Northern Lights Mandala by Lilla Björn Crochet

Yarn

Yarn in 3 colors. I used yarn Catona by Scheepjes in shades 261, 282, 392 (or 157, 179, 172)

Needles

Crochet hook 2.5 mm (C) or size needed to obtain acceptable gauge. (Please, feel free to choose another yarn weight and hook to get larger or smaller potholder).

Size

Potholder is approx. 7 ¾ inches(19.5 cm) large across.

Gauge

Not critical but mandala should lay flat.

Notions

Scissors, tapestry needle to weave in ends.

Stitch guide and Abbreviations

US standard abbreviations are used in this pattern.

rnd – round
beg – beginning
st(s) – stitch(es)
ch – chain
sp(s) – space(s)
yo – yarn over
lp(s) – loop(s)
NJ – needle join
*…* – *crochet following directions* as many times as indicated
[…] – [crochet following directions] as many times as indicated
slst (slip stitch) – insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw yarn up and pull 2nd lp through the 1st lp on hook.
dc (double crochet) – yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw up a lp, *yo, pull through 2 lps* twice.
FPdc (front post double crochet) –yo, insert hook from front to back to front around the post of indicated stitch, yo, draw up alp, *yo, pull through 2 lps* twice.
FPtr2tog (front post treble crochet 2 together) – *yo twice, insert hook from front to back to front around the post of indicated stitch, yo, draw up alp, [yo, pull through 2 lps] twice* twice, yo, pull through all 3 lps on hook.

Important Notes

• Attaching new yarn.New yarn is attached by simply pulling a loop of new color in the indicated st and making ch2, which will count as first dc of the rnd.
• Skipping sts.Front post stitches “hide” the stitches of background and this is the reason, why sc of the working round should be skipped.
• Needle join.The rnds are finished with a needle join (NJ) in the first st of the rnd (unless otherwise stated in the pattern). I use a hook instead of a needle to join, it saves a lot of time. (I also use a hook to weave in all yarn tails).

1. Fasten yarn off leaving a long tail approx. 4 inches (10 cm). Insert hook under “V” (both loops) of the indicated st from the back to front, yo the yarn tail and pull it through lps.
2. Insert hook under BL of the last stitch of the last rnd from back to front, yo the yarn tail and pull it through BL.

If you use this technique, you give the chain stitch at the beg of the rnd its BL and FL. Weave in the end and clip it close to the surface of the piece. Please, read more information about needle join and weave in yarn tails as-you-go on this blog post.

• Front post stitches are used in this pattern and it is very important to have their gauge under control: they should be neither too loose nor too tight, because this will lead to a deformation of the circle shape. Correctly tensioned front post stitches should be made to the height of the working round. And your mandala should stay flat!
• Inserting the hook.When you make a front post stitch, the hook is always inserted from front to back and then again to front around the post (vertical part) of the indicated stitch. In other words, the hook will be inserted behind the post.
  

Color Key:  C1 – Blue (261 – 6g), C2 – Purple (282 – 13g), C3 – Lime (392 – 6g)

Mandala part:

Rnd 1. Start with yarn C1.
Make magic ring, ch2 (counts as 1st dc) and 11 dc in magic ring; NJ in the 1st dc after ch2. (12)

Rnd 2.Change to yarn C2. Attach yarn in any st of rnd 1.

Note: 1^st increase of the rnd will be ch2+dc in the same st where yarn was attached.

*2dc in each st* 12 times, NJ in 1^st dc of the rnd after ch2. (24sts)

Rnd 3.Change to yarn C3. Attach yarn in 1^st dc of any increase of rnd 2.

*1dc in next 2 sts (1^st dc of the rnd will be ch2), 1FPtr2tog (work 1^stFPtr around 1^st dc of previous increase of rnd 2, skip 2 dc and make 2^ndFPtr around next dc), skip no sts on rnd 2, 1dc in next st, 2dc in next st* 6 times; NJ in 1^st dc of the rnd after ch2. (36sts)

Rnd 4.Change to yarn C1. Attach yarn in any FPtr2tog of rnd 3.

Note: 1^stincrease of the rnd will be ch2+dc in the same st where yarn was attached.

*2dc in next st, 1dc in each of next 2 sts* 12 times, NJ in 1^st dc of the rnd after ch2. (48sts)

Rnd 5.Change to yarn C3. Attach yarn in 1^st dc of any increase of rnd 4 directly above FPtr2tog of rnd 3.

