The Starflower Mandala

Oh what a wonderful crochet week I've been having, such pleasure with my hook and yarn! I've been dividing my time between my gorgeous coastal ripples and some rather addictive mandala-making. A few days ago whilst dancing through cyberspace looking for mandala patterns, I came across a true beauty. This one stopped me in my tracks and I experienced that instant ants-in-my-pants feeling. You know when you feel so fidgity with excitement that you think you cannot possibly wait another nanosecond before diving straight in to a new project head first? Yeah, I had it bad. Luckily, I had just taken delivery of some new cotton yarn that I had been asked to road test, and so I knew I had to go with it.

This pattern that had me all of a jitter is called the Starflower Mandala.

It's a free pattern by Zelna Olivier who writes a blog called Zooty Owl, and the pattern is written in US crochet terms. Now I really do dread diving into traditional patterns and try to avoid struggling with them wherever possible. But I was determined to give this a shot and I was pleasantly surprised. The pattern is well written, and I found that if I concentrated reeeeeeeally hard it didn't give me too much of a headache. There is some translating to do with this pattern if you are used to UK crochet terms, so read carefully and make sure you adjust the stitch heights.

US sc (single crochet) = UK dc (double crochet)

US hdc (half double crochet) = UK htr (half treble crochet)

US dc (double crochet) = UK tr (treble crochet)

US tr (treble crochet) = UK dtr (double treble)

I made a few mistakes when I forgot to translate, so I started writing it down then. My technique is to read each row out several times whilst scrutinising the photo of the finished item until I get a firm understanding of what that one row needs me to do. I concentrate hard on just one row at a time and try not to feel overwhelmed. Then I scribble out the basic pattern sequence in UK terms so that once I work out the correct position to begin each round, my simple translation helps me whizz through without getting lost in all the pattern blurble. For example, take row 14. The original pattern reads as follows ::

Join yarn into second tr of any 6tr sequence on Row 13;   4ch, 1tr into each of next 4tr;  1dc into each of next  13 stitches;  1tr into each of next 2hdc;  1dc into each of next 13 stitches;   *1tr into each of next 5tr:  1dc into each of next  13 stitches;  1tr into each of next 2hdc;  1dc into each of next 13 stitches* *to* x 5;   ss into top of 4ch at start of row to close;

So I simply wrote out :: 5 dtr,  13 tr, 2 dtr, 13 tr. I found I could follow that easily then, with no mistakes.

Due to the fact that on some of the rows I made trebles when I should have made double trebles, my finished mandala ended up a bit mis-shapen and ruffly. Nothing that a bit of steam treatment won't be able to sort out, bring out the iron!

First I used a sheet of newspaper and cut out a round hole to make a template. I needed to make a 50cm circle so that I could pop my mandala in the centre of it and gently stretch and pin it out to shape before steaming. I lay my mandala with wrong side uppermost and pinned all the way round, then removed the newspaper before getting the iron out. Hot steam, pffffff, but remember no pressure from the iron. Just the steam, concentrate on the edges. It takes mere seconds. Seconds! Leave it for a minute or two to cool, then you can simply unpin and admire........

.......neat, even stitches...........

............and a wonderful, lacy pattern.

Ta-dah! WOW! This is 50cm across you know, it's a whopper! I just love the way it turned out, but more than that, I absolutely loved the making process. It was all about colour and stitch pattern, rhythm and focus, accomplishment and pride. It was crochet feel-good on a grand scale.

That was yesterday.

Today, I pulled out all my cotton colours again and started straight away on a second version.

It was very much easier doing it for the second time, and I only made one teensy mistake this time. I was able to totally indulge my love of colour play, gosh it was such a pleasure!

I made a slightly different edging this time, and then when it was all finished I found my newspaper template and got busy pinning and steaming again. It's incredibly satisfying doing that bit, the results are really rather brilliant.

Ta-dah!!! Starflower Mandala number 2.

Another big beauty.

I took them outside into the back yard so that I could show you them side by side, aren't they lovely?

Now happy colourful crochet is all very well but you may well be wondering what on earth I'm going to do with two giant mandalas? Well, they are going to be part of a big visual display that I'm organising for this year's Yarndale festival. I'm planning on attaching them to some plastic child's hula hoops (this sort of thing) to make some giant dream catcher type thingies.

