​Crochet Rainbow Top

You’ll need:

100% cotton yarn in red, orange, yellow, green, light-blue and dark-blue colors;

Crochet hook 5,5;

Paper tube measuring 50 mm in diameter.

Size: S-XL.

Instructions

Back

Using 5.5mm hook and dark blue yarn make 69ch

Row 1: 1dc in second ch from hook, 1dc in each ch to end, turn. 68 sts

Row 2: 1ch, 1dc in same st, 67dc, do not turn Row 3:

Note: this is broomstick crochet row. Working left to right, 1ch, slip loop over broomstick, draw a loop through each st of prev row, placing them on broomstick, fasten off and slide loops off broomstick. 69 loops

Row 4: join light blue yarn through first four loops of RH side of Row 3 broomstick loops, (7ch, 1dc in next four loops of broomstick) 15 times, 7ch, 1dc in next five loops of broomstick

Fasten off, do not turn

Row 5: starting on right hand side join light blue yarn in centre of 7ch from prev row, (7ch, 1dc in centre ch of next 7ch from prev row) to end.

Fasten off Set first strip aside, start second strip as folls:

Rows 6-8: using green yarn rep Rows 1-3

Row 9: using light blue yarn rep Row 4 Turn strip upside down so green is at top and light blue is at bottom

Row 10: Note: this is used to connect Rows 1-5 to Rows 6-9. Starting on right, join light blue yarn to centre ch of first 7ch of Row 9, 3ch, 1dc in centre ch of next 7ch of Row 5, (3ch, 1dc in centre ch of next 7ch of Row 9, 3ch, 1dc in centre ch of next 7ch of Row 5) to end

Fasten off, turn work over so WS is showing, attach yellow yarn to Row 6 (green section). Make third strip as folls:

Row 11:1ch, 1dc in same st, 67dc, turn. 68 sts

Row 12-13: using yellow yarn rep Rows 2-3

Row 14-15: using orange yarn rep Rows 4-5 Put attached first, second and third strips aside and start fourth strip as folls:

Row 16: using red yarn rep Row 1

Row 17: using red yarn rep Row 3

Row 18: using orange yarn rep Row 4 Turn fourth section upside down so red is at top and orange is at bottom

Row 19: Note: this is used to connect Rows 11-15 to Rows 16- 18. Starting on right, join orange yarn to centre ch of first 7ch from Row 18, 3ch, 1dc into centre ch of first 7ch from Row 15, (3ch, 1dc in centre ch of next 7ch from Row 18, 3ch, 1dc into centre ch of next 7ch from Row 15) to end Fasten off, join red yarn to top right of work (Row 16)

Row 20: 7ch, miss four sts, 1dc, (7ch, miss three sts, 1dc) four times, fasten off, miss 24 sts, reattach red yarn, (7ch, miss three sts, 1dc) four times, 7ch, miss four sts, 1dc

Fasten off

Front

Using 5.5mm hook and dark blue yarn make 69ch

Row 1-19: rep Rows 1-19 of Back Hold Front and Back tog with WS facing you. Join red yarn to top right of Front (Row 16)

Row 20: 3ch, 1dc in fourth ch of Row 20 of Back, 3ch, miss four sts of Front, 1dc, * (3ch, 1dc into centre ch of corresponding 7ch of Row 20 of Back, 3ch, miss three sts of Front, 1dc) four times *, fasten off, miss 24 sts of Front, re-attach red yarn to Front, rep from * to * once, 3ch, 1dc in centre ch of corresponding 7ch of Row 20 of Back, 3ch, miss four sts of Front, 1dc

Fasten off

Assembly

Join Front and Back at sides by sewing each end of dark blue, green and yellow rows together using loose ends of same colours.

Use dark blue yarn to make 7ch to join between top of each of dark blue broomstick loops, rep using green yarn for each side of green broomstick loops. To connect light blue ‘grid’ rows, attach light blue yarn to end of row, 7ch, connect to other side. On row above '3ch, 1dc, 3ch', fasten off and sew in ends. Rep for other side of light blue row

Sew in ends. With Front facing, join yellow yarn at base of yellow broomstick row, 8ch, 1tr to top of yellow broomstick row, 4ch, 1tr to centre of orange section, 7ch, 4ch, 1tr to top of red broomstick section, 8ch, 1tr in base of red broomstick section, 1tr, 4ch, 1tr in base of red ch of Back, 1tr in base of red broomstick section of Back, 8ch, 1tr in top of red broomstick section, 4ch, 1tr in centre of orange section, 7ch, 4ch, 1tr in top of yellow broomstick section, 8ch, sl st to first ch to join Fasten off Rep for second armhole