Mandala Monday

"Sometimes He Lets It Rain" by Katherine Nelson
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Kathryn at Crochet Concupiscence has extended the deadline for #MandalasForMarinke! The new deadline is October 15, 2015, and more exciting news is available here!

I've been asked to share/write the pattern for the rainbow mandala I featured on a recent Snowflake Monday.

I've been drawn to mandalas since I was a child. Some of my snowflakes could be classified as mandalas. (Think A Snowflake for Shonna, Amethyst Snowflake, Candy Corn Snowflake, my ever-popular Lollipop Snowflake, Many Thunders Snowflake or Motif, Rain Dance I or Rain Dance II, one of my top ten favorites - Valentine Wave II, Veteran's Day Starflake, the 3D Wiggle Snowflake, any of my fruity flakes, any of my firework snowflakes or any of my recent flower flakes.

A couple of my bloggy friends, Stratoz and Nutmeg, are fans of mandalas, too.

I missed out on the Yarndale mandala project last year, but I heard about this year's Yarndale flower project in time to get one of this year's flower flakes off Across the Pond for the worthy cause of raising awareness of and money for Alzheimer's. (See more wonderful photos from the Yarndale call for Mandalas at Attic24 here.)

I've sent one mandala so far to Kathryn at Crochet Concupiscence for the #MandalasForMarinke project and one to a loved one who is going through a sad time right now. I may be able to get one more done in memory of Wink and two of my own loved ones. Three weeks remain for crocheters (and I would suppose knitters, too) to be included in the #MandalasForMarinke project to help raise awareness of depression.


Mandalas traditionally are spiritual symbols of Hinduism and Buddism and in their most basic form are comprised of a T-divided circle within a square. Originally they symbolized focus, spiritual guidance or the establishment of a sacred space.

In Tibet, the mandala is believed to purify and heal.

Some Christian symbols, such as the Crown of Thorns, the celtic cross and the halo, could be classified as mandalas as well.

Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung recognized the urge to make mandalas emerges during moments of intense personal growth. He believed mandalas help stabilize and organize the chaos of life. I wonder if that's one of the reasons I've always been fond of snowflakes - the process of creating six identical spokes. Perhaps crocheting and later designing snowflakes was how I internally and obliviously compartmentalized stress, challenges and sadness in order to find some kind of resolution or maze exit...

Think about it. Our vision of a mandala today is a circle. A hug is a circle. A hug can heal, shelter, communicate and soothe. A ring, such as a class ring or a wedding ring, is a circle. A ring is a symbol of commitment, accomplishment, love, patience, promise. The sun is a circle. The sun brings life and light. Half a full rainbow is a half circle or a smile when turned upside down; two rainbow smiles connected are a full circle hug!


My first mandala gift was a kitchen floor mat my aunt crocheted for me from 1-inch fabric scraps for my first kitchen in my first place on my own. My aunt may not have known I considered it a mandala; I'd taken many art classes and viewed many circular objects as mandalas. My little scrap floor mat protected my bare feet on chilly nights and soothed my heels while cooking after a long day of work.

Today's mandala pattern could be made with cotton yarn to be used as a pot holder, dish cloth or wash cloth. It could be fashioned from 1-inch fabric scraps with a large crochet hook for another kitchen floor mat. Hmmm! Ideas are circling! Or as just a beautiful centerpiece to decorate any bare space.




It's going to take a lot of sewing to garner enough selvedges to make this as big as I'd like it for our kitchen floor!


I love how the fabric printer's registration dots show through!
Last Saturday was Happiness Happens Day, and the whole month of August is Happiness Happens Month. I’m taking a stand to fight depression in every way I can, and perhaps taking this 31-day challenge further into the winter months can help me eliminate the dreariness and darkness that sometimes take hold of my soul.

You may do whatever you'd like with mandalas you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!


Finished Size: 6.5 inches across
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread in six colors, size 7 crochet hook; optional stiffened crochet snowflake smaller in circumference than mandala for applique; for optional stiffening, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, optional glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, rust-proof stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Here are the rainbow colors I used:

Color A: pink
Color B: peach
Color C: yellow
Color D: mint
Color E: sky blue
Color F: lavender


Rainbow Hug Mandala Instructions

With color A, make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc in ring; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same ch as sl st, 2 dc in each dc around for a total of 24 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off.

Round 3: With color B, 1 dc in any dc, 1 dc in next dc, 1 dc in Round 1 dc directly below (drop stitch should be pointing straight toward center), * without skipping a dc, 1 dc in each of next 2 dc, 1 dc in Round 1 dc directly below (should be in Round 1 dc next to last drop st and pointing straight toward center); repeat from * around 10 times for a total of 36 dc; sl st in starting dc.

Round 4: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next drop st, * 1 dc in each of next 2 dc, 2 dc in next drop st; repeat from * around 10 times for a total of 48 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off.

Round 5: With color C, 1 dc in each dc around, increasing 1 drop st dc into Round 3 directly below between Round 3 drop st spikes for a total of 60 dc (each drop st on this and each following uneven numbered round should be pointing toward center of mandala); sl st in starting dc.

