What better way to please a colour lover than by making all three of these gorgeously vivid baubles? Sarah Dennis's knitted rainbow decorations, taken from Simply Knitting issue 140, are lovely traditional shapes but with a modern twist. They'd look fab on a Christmas tree or painted branch, or you could hang them in your window to spread some cheer to your neighbours.
The heart and circle knitted decorations are created with some simple increases and decreases, so they're the best ones for new knitters to begin with, while the star is worked in the round using three DPNs. If you haven't tried this technique before, our guide to knitting in the round will help you get started.
You can either break off the yarn after each colour change, leaving a long tail that can be woven in after you’ve finished, or if the colour is going to be used again you can carry the unused yarn up the side of your knitting instead, so it’s ready to use.
Prepare to raid your yarn stash and go wild with your colour choices. Whatever you choose, we hope you love this rainbow craft idea and have fun knitting a collection of decorations!
As they’re worked in simple stocking stitch, it won’t take long to knit a set of these vibrant little decorations!
Simply Knitting magazine
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For these rainbow decorations you will need:
- Stylecraft, Special DK (100% acrylic, 100g/295m), Yarn A Turquoise (1068), Yarn B Fiesta (1257), Yarn C Lipstick (1246), Yarn D Citron (1263), Yarn E Bright Green (1259), Yarn F Jaffa (1256)
- For yarn stockists contact Stylecraft
- A set of four 3mm double-pointed needles (DPNs)
- A pair of 3mm knitting needles
- Stitch holder (optional)
- Stuffing
How to make a rainbow decoration
Tension
Yarn used knits as DK to this tension: 24 sts and 32 rows to measure 10x10cm (4x4in) over st st using 3mm needles
See our complete guide to knitting abbreviations for all the terms used in this pattern.
Rainbow decoration hanging loop
(Make 1 for each decoration)
Cast on 50 sts using 3mm needles and Yarn C.
Cast off.
Knitted rainbow star decoration
Star point (Make 10)
Cast on 2 sts using 3mm DPNs and Yarn C.
Row 1 Knit.
Row 2 Purl.
Row 3 (Kfb) twice. [4 sts]
Row 4 Purl.
Break Yarn C and join in Yarn F.
Row 5 Kfb, K2, kfb. [6 sts]
Row 6 Purl.
Row 7 Kfb, K4, kfb. [8 sts]
Row 8 Purl.
Break Yarn F and join in Yarn D.
Row 9 Kfb, K6, kfb. [10 sts]
Row 10 Purl.
Row 11 Kfb, K8, kfb. [12 sts]
Row 12 Purl.
Break Yarn D and join in Yarn E.
Row 13 Kfb, K10, kfb. [14 sts]
Row 14 Purl.
Break yarn and leave sts on waste yarn or a st holder.
Do not break yarn after working 5th point of star.
Work 9 more points the same.
Star body (Make 2)
**Work in rounds from this point.
Round 1 K across sts held on spare needle for 5 points. [70 sts]
Distribute these sts evenly across 3 DPNs.
Round 2 *K2tog, K5; rep from * to end of round. [60 sts]
Break Yarn E and join in Yarn A.
Round 3 Knit.
Round 4 *K2tog, K4; rep from * to end of round. [50 sts]
Round 5 Knit.
Round 6 *K2tog, K3; rep from * to end of round. [40 sts]
Break Yarn A and join in Yarn B.
Round 7 Knit.
Round 8 *K2tog, K2; rep from * to end of round. [30 sts]
Round 9 Knit.
Round 10 *K2tog, K1; rep from * to end of round. [20 sts]
Break Yarn B and join in Yarn C.
Round 11 Knit.
Round 12 *K2tog; rep from * to end of round. [10 sts]
Round 13 Knit.
Round 14 *K2tog; rep from * to end of round. [5 sts]
Break yarn and thread through rem sts.
Work from ** to complete second side of star.
To make up
Place the wrong sides of the star together and join side seams, stuffing lightly before closing completely. Attach hanging loop.
Knitted rainbow circle decoration
Circle (Make 2)
Cast on 9 sts using 3mm needles and Yarn D.
Row 1 Knit.
Row 2 Kfb, P to last st, kfb. [11 sts]
Row 3 Kfb, K to last st, kfb. [13 sts]
Row 4 Kfb, P to last st, kfb. [15 sts]
Break Yarn D and join in Yarn F.
