Spotlight | Rainbow Color Check

We've been talking recently about rainbow color schemes, so this seems like the perfect moment to shine a spotlight on this striking Rainbow Color Check afghan created by Ravelry knitter ylime102,* 

Isn't it lovely? 

Emily's color mix ranged from warm shades (brown, red, orange, yellow, yellow-green) ...

to cool tones (blue-green, blue, purple, pink, gray).

Brave knitter that she is, she opted to include 40 different colors plus black. To span the entire rainbow, she made 10 strips (four blocks each), with each strip highlighting one color and shading from light to deep for a custom gradient effect.

Mixing so many shades in one piece can be daunting, but here's what she said about her color selections:

... some were easier and came out better than others. Finding light reds was quite challenging, since light red is pretty much pink, so the lightest reds are darker than the other lighter colors. But the gradient itself seems to work ... I’m pleased with the overall effect of the whole thing and I really like how it came out!

And pleased she should be, the overall effect is beautiful.

To suit her preferences, she scaled it up, making each block a 12x12 rather than 10x10 grid. Other than that, she said she followed the pattern exactly and shared this kind (unsolicited) observation: 

The pattern is great, very well written and clear, with lots of information for customizing. I don’t usually like to do a selvedge edge, but in this case it worked out well and made aligning the grid lines when seaming very easy.

To accommodate all the colors she wanted to use, Emily made two full panels and joined them to create one double-layered blanket. (I did the same with my Color Check.) We used similar but slightly different joining techniques. For those who plan to do the same, she helpfully shared clear, descriptive notes on her project page, while my approach is outlined here.

Emily's version demonstrates how very easy it is to scale this project up or down based on personal preferences. Her full-sized bed topper features 20 colors per panel, the original Color Check (size M) incorporates 12 colors per panel, while a basic baby blanket (size S) might use 9 colors. 

Emily and I both opted for rainbow shades, but you could achieve a very pretty color-block effect by focusing on a few colors and varying their placement in each strip.

By scaling things up, Emily was able to include neutrals, using warm ones (cream, sand, brown) on one side and cool ones (shades of gray) on the other. In spite of the fact she made the equivalent of two full-sized blankets. she moved from cast-on to FO in a remarkably short time.



Rainbow Color Check by ylime102
Pattern: Color Check afghan
Needles: US 9 (5.5 mm), US 10 (6 mm)
Yarn: Encore Worsted Solids & Heathers (Plymouth Yarn)
Weight: Worsted
Yardage: 2000 yards
Dimensions: 50 x 62 ins (approx.)
Project page: here

Thank you, Emily, for allowing me to highlight your gorgeous Color Check. 

I can only imagine how very cozy and satisfying it must be to fall asleep and wake up snuggled under this amazing, hand knit afghan. Just looking at it would lift anyone's spirits and make each day seem brighter.

For more thoughts on rainbows, check out 7 Cheerful Rainbow Color Combos.
For more on ombres and gradients, see Ombres & Gradients.

* Original images: Copyright ylime102, used with permission. To keep the focus on her lovely handiwork, images were placed against a neutral background.