Pastel Mandala Madness: Parts 6 to 9.

This photo shows the Throw right up to Part 18, but the colour order below is Parts 6 – 9

I have been steadily making progress with my Pastel Mandala Madness (started in Spring 2017), made with Scheepjes Stonewashed Cotton and Acrylic mix yarn.

It is Sport/Baby weight, whatever that means. I think it is somewhere between 4ply and DK. I am using a 3.5mm hook.

The colours, and the row-by-row order up until Round 42, are listed on my first post about this blanket/throw here.

And now for the colour order up until the end of Part 9:

Part 6

Round 43, 44, 45    Axinite

Round 46    Moonstone

Part 7

Round 47, 48   Moonstone

Round 49   Pink Quartzite

Round 50, 51, 52   Moonstone

Part 8

Round 53   Pink Quartzite

Round 54, 55   Rose Quartz

Round 56, 57  Pink Quartzite

Part 9

Round 58, 59   Moonstone

Round 60    Crystal Quartz

Round 61    Amazonite

Round 62    Larimar

Round 63.  Pink Quartzite

I do love this yarn, but it is not cheap. Well worth it though as the colours and the feel of it are delicious.

 

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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.  🙂

 

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

 

WIP Wednesday

Progress so far.

I’m building the mandala back up again.

This free pattern is by Helen Shrimpton  (I have made a few alterations.)

 check out her website for this and so many other amazing patterns.

Below is what the mandala looked like when I decided to unpick the edge. I didn’t feel happy with the solid row of folded trebles followed by the semi-circles of dark turquoise, it seemed too heavy an edge. If I was going to use it as a tablecloth as originally intended, this edge would have been fine as not all of it would have been seen at once.

But now I’m thinking I would like to attach it to the painted canvas and hang it on the wall, so a softer edge will please me more. Crochet as art is something I’m getting a teeny bit excited about.

~

I unpicked about a week’s work – thank you to everyone who helped me make the decision. Once the decision was made it felt good to quickly undo it.

Experiment time: The Lime Juice (pale yellowy-green) still seemed too solid a line

so I broke it up with some of the pale turquoise.

I’m much happier with it now and will add a row of white next and then there will be more decisions to be made about the final few rows.

The end is is sight!

Made with Scheepjes Bonbon cotton thread and a 2mm hook.

How to finish?

I have reached the most difficult stage of the Crocheted Mandala. I’ve nearly finished. This is where so many projects have floundered and been relegated to the UFO (unfinished object) box boxes.

Since the beginning of August I have loved making this mandala and have been obsessively crocheting almost non-stop for nearly 3 months, but things have ground to a halt.

I don’t like the edge.

The dark turquoise, the rows of Lime Juice and Candlelight, and the row of folded trebles seem to take away the delicacy of the whole, and hem it in.

I have the mandala laid out on the canvas, I keep looking at it trying to decide what to do.

Do I rip it back to beyond the folded trebles – that would mean undoing about a week of intensive long hours of crochet. I need to think carefully about that before I do it.

Another idea is to take it back to the row in Candlelight and replace with Chrystaline (the main colour) and see if that lightens the feel of the edge.

And would a little white butterfly sit on that row of folded trebles every so often to break up the enclosing circle it makes…..

…… or would I always look at it and only see the offending row of folded trebles.

Initially I had intended the piece to be a tablecloth, but increasingly I have felt I want to frame it. As a tablecloth the border would be fine as the whole of it would not be seen at once.

As a Mandala, on the wall, as a piece of art – hmmmm – well that is different.

Do you have any thoughts to help me make a decision?

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.

 

Work in Progress

Mandala Madness with alternative Spiro Star Centre. In Scheepjes Bonbon with a 2mm hook. I’m on the 5th 25gm ball of cotton in ‘Chrystaline’ (pale turquoise).

I have just started Part 10 and it measures just over 19.5inches or 49cm across.

Part 9 in just one colour was a bit of a slog, I’m looking forward to Part 10 when I will add some pale yellow and pale green again.

Fold

shell shapes coastal hues

hookery yarning along

peaceful mandalas

~

Joining in with Ronovan’s Haiku Challenge, prompts: SHELL and COAST

The mandalas are getting rather big to photograph, so this week’s prompt for our One-a-Week Photo Challenge gave me an idea.

The one on the left is in Stylecraft Special DK acrylic yarn using a 4mm hook, in colours chosen by Little Miss M (aged 5).

The one on the right in in Scheepjes Stonewashed 4ply, cotton and acrylic, using a 3.5mm hook. Colours chosen by me with the twins (aged 4) in mind.

The Spiro Star in the top photo and the square, ‘Fantastic’, designed by Julie Yeager,  are in Stylecraft Special DK, using a 5mm hook and in colours chosen by Master R (aged 7).

The Mandala pattern, called Mandala Madness is a free pattern and comes from the amazing designer Helen Shrimpton. You can find it on her website or on Ravelry. I used another of her patterns: Spiro Star at the centre of my mandalas. With Helen’s permission I created a photo tutorial of how I joined the two together and Helen has incuded a link to it on her site.

