So approximately 8 billion years ago, my very first post here on Morale Fiber Blog was the free pattern for the Lotus Mandala Throw Blanket. It’s a doily-esque scrappy project that I originally designed in 2014, published for the first time in 2015, and is the predecessor to my now-popular Lotus Vest and Lotus Duster wearable designs.
I did want to bring this throw blanket back and clean it up a little, since the design and the written instructions for this mandala motif have evolved a lot since I first published them, and yet I’ve never revisited the original blanket pattern!
While updating the instructions of course I felt that I should offer a PDF copy for those who want the portable, printable, ad-free instructions – that’s available in my pattern stores now on Ravelry or Etsy 🙂 HOWEVER – You can get this PDF for a special lower price of $5 USD for a limited time only in my new Ko-Fi Shop! Ko-Fi doesn’t take a percentage fee from my sales, allowing me to offer better prices; I’ve begun offering special deals to encourage people to explore that new shop front – more to come in the future! The special Ko-Fi shop sale will last through to the end of March 🙂
Lotus Mandala Throw Blanket
Materials:
5.5 mm hook
Worsted weight yarns of various colors – approximately 900-1000 yards
Gauge – 3.5” in diameter after Rnd 3
Finished Measurements (approximate): 54” diameter
Special Stitches:
Dc with last loop on the hook: YO once, insert hk into next st/sp, draw up a loop. YO and pull through 2 lps on the hook. 2 lps remain on the hook (1 original and 1 left unworked from the dc stitch).
4-DC Cluster – Work 4 dc stitches, keeping the last loop on the hook for each. YO and draw through all 5 loops on the hook.
Shell – 2 hdc, 1 dc, 1 tr, 1 dc, 2 hdc worked into the same space
Treble 3 Together (tr3tog) – (YO twice and insert hook into indicated stitch, draw up a loop, YO and draw through 2 loops twice). This leaves 1 remaining loop on the hook from the treble just worked and 1 remaining loop from the previous stitch. Repeat within parentheses 2 more times – 3 trebles with 3 extra loops on the hook made. YO and draw through all loops on the hook – tr3tog made.
Scallop – 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 tr, 1 dc, 1 hdc worked into the same stitch
Notes:
Video Tutorial Resources: The first 16 rounds of this design are the same as the other two projects featuring the Lotus Mandala – therefore you can use the first 16 rounds of the video tutorial for the Lotus Duster, found here, to guide you through the same stitches on this project.
Color changes: This pattern is not written for specific color changes. To change colors, simply cut the yarn and tie off in the final stitch of the round you wish to change on. Rejoin the new color in the same stitch and carry on with the instructions.
Chain and Stitch Joins: Certain areas of this pattern use a Chain and Stitch Join to close the round, which consists of a number of chain stitches combined with a regular crochet stitch to form the final chain space in an openwork design. This is done to place the hook properly to begin the next round in the middle of the final chain space. For a more detailed tutorial on this type of join, see my free resource here: Chain and Stitch Join Tutorial
Related projects: This project is based on the Lotus Mandala motif, which also occurs in several other garment patterns of mine which are available for free or as a portable, printable, ad-free PDF! You can find more on those designs here:
Lotus Mandala Duster
Lotus Mandala Vest
Filigree Lace Cap
Instructions
Make ‘Magic Ring’ – you can find a tutorial for this technique on my blog here!
