Thursday 13 November 2014

Crochet revisited

It's many years since I last crocheted, but last week I dug out my crochet hooks and set about making some mandalas to support a very good cause. I didn't really know about mandalas until a few weeks ago, but now I'm seeing them everywhere in Instagram. Who knew there were so many crochet addicts out there!

my first purple mandala - just 18cm diameter

Jane (also known as @queen_babs on Instagram and https://www.facebook.com/queenbabscards) put out a public appeal for crocheted purple mandalas. She's going to join them together and use them to raise awareness of Fibromyalgia Syndrome at a yarn bombing event in Sydney, Australia.

I started with a pattern but then went free style to make it bigger -  40cm diameter

I thought that was a very good cause, so I set about making some for her. I really haven't crocheted for many years, so I had to remember how the stitches went. It's so confusing now - of course UK and US mean different things by the same words. A double crochet in one country is a treble crochet in the other. You have to check which country the pattern is from and adapt to their codes, or your mandala gets overly full and won't sit flat.

the Carnivale Cushion pattern from mypoppet.com.au - 28cm diameter

My mandalas were all made from free patterns available on the internet.

You can see all the purple mandalas on Instagram #FMShopemandala

all three together

If you'd like to join in, your mandala needs to be made from cotton or acrylic yarn, mainly purple (with possible white or black), and between 14cm and 50cm diameter.  Jane needs them all in Sydney by 2 April 2015. You can contact her through Instagram or facebook.

Next time I'll show you some of my earlier crochet efforts - here's a sneak peek.

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Yes, I made that crochet mat while I was still in my teens!

8 comments:

Oops-Lah said...

Your mandalas a gorgeous and a perfect way to start crocheting again. And I always like the idea of a community project to benefit a good cause.

margaret said...

such even tension, and a worthwhile cause too. I struggle to understand instructions with crochet, get it out and have a go but it ends being put away with very little achieved.As for the way they tell you to start with a sliding ring that I have yet to master

Melody said...

Wow yours are wonderful

Ruth said...

Look so vibrant - lovely makes!

Granny Maud's Girl said...

I am distracted by how your crochet hooks match. Mine are a mismatched odd assortment!
Great work for a good cause.

Daryl @ Patchouli Moon Studio said...

Your purple mandalas are beautiful! I made one using 5 colors. I'm more of a knitter and wanted to try crocheting a Mandala. I love mandalas. I have seen them in quilts and ZenTangles too.

Wendy said...

I'm not surprised that crochet is another string to your bow! The mandalas are lovely, that's a great shade of purple

Val's Quilting Studio said...

Beautiful work...so fun to revisit something we've set aside for while. Love the purples.