A Mindful Mandala CAL

Welcome to a mindful mandala CAL! This crochet along is meant to help you find a mindful, hopefully peaceful, moment of crochet time each month. Plus, we’ll create something beautiful along the way!

A Little Background

I started writing these patterns way back in 2022 for my Mini Maker Club. Each month, everyone got a mini skein of hand dyed yarn and I thought a pattern would be useful. Life was being life and I only published 3 for the subscribers to the club. I decided to turn this into a CAL for anyone that wants to participate and finally finish the rest of the patterns!

Although the original pattern was written for sock weight mini skeins, I wanted to show what it will look like with different weights of yarn. I’m using Lion Brand Jeans yarn for the larger mandalas. This is a #4/worsted weight yarn and I have two of every color.

The pattern will show the hook size for sock weight yarn. If you use a different size yarn, just check the label for the hook size needed. I used a 5.5mm/I-9 hook for the worsted weight mandala. You can see it is much larger than the sock weight mandala even though I used the exact same pattern.

You can really see the difference in size with the mandalas stacked together. I think these mandalas would be pretty using different colored yarns or a color changing yarn. It’s a great CAL to use up random single skeins and scraps.

What are we doing with these mandalas when they are all done? I originally thought we would join them together to make a scarf. This does make sense for the sock weight mandalas, but I think the bigger yarn calls for a throw. After we’ve completed our mindful mandala journey, I will show how to join these together as a scarf or a throw. You can choose what you would like to make with your mandalas!

January’s Mindful Mandala Pattern

Here are all the details about sharing and the printable pattern:

• The printable PDF can be found right here. The printable PDF will be free until the end of the month each month, then it will move to Etsy for a small fee. The pattern will always be on the blog for everyone to use.
• You can share your finished mandalas in the Teadoddles Makers Facebook group. Any CAL, QAL, or other make you do can be shared there. I pick someone each month to receive a $25 Amazon gift card. All you have to do is share your makes!
• You can also tag me on Instagram with #teadoddles or share a picture in my community area on YouTube.

Supplies:

• Yarn – Sock #1, 20g / 88yds {approximately}, 75% SW Merino, 25% Nylon
• Hook – 4.25 mm – G/6
• Note – Any size yarn can be used to make this pattern. The mandala will be larger or smaller depending on yarn weight. Just use the recommended hook size for the yarn you’re using.

Abbreviations:

• sl st – slip stitch
• st – stitch
• beg – beginning
• ch – chain
• sc – single crochet
• hdc – half double crochet
• dc – double crochet
• dctog – double crochet together
• trc – treble crochet

Instructions:

• R1 – Make a magic circle, ch 3, 11 dc into circle {12 dc}
• R2 – ch1, 2 sc in each st, sl st to beg st {24 sc}
• R3 – ch 1, {2 sc in same st, ch 1, skip next sc} repeat { to } to end, sl st to beg st {24 sc, 12 ch}

Note: R1 thru R3 will be the same for all mandalas for the scarf

• R4 – ch 2 (counts as dc), dc in next sc, 2 trc in skipped sc below ch 1, {dc in next 2 sc, 2 trc in skipped sc below ch 1} repeat { to } to end, sl st to beg st [24 dc, 24 trc]
• R5 – ch 3 sl st in next dc, sc in 2 trc, {sl st in dc, ch 3, sl st dc, sc in 2 trc} repeat { to } to end, sl st to beg st [24 sc, 24sl st, 12 ch 3]
• R6 – sl st into ch 3, ch 3, 4 trc into ch 3, {5 trc in ch 3 space} repeat { to } to end, sl st to beg st [60 trc]
• R7 – ch 1, sc in same st & in next trc, (hdc, ch 1, hdc) in center trc, sc next 2 trc, {sc next 2 trc, (hdc, ch 1, hdc) in center trc, sc next 2 trc} repeat { to } to end, sl st to beg st [48 sc, 24 hdc, 12 ch 1]
• R8 – ch 1, sc in same st, ch 3, skip sc & hdc, sc in ch 1, ch 3, skip hdc & sc, sc in next sc, {sc next sc, ch 3, skip sc & hdc, sc in ch 1, ch 3, skip hdc & sc, sc in next sc} repeat { to } to end, sl st to beg st [36 sc, 12 ch 3 spaces]
• R9 – ch 2 (counts as hdc), {dc in skipped sc & trc in skipped hdc behind ch 3, 3 dc in sc, trc in skipped hdc & dc in skipped sc behind ch 3, hdc in next 2 sc} repeat { to } 10 more times; dc in skipped sc & trc in skipped hdc behind ch 3, 3 dc in sc, trc in skipped hdc & dc in skipped sc behind ch 3, hdc in next sc, sl st to beg st [60 dc, 24 trc, 24 hdc]
• R10 – ch 3 (counts as trc), trc in same st, {dc in dc & trc, (hdc, sc, hdc) in 3 dc, dc in trc & dc, 2 trc in next two hdc} repeat { to } 10 more times; dc in dc & trc, (hdc, sc, hdc) in 3 dc, dc in trc & dc, 2 trc in next hdc, sl st to beg st [96 trc, 48 dc, 48 hdc, 12 sc]
• R11 – ch 1 sc in same st & trc, {skip dc, dc in next dc, ch 1, dc in skipped dc going behind previous dc, ch 3, skip hdc, trc in sc, ch 3, skip hdc & dc, dc in next dc, ch 1, dc in skipped dc going behind previous dc, sc in 4 trc} repeat { to } 10 more times; skip dc, dc in next dc, ch 1, dc in skipped dc going behind previous dc, ch 3, skip hdc, trc in sc, ch 3, skip hdc & dc, dc in next dc, ch 1, dc in skipped dc going behind previous dc, sc in next two trc, sl st to beg st [48 sc, 48 dc, 12 trc, 24 ch 3 sp]
• R12 – ch 1, sc in beg st, hdc next sc {dc in dc, skip ch 1, dc in dc, 2 hdc in ch 3, sc in trc, 2 hdc in ch 3, dc in dc, skip ch 1, dc in dc, hdc, sc, sc, hdc} repeat { to } 10 more times; dc in dc, skip ch 1, dc in dc, 2 hdc in ch 3, sc in trc, 2 hdc in ch 3, dc in dc, skip ch 1, dc in dc, hdc, sc, sl st in beg st [36 sc, 48 dc, 72 hdc]
• R13 – ch 3, dc same st, (ch 5, sc in sc over trc, ch 5, dctog next sc, ch 1, dctog next sc) repeat { to } 10 more times; ch 5, sc in sc over trc, ch 5, dctog next sc, ch 1, sl st to beg st [12 sc, 24 dctog, 24 ch 5 sp]
• R14 – ch 1, sc in same st and every stitch around [204 sc]

Fasten off and weave in ends

Happy making y’all!