Glitterball Mandala

I've been playing around with this mandala for a little while, getting the hang of creating a round, flat doily thing that doesn't get warped and wobbley.

Then I found some delicious gold and silver thread while away at Phillip Island a month ago.
I avoided metallic threads for many years as I thought them a bit tacky. I was so very, very wrong! I used some in my Unicorn Poop Arm Mitts, then decided to chuck a bit of glitter in this very glittery mandala.  And I love it!

I have also been having massive Eargasms listening to the glam rock stylings of Suzi Quatro, The Sweet, Thin Lizzy and David Bowie lately. The music I listen to when I crochet has a huge impact on my colour choices.

As I crochet and sing along to the tunes crackling out of my record player (for you Gen Y/Zers, record players were what we oldies used a long, long, long time ago before CDs were invented. Think of them as being like black CD discs but way bigger. And no lasers!!), I found myself wanting more colour, more crazy!

Even now I have a strong yearning to throw neon in with the silver, aqua and hot pink. That's the power of vinyl Crochet Brothers and Sisters!

I called this mandala 'Glitterball' because it reminds me of all my favourite tunes such as Ballroom Blitz and the glam/ glittery iconic symbols of the 70s rock scene: Aladdin Sanes' lightning bolt, glitter coated platform shoes, crunchy guitars, and fantastic androgynous makeup.

So are you ready Steve, Andy? Mick? Alright fellas!

Let's gooooooo!!!!!*

*Ballroom Blitz opening lyrics, not mine. Go listen to the song if you've never heard it. It's the coolest thing next to your eardrums.

What will you need?

A combination of cotton yarns in the colours below (or your own choices). The gold and silver will probably be acrylic or polyester.

A 3.5mm crochet hook

Scissors and darning needle

Stitch Abbreviations

(U.S. Crochet terms are used)   

ch	Chain
dc	Double crochet
fo	Finish off
hdc	Half double crochet
sc	Single crochet
sk	Skip
sp	Space
ss	Slip stitch
St	Stitch
tr	Treble

Colour A	canary yellow	Colour H	disco ball silver
Colour B	hot pink	Colour I	grass green
Colour C	light pink	Colour J	purple
Colour D	flamingo pink	Colour K	emerald
Colour E	blush pink	Colour L	aqua
Colour F	teal	Colour M	gold
Colour G	storm blue

Grab your hook and let's get started!

Round 1: Starting with Colour A, crochet 6sc in a magic ring. Ss to beginning sc, then FO. [6]

Round 1

R2:          Join Colour B to any sc from R1. *(Ch2, dc in same stitch, ch2, ss in next st). Repeat from * 5 more times. You will now have 6 sweet little petals. FO. [6 petals]

Round 2

R3:          Join Colour C in the top of the middle dc of any petal from R2.  Sc in that same st, ch4, *(sc in top of the middle dc in next petal, ch4). Repeat from * 5 more times and finish with a ss to beginning sc. FO. [6sc, 24ch]

Round 3

R4:          Join Colour D in any ch4 space and ch1 (does not count as sc). 6sc in this same ch4 sp. Then *(sk sc, 6sc in next ch4 sp). Repeat from * 5 more times and finish with ss to beginning sc (which was a ch1). FO. [36sc]

Round 4

R5:          Join Colour E in any sc of R4. Ch1 (counts as sc), then sc in each st around. Ss to beginning sc (which was a ch1) and FO. [36sc]

Round 5

R6:          Join Colour F in the sc that is at the point of each side of this little ‘hexagon’. Ch1 (counts as sc), ch7, sk 5 st. *(sc in next st, ch7, sk 5 st). Repeat from * 5 more times, then join with ss to beginning sc (which was a ch1). FO. [6sc, 42ch]

Round 6

R7:          Join Colour G to the beginning of any ch7 sp. Ch1 (does not count as sc). Crochet 10sc in same ch7 sp. Then skipping every sc, crochet 10sc in each of the remaining ch7 sp. Ss to beginning sc (which was a ch1). FO. [60sc]

Round 7

R8:          Join Colour B to any st from R7. Ch1 (counts as sc), then sc in each st around. [60sc]

Round 8

R9:          Join Colour H to any point of the ‘hexagon’ as indicated by the photo below.  Ch1 (counts as sc). Sc in next 2 st, hdc in next 2st, 3hdc in next st, hdc in next 2 st, sc in next 2 st. *(sc in next 3 st, hdc in next 2st, 3hdc in next st, hdc in next 2 st, sc in next 2 st.) Repeat from * 5 more times. Join with ss to beginning sc (which was a ch1). FO. [72st]

