EMBELLISH: MANDALA VEST
Upgrade a summer vest with a mystical mandala design
The front is normally where all the focus is, but the back is where it’s at for this embellished vest. The lacy mandala will be the focus of attention as you stride past your neighbours (at a safe distance of course). Just be sure to wear sun protection underneath!
NOTES
Mandala is worked in rounds with RS facing throughout.
Where a stitch is worked at the end of a round to join to the first st, this counts as a ch-sp in the stitch count. For example, if working a ch2, tr into st at start of round; this would count as 1 ch-5 sp.
MANDALA
Make a magic loop.
Round 1 (RS) Ch1 (does not count as st), 12dc into loop, ss to first dc to join. [12 dc]
Round 2 (RS) Ch3 (counts as tr), tr in st at base of ch-3, ch1, (2tr in next dc, ch1) 11 times, ss to top of beg ch-3 to join. [24 tr, 12 ch-1 sps] Round 3 Ch3 (counts as first leg of dtr2tog), dtr in next tr, ch5, skip ch-1 sp, (dtr2tog, ch5, skip ch-1 sp) 10 times, dtr2tog, ch2, skip ch-1 sp, tr into top of first dtr to join (tr counts as ch-3 sp). [12 dtr2tog, 12 ch-5 sps]
Round 4 (Ch7, ss to third ch of next ch-5 sp) 11 times, ch3, dtr into top of joining tr at end of Round 3 (counts as ch-4 sp). [12 ch-5 sps, 12 ss] Round 5 Ch1, (tr, ch1) 3 times in st at base of final dtr of Round 4, ss to fourth ch of next ch-7 sp, *ch1, (tr, ch1) 3 times into next ss, ss to fourth ch of next ch-7 sp; rep from * 10 times more, working last ss into top of joining dtr at end of Round 4. [36 tr, 48 ch-1 sps, 12 ss]
Round 6 Ch4 (counts as tr, ch1), *(tr in next tr, ch1) 3 times, tr in next ss, ch1; repeat from * 11 times more omitting final (tr, ch1), ss to third ch of beg ch-4. [48 tr, 48 ch-1 sps]
Round 7 Ch4 (counts as tr, ch1), *(tr in next tr, ch1) 3 times, (tr, ch7, tr) in next tr, ch1; repeat from * 11 times more omitting final (tr, ch1), ss to third ch of beg ch-4 to join.
[60 tr, 36 ch-1 sps, 12 ch-7 sps]
Round 8 Beg tr5tog, ch5, ss to fourth ch of next ch-7 sp, (ch5, tr5tog over next 5 tr, skipping ch-1 sps, ch5, ss to fourth ch of next ch-7 sp)
11 times, ch2, tr into top of beg tr4tog to join (tr counts as ch3). [12 tr5tog, 24 ch-5 sps, 12 ss] Round 9 (Ch6, ss to 3rd ch of next ch-5 sp) 23 times, ch3, tr in top of last tr of Round 8 (counts as ch3). [24 ch- 6 sps, 24 ss]
Round 10 Ch8 (counts as tr, ch5), (tr in third ch of next ch- 6 sp, tr in next ch, ch5) 23 times, tr in third ch of last ch-3 sp, ss to 3rd ch of beg ch-8. [48 tr, 24 ch-5 sps]
Round 11 Ch3 (counts as tr), (fan in third ch of next ch-5 sp, tr in 2 tr) 24 times, omitting final tr, ss to top of beg ch-3 to join. [24 fans, 48 tr] Round 12 Ss into next tr, ch4 (counts as tr, ch1), (tr in next tr, ch1) 4 times, skip next 2 tr, *(tr in next tr, ch1) 5 times, skip next 2 tr; repeat from * 22 times more, ss to third ch of beg ch-4 to join. [120 tr, 120 ch-1 sps]
Round 13 Ch3 (counts as tr), (ch1, tr in next tr) 4 times, ch5, *(tr in next tr, ch1) 4 times, tr in next tr, ch5; rep from * 22 times more, ss to top of beg ch-3. [120 tr, 96 ch-1 sps, 24 ch-5 sps] Round 14 Beg tr5tog, ch5, ss to third ch of next ch-5 sp, (ch5, tr5tog over next 5 tr, skipping ch-1 sps, ch5, ss to third ch of next ch-5 sp) 23 times, ch2, tr in top of first tr4tog (tr counts as ch3). [24 tr5tog, 48 ch-5 sps]
Round 15 (Ch5, ss to third ch of next ch-5 sp) 23 times, ch5, ss to top of last tr of Round 14. Fasten off and weave in ends.
TO MAKE UP
Block Mandala to measurements stated.
Lay the Mandala on the back of the vest and pin in the desired place. Turn the vest inside out and mark a circle approx 0.5cm smaller than the size of the Mandala. Unpin the Mandala and neatly cut out the marked circle. Repin the Mandala to the right side and, using a needle and white thread, backstitch the Mandala neatly to the vest working through all the stitches of the final round.
Turn the vest inside out again and roll back the 0.5cm excess and backstitch around, tucking in the raw edge so that none is visible from the right side.