Row 5 Kfb, K to last st, kfb. [17 sts]
Row 6 Kfb, P to last st, kfb. [19 sts]
Row 7 Kfb, K to last st, kfb. [21 sts]
Row 8 Purl.
Break Yarn F and join in Yarn C.
Row 9 Kfb, K to last st, kfb. [23 sts]
Row 10 Purl.
Row 11 Kfb, K to last st, kfb. [25 sts]
Row 12 Purl.
Break Yarn C and join in Yarn B.
Row 13 Kfb, K to last st, kfb. [27 sts]
Row 14 Purl.
Row 15 Knit.
Row 16 Purl.
Break Yarn B and join in Yarn A.
Row 17 Knit.
Row 18 Purl.
Row 19 Knit.
Row 20 Purl.
Break Yarn A and join in Yarn E.
Row 21 Knit.
Row 22 Purl.
Row 23 Knit.
Row 24 Purl.
Break Yarn E and join in Yarn D.
Row 25 K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [25 sts]
Row 26 Purl.
Row 27 K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [23 sts]
Row 28 Purl.
Break Yarn D and join in Yarn F.
Row 29 K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [21 sts]
Row 30 Purl.
Row 31 K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [19 sts]
Row 32 P2tog, P to last 2 sts, p2tog. [17 sts]
Break Yarn F and join in Yarn C.
Row 33 K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Row 34 P2tog, P to last 2 sts, p2tog.
Row 35 K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Row 36 P2tog, P to last 2 sts, p2tog. [9 sts]
Cast off.
Make another piece the same.
To make up
Place the wrong sides together and join side seams, stuffing lightly before closing completely. Attach hanging loop.
Knitted rainbow heart decoration
Heart (Make 2)
Cast on 2 sts using 3mm needles and Yarn C.
Row 1 Knit.
Row 2 Purl.
Row 3 Kfb, K to last st, kfb. [4 sts]
Row 4 Purl.
Break Yarn C and join in Yarn B.
Row 5 Kfb, K to last st, kfb. [6 sts]
Row 6 Purl.
Row 7 Kfb, K to last st, kfb. [8 sts]
Row 8 Purl.
Break Yarn B and join in Yarn A.
Row 9 Kfb, K to last st, kfb. [10 sts]
Row 10 Kfb, P to last st, kfb. [12 sts]
Row 11 Kfb, K to last st, kfb.[14 sts]
Row 12 Kfb, P to last st, kfb. [16 sts]
Break Yarn A and join in Yarn E.
Row 13 Kfb, K to last st, kfb. [18 sts]
Row 14 Kfb, P to last st, kfb. [20 sts]
Row 15 Kfb, K to last st, kfb. [22 sts]
Row 16 Kfb, P to last st, kfb. [24 sts]
Break Yarn E and join in Yarn D.
Row 17 Kfb, K to last st, kfb. [26 sts]
Row 18 Kfb, P to last st, kfb. [28 sts]
Row 19 Knit.
Row 20 Purl.
Break Yarn D and join in Yarn F.
Row 21 Knit.
Row 22 Purl.
Row 23 Knit.
Row 24 Purl.
Break Yarn F and join in Yarn C.
Row 25 Knit.
Row 26 Purl.
Row 27 Knit.
Row 28 P13, cast off 2 sts purlwise, P to end.
Break Yarn C and join in Yarn B.
Row 29 K13, turn and leave rem sts on spare needle. [13 sts]
Complete right-hand side of heart as folls:
Row 30 Purl.
**Row 31 K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [11 sts]
Row 32 Purl.
Break Yarn B and join in Yarn A.
Row 33 K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [9 sts]
Row 34 P2tog, P to last 2 sts, p2tog. [7 sts]
Row 35 K2tog, K to last 2 sts, k2tog. [5 sts]
Row 36 P2tog, P to last 2 sts, p2tog. [3 sts]
Cast off.
Rejoin Yarn B to 13 sts left on spare needle.
Next row Knit.
Next row Purl.
Work from ** to complete left-hand side of heart.
Make another piece the same.
To make up
Place the wrong sides together and join side seams, stuffing lightly before closing completely. Attach hanging loop.
Download your rainbow decorations pattern
Click the link below to get your free rainbow craft pattern!
Rainbow crafts knitted decorations pattern PDF
Keen to find your next knitting project? Take a look at our other beginner knitting patterns.
