Mandala Love

Oh my, thank you, thank you so much to those of you have have already taken up my Mandala Challenge and sent me a beautiful crochet circle. It gives me the most amazing feeling to be the Official Opener of these packages and the excitement as I open each one is almost too much to take.

So. This crazy, fabulous, creative project has been launched and I know I am at the beginning of an amazing journey. It is truly wonderful. Thank you so much for making my vision come to life, I am pretty much incapable of putting into words what this means to me, but yes, thank you with all my heart.

The mandala wheels I've received so far are very, very beautiful as you can see above. When they sit nestled all together I can get a brief glimpse of the impact that a whole wall of them will undoubtedly have. Wow. WOW!!! It's going to be quite something.

I am trying very hard to be methodical and organised with this project. I have my "mandala hour" in the early afternoon when I open and photograph the packages that have arrived in the morning. I upload the photos to my laptop, crop them to a square, resize them, number and re-name them, then upload them to Pinterest for you all to see. Many thanks to Heather who suggested the Pinterest thing, it is a great way for me to show you what has been made and to inspire you with some glorious circular colour and pattern.

If you haven't already done so, do go and feast your eyes! I'll be uploading new images as the mandala wheels arrive.

http://www.pinterest.com/yarndale/mandala-wheels/

Since I began sharing my Mandala journey here and on Facebook, I have constantly been asked the same question ::

"very pretty and all that, but what are they actually for?"

It's a fair enough question. I found an interesting website which explains the true meaning of the word mandala in the spiritual sense (see here), and it just confirms that really mandalas have no real purpose other than to make you feel good. They are joyful creations, and the making process itself is enough of a purpose as far as I'm concerned. See it as Hooky Meditation if you like.

Here in the Attic I have come to enjoy having a mandala sitting in the centre of my table with a little jug of flowers resting upon it. I've also pinned a couple up around the house and enjoy the pleasure I get just from seeing a burst of colour and pattern in an unexpected place (so far they have landed underneath the hallway mirror, and on a scrap of empty wall just outside the bathroom).

I thought it might be helpful to bring together a small collection of mandala patterns to inspire you if you've yet to succumb to their charms. If you know of any other lovely patterns, do leave me a comment with a link and I'll add them in, it's always useful to have all the info and links in one place.

Picture above is my own pattern created for this Yarndale project. Find it {here}

Granny Mini Mandala by Zelna Olivier, especially created for Yarndale.

Hakuna Matata Mandala by Zelna Olivier, especially created for Yarndale.

Sunny Flower Mandala by Zelna Olivier, especially created for Yarndale.

Little Spring Mandala by Barbara of Made in K Town. Free pattern.

Picot Mandala by Marinke Slump, also known as Wink. Wink writes a beautiful blog called "A Creative Being" and has created some wonderful mandala patterns. Some are available to buy (such as the one above) and some are available for free. Her work is truly inspiring, do go have a look if you don't already know it.

Spoke Mandala, another pattern by Wink. This one is free, and there is a fab step by step tutorial to help you create those wonderful spokes.

Bobbly Flower mandala by Mad Blanketer is a beautiful free pattern available to download via Ravelry.

Flower Potholder, by Jennifer Martin. This is not strictly a mandala, but it is soooo pretty that I wanted to include it. It's available for free via Ravelry.

These gorgeous things were made by Sue Pinner who writes "the 8th Gem" blog. Sue is an amazing designer and a genius with colour, her mandala designs are hugely inspirational.

Oh, such a lot of wonderful, glorious inspiration out there my friends, I really hope you feel like joining me on my Mandala journey. All details about making mandalas for the Yarndale project (including dimensions and postal address) can be found right HERE. Have fun!

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

2013 :: Year End Review :: crochet

Mandala Flowers

Mandala Wheels for Yarndale

Comments

[Natalie Bosch]

Would be great to see a "Mandela map" to see where all the mandalas come from. Probably too many frome one area to try and visually lay them out as a map but would.be aging to see how far and wide they came from.

[Robin]

Sending the first mandala I've ever made. Couldn't resist tucking in a few extra goodies for the Little People, a snippet of one of my crochet projects, and a little tour of our town for you and yours to enjoy. God bless! Robin

[Katie]

Hi. I can't see my mandala on the Pinterest board. I hope it arrived safely. It looks like this: http://elizabethlaker.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/crochet-mandala-for-yarndale-2014.html?m=1
Thank you
Katie

[Eleanor Thomson]

Beautiful! I've added this free pattern to Ravelry too in case it's useful to anyone: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/grace-mandala (and I hope to post mine to you tomorrow).

