructions

3. Gently shape long tubes around ball section and mark where the ends line up.

crochet rainbow cushion assembly instructions

4. Stitch though all sections as per diagram below. Add extra stitches to secure if required.

crochet rainbow cushion assembly instructions

All done! Enjoy you new little rainbow cushion.

Girl reading book in bed

Yarn Under single crochet for Amigurumi

I’ve been told on numerous occasions that I crochet ‘wrong’.

Why? It’s because I don’t yarn over when I crochet in the traditional way.

My whole life I’ve used a hook over crochet style, which seemed quicker, easier and more logical to me. It also puts less stress on my hands.

I didn’t realize I was doing it ‘wrong’ until readers asked how my single crochet stitches looked like little X shapes.

Turns out it was my HOOK OVER (yarn under) technique.

You can see the difference in the photo below where I’ve used a traditional yarn over style for a few stitches. You can see the stitch shape looks like a little V.

Yarn over vs yarn under single crochet

Compare it to the rest of the stitches where the stitch shape looks like and X.

After a little research, I’m not alone in using a yarn under (hook over) technique, especially among the Amigurumi crochet crowd.  It seems many Amigurumi crocheters do the same.

Turns out the X shaped single crochet stitches are more tightly packed and leave less gaps around stitches. This is perfect for items that need to be firmly stuffed so no filling shows or leaks out.

I also think it looks neater.

The tension tends to be a little tighter. You may need to adjust your hook size accordingly.

I do all my crochet stitches with a hook over technique, and the only one that looks visibly different is the sc stitch.

How to Yarn under (hook over) single crochet

yarn under single crochet stitch

1. insert hook though stitch, grab yarn with hook, with hook on top. Pull though stitch. (In regular sc you would wrap the yarn over the hook)

yarn under single crochet stitch

2. With 2 loops on hook. Grab yarn with hook on top, and pull yarn through both loops.

Stitch completed.

I hope you found this little aside interesting. If you try a hook over technique, tell me how you get on.

All yarns featured are available from www.americanyarns.com.au

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Crochet pattern rainbow pillow

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