Rnd 1: 8 sc into the ring, tighten. Join with a slip stitch in first sc of the round. – 8 sc
Rnd 2: Ch 4 – counts as first dc + ch 1. (Dc in the next sc, ch 1) 7 times. Join with a sl st in the 3rdch of beg ch-4. – 8 dc + 8 spaces
Rnd 3: Sc into the next ch-1 space, ch 1 – counts as first dc with last loop on the hook. Dc into the same space 3 more times, keeping last loops on the hook. YO, draw through all four loops on the hook. Ch 3. (Work 1 4-dc cluster in the next ch-1 sp, ch 3) 6 times. Work 1 4-dc cluster in the next ch-1 sp, ch 1. Hdc in the top of the first cluster to join. This positions your hook in the middle of a ch-3 sized space to begin your next round (See Notes – Chain and Stitch Joins) – 8 clusters + 8 spaces
Rnd 4: Ch 2 – counts as first dc with last lp on hk, dc into the same space 3 more times, keeping last loops on the hook. YO, draw through all four loops on the hook – first 4-dc cluster made. Ch 2. (Work 1 4-dc cluster in the next ch-3 sp, ch 2, 4-dc cluster in the same sp, ch 2) 7 times. Ch 2, work 1 4-dc cluster in next ch-3 space, work 1 hdc in the top of the first cluster to join. 16 clusters + 16 spaces
Rnd 5: Ch 2 – counts as first dc with last lp on the hk. Dc into the same space 3 more times keeping last lps on hk. YO, draw through all four lps. Ch 3. (Work 1 4-dc cluster into the next ch-2 space, ch 3) 14 times. Work 1 4-dc cluster in the next ch-2 sp, dc in the top of the first cluster to join. – 16 clusters + 16 spaces
Rnd 6: Ch 3 – counts as first dc, 2 more dc in same space, Ch 3. (3 dc in the next ch-3 sp, ch 3) 15 times. Join with a sl st in the 3rdch of beg ch-3. – 16 sets of 3 dc + 16 spaces
Rnd 7: Sl st in the top of the next dc. (Sk next dc. In the next ch-3 space work 2 hdc, 1 dc, 1 tr, 1 dc, 2 hdc – shell made. Sk next dc, sl st in the next dc) 16 times. Join with a sl st in first sl st. – 16 shells
Rnd 8: Ch 6 – counts as first dc + ch 3, sc in the top of next tr stitch in the middle of the shell, ch 3. (Dc in the next sl st between shells, ch 3, sc in next treble, ch 3) 15 times. Join with a sl st in the 3rdch of beg ch-3. – 32 spaces
Rnd 9: Ch 3. Yarn over twice, insert hook into next sc and draw up a lp, (YO and draw through 2 lps on the hk) twice – one treble stitch leaving last lp on the hk made. Treble in next dc, leaving last lp on the hk – 3 lps remain on the hk. YO, draw through all 3 lps, ch 7. (In same dc in which you worked the previous treble, work 1 treble crochet leaving last lp on hk. Work 1 treble in next sc leaving last lp on hk. Work 1 treble in next dc leaving last lp on hk – 4 lps on the hk. YO, draw through all four lps on hk – tr3tog made, ch 7. ) 15 times. Join with a sl st in top of first tr3tog. – 16 tr3tog + 16 spaces
Round 9 notes: Round 9 is tricky, and if you are having difficulty please see the video tutorial referenced in the Notes of this pattern. When chaining 7, be sure to keep your tension very relaxed so that this round doesn’t become too tight. In the photo below you can see that I’ve begun chaining too tightly and it “squishes” the tr3tog inward. After I relax my tension, it’s better 😊
Rnd 10: Ch 4 – counts as first dc + ch 1. (Work 1 4-dc cluster in the next ch 7 space, ch 2, 4-dc cluster in the same space, ch 2. 4 dc cluster in the same sp, ch 1. Work 1dc in the top of the next tr3tog st, ch 1) 15 times. Work 1 4-dc cluster in the next ch 7 space, ch 2, 4-dc cluster in the same space, ch 2. 4 dc cluster in the same sp, ch 1. Sl st into 3rdch of beg ch-4. – 48 clusters + 16 dc
Rnd 11: (Ch 3. Sk next space and next cluster, work 1 4-dc cluster in next ch-2 space, ch 2. Skip next cluster, work 1 4-dc cluster in the next ch-2 space, ch 3. Sk next cluster and space, sl st in next dc. ) 15 times. Ch 3. Sk next space and next cluster, work 1 4-dc cluster in next ch-2 space, ch 2. Sk next cluster, work 1 4-dc cluster in the next ch-2 space. Sk next cluster and space, dc in same st as the sl st join of the previous round. – 32 clusters
Rnd 12: Ch 3 – counts as first tr with last loop on the hk. Work 1 tr with the last lp on the hk in the next cluster. YO and draw through both lps on the hook – first tr2tog made. Ch 4, work 1 4-dc cluster in next ch-2 space, ch 4. (Work 1 tr with the last lp on the hk in the top of the next cluster. Sk next 2 chain-3 spaces, work 1 tr with the last lp on the hk in the next cluster. YO and pull through all 3 lps. Ch 4, work 1 4-dc cluster in next ch-2 space, ch 4) 15 times. Join with a sl st in the first tr2tog. – 16 clusters + 16 tr2tog + 32 chain spaces
Rnd 13: Sl st in the next ch-4 space, ch 3 – counts as first dc. Work 4 dc in the same space. (1 dc in top of the next cluster, 5 dc in next ch-4 space, 1 dc in top of the next tr2tog, 5 dc in next ch-4 space) 15 times. Work 1 dc in top of next cluster, 5 dc in next ch-5 space, 1 dc in top of tr2tog. Join with a slip stitch to the 3rd ch of beg ch-3. – 192 dc sts
Rnd 14: Ch 4 (counts as first dc + ch-1) Sk next dc. (Dc in next dc, ch 1, sk next dc) 95 times. Join with a sl stitch to the 3rdch of beg ch-4. – 96 dc + 96 ch-1 spaces
22” in diameter after Round 14
Rnd 15: (Sk next ch-1 space. Work 1 hdc in the next dc. In the same st work 1 dc, 1 tr, 1 dc, 1 hdc – scallop made. Skip next ch-1 space, sl stitch in next dc) 48 times. Join with a sl st in the same st as join from the previous rnd. – 48 scallops
Rnd 16: Ch 3 (counts as first dc). Sk next st, 1 hdc in next dc, 1 sc in next tr. (1 hdc in the next dc, sk next st, 1 dc in the next sl st between scallops, sk next st, 1 hdc in the next dc, 1 sc in the next tr) 47 times. Hdc in next stitch, sk next st, join with a sl st to the 3rdch of beg ch-3. – 192 sts
Rnd 17: Ch 2 (does not count as first dc), dc in same stitch, ch 2. (Sk next st, dc in next stitch, ch 2) rpt around. Join with a hdc stitch to first dc in the round – 146 ch-2 spaces
Rnd 18: Sc into the same space, ch 3. (Sc in next ch space, ch 3) rpt around. Join with a sl st in first sc of the round – 146 ch-3 spaces
Rnd 19: Rpt rnd 18.
