Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Mandalas make smiles


More mandalas have 'left the nest.' I've been searching for a crocheted something for a few people the past couple of months and it just dawned on me last week that mandalas fit the bill perfectly. I have found that making mandalas for others is very enjoyable, from color selection to actual creation of the project. Throughout the entire process, this individual is on my mind.



This mandala is the Little Spring Mandala from Made in K-town. This is my go-to pattern when I need another round, but especially for the border. So very simple, but it puts such an elegant finish on the mandala. There are some modifications to the pattern - first, I needed a bigger mandala. So I added a row of DC3TOG (the second row of medium blue) ch 3, then four DC in each ch3 space (depending on the yarn, you may need ch4 space on the DC3TOG round), then finished with the last two rounds of the original pattern. Because the yarn I used was a bit lighter weight yarn, each section was HDC, 4DC, HDC instead of HDC, 3DC, HDC.



This mandala is the first six rows of the Dahlia Mandala by Zooty Owl. In this case, I didn't need a mandala as large as the pattern would make. I love how cheery the dahlia flower turns out in these colors!



Of course, because of yarn weight, the fifth row (light green) is a bit different. Instead of 7DC I did 9 so the space was completely filled. Then on the sixth row, I single crocheted into the top of the 5th DC. And the last row is from the Little Spring Mandala pattern.

For both mandalas, I'm using I Love This Cotton yarn from Hobby Lobby and Sugar 'n Cream cotton.

If the mandala 'bug' hasn't hit you yet, I encourage you to try your hand at one. They are fun, use up little scraps of yarn and really brighten up the home when you're finished. The best part is they are quick! I'm onto more patterns - three more people to make mandalas for. Make sure to check out the Mandala Roundup page, where I've gathered all the patterns I've found. So handy to have them in one place!

Happy on the Hook!
Gwenhywfar

2 comments:

  1. I definitely want to make more mandalas. Yours are lovely! Best wishes, Tammy

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  2. Thank you, Tammy! I enjoy making them, especially when I have someone in mind. I've started collecting patterns on the Mandala Roundup page, more for me than anything else. So much easier having them here in one spot than trying to find them in my house!! Thank you for your kind words! I love mandalas, and how quickly they work up :) Best always, Gwenhywfar (Jennifer)

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