Marvelous Mandala Decoration

Hello! It’s Jennifer Ryan, the designer and blogger behind Celtic Knot Crochet. I am excited to be sharing another mandala project here on the Clover blog!

I love to create and crochet mandalas. I love how there is a rhythm to mandalas as you crochet them and as you look at them. This one uses a variety of stitches to create the openwork lacy sections and the petal-like design details. It is a large statement piece but if that’s not your style, don’t worry – I give you a variation that can result in a smaller decoration very easily.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Supplies:

Size 3 yarn (DK weight)
- - (I used Omega’s Sinfonia in 4 colors but you can use just one color – if you decide to just use one color, you would need about 180 yds total) C 1 = 843 (Copper); C2 = 887 (Charcoal Gray) ; C3 = 801 (White); C4 = 813 (Denim Blue)

Amour Crochet Hook F (3.75mm) Art. No 1044/F
19” (48.26 cm) diameter metal ring (4mm thick)
Wonder Clips (20pc Art. No 3188
Scissors
Variety of ribbons of various widths – Total yardage – approximately 20 yds (18.2 m)(I used 4 different kinds of ribbon approximately 15 feet (4.5 m) each)
Jumbo Tapestry Needle Art. No 219

Finished Measurements: 19” (48.26 cm) across

Ribbon/Fringe length: 19” (48.26 cm)

Gauge: Rounds 1-3 = 3 ½” (8.89 cm)across

Abbreviations:

YO (yarn over)

Hk (hook)

Lp (loop)

Ch (chain)

St (stitch)

Sp (space)

Sl st (slip stitch)

Dc (double crochet)

Tr (treble crochet)

Special Stitches:

(Several of these stitches have photos below their description to help with understanding)

Beg. 3dc CL (Beginning 3 double crochet Cluster) = Ch 2, (YO, insert hk into sp, YO, draw up a lp, YO, pull through 2 lps on hk) 2 times; YO, pull through all 3 lps on hk

3dc CL (3 double crochet Cluster) = (YO, insert hk into sp, YO, draw up a lp, YO, pull through 2 lps on hk) 3 times; YO, pull through all 4 lps on hk

Join with sc = Put slip knot of new color on hk; insert hk into st, YO, draw up a lp, YO, pull through 2 lps on hk

V-st (V-stitch) = (dc, ch 3, dc) all in sp indicated

Beg. 4tr CL (Beginning 4 treble crochet Cluster) = Ch 3, [YO twice, insert hk into next st, YO, draw up a lp, (YO, pull through 2 lps on hk) twice] 3 times; YO, pull through all 4 lps on hk

4tr CL (4 treble crochet Cluster) = [YO twice, insert hk into next st, YO, draw up a lp, (YO, pull through 2 lps on hk) twice] 4 times; YO, pull through all 5 lps on hk

Notes:

Mandala is worked in the round from the center out

Test your gauge to see how your mandala fits inside the metal ring

If you would like to make your mandala all one color it would be easiest to fasten off and join as the instructions explain but use the same color throughout

**You can purchase an instant downloadable PDF of the project here in my Etsy shop**

Instructions:

(All Special Stitches are in bold and italicized text and defined above)

With C1 ch 8; join with sl st to form ring

Round 1: Beg. 3dc CL in ring, ch 3; (3dc CL, ch 3)7 more times in ring; join with sl st to top of 1^stcluster. Fasten off. (8 clusters)

Round 2: Join C2 with sl st in any ch-3 sp; (ch 5, sl st in next ch-3 sp, ch 5, sl st in top of next cluster) around ending with ch 2, dc in joining sl st (that counts as last ch-5 sp). (16 ch-5 sps)

Round 3: Beg. 3dc CL in current ch-5 sp, ch 3; (3dc CL, ch 3) in each ch-5 sp around; join with sl st to top of 1^st cluster. Fasten off. (16 clusters)

Round 4: Join C3 with sc in any ch-3 sp; (ch 5, sc in next ch-3 sp) around ending with ch 2, dc in joining sc (for last ch-5 sp). (16 ch-5 sps)

