Pastel Mandala Madness

Work-in-Progress Wednesday

It is WIP-busting time here. This project has been lying patiently in the pile since August 2017. It was originally started as one of a pair for my twin Grandaughters, but I decided that it would be more practical to make their blankets in SSDK  so this project was put away….. until now.

Here is a link to my Photo tutorial for the Spiro Star Centre. and how it connects to the Mandala Madness pattern

Both patterns are by Helen Shrimpton, and she kindly gave me permission to share how I joined the two together. There are superb video tutorials by Esther from Its All in a Nutshell for the rest of the Mandala Madness pattern.

Made with Scheepjes Stonewashed, 78% Cotton, 22% Acrylic, Sport/Baby weight and a 3.5mm hook. The colours are wonderfully subtle shades, easy to blend for an ombre effect, but have not come completely true in the photo. Go to the Scheepjes link to see truer colours.

The Colours I have used are (in order of use): Moon Stone as the main colour, Rose Quartz, Citrine, New Jade, Larimar, Amazonite, Axinite, Pink Quartzite, Green Agate, Crystal Quartz.

Colour order Round by Round as follows:

Round 1: Moon Stone

Round 2, 3 : Rose Quartz

Round 4, 5: Moon Stone

Rounds 6,7,8,9: Citrine

Rounds 10, 11: Moon Stone

Joining Round 1: Pink Quartzite

Joining Round 2: Moonstone

Joining Round 3, 4, 5: New Jade

Joining Round 6: Larimar

Now you go to

Round 20 in Part 2 of the Mandala Madness pattern: Larimar

Round 21: Larimar

Round 21: Larimar

Round 22, 23: Moon Stone

Part 3

Round 24: Amazonite

Round 25 and 26: Amazonite and Citrine

Round 27, 28: Amazonite

Round 29:Rose Quartz

Part 4

Round 30: Axinite

Round 31: Pink Quartzite

Round 32, 33, 34: Moon Stone

Part 5

Round 35, 36: New Jade

Round 37, 38: Green Agate

Round 39: Larimar

Round 40: Crystal Quartz

Part 6

Round 41, 42: Moon Stone

~~~

This completes the colour order as shown in the top picture.

The lack of stretch in the cotton yarn takes a bit of getting used to but I love the colours and the feel of the piece – strokeable – verrrrrry strokeable.  🙂

 

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Calla

Another beautiful pattern by Zoya Matyushenko available on Ravelry

I wanted it to look a little more open so I made this small variation:

Part of Row

28:

FPDC in FPDC, BPDC in BPDC, – (ch3, skip one BPDC, BPDC in next BPDC) 4 times

29:

FPDC in FPDC, BPDC in BPDC, (ch1, sc in ch3space, ch1, BPDC) 4 times

30:

FPDC in FPDC, (3FPDC around the BPDC, sc in ch1 space, FPDC around sc, sc in Ch1 space) 4 times

~

This one is sewn onto a 50cm coated metal hoop from Glitterwitch.

First I attach the mandala to the hoop with stitch markers at each picot point, then I sew each point onto the ring going over the ring 3 times. I thread the yarn through the edge of the work along the back, to the next point.

Made with Scheepjes Sweet Treat 2ply cotton in Snow White and a 2.5mm hook

That is Crochet Mandala/Dreamcatcher number 10 made, 3 as presents for my grandchildren, 7 for me. The obsession continues!

 

Happy 6th Birthday

I finished the Dreamcatcher in time for Little Miss M’s birthday!

Hurray!

She loves it, especially as her big sister has one, she seemed especially pleased about that. I love it so much I am going to have to make one for myself as well.

It fits perfectly on a 40cm coated metal hoop which I got from Glitterwitch.

The 2ply crochet thread used is Rico Essentials with the turquoise (Tropic) from Scheepjes Sweet Treat. I used a 2mm hook.

The pattern is Tuuli by Zoya Matyushenko, a free pattern if you join her Facebook Group

Zoya’s patterns are a delight to work, at almost every row you could stop and have a finished design

I’m tempted to try one in DK to see what size it would be, but just at the moment it is so hot here I don’t even feel like crocheting – now that is seriously hot!!!

Little Miss M’s birthday party was yesterday – on the hottest day so far this summer in the UK (according to the News) – the theme was ‘The Greatest Showman’, there was a bouncy castle, dressing-up, a Mum brought a rainbow coloured parachute for parachute games, circus skills eqipment to play with… it was fun! It was HOT! I got out my little indoor watering cans and sprinkled the children on their heads, wrists and the backs of necks to keep them cool.

Rain is forecast for Sunday – yes please!!!

Another Birthday, Another Dreamcatcher

Looking for a slightly cheaper cotton yarn than Scheepjes Sweet Treat, I am trying this Rico Essentials 2ply cotton yarn which comes in 50gm balls rather than 25gm.

The colours above are from the Orange going clockwise: Orange, Fuchsia, Emerald, Orchid, Purple, Turquoise, with Yellow in the middle.

There are fewer colours to choose from in this range and the yarn seems ever so slightly thicker than Sweet Treat, but other than that I am pleased with the quality of the Rico and see little difference so far.