Mandala Madness is a pattern for a huge mandala, I am trying to adapt it to be suitable for a bedspread for a single bed. It makes my brain ache, but I know it will be worth it in the end.

Cathy has a very different ‘fold’ for our delight – pop over and have a look.

Leave a link to your fold photo in the comments and I will include it in the monthly round-up. It is always fun to see the variety that we find for each subject.

Yarn on the Hook

This is where I am with the Spiro Mandala. I’ve just come to the end of the first ball of Moonstone, which I only mention as a reminder to myself, when I’m trying to calculate how much more yarn I might need in each colour.

Using Scheepjes Stonewashed in 4ply.

Colours used so far:

Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Citrine, Pink Quartzite, New Jade, Larimar, Amazonite,

Axinite.

Many thanks to Helen Shrimpton for the patterns and for giving her permission for me to share my amalgamation with you.

here is my Photo Tutorial.

~

My computer finally had to go to the hospital 😳 I do hope it’s going to be ok.

The photo was taken with the iPad and the colours have come out a little harsher than in reality.

doing my best on the iPad for a while.

~

What have you got on the go at the mo?

pop across to Nanacathy for a good old natter about all things yarny.

Photo Tutorial: Spiro Star centre for Mandala Madness

Mandala Madness is such a wonderful pattern created by Helen Shrimpton. Go to Google images to see the multitude of fabulous mandalas that have been created using Helen’s pattern.

I enjoyed doing her Spiro Star pattern so much for the Nuts About Squares CAL, that I experimented with putting it at the centre of Mandala Madness – I’m really pleased with how it turned out

and just had to try it in another colourway.

A few people have asked me to explain how to marry the two together so here goes:

Make the Spiro Star up until Round 11

I followed the Spiro Star video tutorial by Esther from Its All In a Nutshell.

If you prefer a written pattern there is one on Helen’s site: with Photo tutorial.

About 40 years ago, I learnt to crochet from an American Book so all the crochet terms I use are US terms. And, I am left-handed, which you will probably notice in the photos. I have made a few slight variations in the way Spiro Star is worked, which I explain below, but you can simply follow the above tutorials until Round 11 if you prefer and go straight to Joining Round 1.

I am using a 3.50mm Drops Circus hook and Scheepjes Stonewashed 4ply cotton and acrylic yarn.

Round 1: Colour = Moon Stone

Starting with a Magic Ring, work a Ch3 then 15 DC giving you 16 sts.

The pattern suggests you cut the yarn at this stage, but I try to minimise sewing in as much as possible, so after closing the circle with a slip st in the first Ch3, I open up the loop and pull the whole ball of yarn through and pull tight, leaving the thread at the back whilst I work the next round.

Round 2: Colour = Rose Quartz

Worked as the above tutorials suggest.

Round 3: Colour = Rose Quartz

At the end of the round this is how it looks front and back.

I mark which stitch I’m aiming for to start the next round and working on the back

slip st. up to it. (click on any photo to see it larger)

Then, turn your work to work from the front.

Start the next round as instructed.

Round 4 and 5: Colour = Moon Stone

Again, I have not cut the yarn, but pulled the whole ball through the loop as before.

Front:

Back:

The slip stitching hardly shows on the back.

Rounds 6,7,8, 9 : Colour = Citrine

Rounds 10 and 11: Colour = Moon Stone

Slip st along the back, from Round 5, doing 2 chain sts at the end to get in the right position to start with a bphd.

(don’t cut the thread, it will be used for one of the Joining rounds)

Joining Round 1: Colour = Pink Quartzite

Working mainly in the back loops (bl).

Work a standing sc in the sc before any fpdc (which is the point of the star),

*sc the next two sts together, sc, 2 blscs in the next st, 2blhds in next st, 2bldc in next 2sts, 2bltrs into next st, bltr, 2bltrs into next st, 2bldcs into next 2sts, 2blhds into next st, 2blscs into next st, sc.*

Repeat from * to * all the way round until the last repeat

at the end of this repeat, missing the final sc, slst into the standing sc to close.

Joining Round 2: Colour = Moonstone

On the back of the work, slp st with the Moon Stone yarn into position. (into the joining slst).

(If using a fresh colour, join in any sc just before the sc2tog of the previous row)

Ch1 and do a bpsc in the standing sc from the round below, missing out the star point stitch, (effectively dec 1 st at each star point) bpsc in each st until the next star point st, miss this st. Continue round the petals and join with a slst to close the round.

Joining Round 3: Colour = New Jade

Start on the 4th st back from the star point.

Standing sc,

sc, miss 4 sts, sc, sc, **ch 5, bpsc round the post of the centre tr on Joining Round 1, ch5, sc in the st 4 sts back from lowest point, sc, miss4 sts, sc, sc.**

Rpt from ** to ** til the last petal, ch5, bpsc on central tr from Joining Round 1, ch5, slst in the standing sc to close the round.

