MANDALA THROW

This showstopper of a project by Hannah Cross will bring a striking array of colours into your living room or bedroom.

■ Scheepjes Cahlista (100% cotton, 50g/85m), 4 balls of Yellow Gold (208), 3 balls of each: Royal Orange (189), Hot Red (115), Shocking Pink (114), Vivid Blue (146), Electric Blue (201), Emerald (515) ■ A 5.5mm (US I/9) hook

TENSION

The first three rounds of the pattern will measure 10cm (4in) in diameter

MEASUREMENTS

Approximately 135cm (53in) in diameter

ABBREVIATIONS

Picot Ch the specified number of sts, ss to first chain

6-ttr cluster *Yrh 3 times, insert into st, yrh and pull through loop, (yrh and draw through 2 loops) three times; repeat from * into the same st 5 more times

Qtr Yrh four times, insert hook in st, yrh and pull up loop, (yrh and draw through 2 loops) 5 times

Dtr5(8)tog *Yrh twice, insert hook in next st, yrh and pull up loop, (yrh and draw through 2 loops) twice; repeat from * 4(7) times more, yrh and draw through all loops on hook

FPdtr Yrh twice, insert hook around the post of the specified st from front, to back,

to front, yrh and pull up the loop, (yrh and draw through two loops) twice

FPttr Yrh 3 times, insert hook around post of the specified st from the front, to back, to front, yrh and pull up the loop, (yrh and draw through two loops) three times

For a full list, see page 92

NOTES

The ch1 at the beginning of a round/row does not count as a st; the ch3 at the beginning of a round/row does count as a st. The Mandala has a Centre piece worked in the round. 12 segments are each worked separately in rows around the Centre circle then an edging in Yellow Gold is worked in the round, around the last row sts of each of the segments, to join them into a circle. This process is repeated, so that the next round of segments are worked in rows, into the edging stitches of the previous round, followed by an edging round. The colour order of each round is: Royal Orange, Hot Red, Shocking Pink, Vivid Blue, Electric Blue, and Emerald. Refer to the image (p17) for colour changes. Pay attention to the RS and WS rows stated as these do not always follow in logical order.

CENTRE

Using Yellow Gold, ch2.

Round 1 (RS) 12tr in the second ch from hook, ss to top of first tr to join. [12 sts]

Round 2 Ch3, FPtr in same st as ch3, (tr, FPtr) in each rem st around, ss to top of beg ch-3. [24 sts]

Round 3 Ch3, FPtr in same st as ch3, *(tr, FPtr) in next tr, tr in next FPtr; repeat from * around, ss to top of beg ch-3. [36 sts]

FIRST SEGMENT

Work in rows.

Change to Royal Orange.

Row 1 Ch3, FPtr in st at base of ch, FPtr in next st, FPdtr in next st two rounds below, turn. [4 sts]

Row 2 Ch1, ss in fl of each st, turn. [4 sts]

Row 3 Ch3, tr in bl of same st as ch-3, tr in bl of next 2 sts, 2tr in bl of last st, turn. [6 sts]

Row 4 Repeat Row 2.

Row 5 Working in bl only: ch1, dc in first st, htr in next st, tr in next st, ch-3 picot, tr in next st, htr in next st, dc in last st.

Fasten off.

REMAINING FIRST SEGMENTS

Join next colour to the next unworked st of Centre Round 3 and repeat Rows 1-5 of First Segment. Repeat around the Centre following the colour order. [12 segments]

EDGING

With WS facing, join Yellow Gold to the first st of any Segment.

Round 1 (WS) Ss in fl of each st around, inc each ch of picot, ss in first st to join, fasten off. [9 sts per segment, 108 sts in total]

SECOND SEGMENT

With WS facing, join Royal Orange to the stitch left of centre above the Hot Red Segment.

Row 1 (WS) Ch1, dc in fl of next 8 sts, turn. [8 sts]

Row 2 (RS) Ch4, dtr8tog, ch1 to close.

Fasten off.

Repeat Second Segment around in colour sequence leaving ss between Segments unworked. As you are working the first row of each segment from the WS, the next segment to be worked will be in Emerald and the colour order of this segment round will be reversed.

EDGING

Round 1 With WS facing, join Yellow Gold to unworked ss between Segments, ch1, htr in fl, *5ss evenly along Segment side, ch4, 5ss evenly along opposite edge of same Segment, htr in fl of next st; repeat from * around, ss to first ss, fasten off. [120 ss, 12 ch-4 sps, 12 htr]

THIRD SEGMENT

With RS facing join yarn to first ss after ch-4 sp from Second Segment edging. Row 1 (RS) Working in bl only: ch1, htr in same st, tr in next st, dtr in next 2 sts, ttr3tog, dtr in next 2 sts, tr in next st, htr in next st, turn. [9 sts] Row 2 Ch1, htr in fl across, turn.

