Crochet Mandalas, another batch.

The pattern: Arwen by Zoya Matyushenko 

made with Juna Luna 2ply gradient yarn and a 3mm hook

This one is fixed to a 60cm hoop which I got from Dannell’s (UK)

I have a batch of mandalas waiting to be attached to hoops

The crocheting is the most enjoyable part, but then the ends need sewing in and I wash the doilies so that as much grease from my hands has been removed as possible. They are then first attached to the hoop with stitch markers and then sewn onto the hoop.

I have noticed that although I make the mandalas as taut as possible, over time they stretch and become floppy. From now on I will sew them on with a contrasting thread so that I can remove it if necessary at a later date. I will then be able to attach them to a sightly bigger hoop.

My collection is building. I have made 24 in all, and have given a few of them as presents. I have kept 17 and have five more to fix to hoops.

This obsession is still going strong!

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World Yarn Bombing Day 2020

Yes Really!

I only know because Eleonora of Coastal Crochet has written a wonderful blog post about it.

So, although I have not made a new piece especially, I thought I would join in with my mandala that I made in July 2019 especially to hang up outside.

It was hanging on my garage wall opposite my front door last year, but this year I put it on one of the posts that supports my espalier pears as a sort of rainbow homage to all our carers during this time of Covid19. It now faces the road.

One of my (possibly short-sighted) neighbours asked me why I had hung a dartboard on my fence!

It went up in April

and sits beside the bug hotel

which is decaying nicely.

The bug hotel (there since 2013) is usually hidden from view, but I cut back the shrubs surrounding it in the hope that the forsythia and golden privet will bulk up as they regrow. You can see it from the other side in this post.

The mandala pattern is called Tuuli, by Zoya Matyushenko, made with Stylecraft Special DK and a 4.5mm hook and attached to a 70cm metal ring.

Have you ever done any Yarn Bombing?

If you fancy joining in, you can tag your bomb on Instagram, #worldyarnbombingday2020

Happy hooking!

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.  🙂

 

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!

 

Another Day Another Dreamcatcher

This is my second ‘Agnes’. (a free pattern) You can see my first one in Turquoise here.

I made it with Scheepjes Sweet Treat, Snow White and a 2.5mm hook.

It took 2 balls, with just one row to go, so I had to break into a third to do the last row and for sewing onto the 50cm hoop.

I first attach the completed doily onto the hoop with stitchmarkers and then sew each point onto the hoop, threading the yarn through the work to the next point….

like this one: Ruta

also in Scheepjes Sweet Treat, but this time in Tropic 

and a 2mm hook, attached to a 40cm hoop.

Onto the next one.

 

Crochet Mandala for Outside

Just a little bit obsessed with making mandalas at the moment and I am thinking about hanging this one outside on the wall of my garage to see how it is affected by the weather before making more.

I would really love to paint the outside of my house in bright zany colours, like Katwise, but my neighbours would ……. well you can imagine! So the next best thing might be to cover my house in crocheted mandalas

This one is in Stylecraft Special DK made with a 4.5mm hook and attached to a 70cm coated metal ring which I got from Dannells. I’m on the look out for larger hoops but so far have not found any in the UK. I might have to use some Hoola Hoops.

It is sewn onto the hoop with the same yarn

This pattern and yarn combination would stretch to a 1m hoop I think, if the edges did not cover the frame.

The pattern, Tuuli, is a free pattern by Zoya Matyushenko and I think it is my favourite of her designs. I have made it before in cotton thread, for Little Miss M, and one for myself.

I am sure to make it again – next time in white.

Please let me know if you know where I can get large hoops, maybe wooden, preferably white or a natural wood colour.

Yennefer completed

You can see the beginning of this mandala journey in this post. It took a while but at last I found a 70 cm metal hoop to attach the mandala to.

Using Scheepjes Whirl, Turquoise Turntable, and a 3.5mm hook, I cut the thread after Round 19, 24, 30 and 32 to wind off until the next colour join or two. I think I have used just over half the Whirl on this mandala and I will make another with the yarn that remains.

I didn’t block this one, I attached each point to the hoop with a stitch marker

and then using a needle and a length of the yarn, I sewed each picot point to the hoop, threading the yarn through the edge to get to the next point

It will hang on the wall above my fireplace, but I’m wondering if I should mount it on something first.

Yennefer

Sometimes to urge to start a new project is overwhelming and I have to set all of the WIPs aside and just go for it. 

