Little Spring Mandala
Pattern: Made in K-Town by Barbara
Please respect my rights as designer: do not sell, share, translate, or publish any parts of my patterns (including pictures) online or elsewhere without my permission. Do not claim this pattern as your own. Feel free to sell the finished items you’ve made from my pattern! If you do, a link-back to my blog www.made-in-k-town.blogspot.de would be great. Thank you!
Material:
As usual, I used small amounts of Catania by Schachenmayer and a 2.5mm hook. My mandala measures 12cm in diameter (4.7") but the size will vary depending on the yarn you use.
Some general notes:
For this pattern I use US crochet terms. We’ll need the following stitches: chain stitch (ch), slip stitch (sl st), single crochet (sc), half double crochet (hdc), double crochet (dc), double crochet three together (dc3tog), and surface stitches. The dc3tog and the surface stitches are explained below, please use the pictures as a help, too.
I did NOT write down the chains at the beginning of each round: for the first stitch in every round, work chains (e.g. 3 chains for the first dc) OR start with a “standing stitch” i.e. join the new color with a slip knot or a simple loop ON YOUR HOOK and just work the first sc or dc as usual. Join rounds with a sl st.
I hope I haven't lost you already :) Here we go:
2nd Round (new color): work (1sc, ch2) in every ch1-space, fasten off (12 ch2-spaces)
3rd Round (new color): work (dc3tog, ch3) in every ch2-space, fasten off (12 ch3-spaces)
Here's how you do the dc3tog: yo, insert hook into ch2-space and pull up a loop, yo and pull through 2 loops (2 loops on hook), yo, insert hook into the same ch2-space and pull up a loop, yo and pull through 2 loops (3 loops on hook), yo, insert hook into the same ch2-space and pull up a loop, yo and pull through 2 loops (4 loops on hook), yo and pull through all 4 loops on hook. (Note: to start the round, either make ch3 and then a dc2tog, or start with a standing stitch and work the dc3tog right away).
Here's how you do the dc3tog: yo, insert hook into ch2-space and pull up a loop, yo and pull through 2 loops (2 loops on hook), yo, insert hook into the same ch2-space and pull up a loop, yo and pull through 2 loops (3 loops on hook), yo, insert hook into the same ch2-space and pull up a loop, yo and pull through 2 loops (4 loops on hook), yo and pull through all 4 loops on hook. (Note: to start the round, either make ch3 and then a dc2tog, or start with a standing stitch and work the dc3tog right away).
4th Round (new color): work 4 dc in every ch3-space, fasten off (48 dc, no spaces!)
5th Round (new color): work surface stitches between the dc's of the previous round, finish off
For the surface stitches, hold the yarn at the back of your work, insert hook in between any two dc’s, yo, pull loop through the gap. Now you’ve got a loose loop on your hook (hold the end of your yarn tight for the first stitch!). *Insert hook in between the next two dc’s, yo, pull loop through the gap and through the loop on your hook*. It’s like working slip stitches. Work this way around, then insert your hook in the first gap where you started, cut thread, yo, pull thread through the gap and through your loop and finish off. Use your hook or a needle to pull the loose end through to the back again, tie the two ends together and weave them in.
The 6th Round is a double round, worked into the dc’s of round 4:
6a (new color): work (1dc, ch2, skip one stitch) around, join with a slip stitch to first dc, finish off
6b (new color): Fold the stitches you’ve just made a little bit to the front and repeat round 6a, working into the stitches you’ve skipped before, finish off (2x 24 ch2-spaces)
7th Round (new color): work 3dc into the ch2-spaces of the previous round, finish off. Make sure you insert your hook into both spaces of round 6a and b! (72dc, no spaces!)
8th Round (new color): work (1sc, ch4) between every 3dc-group.
9th Round (same color): work (1hdc, 3dc, 1hdc) in every ch4-space. Finish off, and weave in all the loose ends.
I hope you enjoy making this Spring Mandala!
If you've got any questions, or find errors in this pattern, please let me know!
I'd also like to see your finished Mandalas, so feel free to leave a comment with a link to your blog or flickr picture :)
Want to see more Little Spring Mandalas? Check out the Project Gallery on Ravelry!