Rnd 20: Rpt rnd 18.
Rnd 21: Sl st into the next ch st. Ch 4 (counts as first dc + ch-1 in V-stitch pattern), 1 dc in the same space. *(1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc) in the next chain space. Rpt from * until last ch space is worked. Join with a sl st in the 3rd ch of beginning ch-4.
Rnd 22: Sl st into the next ch st. Ch 5 (counts as first dc + ch-2 in V-stitch pattern), 1 dc in the same space. *(1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc) in the next chain space. Rpt from * until last ch space is worked. Join with a sl st in the 3rd ch of beginning ch-4.
33” after Rnd 22
Rnd 23: Sc in first space. Ch 5, (sc in next ch-1 space, Ch 5) rpt around until last ch-1 space. Ch 2, dc into the first sc of round.
Rnds 24-30. rpt rnd 23.
Rnd 31: Sc in first ch-5 sp, 5 dc in next sc (sc in next ch-5 sp, 5 dc in next sc) around, join with a sl st in first sc.
Rnd 32: Ch 5 (counts as first dc + ch 2), sc in 3rd dc of next fan, ch 2 (dc in next sc, ch 2, sc in 3rd dc of next fan, ch 2) around. Join with a sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-5.
Rnd 33: Sl st into the next ch-2 space. Ch 5 (counts as first dc + ch 2). (1 dc in the next ch-2 sp, ch 2) rpt around. Join with a sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-5.
Rnd 34: Sl st into the next ch sp, ch 2 (counts as first dc in cluster), work 2 more dc in same space, leaving last lps on the hk. YO, pull through all lps on hk – 3 dc cluster made, ch 3. (3 dc cluster, ch 3 in next ch-1 sp) around. Join with a sl st in first dc of the round.
Rnd 35: Sl st into the next chain space, ch 3. *(Sc in next ch-1 space, ch 4) rpt around from *. Join with a sl stitch in first sc of rnd.
Rnd 36: Sl st into the next 2 chain sts, sc in same chain space, ch 5. (Sc in next ch-3 space, ch 5) repeat around. Join with a sl st into the first sc of round.
Rnd 37: Ch 2. Work 3 dc in the same chain space, ch 2. Sl st in the next sc. *(Chain 2, 3 dc into the next chain space, ch 2, sl st in next sc) repeat from * around. Cut yarn and tie off.
Weave in all ends.
I hope you enjoyed this project – the Lotus Mandala is a special design for me, because it represents a lot of the “breakthroughs” I’ve had while running Morale Fiber and putting my art out into the world. A lot of the frustrations, too! One never appears without the other, amirite? 😉
When I first picked up the hook for this design, I had a vague idea to try to freehand some of the more complex openwork I’d been tackling in other people’s crochet patterns. I had a long car ride ahead of me and a lot of scrap acrylic, very little design knowledge, but a willingness to fail. And I did fail, but what came off my hook surprised me completely, because it DID turn out to be a functional, complex, and pretty openwork mandala design (after a few tweaks).
And here I am, hundreds of “tweaks” later, still crocheting the Lotus. But the memory of that car ride, and what came off my hook during and after, remains a wonderment to me because I didn’t make this thing, I received it, and it’s not a gift to the world, because it’s not mine to give. It already belonged to everyone <3
-MF