Zoya Matyushenko’s new pattern Yennefer was irresistable.

The instructions are well written but do not come with a photo tutorial, so I make a copy of the photo on my laptop and then crop it and enlarge so that I can see the details as a guide.

I’m using Scheepjes Whirl Turquoise Turntable – ooooo – I just have to pause to delight in this gradient yarn – it feels gorgeous and looks so inviting – I had to stroke and squidge it for a few days before breaking into it. The photo does not do it justice. Oh the joy of the colour and how it fades from light to dark ………… ………… …….

It is soooooooooo pretty.

I tried a 4mm hook, but it did not hold together, so I am using a 3.5mm hook to make a mandala which I will sew to a metal hoop and hang in the wall. You can see other mandalas/dreamcatchers I have made here , here, here and one for a wizard here.

I am not getting the stitches even but hope, by the end, they will look ok

Zoya is a magician with crochet and creates all sorts of amazing effects. Each round is an adventure and the sense of achievement is huge and so satisfying.

I am working from the pale turquoise on the outside and by the end of Round 14, I thought I would, cut the yarn and wind off some of this pale turquoise, in order to get the full range of the gradient colours into the mandala.

At each join another strand of darker turquoise is added, I wound the yarn past one join and cut it at the next

Round 15 is started with the slightly darker yarn.

Working these Rounds is like reading an exciting book, I’m eager to get to the end of the ‘chapter’ and to get onto the next one, a real page-turner. I want to see how the next bit of the story affects the last bit and see the story unfold, each new stitch, a new character. I can’t put it down.

Sometimes I wish there was a photo to explain the next Round, so for my own future reference, this is the beginning of Round 17.

I am often asked how long I take to make a blanket or a mandala and it is always a difficult question to answer as I pick crochet up in odd moments and never time myself. But I was interested to see how long each of the ‘Petals’ took to make so I set my Stopwatch

At least I have an answer if asked about this one – if only for one part of it.

The work is much softer in Scheepjes Whirl than in a finer crisper cotton, but I’m hoping that once stretched on a hoop the details will be defined enough for a pleasing effect.

Onto the next petal….

 

 

Crochet Mandala

Ever since making a dreamcatcher for Little Miss M, Another Birthday, Another Dreamcatcher, I have wanted a similar one for myself.

The design is Tuuli by Zoya Matyushenko.

I made this with Scheepjes Sugar Rush and Rico Essentials 2ply cotton yarn and a 2.5mm hook. Attaching it to a 50cm coated wire hoop from Glitterwitch.

If you make this design, don’t make the same mistake as me and make far too many loops and points on the final rounds – oops – when will I learn to constantly check the stitch count!

Here it is photographed against a turquoise background

Now to decide whether to hang it on the wall or dangling from the ceiling.

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!!!

A Dreamcatcher for Miss E

A certain special person has an 11th birthday this week and I made her this dreamcatcher

Using one and a half balls of  Scheepjes Sweet Treat, Chrystaline and a 2mm hook.

I’m waiting to see if Miss E wants it hanging up on the wall or twirling free like a mobile before I add any dingle-dangles, and something to hang it up with.

It is a free pattern by Zoya Matyushenko from Estonia, if you join her Facebook Group.

It is not as complicated as it looks, and Zoya’s instructions are very clear and easy to follow, but I did find Round 25 a bit of a struggle which was also the round when the first ball of yarn ran out. Thank goodness for Facebook Groups where everyone is so helpful with handy hints and advice on how to get through the tricky bits.

 

There is only one photo for this pattern (her paid for patterns have a photo for each round), but I had the photo enlarged next to the pattern on screen and that worked well. ( I have obscurred some of the instructions)

 

Zoya’s patterns are a delight, each round creates beauty

Stopping here would make a sweet little coaster or mat.

(or in yellow a little Sun to applique onto a fabric collage)

I must discover how to join foundation rings in a neater way – any tips?

It was blocked to pull out all the picot points – I love my new blocking pins –

before attaching it to the 45cm wire ring with stitch markers

I try to use small independent suppliers when I can and found Glitterwitch, based in Kent, UK. A very efficient service and nice friendly communication with Jan the owner.

After attaching the mandala to the ring with the stitch markers I sewed each point on individually with the same thread, going over the ring 5 times, and sewing through the picot, working from the back.

Here it sits on a nail in my hall.

Of course it is also Teddy’s birthday and since she is part of the family, she got a couple of new dresses, with a bag to keep them in.

