Monday, September 17, 2012

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.
 
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~
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Happy International Crochet Day!

I've been a bit AWOL around the blogosphere lately. I don't have a good excuse. Just laziness, I guess.

Anyway, I found out that today is International Crochet Day!

(Looks like someone is celebrating a bit too hard, huh?)
 
 
Well, I thought I'd join in on the celebration of the craft that consumes my life. I'm not admitting to any sort of addiction or anything, but I am a bit obsessed I must say (as I glance over at the pile of unfinished projects).
 
So, as a way to join in on the fun, I thought I'd be ever so gracious and offer one of my original patterns for FREE! (and cue the applause)
 
Since I've decided to spread the love, I am offering my Perry Panda pattern for free for the next 24 hours. I'm on west coast time, so this offer will expire around 11:00am, Thursday, September 13, Pacific Standard Time.
 
 
I hope you all enjoy making a Perry Panda for yourself or someone you love!
Have a great day!
~Lori~