Springtime Magic Mandala

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For the first time ever I've designed a crochet mandala, and I want to share the pattern with you. I've decided to post the pattern in four parts, the first one today, one tomorrow, one on Saturday and the last on Sunday. A more detailed pattern with more pictures and explanations will be available as a Ravelry download at my Ravelry store, later on. EDIT: The file is now available on Ravelry.

I hope you will enjoy this pattern.

Springtime Magic Mandala

Yarn: Natura Just Cotton, from DMC, in four different colors
Hook: 3mm
Crochet terms: US
Finished measurement: 33 cm in diameter

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
st = stitch
ss = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
hdc = half double crochet
dc = double crochet
rnd = round
ch-sp = chain space

The colors I've used are:
1: N32, Rose Soraya
2: N31 Malva
3: N12 Light Green
4: N49 Turquoise

EDIT: The pattern is now also available as a PDF-download in my Ravelry store. The file costs a dollar and it has has pictures after each round, and and some ekstra pictures to explain the most difficult parts of the pattern.  (You can download the file for free until midnight April 17th, CET. Click HERE for more information)

Part 1.

Work a magic circle

1. Color 1.  Around the circle: Ch2, 1 dc, *ch1, dc 2 together*, repeat from*-* 4 more times, finish with ch1, 1 ss in 1st dc. Cut yarn, weave in ends

2. Color 2. Attach yarn in any ch1-sp, on rnd 1.
Ch3 = 1 dc, 1 dc around the same ch1-sp as the ch3, *[2 dc, ch1, 2 dc] in next ch1-sp*, repeat from *-* 4 more times, finish with 2 dc around the 1st ch1-sp, 1 sc in 3rd ch.

3. Ch3 = 1 dc, 3 dc around the last sc on rnd 2, [7 dc around next ch-sp]x5, 3 dc around the last sc on rnd 2, finish with a ss in 3rd ch = 6 petals. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

4. Color 3. Attach yarn with a sc in any 4th dc in a petal, on rnd 3.
Ch3, 1 dc in between the last dc in a ch-sp and the first dc in the next ch-sp on rnd 2, ch3, *1 sc i the 4th dc in next petal, ch3, 1 dc in between the last dc in a ch-sp and the first dc in the next ch-sp on rnd 2 (not rnd 3), ch3* repeat from *-* 4 more times, finish with 1 ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

5. Color 4. Attach yarn in any sc, on rnd 4.
Ch3 = 1 dc, 3 dc around next ch-sp, 2 dc in next dc, 3 dc around next ch-sp, *1 dc in next sc, 3 dc around next ch-sp, 2 dc in next dc, 3 dc around next ch-sp*, repeat from *-* 4 more times, finish with 1 ss in 3rd ch. Cut yarn, weave in ends. = 54 dc

6. Color 1. Attach yarn in any dc, on rnd 5.
Ch3 = 1 dc, ch2, skip 1 dc, *1 dc in next dc, ch2, skip 1 dc*, Repeat from *-* around, finish with a ss in 3rd ch. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

7. Color 2. Attach yarn with a sc in any dc, on rnd 6.
2 sc around next ch-sp, *1 sc in next dc, 2 sc around next ch-sp*, repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

8. Colour 4. Attach yarn with a sc in any sc, on rnd 7.
1 sc in each sc around, finish with 1 ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn, weave in ends. = 81 sc

Part 2

9. Color 3. Attach yarn in any sc on rnd 8.
Ch3 = 1 dc, ch1, skip 2 sc, *[1dc, ch1, 1 dc] in next sc, ch 1, skip 2 sc*, repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 dc in the same sc you attached yarn, ch1, 1 ss in 3rd ch. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

10. Color 1. Attach yarn in any ch1-sp in the middle of the 2 dc in the same sc on rnd 9.
If you crochet your chains tight, like me, you might chain 4 instead of 3, between the clusters
Ch2, dc 2 together around the same ch-sp = 1 cluster, ch3, skip 1 ch1-sp, *dc 3 together around next ch1-sp (= 1 cluster), ch3, skip 1 ch1-sp*, repeat from *-* around, finish with a ss in top of 1st cluster. Cut yarn, weave in ends. = 27 clusters

11. Color 4. Attach yarn in any ch3-sp on rnd 10.
Ch 2 = 1 hdc, 3 hdc around same ch3-sp, skip 1 cluster, *4 hdc around next ch3-sp, skip 1 cluster* repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 2nd ch. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

12. Color 3. Attach yarn with a sc in any hdc on rnd 11.
Ch2, skip 1 hsc, *1 sc in next hdc, ch2, skip 1 hdc*, repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

13. Color 2. Attach yarn in any ch2-sp.
Ch3 = 1 dc, 2 dc around same ch-sp, skip 1 sc, *3 dc around next ch2-sp, skip 1 sc*, repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 3rd ch. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

14. Color 1. Attach yarn with 1 sc in any dc on rnd 13.
1 sc in each dc around, finish with 1 ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

15. Color 4. Attach yarn with 1 sc in any sc on rnd 14.
1 sc in each sc around, finish with 1 ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn, weave in ends. = 162 sc

The mandala might seem a bit bulky at this point, but it will straighten out, later on.

Part 3.

NOTE: I've changed this part a little bit, as I found it to straighten out better this way. If you still want to crochet it as it was, the originally rounds is written in brackets below the new ones.

