Mandalas!

A few months ago, I started seeing these beautiful crocheted circles around the internet. I learned that they are called "Mandalas", and I also learned that I wanted to make some!

After doing a quick Google search on Mandalas, I learned that "Mandala" is a Sanskrit word meaning "circle". Apparantly mandalas have spiritual and ritual significance in both Buddhism and Hinduism. Being that I am neither Buddhist nor Hindu, I was unaware of their origin.

That being said, I found the crocheted mandalas to be beautiful, and I wanted to try my hand at making some.

The first mandala I made was inspired by this one:

You can find a tutorial on how to make it here

 

And here is my version:

 

I kind of wish I would've used more colors, but I'm still happy with how it turned out. I think I'll make another one sometime and use more of a variety of colors.

 

Another mandala I made is actually a potholder pattern, but I'm putting it in the mandala category. I found the pattern on Ravelry. Here was the inspiration:

 

 

I love all the bright colors used in these!

 

And here is my version:

 

And from the rear...

 

 

The two sides are two seperate pieces, and then crocheted together. It is nice and thick and can be used as a potholder or a trivit. You can get the free pattern here.

 

The next mandala I made came from a pattern I found at DROPS Design. If you haven't discovered this site yet, go now! They have hundreds of free knitting and crocheting patterns, and they are spectacular! When I first saw this pattern, I thought it would look good in different colors. The example they have on their site is pretty basic:

 

 

I still have to crochet the two pieces together, but here's my version:

 

 

I may eventually turn this into a pillow. It's pretty big.

Here is a link to the free pattern...

 

My final mandala is the queen of all mandalas.

She is gorgeous.

She is breathtaking.

She is the supermodel of mandalas.

 

 

 

I first saw the pattern on Etsy. I was taken back immediately, but it looked so difficult, I didn't think I had the skills to make it. I put it into my favorites list, and there it sat until one day a couple months ago, I saw a call for a Crochet Along at A Creative Being. She was going to have a group work on it together, and help each other out. Yay! I decided to join in.

 

Ok, I have to admit, I almost gave up before I even got very far. I must have torn out as many rows as I put in. I have to say, it was hard! But since I had the support of a group of ladies who were going through the same struggles as I was, I decided to keep trying. Once I got going, things did get easier, and I'm proud to say that I finished it! And it's gorgeous!

 

So, here she is...

 

 

And here is her close up...

 

 

Pretty wowza, huh?

 

But I can't forget the back...

 

 

AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!

What happened?!

She looked so good from the front!

My eyes are burning and my head hurts...

 

I hate weaving in ends...

 

 

So, there you have it.  Mandalas. One of my newest obsessions. If you are a crocheter, I highly recommend giving these a try. Most of them are pretty quick and easy, and the color possibilities are endless!

 

~Lori~