A Crochet Mandala to Hang Up

I love to craft.  I just love taking something generic like yarn, or paper, or fabric and manipulating it to create something lovely.  It just makes me feel so good to sit back and look at my creation and say, "I did that!"

So, I'm going to share a crochet project that is also a Christmas present, and the only reason I'm sharing is because she doesn't have internet. :)  So, for those who can guess the recipient, mum's the word!

One of my favorite blog websites is a creative being.  Why? Because her beautiful patterns instilled in me a love for mandalas.  

Well, one day I was puttering about her blog when I ran across a lovely mandala pattern she'd put on the tuts+ website.  More specifically, the mandala found here.  

When I saw the mandala, I saw "sunflower".  And, to make it all that much better, I had yarn in lovely greens, yellows, and a brown already in my possession!

Which is both good and bad, if you think about it.  It's good because I don't need to go shopping.  It's bad because I don't get to go shopping.  If you love yarn, you'll understand what I mean. :D

So, I decided on a pattern for the colors, and set out to make the mandala.  And here it is!

Sorry for the cattywampus picture!  I'm not a master of "pictures for a blog" yet.  That's one my reading to-do list, which is somewhat long.

Basically, I simply made the mandala from the tutorial.  It was very straightforward to follow, which made crocheting it a breeze.  I used the Caron One Pound yarn in a deep yellow (Sunflower), brown, and two versions of green.  I've mislaid the sleeves, so not sure of the two greens.  One was Soft Sage, but I couldn't tell you if that was the dark green or light.

If I remember right, I used the I hook (5.5mm), which was recommended for the yarn.

When I finished the mandala, I thought, "that would be really pretty inside an embroidery hoop."  Much to my delight, it fit exactly inside a 12 inch hoop.  Following the instructions at Sew Chatty, I crocheted around the outer part of the hoop, creating the lovely scallop pattern.  

I then wrapped the inner piece of the hoop with some yellow ribbon.  I tied the mandala in place using fishing line (60lb, I believe), hot glued the knots in place, then hot glued rick-rack on top of the knots.

This caused a small problem. :(  I couldn't get the inner hoop inside the outer one without removing the screw.  And the thought of tearing that all apart was too much for my poor, tired brain.  So, I left off the screw, tied it together with fishing line, then made a bow to disguise the goof.  

I think I like it anyway. :)  Though, I will do something different next time.  That is, if there is a next time!  Haha. Who am I kidding?  I've already made three other mandalas from a different pattern.  I'll try new things with those!  They are also made with these colors, but are much smaller.  I'll have to finish them up so I can post them as well.

Something about finished yarn projects just makes me want to run my hands over them again and again.  It's the yarn just beautiful?  I have more than I need, I'm sure.  But I can find uses for them!  In fact, the brown is currently being use to make a crochet "cat".  We'll see where that goes.  :)