By Melissa Mall
Photos: Melissa Mall
Difficulty: Easy
Who can say no to sunshine and rainbows? This pair of soft little plushies are the perfect size for small fingers to grab and snuggle, and they do double duty as bright decorations for a child’s room.
The simple shapes of these stuffed creations work up quickly, and their rainbow of bright colors will have a smile on your face while they do.
Finished Measurements: Sunshine – 8.5 inches across
Rainbow – 10.5 inches wide x 4.5 inches high
Materials:
-
Red Heart Super Saver Solids [100% Acrylic; 364yd/333m per 7oz/198g skein]
- Purple (10 yds)
- Blue (10 yds)
- Green (15 yds)
- Yellow (15 yds)
- Orange (15 yds)
- Red (20 yds)
- Yellow (100 yds)
- Orange (25 yds)
- G/6 (4.00mm size) hook
- Stitch marker to keep track of rounds (optional)
- Stuffing or fiberfill
- Tapestry Needle
Rainbow
Sunshine
Gauge: 16 sts/14 rows = 4″/10cm in sc
Note: Precise gauge is not crucial for the success of this project; it’s more important that your yarn and hook creates a tight, dense fabric.
Directions
Rainbow
Rnd 1: With purple, ch 48. Sl st in first ch made to form a ring. Ch 1; sc in each ch around. (48 sc) Join rnd.
Rnd 2: Ch 1; [sc inc in next st, sc in each of the next 7 sts] 6 times. (54 sc) Join rnd.
Rnd 3: Switch to blue. Ch 1; [sc inc in next st, sc in each of the next 8 sts] 6 times. (60 sc) Join rnd.
Rnd 4: Ch 1; [sc inc in next st, sc in each of the next 9 sts] 6 times. (66 sc) Join rnd.
Rnd 5: Switch to green. Ch 1; [sc inc in next st, sc in each of the next 10 sts] 6 times. (72 sc) Join rnd.
Rnd 6: Ch 1; [sc inc in next st, sc in each of the next 11 sts] 6 times. (78 sc) Join rnd.
Rnd 7: Switch to yellow. Ch 1; [sc inc in next st, sc in each of the next 12 sts] 6 times. (84 sc) Join rnd.
Rnd 8: Ch 1; [sc inc in next st, sc in each of the next 13 sts] 6 times. (90 sc) Join rnd.
Rnd 9: Switch to orange. Ch 1; [sc inc in next st, sc in each of the next 14 sts] 6 times. (96 sc) Join rnd.
Rnd 10: Ch 1; [sc inc in next st, sc in each of the next 15 sts] 6 times. (102 sc) Join rnd.
Rnd 11: Switch to red. Ch 1; [sc inc in next st, sc in each of the next 16 sts] 6 times. (108 sc) Join rnd.
Rnd 12: Ch 1; [sc inc in next st, sc in each of the next 17 sts] 6 times. (114 sc) Join rnd, finish off.
Finishing: To finish, fold rainbow in half and, (using matching yarn) sew the purple stripe closed. Then with red yarn, begin sewing red stripe closed, stuffing as you go. Once the rainbow is securely sewn closed, weave in all ends.
Sunshine
Rnd 1: With yellow, ch 2; make 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: Sc inc in each st around. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: [Sc in next st, sc inc in next st] 6 times. (18 sc)
Rnd 4: [Sc in each of the next 2 sts, sc inc in next st] 6 times. (24 sc)
Rnd 5: [Sc in each of the next 3 sts, sc inc in next st] 6 times. (30 sc)
Rnd 6: [Sc in each of the next 4 sts, sc inc in next st] 6 times. (36 sc)
Rnd 7: [Sc in each of the next 5 sts, sc inc in next st] 6 times. (42 sc)
Rnd 8: [Sc in each of the next 6 sts, sc inc in next st] 6 times. (48 sc)
Rnd 9: [Sc in each of the next 7 sts, sc inc in next st] 6 times. (54 sc)
Rnd 10: [Sc in each of the next 8 sts, sc inc in next st] 6 times. (60 sc)
Rnd 11: [Sc in each of the next 9 sts, sc inc in next st] 6 times. (66 sc)
Rnd 12: [Sc in each of the next 10 sts, sc inc in next st] 6 times. (72 sc)
Rnd 13: [Sc in each of the next 10 sts, sc dec] 6 times. (66 sc)
Rnd 14: Sc in each st around. (66 sc) Sl st in next st, switch to orange.
Rays
Rnd 1: Ch 3; working in FRONT LOOP ONLY, [dc in next st, sc inc in next st] around. (77 sts) Join rnd.
Rnd 2: [Sl st in next st, sc in next st, dc in next st, (tr, ch 1, tr) in next st, dc in next st, sc in next st, sl st in next st] around. (11 points) Finish off.
Side 2
Repeat Rnds 1-14 of Sunshine, but instead of switching to orange, finish off.
Finishing: Sew Rnd 14 Side 2 to Rnd 14 of Sunshine, stuffing as you go. Weave in all ends.
About the Designer
Melissa Mall is an at-home mom with four sons seven and under. They are currently residing in Arizona after a three-year stint in Japan and are having a fun time readjusting. You can keep up with their ordinary adventures over at her blog, or take a peek at her crochet patterns and tutorials at Inner Child Crochet.
Pattern & images © Melissa Mall. All rights reserved.
Thank you so very much for putting the colors of the rainbow in the right order. I have been working with rainbows a lot this summer and was frustrated when the patterns worked the colors backwards. With one pattern I had to rip out what I had worked on and start over. I’m going to be making this one this coming fall.
Janet
You made that so easy for this old duck to understand and follow, thank you.
I just started again. I had a stroke on Oct 23 and crocheting was always enjoying if in be with working and household work. Now, I and have a lot of time. I have an intermediate crocheter and now I am a beginner 2, but I am enjoying it. I made a sunshine {I made was mistakes, it but is it a gift for one of my grandson who is 4. He won’t know the mistakes and I will do it again after the other gifts (16 grands and 10 kids and a few others). It is very cute. I was surprised of a sunshine pattern. He is called our Sunshine.
Happy Hollidays