Round 6: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each dc around, inc 12 times evenly spaced for a total of 72 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 7: With color D, 1 dc in each dc around, increasing 1 drop st dc into Round 5 directly below between Round 5 drop st spikes for a total of 84 dc; sl st in starting dc.

Round 8: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each dc around, inc 12 times evenly spaced for a total of 96 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off.

Round 9: With color E, 1 dc in each dc around, increasing 1 drop st dc into Round 7 directly below between Round 7 drop st spikes for a total of 108 dc; sl st in starting dc.

Round 10: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each dc around, inc 12 times evenly spaced for a total of 120 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off.

Round 11: With color F, 1 dc in dc directly above any Round 9 drop st and in each dc around, increasing 1 drop st dc into Round 9 directly below between Round 9 drop st spikes for a total of 132 dc; sl st in starting dc.

Round 12: 1 sc in same dc as sl st, * ch 5, sl st in 4th ch from hook and in next ch (long picot made), 1 sc in next dc, sk next dc, 5 dc in next dc, sk next dc, 1 sc in next dc, 1 sc just left of Round 10 drop st directly below (the 2 connected drop stitches should look like one very long drop st), 1 sc in next dc, sk next dc, 5 dc in next dc, sk next dc, 1 sc in next dc, 1 sc in next dc, sk next dc, 5 dc in next dc, sk next dc, 1 sc in next dc, 1 sc just left of Round 10 drop st directly below (the 2 connected drop stitches should look like one very long drop st), 1 sc in next dc, sk next dc, 5 dc in next dc, sk next dc, 1 sc in next dc; repeat from * around 5 times for a total of 6 spokes and 12 drop st, omitting last sc of final repeat; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in all ends.

Finish: To stiffen or shape mandala without stiffening, tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin mandala to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

To shape mandala without stiffening, spray lightly with water and allow to dry thoroughly.

To stiffen mandala, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint mandala with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter if desired. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow mandala to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel mandala from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread loop to one spoke, weaving in ends. Use loop to hang, and watch mandala twirl freely whenever you walk by if hung where it can twirl! Optional snowflake also may be glued or embroidered to mandala.










Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Crazy Mom Quilts.

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Snowflake Monday

I've wanted to make a mandala snowflake for several years now, and last week I finally had a slap upside the head to get it done.

I've used the basic 12-round mandala pattern located here . If you haven't heard Wink's story, you may read about her here.


After making the mandala, I worked up today's snowflake and appliqued it to the mandala. I tried to make this snowflake lacey and subdued to allow the mandala to show through.


I'll be submitting my Wink and a Prayer Snowflake Mandala to #MandalasForMarinke in support of raising awareness of depression and suicide. It's a cause to which I have always been deeply committed.

UPDATE: Kathryn wrote a wonderful post about my submission.

I've had Seth Adam Smith's blog post on suicide linked in my sidebar to the right since the day he published it. In this post, he writes, "Depression thrives in secrecy but shrinks in empathy."


I'd like to invite you to participate in #MandalasForMarinke, too, if you feel so motivated. You don't have to use the same mandala pattern I did, and you don't have to use this or any snowflake. Use your imagination, and put a lot love and hugs into it. Make your mandalas cheerful and joyous. Chances are, donated mandalas may end up going to people who have battled or who are battling depression.

"If you know someone who is struggling with depression, the best advice I can give you is to love them and empathize with their pain. The empathy, coupled with your encouragement, will open the door to other solutions." - Seth Adam Smith

"I say we keep our antennas up, we watch out for one another, we love one another..." - Elder M. Russell Ballard

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!


Finished Size: 4 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line
NOTE: I did not glitter this snowflake.

Wink and a Prayer Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 4 (counts as 1 tr), 1 tr in ring, ch 2, * 2 tr in ring, ch 2; repeat from * around 4 times; sl st in 4th ch of starting ch 4. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 2: 1 sc in gap between tr and ch 4 directly below, * 1 sc in next ch 2 sp, ch 10, 1 sc in same sp, 1 sc in gap between next 2 tr, ch 5, 1 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 4 times; 1 sc in next ch 2 sp, ch 10, 1 sc in same sp, 1 sc in starting gap, ch 2, 1 dc in starting sc for form 6th ch 5 sp of Round.

Round 3: 1 sc over post of dc directly below, * ch 4, 1 sc in next ch 10 sp, ch 10, 1 sc in same sp, ch 4, 1 sc in next ch 5 sp, ch 5, 1 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last ch 5 and last sc of final repeat; ch 2, 1 dc in starting sc to form 6th ch 5 sp of Round.

Round 4: 1 sc over post of dc directly below, * ch 7, 1 sc in next ch 10 sp, ch 10, 1 sc in same sp, ch 7, 1 sc in next ch 5 sp; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last sc of final repeat; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.


Finish: To finish the snowflake for mandala (or other) applique, follow stiffening instructions below, using water instead of stiffener. Then glue or stitch the snowflake onto mandala (or desired surface). Mandala does not require stiffening, but it does lay flat better when stiffened.

To finish the snowflake for hanging, tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch the snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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