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.

 

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?

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

Related posts :

Silent Sunday: Star

Silent Sunday:  Sol.

Silent Sunday: Sole

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.