16. Color 2. Attach yarn in any sc on rnd 15.
Ch3 = 1 dc, [1 dc ch1, 2 dc] in the same sc as the ch3, ch1, skip 5 sc, *[2 dc, ch1, 2 dc] in next sc, ch1, skip 5 sc*, repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 3rd ch. Cut yarn weave in ends.

17. Color 3. Attach yarn with a sc around any ch1-sp between the 2 dc in the same sc
Ch2, dc 3 together over the ch1-sp and in the 3rd of the 5 sc you skipped on rnd 16, ch3, *1 sc in next ch1-sp, Ch3, dc 3 together over next ch1-sp and in the 3rd of the 5 sc you skipped on rnd 16, ch3* repeat from *-* around, finish with a ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn weave in ends.

(17. Color 3. Attach yarn with a sc around any ch1-sp between the 2 dc in the same sc
Ch2, dc 3 together over the ch1-sp and in the 3rd of the 5 sc you skipped on rnd 16, ch2, *1 sc in next ch1-sp, Ch2, dc 3 together over next ch1-sp and in the 3rd of the 5 sc you skipped on rnd 16, ch2* repeat from *-* around, finish with a ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn weave in ends.)

18. Color 4. Attach yarn in any ch2-sp
Ch2 = 1 hdc, 3 hdc around the same ch2-sp as the ch2, skip next st, *4 hdc around next ch2-sp, skip next st*, repeat from *-* around, finish with a ss in 2nd ch. Cut yarn weave in ends

(18. Color 4. Attach yarn in any ch2-sp
Ch2 = 1 hdc, 2 hdc around the same ch2-sp as the ch2, skip next st, *3 hdc around next ch2-sp, skip next st*, repeat from *-* around, finish with a ss in 2nd ch. Cut yarn weave in ends.)

19. Color 1. Attach yarn in any hdc on rnd 18.
Ch3 = 1 dc, ch1, skip 1 hdc, *1 dc in next hdc, ch1, skip 1 hdc* repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 3rd ch. Cut yarn weave in ends.

(19. Color 1. Attach yarn in any hdc on rnd 18.
Ch3 = 1 dc, ch3, skip 2 hdc, *1 dc in next hdc, ch3, skip 2 hdc* repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 3rd ch. Cut yarn weave in ends.)

20. Color 2. Attach yarn with a sc in any dc on rnd 19.
1 sc around next ch1-sp, *1 sc in next dc, 1 sc around next ch1-sp*, repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn weave in ends.

(20. Color 2. Attach yarn with a sc in any dc on rnd 19.
3 sc around next ch3-sp, *1 sc in next dc, 3 sc around next ch3-sp*, repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn weave in ends.)

21. Color 4. Attach yarn with a sc in any sc on rnd 20.
1 sc in each sc around, finish with 1 ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn weave in ends. = 216 sc

Part 4.

Now it's time to make some butterflies.

22. Color 1. Attach yarn with a sc in any sc on rnd 21.
Ch2, dc 2 together in same st as the sc, ch2, skip 5 sc, [dc 2 together, ch2, 1 sc] in next sc, ch1, skip 1 sc, *[1 sc, ch2, dc 2 together] in next sc, ch2, skip 5 sc, [dc 2 together, ch2, 1 sc] in next sc, ch1, skip 1 sc*, repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

23. Color 3. Attach yarn with a standing dc, or 1 sc+ch2, over any ch1-sp and in the 1 sc you skipped on rnd 22.
Ch8, *1 dc over next ch1-sp and in the 1 sc you skipped on rnd 22, ch8*, repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 1st dc. Cut yarn, weave in ends = 27 butterflies

24. Color 4. Attach yarn in any dc on rnd 23.
Ch2 = 1 hdc, 3 hdc around next ch8-sp, 3hdc over the same ch8-sp and around the ch2-sp on rnd 22, 3 hdc around the same ch8-sp, *1 hdc in next dc, 3 hdc around next ch8-sp, 3hdc over the same ch8-sp and around the ch2-sp on rnd 22, 3 hdc around the same ch8-sp*, repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 2nd ch. Cut yarn, weave in ends. = 270 hdc

25. Color 2. Attach yarn with 1 sc in any hdc on rnd 24.
1 sc in each hdc around, finish with 1 ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

26. Color 3. Attach yarn with 1 sc in any sc on rnd 25.
Ch2, skip 2 sc, *1 sc in next sc, ch2, skip 2 sc*, repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

27. Color 1. Attach yarn in any ch2-sp on rnd 26.
Ch3 = 1 dc, 2 dc around the same ch2-sp as the ch3, skip 1 sc, *3 dc around next ch2-sp, skip 1 sc*, repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 3rd ch. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

28.Color 4. Attach yarn with 1 sc in any dc on rnd 27.
1 sc in each dc around, finish with 1 ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

29. Color 2. Attach yarn with 1 sc in any sc on rnd 28.
Ch2, 1 ss in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in the same st as the 1st sc, skip 2 sc, 5 dc in next sc, skip 2 sc,
*[1 sc, ch2, 1 ss in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc] in next sc, skip 2 sc, 5 dc in next sc, skip 2 sc*, repeat from *-* around, finish with 1 ss in 1st sc. Cut yarn, weave in ends.

Block the mandala and enjoy ♥ ♥ ♥

I just steam blocked my mandala gently with an iron.

Crochet Mandala