*1dc in each of next 2 sts (1^st dc of the rnd will be ch2), 2dc in next st, 1dc in each of next 4 sts, 2dc in next st* 6 times, NJ in 1^st dc of the rnd after ch2. (60sts)

Rnd 6.Change to yarn C2. Attach yarn in 2^nd dc of any two closely situated dc of rnd 5 between two increases.

Note: 1^st leg of 1^st FPtr2tog is made around 2^nd dc of previous increase of rnd 5.

*1dc in each of next 5 sts, 1FPtr2tog (work 1^stFPtr around next dc of rnd 5 after the st where previous FPtr was made, skip 3 dc, make 2^ndFPtr around next dc), skip no sts on rnd 5* 12 times, NJ in 1^st dc of the rnd after ch2. (72sts)

Rnd 7.Change to yarn C1. Attach yarn in any FPtr2tog of rnd 6.

Note: 1^st increase of the rnd will be ch2+dc in the same st where yarn was attached.

*2dc in next st, 1dc in each of next 5 sts* 12 times, NJ in 1^st dc of the rnd after ch2. (84sts)

Rnd 8.Change to yarn C2. Attach yarn in 2^nd dc of any increase of rnd 7.

*1dc in each of next 3 sts (1^st dc of the rnd will be ch2), 2dc in next st, 1dc in each of next 3 sts* 12 times, NJ in 1^st dc of the rnd after ch2. (96sts)

Rnd 9.Change to yarn C3. Attach yarn in 2^nd dc before any increase of rnd 8.

*[1dc in next st (1^st dc of the rnd will be ch2), 1FPdc around next dc] 4 times, 1 dc in same dc* 12 times, NJ in 1^st dc of the rnd after ch2. (108sts)

Rnd 10.Change to yarn C1. Attach yarn in 1^st dc of any two closely situated dc of rnd 9.

*1dc in next st (1^st dc of the rnd will be ch2), (1FPdc, 1dc) in next st, [1FPdcaround next FPdc, 1 dc in next dc] 3 times, 1FPdc around next FPdc* 12 times, NJ in 1^st dc of the rnd after ch2. (120sts)

Rnd 11.Change to yarn C2. Attach yarn in 4^thst before a loop formed by NJ.

Note: 1^st increase of the rnd will be ch2+dc in the same st where yarn was attached.

*2dc in next st, 1FPdc around next FPdc, [1dc in next dc, 1FPdc around next FPdc] 4 times* 12 times, NJ in 1^st dc of the rnd after ch2. (132sts) Cut yarn.

Bottom layer and joining

(28g of yarnC1)

Note: don’t forget to make ch2 instead of 1^st dc in the beginning of every round.
Rnd 1.Make a magic ring, ch2 (counts as 1^st dc) and 11dc in magic ring, join with slst in ch2-sp. (12sts)

Rnd 2. *2dc in the next st* 12 times, join with slst in the ch2-sp. (24sts)

Rnd 3.*1dc, 2dc in next st* 12 times, join with slst in the ch2-sp. (36sts)

Rnd 4. *1dc, 2dc in next st, 1dc* 12 times, join with slst in the ch2-sp. (48sts)

Rnd 5. *2dc, 2dc in next st, 1dc* 12 times, join with slst in the ch2-sp. (60sts)

Rnd 6. *2dc, 2 dc in next st, 2dc* 12 times, join with slst in the ch2-sp. (72sts)

Rnd 7. *1dc, 2 dc in next st, 4 dc* 12 times, join with slst in the ch2-sp. (84sts)

Rnd 8.*4dc, 2dc in next st, 2dc* 12 times, join with slst in the ch2-sp. (96sts)

Rnd 9. *2dc, 2dc in next st, 5dc* 12 times, join with slst in the ch2-sp. (108sts)

Rnd 10. *6dc, 2dc in next st, 2dc* 12 times, join with slst in the ch2-space. (120sts)

Rnd 11. *3dc, 2dc in next st, 6dc* 12 times, join with slst in the ch2-space. (132sts)

Joining

To join top and bottom layers of the pot holder put wrong sides facing each other. Work joining rnd in C1 (with sc) on the right side of top part inserting your hook through both lps on the last rnd of both layers.

You can also make a loop while putting your potholder together: continue with sc until you come to the point of any petal, chain 10 and sc into the same stitch of joining round, forming a loop. Continue with the joining rnd until the end, finish with a slst in the first sc of joining rnd, don’t fasten off. Return making a rnd of crab stitch. When you reach the ch10-space, turn work, make 15 sc in the loop, turn work and continue with crab stitch until the end of the round. Cut yarn, fasten off.