EMBELLISH A BAG

Yarn bomb a plain tote bag with a stunning mandala centrepiece and plenty of pompoms. By Sharna Moore.

YOU WILL NEED

■ Lily Sugar ’n Cream (100% cotton, 71g/109m) 1 ball of each:

Hot Green (1712)

Hot Purple (1317)

Ecru (0004)

Rose Pink (0046) Blueberry (1725)

Dazzle Blue (1131)

■ A 4.5mm (US 7) hook

■ A plain tote bag 40x38cm (15 x15in) (available at Hobbycraft, www.hobbycraft.co.uk)

For yarn stockists contact Readicut 01162 713 759 www.readicut.co.uk

TENSION

The first 3 rounds of the Mandala measure 7.5cm (3in) in diameter

MEASUREMENTS

Mandala measures 26cm (10 in) in diameter

ABBREVIATIONS

Spiked dc Insert hook into st specified, yrh and pull up a loop to the height of the current round, yrh, pull through the two loops on the hook

For a full list, see page 92 We love a good upcycling project and your plain canvas totes will be utterly unrecognisable after this transformation. Simply add two of our favourite things – mandalas and pompoms!

MANDALA APPLIQUÉ

Using Hot Purple, ch4, ss to make a loop.

Round 1 Ch3 (counts as tr throughout), tr, ch2, (2tr, ch2) 5 times. Fasten off.

[12 tr and 6 ch-2 sps]

Round 2 Join Ecru in any ch-2 sp, ch3, (tr, ch1, 2tr) in same ch-sp, *ch1, (2tr, ch1, 2tr) into ch-2 sps; repeat from * 4 more times, ch1, ss to beg ch3 to join. Fasten off.

[24 tr, 12 ch-1 sps]

Round 3 Join Hot Green into beg ch3 from previous round, ch1, dc in base of ch1, dc in next st, dc in next ch-1 sp, dc in next 2 sts, *skip next ch-1 sp, dc in next 2 sts, dc in ch-1 sp, dc in next 2 sts; repeat from * 4 more times, ss to beg ch-1 to join. [30 dc]

Fasten off.

Round 4 Join Rose Pink into any ch-1 sp from Round 2, ch3, 2tr into same ch-1 sp, *ch1, 3tr in next ch-1 sp; repeat from * 10 more times, ch1, ss to beg ch3 to join. [36 tr, 12 ch-1 sps]

Fasten off.

Round 5 Join Dazzle Blue in any ch-1 sp, ch5 (counts as tr, ch2), tr into same sp, ch1, *(tr, ch2, tr) in next ch-1 sp, ch1; repeat from * 10 more times, ss to third ch of beg ch5 to join. [24 tr, 12 ch-2 sps, 12 ch-1 sps]

Fasten off.

Round 6 Join Blueberry into any ch-2 sp, ch3, (tr, ch1, 2tr) into same sp, dc in next ch-1 sp, *(2tr, ch1, 2tr) into next ch-2 sp, dc into next ch-1 sp; repeat from * 10 times more, ss to beg ch3 to join. Fasten off.

[48 tr, 12 dc, 12 ch-1 sp]

Round 7 Join Hot Purple into any dc, ch3 (tr, ch1, 2tr) in same st as ch3, dc in next ch-1 sp, *(2tr, ch1, 2tr) in next dc, dc into next ch-1 sp; repeat from * 10 more times, ss to beg ch3 to join. Fasten off.

[48 tr, 12 dc, 12 ch-1 sps]

Round 8 Join Ecru in any ch-1 sp, ch4 (counts as tr, ch1), tr in same sp, *(tr, ch1, tr) in next dc, (tr, ch1, tr) into next ch-1 sp; repeat from * 10 more times, (tr, ch1, tr) in last dc, ss to third ch of beg ch4 to join. [ 48 tr, 24 ch-1 sps]

Fasten off.

Round 9 Join Rose Pink in any ch-1 sp, ch8 (counts as tr, ch5), tr in same sp, *(tr, ch1, tr) in next ch-1 sp, (tr, ch5, tr) into next ch-1 space; repeat from * around, ss into third ch of beg ch8 to join. Give your pompoms a pro finish – submerge in cold water, then trim and comb once dry. Not just for glamming up a tote, hook up this simple mandala for table mats and tees. [48 tr, 12 ch-5 sps, 12 ch-1 sps]

Round 10 Ch3, 7tr in ch-5 sp, *3tr into next ch-1 sp, 8tr in next ch5 space; repeat from * around ending on 3tr in last ch-1 sp, ss to beg ch3 to join. Fasten off. [132 tr]

Round 11 Join Hot Green into any st, ch1, dc in bl of each st around. Fasten off. Round 12 Join Hot Purple between the fourth and fifth tr of any 8tr group from Round 10, bring the loop up to the height of current round, ch1, dc in next 11 sts, *spiked dc between the fourth and fifth sts of the next 8tr group from Round 10, dc into next 11 stitches; repeat from * around, ss to first st to join. Fasten off.

[132 dc, 12 spiked dc]

Round 13 Join Ecru into any stitch, ch1, dc in the bl of each stitch around. Fasten off. [144 sts]

POMPOMS

Make 4 Pompoms in each colour. To make your Pompoms nice and dense you can submerge them in cold water and leave to dry. Once dry, trim them to shape.

TO FINISH

Weave in all ends, then pin the Mandala onto the front of your tote bag. Once you’re happy with the position, sew it into place. Sew the Pompoms along the edge of the tote bag, using the image as a guide.