The little Tote Bag comes from my Society 6 Shop

It is one of my paintings photographed and printed on fabric.

Can you guess what Miss E’s favourite colour is. 😉

I’m in the process of writing a pattern for the dress, but in the current heatwave, my brain is not co-operating very well.

There seems to be a heatwave in most of the Northern Hemisphere this Summer – how are you all doing? I’m loving the early mornings and glorious evenings.

Happy Friday!

Mandala for Little Miss M

My celebratory TaDah! Moment

I started making this blanket back in July 2017 when I needed a break from working with the dark colours requested by Master R.

The pattern is Helen Shrimpton’s Mandala Madness with her Spiro Star at the centre.

It is for a single bed so I stopped at Round 88 in Part 14 .

I like the way the edge is shaped at this point, so I created the next few rows to keep that shape.

Edge

Little Miss M likes orange (Spice), so the edging had to be in orange.

I made small popcorns (3dcs instead of 5) at some of the points and the simple edging is 2scs, ch 2 repeat (US terms)

Blocking was done on an old blanket laid on the floor over a carpet.

I smooth the blanket out – take an overhead photo which shows up any lack of symmetry;

adjust;

pin with steel blocking pins right through the carpet;

spray mist the whole thing with water, then using a damp tea towel and the iron on its highest setting I VERY lightly press round the edges only of the blanket, reheating the iron when necessary (it has to be unplugged to reach);

I then lightly pressed the yellow and turquoise pointy bits so that they would lie flatter;

left it in situ over night to thoroughly dry.

Stylecraft SpecialDK and a 4.5mm hook – the blanket mearures 4’8″ across

List of colours (mostly chosen by Little Miss M):

Spiro Star Centre

Fondant, Saffron, Fondant, Cloud Blue, Bluebell, Bright Pink, Spice

Mandala Madness Part 2

Meadow, Turquoise, Fondant,

Part 3

Wisteria, Saffron, Wisteria, Sunshine,

Part 4

Spice

Part 5

Aspen, Pistachio, Cloud Blue, Bluebell

Part 6

Soft Peach, Duck Egg, Fondant

Part 7

Lobelia, Petrol, Bright Pink, Spice, Turquoise,

Part 8 

(My favourite part!)

Bright Pink, Cloud Blue, Saffron, Bright Pink,

Part 9

Meadow, Pistachio, Aspen, Sunshine

Part 10

Bluebell, Soft Peach, Meadow, Fondant, Bluebell, Cloud Blue

Part 11

Bright Pink, Spice, Turquoise, Fondant, Candy Floss, Bluebell

Part 12

Bright Pink, Spice, Saffron, Meadow

Part 13

Turquoise, Spice, Fondant

Part 14 

and Edge

Bluebell, Bright Pink, Petrol, Sunshine, Spice

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I could never have made this without the fabulous video tutorials by Esther at Its All in a Nutshell.

