The 9 Month Mandala

One of the very last posts I wrote before my impromptu blog break was this one which recorded the start of my Mandala Madness project.

The Mandala Madness CAL  run by Helen of Crystals and Crochet  was an 18 week CAL. It took me double that time. Goodness knows how others managed it, but they did.

Helen actually made 3 in different colourways and gauges throughout the CAL.

I watched Helen’s Mandalas grow. And soon mine began to grow too.

As the mandala got larger and larger I only managed one full round every evening I picked it up. 

It also became less portable!

My OH kept asking, ‘What is it supposed to be?’.

‘Just a thing’, I said. There was no point describing to him the symbolism behind a mandala. He would have thought me off my rocker.

In Helen’s words,

‘The easiest way to understand a Mandala is to think of it as a symbolic representation of the universe, often sacred, based on a circle.
The word “Mandala” is from the ancient Sanskrit language. Loosely translated to mean “circle,” a Mandala is far more than a simple shape. It represents wholeness, and appears in all aspects of life: the celestial circles we call earth, sun, and moon, as well as conceptual circles of friends, family, and community.

The design of the Mandala is supposed to be visually appealing so as to absorb the mind in such a way that irritating thoughts are unable to get through, like a form of meditation allowing the busy mind to take a break while the creative mind is allowed to run free.

And then, in mid January, it was done.

And I did so enjoy it; determined to complete the 18th week, using up a considerable amount of cotton stash. This slightly explains the slightly weird colour combination.

You might recognise the colours from these guys

I looked forward to the change in stitches and texture every few rounds.

It measures over 2m across and is a lovely weight.

And I know you won’t believe me when I tell you that my husband was caught with it wrapped around his legs on the sofa last week!

Love, Lucie xx