Row 3 Ch1, dc in first st, htr in next st, ch1, skip next st, 2tr in next st, dtr in next st, FPttr in ttr3tog of Row 1, dtr in same st as last dtr, 2tr in next st, ch1, skip next st, htr in next st, dc in last st, turn. [13 sts inc ch] Row 4 Working in fl only: ch1, dc in each st and ch-sp across, turn, fasten off. [13 sts] Repeat Third Segment around following the colour sequence.

EDGING

With RS facing, join Yellow Gold to the first st of any Segment. The following ss are worked as surface crochet sts around the posts of the last row, leaving the top of each Row 4 st unworked.

Round 1 (RS) *Ss in next 5 sts, FPttr around first post of ttr3tog of Row 1, FPtr around FPttr of Row 3, FPttr around third post of same Row 1 ttr3tog, ss in next 5 sts, 6-ttr cluster in ch-4 sp of Second Segment Edging; repeat from * around, ss to first ss, fasten off. [13 sts per segment, 12 clusters]

FOURTH SEGMENT

This segment is worked into the five sts on each side of the 6-ttr cluster from the previous round. With RS facing, join yarn into the bl of the first of these sts.

Row 1 (RS) Ch1, htr in bl of next 5 sts, skip 6ttr-cluster from edging, htr in bl of next 5 sts, turn. [10 sts]

Row 2 Ch1, htr in each st across, turn. [10 sts]

Row 3 Ch1, htr in first st, tr in next 2 sts, dtr in next st, ttr in next 2 sts, dtr in next st, tr in next 2 sts, htr in last st, turn.

Row 4 Ch1, 2htr in first st, htr in next 8 sts, 2htr in last st, turn. [12 sts]

Row 5 Ch1, dc in first st, htr in next st, tr in next 2 sts, skip next st, 3dtr in next st, ch-4

picot, 3dtr in next st, skip next st, tr in next 2 sts, htr in next st, dc in last st, fasten off. [15 sts and ch-4 picot]

Repeat Fourth Segment around following the colour sequence.

EDGING

With WS facing join Yellow Gold to the first st of Row 5 of any Fourth Segment. Round 1 *Ss in fl of first 7 sts, 5htr into the ch-4 picot, ss in fl of next 7 sts, ch1; repeat from * around, ss to first st, fasten off.

FIFTH SEGMENT

With RS facing, join yarn to the bl of the fourth htr of the edging.

Row 1 Ch1, dc in bl of next 5 sts, skip 4 sts, 9dtr in ch-1 sp, skip 4, dc in bl of next 5 sts, turn. [19 sts]

Row 2 Ch1, skip first 5 sts, (dtr, ch1) in next 4 sts, (dtr, ch1) twice in next st, (dtr, ch1) in next 4 sts, skip 4 sts, ss in last st, turn. [10 sts, 11 ch-1 sps]

Row 3 Ch1, (htr in ch-1 sp, htr in next st) 5 times, (tr, ch1, tr) in next ch-1 sp, (htr in next st, htr in ch-1 sp) five times, turn. [22 sts and a ch-1 sp]

Row 4 Ch1, dc in first 2 sts, htr in next 2 sts, tr in next 7 sts, (tr, ch2, tr) in ch-1 sp, tr in next 7 sts, htr in next 2 sts, dc in last 2 sts, turn. [24 sts and ch-2 sp]

Row 5 Ch1, dc in first 12 sts, 3dc in ch-2 sp, dc in last 12 sts, fasten off. [27 sts]

EDGING

With RS facing join Yellow Gold to the first st of Row 5 of any Segment.

Round 1 *Ss in fl of first 13 sts, (ch1, tr, ch2, tr, ch1) in next st, ss in fl of next 13 sts; repeat from * around, join with a ss to first ss, fasten off.

SIXTH SEGMENT

With RS facing, join correct colour to the ch-1 sp on the left of the centre tr.

Row 1 (RS) Ch1, htr in bl of next 13 sts, skip 2 sts, htr in bl of next 13 sts, turn. [26 sts]

Row 2 Ch1, dc in next 3 sts, htr in next 2 sts, tr next 2 sts, dtr next 2 sts, ttr next 2 sts, qtr next 4 sts, ttr next 2 sts, dtr next 2 sts, tr next 2 sts, htr next 2 sts, dc in last 3 sts, turn.

Row 3 Ch1, ss bl of next 6 sts, dc in bl next 6 sts, FPtr next 2 sts, dc in bl next 6 sts, ss in bl of last 6 sts, turn.

Row 4 Working in fl only; ch1, ss in next 6 sts, htr in next 14 sts, ss in last 6 sts, turn. Row 5 Ch1, dc in bl across, fasten off. Repeat Sixth Segment around following the colour sequence.

