Easy Shimmer Mandala

This is one of my favorite projects to crochet. I designed this decoration for CGOA’s (Crochet Guild of America) Chain Link Conference and Yarn Bomb in honor of their 25th Anniversary. See photos of the Yarn Bomb here.

If you’ve stopped by our blog before you might have noticed that I love to crochet and design mandalas. This mandala is very similar to the White Mountain Mandala Rock Cozy and works up almost as quickly!

It uses very basic stitches – chains, single crochets, double crochets and slip stitches – to create solid rows alternating with lacy rows. It is these lacy rows that allow you to see the iridescent surface of the CD’s inside.

Yes! This is also an upcycle project that looks great in the sunshine or next to indoor lamps and festive lights.

Do you need some help making this project? Not to worry – here is a video tutorial of all the steps so you can be successful.

**UPDATE: Now there are 2 Christmas versions of this project!

Click on the image above or here for details of how to create these – they’re fun and look great around the house during Christmastime!

Supplies

Cotton Crochet Thread – Size 3 in 2 contrasting or complimentary colors

(More about the yarn I used in the video above)

F/3.75mm or G/4mm hook – (You may need to do a test mandala with one hook – if your mandala is turns out bigger than the CD, go down a size; your mandala should turn out slightly smaller than the CD’s diameter)

2 CD’s or DVD’s

2” eye pins (3)

Various beads (see photo)

• 3 seed beads
• 3 round beads

1 large crystal

Special Stitches

This stitch is used in the last round of the mandala to make the rounded petal-like edging:

3 double crochet Cluster (3-dc cluster): (YO, insert hook into next st, YO, draw up a lp, YO, pull through 2 loops on hook) 3 times; YO, pull through all 4 loops on hook

Instructions

Ch 10 – sl st in 1^st ch to form a ring

Round 1:  Ch 3, 30 dc in ring; join with sl st to 1^st dc pushing starting ch-3 to back.

Round 2:  Ch 1, sc in same st; (Ch 5, sk 2 dc, sc in next st) around ending with ch 2, dc in 1^st sc. (10 ch-5 sps)

Round 3:  Ch 1, sc in same ch-5 sp; (ch 4, sc in next ch-5 sp) around; join with sl st to 1^st sc.

Round 4:  Ch 3, 5 dc in each ch-4 sp and in each sc around; join with sl st to top of beg. ch-3.

Round 5: Repeat Round 2

Round 6:  Ch 1, sc in same sp; (ch 3, sc in next ch-5 sp) around ending with sl st in 1^st sc. Fasten off.

Repeat Rounds 1 to 6 with contrasting color but do not fasten off.

Round 7:  With Wrong Sides of both mandalas facing each other, sc both pieces together by working 3 scs in each ch-3 sp and a sc in each sc – make sure to work around both last rounds and through both sc stitches; end with sl st to 1^st sc

**Also note when halfway around this Round, insert CD’s in between – Insert CD’s with shiny side facing out**

Round 8:  (Ch 3, 3-dc CL, ch 3, sl st in next st) around ending with sl st in base of starting ch-3. Fasten off.

Finishing:

Make bead elements using photo as a guide

Outer Bead elements: Thread seed bead and then larger bead onto eye pin; Close eye pin with loop and cut off excess – Attach to project

Center Bead element:  Create large loop on one end of eye pin and thread on large crystal to this loop- close loop to secure; Cut off loop on other end of eye pin; Thread on seed bead and large bead and create a new loop at end of beads (cut off excess); Attach to center bottom petal of project

Tie on loop for hanging from center top petal and hang in the sunshine – your Easy Shimmer Mandala is complete and beautiful!

I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did. Since Christmas is coming up, I think these would look great on a Christmas tree or amidst your Christmas decor done in white, red, green, gold or silver – so many possibilities!

Happy Crocheting!

Here’s an image for your Pinterest board so you don’t forget about this beginner project!