[Sue Hillard]

Lucy I just can't wait to see them all together the colours are stunning. The whole thing should just glow. Mine should be on its way soon its good to watch it grow and fromm all over the world.

[Alison hitchcock brown]

Jane Crowfoot has a fabulous floral Mandela pattern on her website. There is a charge but it's well worth it
www.janiecrow.co.uk

[Mariela Melian]

Dear Friends ....I invite you, to see my page: www.facebook.com/Chirigumis?ref=hl
Thanks !!!!!!
Hugs!!!!!!!! Mariela from Argentine

[Carolyn Jackson]

I think I have a dose of mandaitis, ! have made 3 in as many days, will start another tonight, they are lovely, put mine in the post to you Lucy, on Friday, hope it travels safely from NZ,thay all look so lovely and colourful. Many thanks, Carolyn NZ.

[Jen]

My mandala is winging its way to you, Lucy! I posted it this morning. Now I'm going to make a whole family of mandala for my own house! Tee hee hee!

[Jenny Lee]

Lucy, have you seen this? I'm sure you'll love it if you haven't come across it before.
http://americanmuseum.org/about-the-museum/current-exhibitions/kaffe-2014-the-colourful-world-of-kaffe-fassett/

[Elisa Maria]

These are absolutely stunning. I am making them for all of my yoga teachers as a thank you for keeping me on my path <3 Love your blog Lucy!

[Ana Inés]

absolutely beautiful! I´ll try to make some :)

[Janneke]

Oh wow that looks so great! I really love love love it! All those beautiful colors! I can't stop looking haha! I imagine you can't stop looking and organizing and toucging them again and again and again. Wow! :-)

[annemieke]

Overwhelming already! I can't crochet for a while, sore arm :( but enjoy reading all about it at your place.
Groetjes
Annemieke

[Jane Thompson]

Hi Lucy, what a great challenge, the possibilities for colour and pattern with these seem to be endless. When I made my first mandala I also questioned what they could be used for, apart from looking lovely and being very pleasing to make, and this is what I do with mine http://www.janierob.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/what-can-you-do-with-mandala.html
Have a great weekend. Jane x

[M.]

WOW! These are quite pretty. I'm wondering, though, if there is any chance of the Bower Bird pattern being posted soon. Thanks, Lucy! Have a great day.

[Susan]

Dear Lucy - These are beautiful. My Mom and I made 50 bunting triangles for Yarndale last year - just don't know if you ever got them as they came from Northridge, CA USA. Looked at all the gorgeous pictures you took of the event but did not recognize any of ours. Hopefully you did. Look forward to making some of these Mandalas.

[Pj]

Beautiful mandalas! I have made one and just need to stiffen it before posting. Looking forward to seeing photos of the display as sadly Yarndale isn't in my neck of the woods. Best wishes, Pj x

[Nicollie]

Yay! I noticed my mandala on your Pinterest board, I'm so glad it arrived safely! :)
Love the mandala's and Wink is an awesome crocheter!

[Karen@Mix•Ture43]

Lovely mandalas and another truly successful global project Lucy. Great stuff! Karen x

[Angela-Southern USA]

Just posted my mandala (which was inspired by Wink's spoke pattern so, it looks like a wheel, in the theme of things), the look on the postal workers face was priceless when asked what was in it, and I replied ever so seriously..."a bicycle wheel." She looked at it (an 8x10 envelope) and said: "In that?!" Which I replied: "Obviously not a full sized one." She was still confused, my daughter and I had a good laugh in the car. So I thought I'd share the laugh with you all.:D

[Lily]

Hi Lucy :)
Pleased with this year's mandala journey. I think they can be put to use much more than granny triangles could be... but triangles were *adorable* anyway.
Glad to see you have a facebook page. sadly "follow" button is not active...I can only "like"

[Kate]

Smashing- the display will be awesomely gorgeous.

[Angela-Southern USA]

Melissa & Anne: Love the stories! I think I'll add to the confused postal workers, when they ask the contents I'll say "bicycle wheel!" ;D (For mine is based on Wink's spoke mandala.)

[Anne]

These mandalas are such eye-candys! So great to look at!

Hm... I just had a look at my (bare) office walls... Perhaps I should make some manadalas to add some colour?! Oh no - more projects! Why doesn't have the day 10 more hours? This would be so helpful. :P

Thanks for sharing the colourful pictures! I wish I could come to Yarndale and take a look at the display! As I mentioned in an earlier comment: I reckon they would look awesome dangling from a tree.

Take care
Anne
http://crochetbetweentwoworlds.blogspot.de