EDGING

With RS facing, join Yellow Gold to the first st of Row 5 of any Sixth Segment.

Round 1 (RS) *Ss in bl of 12 sts, FPdtr in FPtr of Row 3 of Sixth Segment, ch2, FPdtr in next FPtr of Row 3, ss in bl of next 12 sts, 5dtr in ch-2 sp from Fifth Segment Edging; repeat from * around, join with a ss to the first st, fasten off.

SEVENTH SEGMENT

With RS facing, join correct colour to bl of second FPdtr of Sixth Segment Edging.

Row 1 Ch1, dc in bl of 31 sts, turn. [31 sts]

Row 2 Ch1, ss in fl of each st across.

Row 3 Ch5 (counts as dtr and ch1), skip next st, *dtr in bl of next st, ch1, skip next st; repeat 13 times more, dtr in bl of last st, turn. [16 sts and 15 ch-1 sps]

Row 4 Ch3, tr in same st, *skip next st, 2tr in next st; repeat from * across. [32 sts]

Row 5 Ch1, htr in next 4 sts, tr in next 4 sts, dtr in next 4 sts, ttr in next 3 sts, qtr in next st, ch-5 picot, qtr, ttr in next 3 sts, dtr in next 4 sts, tr next 4 sts, htr in last 4 sts, turn. [32 sts]

Row 6 Ch1, htr in next 8 sts, dc in next 8 sts, 7tr in ch-5 picot, dc in next 8 sts, htr in last 8 sts, turn. [39 sts]

Row 7 Ch1, dc2tog, dc in next 14 sts, ss in next 7 sts, dc in next 14 sts, dc2tog, turn. [37 sts]

Row 8 Ch1, dc2tog, tr in next 8 sts, htr in next 5 sts, dc in fl of next 3 sts, 3tr in fl of next st, dc in fl of next 3 sts, htr in next 5 sts, tr in next 8 sts, dc2tog, fasten off.

[37 sts]

Repeat Sixth Segment around, following the colour sequence.

EDGING

With WS facing, join Yellow Gold to fl of any st of Seventh Segment.

Round 1 (WS) Ss in fl of each st round, join with ss, fasten off.

EIGHTH SEGMENT

With RS facing, join correct colour to the st in the edging which is above the tr left of the centre of the Seventh Segment.

Row 1 (RS) Ch1, htr in bl of 17 sts, skip 2 sts, htr in bl of next 17 sts, turn. [34 sts]

Row 2 Working in fl only; ch1, htr2tog, htr in next 30 sts, htr2tog, turn. [32 sts]

Row 3 Working in bl only; ch1, htr in next 6 sts, (ch1, skip next st, tr in next st) 4 times, ch1, skip 1, dtr in next 2 sts, (ch1, skip next st, tr in next st) 4 times, ch1, skip next st, htr in next 6 sts, turn. [22 sts]

Row 4 Working in fl only); ch1, htr in each st across, turn.

Row 5 Working in bl only; ch1, htr in each st across, turn.

Row 6 Working in fl only; ch1, ss in each st across, turn.

Row 7 Working in bl only; ch1, htr2tog, htr in next 5 sts, tr in next 5 sts, dtr in next 8 sts, tr in next 5 sts, htr in next 5 sts, htr2tog, fasten off. [30 sts]

Repeat Eighth Segment around, following the colour sequence.

EDGING

With WS facing, join Yellow Gold to the fl of the last st worked of any Eighth Segment.

Round 1 (WS) *Ss in fl of 30 sts, 7ss evenly along the side of Segment, dc in fl of unworked st from Seventh Segment Edging, 7ss evenly along next side of Segment; repeat from * around, ss to first st to join, turn so RS is facing. [540 sts]

Round 2 Working in bl only; ch1, dc in next st, htr in next st, tr in next st, dtr in next 2 sts, dtr5tog, dtr in next 2 sts, tr in next st, htr in next st, dc in next st, htr in next 30 sts; repeat from * 11 times more, ss to first st to join. [492 sts]

Round 3 Ch1, dc in next 2 sts, htr in next 2 sts, tr in next st, (3dtr, ch-5 picot, 2dtr) in next st, tr in next st, htr in next 2 sts, dc in next 2 sts, the next 30 sts worked in fl only; dc in next 5 sts, htr in next 5 sts, tr in next 4 sts, dtr in next st, ch-4 picot, dtr in next st, tr in next 4 sts, htr in next 5 sts, dc in next 5 sts; repeat from * around, ss to first st to join, fasten off.

TO FINISH

Make two tassels in each colour, except Yellow Gold, and attach to the ch-5 picots of the last round to complete. To make a tassel, take approx 40 strands measuring 30cm. Fold in half and bind with yarn about 4cm from the top of the tassel. Weave in all ends.