Huge thanks to Esther and Helen.

~~~~~~~~

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along. She asks us to add a book that we are reading, but I rarely read books nowadays. I do however watch DVDs whilst crocheting or knitting and one I have thoroughly enjoyed recently is this documentary about Gauguin, which gives a fascinating account of his difficult and colourful life

 

Mandala Monday

Happy Holiday Monday!

Joining Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for her wonderfully heartwarming ‘In a Vase on Monday’. Pop over and visit her post and in the comments you can click on links to visit vases from gardens all over the world – and bathe in a flurry of flower petals.

I’m playing with primroses, hebe leaves and hyacinth pips to create a couple of mandalas

I’m caught up in a meditation of mandalas at the moment

This is a paid for pattern:  Illusion Mandala designed by Tatsiana of Lilla BjornCrochet.

It made my brain ache the first time I made it and it took me a week to make – but it is a fantastic pattern with very clear instructions and a photo tutorial.

So I started another

and another

All made with Stylecraft Special DK and a 4.5mm hook

I do hope you are having a bright and happy weekend wherever you are

Also joining Cee’s Flower of the Day.

 

 

Primroses in a Vase on Monday

and in a crochet mandala celebrating our clocks Springing forward here in the UK.

Scheepjes Sweet Treat Cotton

Pattern: Mandala Madness by Helen Shrimpton with a plain centre

One of my granddaughters was born on Primrose Day so I will be using the one of these photos to decorate her birthday card.

 

Joining Cathy and her happy band of gardeners for In a Vase on Monday.

Candy Swirl Giveaway

Have you tried any of the yarn ‘cakes’ that seem very popular at the moment?

I had to have a go and started with a Stylecraft Special Candy Swirl, colour: Fruit Salad

I especially like the ones I’ve seen where the colours gradually blend into each other, so I was a little disappointed that this one did not do that…..

…… but I was absolutely amazed that it seemed to have been created perfectly for Zoya Matyushenko’s design ‘Sol’, with the colour changes occurring on or near each round change. I did not cut the yarn at all, this is exactly as it came out, with a little yarn to spare.

The yarn is 100% acrylic DK worked with a 4mm hook.

I loved making it but now that it is finished and blocked, I don’t really have a use for it.

It measures 17″ or 43cm across

It could be a large table mat, or attached to fabric to make an 18″ cushion cover – do you have any other ideas?

Would anyone like it?

I’m offering it to you lovely lot first – after a week I’ll put it in my Etsy shop at a nominal price.

The ‘cake’ cost £6.99 but I’m happy for it to go to a good home for free. I would love it to be used in some way.

You can go to my ‘Contact Me’ page and message me if you would like it.

I’m not expecting a rush, but if there is more than one person who would like it, I’ll put names in a hat and draw one out next Friday.

~

Over at Nanacathy’s place there’s much to have a good old yarny natter about

Sophie’s Mandala

I can’t seem to get enough of these textured crochet patterns at the moment.

This one is Sophie’s Garden by Dedri Uys just before is becomes a square.

Styelcraft Special DK, 4.5mm hook.

All my W.I.P s are at a stage that need lots of thought and working out the next step, so I am pleased to crochet along to someone else’s pattern. Much more relaxing whilst I recharge my creative batteries.

 

On the hook this Friday

Can you see the hint of a darker turquoise?

This is how she looked just after I added that row:

Sitting on the table I am making her for. I did wonder whether to stop here and leave it as a large mat for the table as it looked so pretty, but I’m itching to see what this pattern looks like when finished, so on I went.

I’ve had the mahogany table for years and I love the details in the design. I had to take it outside to get a decent photo of it.

As you can see it is not easy to clean!

The crochet pattern is Mandala Madness by Helen Shrimpton and I have used Spiro Star in the centre. You can see my tutorial here.

I am using Scheepjes Cotton Bonbon and a 2mm hook.

It will measure approximately 1m across when completed.

In the top picture I have just started the 10th ball of the main colour.

It measures 29″ or 74cm across.

The background is one of my unfinished abstract paintings on canvas in acrylic paint.

Pop over to Nanacathy for her weekly gem ‘Knit and Natter Friday’ where you can chat about all things yarny.

 

W.I.P. Wednesday

Mandala Madness with alternative Spiro Star centre, 

Scheepjes Bonbon cotton yarn and a 2mm hook

Main colour is Chrystaline, other colours are Candlelight, Lime Juice and Snow White.

Round 83 just completed, at the start of Part 13

On ball 8 of Chrystaline.

It measures 61cm or 24 inches across.

 

Crochet Mandala

Progress so far

I am loving seeing how this one develops, although , to be honest I am finding doing so much of it in one colour a challenge. It is harder to follow the pattern at times and my colour hungry eyes want to add more variety.

I am using Scheepjes Bonbon and a 2mm hook.

The main colour is Chrystaline, with touches of Lime Juice, Candle Light and Snow White.

In this photo I have just come to the end of the 5th ball of Chrystaline. Although the dye lot is supposed to be the same, the centre ball is lighter, I like it that way though. I’m thinking of using a darker turquoise later in the pattern.

What a relief to get to the rows where I wanted to put some pineapples in – well they are meant to represent pineapples. They are a bit titchy-tiny, but they are pineapples to me!

You might remember I have a passion for Pineapples .

I’ll sneak them in where I can!

The ‘fruit’ is in Candle Light, the softest of pale yellows and the ‘leaves’ are in Lime Juice, which is slightly greener than in the photo.

The pattern I’m following is Helen Shrimpton’s Mandala Madness

with an alternative Spiro Star centre.

Over at Nanacathydotcom, Cathy holds a Knit and Natter on Fridays, so put the kettle on and pop over there for a good ol’ chinwag about all things yarny – she’s knitting gloves with fingers! The patience!

Silent Sunday

Related posts :

Silent Sunday: Star

Silent Sunday:  Sol.

Silent Sunday: Sole