Can you picture it? Can you picture a collection of these big beautiful things suspended from the ceiling, spinning and whirling and dancing above your head? I can. I can imagine it very clearly indeed, and I am soooooooooooooooo excited to make it happen.

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Starflower Mandala pattern can be found here.

I used Stylecraft Classique Cotton on a 4mm hook.

 

 

♥...more little snippets from the Attic...♥

Mandala Flowers

Rainbow Raindrops Cushion :: Ta-dah!

Open Studio :: June 2013

2013 :: Year End Review :: crochet

Comments

[sandra dorey]

Hi Lucy,
I've been making a couple of mandalas and found a small independent UK supplier of coated metal hoops in many sizes (up to 50cm) you might be interested to know about: https://glitterwitch.co.uk/product-category/rings/page/2/

[Patel kavita]

Good send more patterns

[anne]

I love these! I have a load of dreamcatcher hoops (sizes from 6" to 15") and want to try making some to fit these. No space for hula hoop size! :)
I'd love to see patterns for smaller hoops.. if you ever get the time. Ive tried with four ply but can never figure out which stitch to do on the next rows to make it fit... My brain hurts...

[Lemuriel]

So gorgeous. Can the cotton be purchased in USA. What is brand. Very soft. Happiness = crocheting

[Pacita Arca Ortega]

What a beautiful creation.I made not only one but 7 of this,gifts to my sisters and close friends.honestly I made alterations ln some rounds cause I want it more bigger cause I didn't exactly use the prescribed yarn and crochet hook.A finer thread from Cannon available locally was used so they were not mandalas but doilies.Thanks so much for your pattern.I plan to crochet more of your design.

[Jude]

Lovely! I've made one of these for a friend. I've put pva glue on the back to stiffen it but not sure how to hang it without it losing shape - any tips?

[Nora]

Hermosos los mandalas!!!!

[mimi]

Algo tejo de crochet e hice esas pajaritas hermosas, parecidas version mias, me encantaria aprender mejor crochet y tejer como tu. Que lastima que estamos tan lejos, sino seria tu alumna. Beautiful. Soy argentina y no se ingles, i´am sorry. Bendiciones y te felicito por las hermosas cosas que haces. Genia!!!!

[Beth]

Absolutely stunning mandalas! What were the colours you used to make the first one? I'd love to give it a try! Might this become a crochet-along pack like the ripple blanket perhaps? Utterly beautiful in any case! :) - Beth

[Emma]

I know it's meant to be a star but it does look so very much like a snowflake to me... I'm seriously tempted to make one in Christmassy colours

[Madelein Bester]

Stunning, as usual :)

[Rosalie]

Clever you! They are fantastic.

[Justine]

Stunning....simply stunning! I like your way of reading the pattern...otherwise it sounds too complex for me!

[Saowanee]

Look so nice and I love following your performance... Have a great weekend..

[Susan Harris-Rohde]

Lucy, they are magnificient!!!! Now I have to make one (or more). At least start with 1 for my daughter's room...

[Mel]

Wow.....these look amazing.....I've not been to visit your blog in ages......I've recently come back on blogger......flowing you via Facebook.....hope you're having a fun day.....melimel x

[Jacqui]

OOOOOOOOH SO lovely I have a feeling now Thanks Lucy x

[eclectichomelife.blogspot.com]

Lucy you are so talented at colour choice and mixing the right colours together to produce happy bright cheerfulness. I am not nearly as good. Tried stash busting for a shawl and my trim colours are not nearly as grand as your colour choices. Must try harder. These are beautiful Lucy, thanks for sharing http://eclectichomelife.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/sunday-shawl-making.html

[Susan Eaton]

They are exquisite. I love the colors and detail as usual.

[Cheryl]

I love this dream catcher! you are so talented. also love the pictures of your walk the countryside is so tranquil!

[Rachel L]

I'm dying to make one of these and have just ordered masses of yarn to do it but...one question. How might I attempt to fix them to the wall? I'm fantasising about making lots and hanging them all the way up the stairs but don't know how to make this vision a reality! Thanks!

[MissHobart]

Has anyone translated this into UK terms and are willing to share?!

[Nadine]

Whenever I see your work, I am always amazed at the colors and the perfection of your work! I love all the amazing colors you use! They make me feel happy when I look at them. :D Thanks for your sharing and caring. :D

[pasutri pria perkasa]

i like poshting

[bjmonitas]

just outstanding beautiful!! Bjmonitas