Thursday 3 April 2014

Mand-a-long update!


Hello to you all and a very happy welcome to my newest followers. Before I dive into mand-a-long madness, let me say a big “thank you!” to all of you who commented on my blogiversary post and my April Fool’s post. Bunny was extremely surprised by her crocheted lunch, the teaching staff had a good giggle, and apparently I’m an “EPIC” mother!!! Her friends thought it was a very cool prank and she was chuffed to bits! (I’m enjoying this while I can, I know in a few years’ time I will be decidedly un-cool and definitely un-epic...)

Now on to the topic of the moment: mandalas! How is your little pretty project coming along?


I just finished one in soft, chalky pastels, which I find rather pleasing on the eye at the moment. I will want to do a darker version, and a brighter mandala; I even want to make a rainbow one for Little Flower, but for now, quiet colours suit me.


What yarn are you using? So many cotton yarns to choose from, which is your favourite?

The centre blues, the white and the peachy pink shades in my mandala are Rico Baby Cotton DK, which I bought on sale at a local yarn shop. It is lovely and soft and doesn’t split at all. The soft taupe colour is King Cole Bamboo Cotton DK, and I must say it is the dreamiest cotton yarn I’ve worked with – it glides so smoothly on the hook, it is soft, and it comes in dozens of shades. I want more more more!

The grey is Drops Paris, cheap n’ cheerful, but it is very splitty. I’m not sure I will buy more of this once my stash of colours has run out, but it serves its purpose and comes in a good range of shades.


A great friend and member of my craft group made the mandala pictured above, the same pattern I used in this post. She had no intention of starting one, but at our crafty get-together last week, she was looking at the pattern, then she started checking out my yarn colours, so being the gracious hostess I am, I offered her a hook. Less than an hour later she was halfway through the mandala and left with yarn in her bag! She took this photo to share, and I see more mandalas in her future. I warned her that they are addictive!

But my friend nearly didn’t begin the mandala because the pattern started with a magic ring, which can be intimidating/infuriating/impossible for many people to crochet. So I simply suggested she doesn’t do one, but crochet the standard 4ch, ss ring. It worked perfectly!


I made two rings here, one is a magic ring, one is a 4ch ring. Not much of a difference when you crochet more than a dozen stitches into the ring. I’m not even going to tell you which is which, because it doesn’t matter. What I will tell you is that you can alter a pattern to suit your needs. If you don’t like magic rings, don’t bother! You aren’t making a toy that needs to have sealed ends to hold in stuffing. Adapt a pattern to what makes you happy, whether it be colours, patterns or techniques.

One final note, I’ve created a Facebook page for Chrissie Crafts, please check out the sidebar and give it a click!

Please link up your mandalas below and share your tips and favourites!
Chrissie x


30 comments:

  1. Pretty cool being called an epic mother! Your mandalas are lovely your colour choices are always inspiring x

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  2. Thanks so much for the tip about the magic ring - as a novice crocheter I've been a bit daunted by its use in the mandala pattern but now I'll have a go using the 4 chain and slip stitch method which I'm relatively comfortable with :) I really enjoy reading your blog, and hope to do a mandala at some point!!

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  3. It is amazing how one pattern of Mandela can look so very different depending on your color choice. Yours turned out absolutely lovely. Personally I am currently into the bright colors to cheer up my house. Thanks also for the link-up.
    Wishing you a lovely day!

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  4. Oh, such pretty colours! I must find time to make my own :)

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  5. Lovely informative post Chrissie, definitely getting nearer to starting a Mandela !
    Glad to see your Facebook link all up and running,
    Kate x

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  6. Very pretty mandala Chrissie, and I'm really looking forward to seeing them all displayed here. So far they all so different. I'll be linking another one later on this evening. X

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  7. I love the colours in your mandala Chrissie!
    I'm off to check out your FB page.
    V x

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  8. pretty colours, would make a nice shawl!! Heather x

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    1. Funny you should say that, Heather, I have a dozen rows of a shawl made up using many of these shades! I'll share in a future post...Cx

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  9. Wonderful colours and the pattern is beautiful. Great tip about the magic ring.

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  10. I've got as far as getting out my stash of yarn but and still umming and ahhing over colour choices - hopefully i'll have something to show soon. Glad you like the Bamboo Cotton - I have that shade too. x

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  11. We already knew you were an epic mother. :) The mandalas are beautiful!

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  12. I'm joining the mandala party again! :-) X

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  13. We already knew you were epic, loving the sedate colour of your mandala's I'm itching to get started but waiting for some yarn to arrive.
    Clare xx

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  14. Your mandala is beautiful Chrissie, I love the muted colours, I was going to order some of that yarn, but I'm not good with splitty stuff, so I might try something else instead. Hope that you have lots of fun mandalaing!! xx

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  15. I REALLY like those colours, they're absolutely beautiful. And congratulations on being an eipc mum!

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  16. Your mandala is beautiful, just found your blog it's lovely. :)

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  17. Beautiful mandala ....the colours are very you. I agree with you about the Drops Paris, so splitty it drove me crazy when I was working with it. Disappointing as the colours are great. Stylecraft Classique Cotton is lovely to work with I find.
    Marianne x

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  18. I'm tempted to join in the mandala fun - you are right that those colourful balls of yarn in my last post would make a pretty mandala!!! Maybe I won't be able to resist...! A few of those balls are King Cole Bamboo Cotton actually - I love that yarn. I made a gorgeous (if I do say so myself!) african flower cushion out of that yarn, love it! http://dinkidots.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/finally-at-long-last-what-took-you-so.html
    Now let me think what I could do with a pretty mandala.....! Maria x

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  19. Love your Mandala! Congrats on being an 'epic Mum' here is NZ it you'd be called a 'choice Mum' Thanks for the link up.

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  20. That is beautiful, I love the dreamy faded pastel shades

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  21. Really pretty colour selection. And thanks for showing the magic circles, it makes me feel better knowing there really isn't any difference.

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  22. Anonymous2:13 pm BST

    You are inspiring me! I love mandalas. I love the one we created while visiting with the Dalai Lama two springs ago, and I used drawn mandalas in my classroom, but now I NEED to do this! ~Kelly

    unDeniably Domestic

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  23. Thanks for your lovely post Chrissie. I've added my link and 'liked' your fb page... I've been wondering if I should create a page too... it might take me several months like it did in starting a blog!
    Tracey xx

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  24. Beautiful, mine hasn't started yet, sorry! I might start it this weekend but then we are off to London, will post my progress :) x

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  25. Love your colours and thank you for the magic ring tip! Facebook page all liked!! S xo

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  26. Congrats on setting up a Facebook page, but please don't neglect your blog, I do enjoy reading it.
    S xx

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  27. lovely to see so many mandalas - I find them addictive

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  28. Visiting from Helena's. The mandalas are so beautiful!

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  29. Lovely Chrissie, you epic Mum you! - I'm running way behind but will catch up, and in the meantime thanks so much for the opportunity to add my mandala to your link-up! Also many thanks for yet another great and informative post! Love, Joy xoxo

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