Little Miss M also has a birthday this month and after seeing her reaction to the Dreamcatcher I made for her big sister, I thought I had better put other projects to one side and see if I could make another dreamcatcher in time for her 6th birthday.

Her favourite colour is orange, with pink coming a close second – one of my favourite colour combinations.

You might remember the Mandala Madness bedspread I made for Little Miss M

I want to make a dreamcathcer to go with it, so I started with the gorgeously vibrant Orange

to make Tuuli,  another free pattern from the brilliant Estonian designer Zoya Matyushenko. Oh how I love her patterns, each round is a gem.

After the pink I wanted to add a turquoise, but which one?

I went for the Scheepjes: Tropic

You don’t see much of it at the front, but if the dreamcatcher dangles from the ceiling, it will show more at the back

It seems perfectly ok to mix the Rico and the Scheepjes yarn together.

I’m using a 2mm hook.

If you are tempted to have a go, you can find Zoya’s free patterns in the Files on her Facebook Group Page.

Now I’m off for a yarny natter with Cathy and her Crew over on Nanacathydotcom, always a treat on a Friday.

Edit: Here is the finished Mandala Dreamcatcher.

 

Cosmic 4

 

I am thoroughly enjoying following Helen Shrimpton’s Cosmic Crochet Along (Cal). She really is an outstanding designer with plenty of challenges to keep you on your crocheting-toes.

Following  Part Two came the excitement of Part 3 in which we would be learning a new stitch – Star Stitch!

Cute!

But first there were a few more rows to square up the hexagon……

The rows of doubles and trebles (US) in this 4ply cotton yarn were getting to look a bit like a string vest in the corners so I decided to add a bit of texture in the form of popcorns and bead stitches.

To keep in with the Cosmic theme, I’m calling them Sputniks

The yellow for the two rows of Star Stitch came from the beginning of my second ball (yarn cake) of Rosewater Cocktail.

I continued with the first cake, which was now moving into the pink mixed with turquoise.

The photo below shows Parts 3 and 4 completed

I was thrilled that the first Whirl just made it to the end of Part 4.

The tail of yarn you can see was all that was left!

Joining in with

 

W.I.P Wednesday

Spiro Star centre for Mandala Madness: photo tutorial here

Both patterns are by Helen Shrimpton

In Scheepjes Bonbon cotton thread with a 2mm hook.

Colours: Chrystaline, Lime Juice, Candlelight, and Snow White

(I am still having problems with ‘Photos’ on my computer, so I can not always edit as I would like – hence the top photo being quite dark)

The size so far:

I think it will be about a meter across when finished and might be used as a tabelcloth for an octagonal table I have in the sitting room –  although after each round I look at it (a lot!), stroke it and imagine it framed on the wall – Yes I’m in love!!!

Does anyone else just have to stroke their yarny or sewing projects?

Silent Sunday: Star

Pattern.

In a Spode ‘Vase’ on Monday

Joining in with Cathy’s ‘In a Vase on Monday’, here is a Spode jug filled with hydrangea, alchemilla mollis and self sown musk mallow

which is also my bloom of the day over on Cee’s photographic blog. The mallow has arrived in my garden, seeding itself in gravel in both white and pink. The flowers have a delicate smell of honey.

The hydrangeas are at my favourite stage

just before they get all buxom and blousy

 

 

 

such soft interesting shades all on the same bush.

 

 

 

 

The jug was given to me by my mother-in-law many years ago. The crocheted cotton doily was made by my maternal step-grandmother whom I called Dabbity.

She was a Domestic Science teacher and I learnt so much from her about cooking, gardening and crafting. We sat for many happy hours knitting and sewing together whilst my Granddad also a teacher, would read snippets from the newspapers to us which resulted in deep discussions about life, the universe and everything.

My mother-in-law loved fine china, and I can still hear her describing the beauty of this jug to me as she gave it, gently stroking the twisted handle and telling me all about this very special design.

And explaining about the significance of the markings on the bottom of the jug

which gives it the date it was made and where. Sadly, I can’t remember the details of what she told me, but I understood that it was a very special and valuable jug – consequently it sits hiding away in a glass cabinet, never to be used as a jug as it is now also so precious for sentimental reasons. I really never want to own any more precious breakable things – the responsibility is too weighty!

It is lovely to be able to bring the jug out and share it with the other arrangers in this wonderful meme. Here with the photo of my mother-in-law (and father-in-law)

at our wedding in 1972. My mother-in-law, Pearl, was a hard-working farmer, a brilliant gardener, knitter and cook and the most lovely Granny to my 3 children.

Fond memories.