Joining Round 4: Colour = New jade

As Round 17 in Mandala Madness ( which is in Part 2 video made by Esther )

Joining Round 5: Colour = New Jade

as Round 18 in Mandala Madness

Joining Round 6: Colour = Larimar

This is very similar to Round 19 of Mandala Madness with a few little tweaks.

Start with a standing sc in the back loop of the st before the centre of the petal in Joining Round 2. (The central st has the bpsc worked in New Jade on it in Joining Round 1). Work this together with the sc in front of the bpsc behind the petal from Joining Round 1 , miss a st at the front and work a bpsc through the next st on the petal with the 2nd sc behind in Joining Round 1.

If you watch Esther’s video tutorial, I expect/hope this will make sense.

The stitch count to find those two central stitches at the top of the petal is the only thing that is different in this Round, so I go by the position of the bpsc in New Jade (Green) rather than counting the stitches.

Feel free to contact me if you get stuck!

So! We’ve done it! We’ve joined the two patterns together! Phew! I hope it worked for you.

Now move to the instructions for Mandala Madness 

You are ready to work Round 20 of Mandala Madness and continue with Helen’s pattern.

Enjoy!

Let me know how you got on. Any problems, please let me know. I am usually able to reply within 24 hours. This pattern has not been tested by anyone else so I would love to know if it works for someone else.

My heartfelt thanks go to Helen and Esther for the wonderful patterns and the amazing videos that helped me through them. A big thank you to both Helen and Esther for giving me their permission to share these instructions with you.

Go check out what else these fantastically talented and generous women have to offer – it makes my head spin to think of all the hours they give to this wonderful crochet community of ours.

Week 32: POINT

painting stars with yarn

to cover girls a-slumber

and bring sweet dreaming

~

I’m so excited to show you what I have done with the Scheepjes Stonewashed Yarn that arrived here this week. A Spiro Star at the centre of my second Mandala Madness, both patterns designed by Helen Shrimpton.

The colours are wonderful and slightly mottled, very restful to work with after the bright Stylecraft Special DK in my other crocheted mandala. I am really enjoying having both to go to for different moods and different times of day.

Even more exciting is that I have put together a photo tutorial showing how to marry the two patterns together. Helen has kindly given her permission for me to share it with you and I will do that tomorrow on W.I.P. Wednesday.

Little twirly happy dance!

oh

and another skippy dance!

Tweeeeeeerrrrrrrrllllllll and skip …..

learning how to skip and type at the same time …….. * ……. ! ………^ …….. \ …. > ….

Stop – silly woman!

Eight pointed stars abound in the beginning of this project so I was able to sneak it in as this week’s One-a-Week Photo Challenge entry. Cathy and I have put a list together for the whole year so that you know what to look out for when you are out and about with your camera.

 

also joining in with Ronovan’s Weekly Haiku Challenge, prompt words: PAINTED and LADY

(Substituting ‘lady’ with ‘girl’)

Please leave a link to your POINT in the comments.

Now back to the pointy mandala, its’s hard for me to put it down.

Knit and Knatter

I literally HUGGED this parcel when it arrived, before opening the plastic wrapper, before seeing what was inside, I hugged it and did and little dance and a skip!  I savoured imagining what it would look like, what it would feel like – I squealed with delight – my postman knows me – he smiles knowingly.

Of course I do not need more yarn, I do not need to start yet another new project, I do not need a ‘cake’, I have no idea what I will make with it, just had to get one!

…….  on the other hand the impulse to try out Mandala Madness in a different yarn and colour-way is too overwhelming to resist.

You understand, don’t you!

I’m going for pastels this time in 4ply Scheepjes Stonewashed a cotton and acrylic mix.

Decision time: this palette?

or this one without the stronger pink and turquoise?

I think it might be a bedcover for one of the twins – girls aged 4. The colours go with their bedroom.

This will be another Mandala Madness with Spiro Star at the centre, both patterns by Helen Shrimpton, with video Tutorials by Esther

I’m so excited, I just want to get going on it – but – the sun is shining and there’s gardening to be done – high class dilemnas!

 

Joining in today with Cathy’s Natter on a Friday.

W.i.p Wednesday

Round 66 is taking forever! It’ll be worth it though.

~

Joining in with the Daily Post : TEXTURES

WIP Wednesday

Boys are from Mars and Girls are from Venus.

I couldn’t push through the gloom any more, I needed a break, so I have started a Mandala in bright colours. Starting with the middle of the Spiro Star by Helen Shrimpton, in Nuts About Squares, I have gone on to work the rounds of Mandala Madness, also designed by Helen Shrimpton.

Such a joy and relief to be prancing around in the light for a while.

~

My computer needs to go away to be sorted out. I’m often hearing how reliable Apple are but I have had lots of trouble with both of the ones I’ve had. This time it is the Photos programme that is not working properly. I’ll be without my computer for about a week. It feels nerve-wracking – will my photos be lost. How will things have changed when I see  my laptop again! I will still have my iPad but I’m not sure how much I will achieve on that. So, if I go a bit quiet, you’ll know the reason why.

I will be immersing myself in Mandala Madness to keep myself calm