Mandala Pincushion

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!

Did you know that mandalas are really modern versions of the vintage doily designs your grandmother or great grandmother might have crocheted in the 1930’s and 40’s?  Back then they were mostly made of cotton thread and used as decorations on your dining table or amongst your living room furniture. Now you can make a simple sewing accessory using Clover’s Create-a-Pincushion Kit and this modern crocheted mandala. I think the Mandala Pincushion would make a great Christmas gift!

Let’s get started on the project!

Skill Level: Easy

Supplies:

• Size 3 Cotton crochet thread – 1 skein per pincushion
• (I used Lizbeth Size 3 in 2 colors shown here:  #694 Harvest Orange Med & #665 Ocean Teal Dk)
• Amour Crochet Hook C (2.75mm)  – Art. No 1041/C
• Create-a-Pincushion Kit – Art. No 4120
• 6” x 6” square of coordinating cotton fabric
• Sewing needle
• Jumbo Tapestry needle – Art. No 219
• Matching sewing thread
• Polyester Fiberfil
• Scissors
• Flower Head Pins – Art. No Q2506
• 2 towels
• Blocking board or foam core poster board

Finished Measurements:  Completed Mandala = 4” diameter

Completed Pincushion = 2 ¾” diameter (base) x 2 ¼” height

Gauge:  Flower at center = 1 ¼” across

Abbreviations:

YO (yarn over)

Hk (hook)

Lp (loop)

Ch (chain)

St (stitch)

Sp (space)

Sl st (slip stitch)

Sc (single crochet)

Special Stitches:

Puff St (Puff stitch) = (YO, insert hk into st, YO, draw up a lp approx. ½” tall) 4 times; YO, pull through all 9 lps on hk

Ch-2 picot = Ch 2, insert hk into left side of previous sc base, YO, pull through all lps on hk

 

Notes:

First mandala is crocheted and steam blocked

Then pincushion is put together with fabric

Lastly crocheted mandala is sewn to the top of the pincushion

**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)

Ch 2

Round 1:  5 sc in 2^nd ch from hk. Do not join with sl st.

Round 2:  (Sl st, ch 3, Puff st, ch 3, sl st) in each sc around. Fasten off. (5 petals)

Round 3:  Join with sl st in the top of any Puff st; (ch 7, sl st in the top of next Puff st) around. (5 ch-7 sps)

Round 4:   Ch 1, sc in same st; (ch 4, sc in next ch-sp, ch 4, sc in same ch-7 sp, ch 4, sc in next sl st) around ending with ch 2, dc in 1^st sc of round. (15 ch-4 sps)

Round 5:  Ch 1, sc in same st; [ch 5, sc in next ch-4 sp, ch 3, Puff st in next ch-4 sp, ch 4, sc in next ch-4 sp] around ending with sl st in 1^st sc of round. (5 Puff sts)

Round 6: Sl st in each of next 3 chs; sc around same ch-5 sp; (ch 5, sc in next ch-sp) around ending with sl st in 1^st sc.

Round 7:  (3 sc, ch-2 picot, 3 sc) in each ch-5 sp around. Fasten off.

Finishing and Assembly:

Wet mandala with cool water and press out excess water with a clean towel

Pin mandala onto blocking board on towel making sure spaces and stitches pulled out and even

Let dry completely (overnight)

I’ve created a short video tutorial for you of how to put the pincushion together. Click here to watch!

With Clover’s Create-a-Pincushion Kit it is a snap to put the rest of this project together!

Here are the pieces for this step of the project – fabric, fiberfil, inside piece, silicone band and outer piece

Fill pincushion inner piece with fiberfil

Wrap with square of fabric and hold in place with silicone ring

Adjust fabric so wrinkles are removed and dome shape of pincushion is even

Place outer piece of pincushion on top and check that looks good

Remove outer piece and trim off excess fabric with scissors

Place outer piece back on

Using straight pins pin mandala in place lining flower up with center – Make sure mandala evenly stretched across fabric

With matching sewing thread and sewing needle secure mandala to fabric by sewing through stitches at base of each ch-5 sp (as shown by where needle is inserted in photo)

Tada! Your Mandala Pincushion is complete ?

You can find a large-print instant downloadable PDF of this pattern by clicking here and purchasing it in my Etsy shop.

Please tag me @celticknotcrochet and use the #celticknotcrochet on Instagram – I would love to see your Mandala Pincushion!

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