Round 5: (Ch 6, dc) in same sp (counts as first V-st); (ch 4, sc in next ch-5 sp, ch 4, V-st in next ch-5 sp) around; ch 4, sc in last ch-5 sp, ch 4, sl st to 3^rd ch of starting ch-6. Fasten off. (8 V-sts; 16 ch-4 sps)

Round 6: Join C4 with sl st in ch-3 sp of any V-st, (ch 4 (counts as tr), 3 tr, ch 2, 4 tr) all in same sp; [ch 3, tr in next sc, ch 3; (4 tr, ch 2, 4 tr) in next V-st] around ending with ch-3, tr in next sc, ch 3, sl st to 4^th ch of starting ch-4. (16 4-tr groups)

Round 7: Beg. 4 tr CL across next 4 trs; ch 4, 4 tr in next ch-2 sp, ch 4, 4 tr CL across next 4 trs; [ch 4, sc in next tr, ch 4, 4 tr CL across next 4 trs, ch 4, 4 tr in next ch-2 sp, ch 4, 4 tr CL across next 4 trs] around ending with ch 4, sc in next tr, ch 4, sl st to top of 1^st cluster. (16 4- tr clusters and 8 4-tr groups)

Round 8: Sl st into next ch-4 sp; ch 1, sc in same sp; [ch 6, 4 tr CL across next 4 trs, ch 6, sc in next ch-4 sp, ch 5, tr in next sc, ch 5, sc in next ch-4 sp] around ending with sl st in 1^st sc. Fasten off. (8 – 4tr clusters)

Round 9: Join C1 with sc in any ch-6 sp to the right of any 4tr cluster; (ch 6, sc in next sp, ch 6, V-st in next tr, ch 6, sc in next sp) around ending with sl st in 1^st sc.

**If you would like to make a smaller mandala, then work Rounds 14 & 15 here and fasten off.**

Round 10: Sl st in each of next 3 chs; ch 1, sc in same sp; (ch 6, sc in next ch-sp, ch 4, [4 tr, ch 2, 4 tr] in ch-3 sp of next V-st; ch 4, sc in next ch-sp, ch 6, sc in next sp) around ending with sl st in 1^st sc. (16 – 4trs groups)

Round 11: Ch 1, sc in same st: (Ch 5, tr in next sc, ch 4, 4tr CL across next 4 trs, ch 4, 4 tr in next ch-2 sp; ch 4, 4tr CL across next 4 trs, ch 4, tr in next sc, ch 5, sc in next sc) around ending with sl st in 1^stsc. (16 – 4tr clusters, 8 – 4tr groups)

Round 12: Sl st in each of next 3 chs; (ch 5, sc in next sp, ch 5, sc in next sp, ch 6, 4tr CL across next 4 trs, ch 6, sc in next sp, ch 5, sc in next sp, ch 5, sc in next sp, ch 5, sc in next sp) around ending with sl st in base of 1^st ch-5. Fasten off. (16- 4tr clusters)

Round 13: Join C2 with sc in top of any 4tr CL; [(ch 5, sc in next sp) 2 times; ch 5, dc in next sp; (ch 3, dc in next sp) 2 times; (ch 5, sc in next sp) 2 times; ch 5, sc in top of next cluster] around ending with ch 3, dc in joining sc (which counts as last ch-5 sp).

Round 14: Ch 1, sc in same sp; (ch 6, sc in next sp) around ending with sl st in 1^st sc.

Optional: (You might find that if you have a tight tension you will need an extra round so that your project can be stretched across the metal ring – Crocheted projects have a lot of stretch in them so you may be fine with ending here – test your mandala out on the ring by doing the next step in the finishing section below)

Round 15: Repeat Round 14. Fasten off.

Finishing and Assembly:

Attaching Mandala to Ring –

Lay your mandala inside the metal ring and clip ch sps above each 4tr cluster to ring

Then clip ch sps in the center of each section in between cluster sections

(If mandala nicely stretches across ring, you are ready to attach it – if you can’t get it to reach all sides, then add one more round (repeating Round 14 again)

Thread a long length of C2 onto needle – tie opposite end around a ch sp and ring where clip is holding ch sp in place; Sew ch sps to ring by passing over ring and then up through ch sp around entire mandala