Round 9

R10:       Join Colour I to any st of R9. Ch2 (counts as sc and ch1), then sk next st. *(sc, ch1, sk st). Repeat from * around to the end. Join with ss to beginning sc (which was a ch1). FO. [36sc, 36ch]

Round 10

R11:       Join Colour E in any ch1 space. Ch2 (counts as sc and ch1), sc in same st, then ch1 *(sk next st, sc in next ch1 sp, ch1). Repeat from * 5 times. Skip the next st. Now to complete to round: #(in same st {sc, ch1, sc}, then ch1, {sk next st, sc in ch1 sp, ch1} 5 times). Phew! Repeat from # 4 more times. Join with a ss to beginning sc (which was a ch1). FO. [42sc, 42ch]

Round 11

R12:       Join Colour J in any ch1 sp. Repeat R10. [42sc, 42ch]

Round 12

R13:       Join Colour K in any ch1 sp. Repeat R10. [42sc, 42ch]

Round 13

R14:       Join Colour A in any ch1 sp. Ch 3, dc in same sp then ch1. *(in next ch1 sp crochet 2dc, ch1, sk next sc of R13). Repeat from * around to the end. Join with a ss to top of beg ch3. FO. [84dc, 42ch]

Round 14

R15:       Join Colour D in any ch1 sp. Ch3 (counts as 1sc plus 2ch). *(sk the 2dc of R14, sc in ch1 sp, ch2). Repeat from * around to the end. Join with a ss to beginning sc (which was a ch1). FO. [42sc, 84ch]

R16:       Join Colour L in any ch2 sp. Ch1 (does not count as sc). *(in same ch2 sp: sc, hdc, dc, ch3, sl st to 3^rd ch from the hook. Skip the next sc. In next ch2 sp: dc, hdc, sc). Repeat from * around to the end. Join with a ss to beginning sc. FO. [You will finish up with 21 ‘rays’]

Round 16

Round 16

R17:       Join Colour J to the point of any ray in the ch3 loop. Ch1 (counts as sc), Ch6. Then *(sc in the top of the next ray point, ch6). Repeat from * 20 times. Join with ss to beginning sc (which was a ch1). FO.

Round 17

R18:       Join Colour B in any Ch6 sp. Ch3 (counts as first dc), 7dc in same ch6 sp. Then *(8dc in each ch6 sp skipping each sc). Repeat from * around to the end. Join with a ss to top of beg ch3. FO. [168dc]

Round 18

R19:       Join Colour M in between the 2dc above the sc of R17. Ch10 (counts as 1sc plus 9ch), sk 8dc of R18. *(sc between the 8^th and 9^th dc of R18. This should be above the sc of R17. Ch9). Repeat from * around to the end, only crocheting the sc between the 8^th and 9^th dc of the previous round. See photo for clarification. [21sc, 189ch]



Round 19

R20:       Join Colour D in any ch9 sp. Ch2 (counts as fist hdc), 8hdc in same ch9 sp. Then *(9hdc in each ch9 sp skipping each sc). Repeat from * around to the end. Join with a ss to top of beg ch2. FO. [189hdc]


Round 20

R21:       Join Colour L to the first hdc of any 9hdc section. Ch1 (counts as 1^st sc), then in the next 8 stitches: sc, hdc, dc, 2tr in same st, dc, hdc, sc, sc. *(sc, sc, hdc, dc, 2tr in same st, dc, hdc, sc, sc). Repeat from * in each of the remaining 20 ‘9hdc’ sections around to the end. Join with a ss to beg sc (which was a ch). FO. [198st]

Round 21

R22:       Join Colour H to the first sc of the previous round. Ch1 (counts as sc), then sc in each of the next 4st, ch3, sc in next 5st. *(sc in each of the next 5 st ending with the 1^st tr of the previous row. Ch3, starting with next tr: sc in each or the next 5 st of the previous row). Repeat from * around to the end. Basically in this round you sc in each stitch but with a little ch3 between the 2 high trebles in the middle so you make it a little bit more pointy. Join with a ss to beg sc (which was a ch). FO. [198st, 63ch]



Round 22. Doesn't the silver make it looks super cool and glam?!

And you're finished!  Block your mandala just so those points sit out nice and pointy.

I would love to see your mandala. Pop on over to my Facie page and post a photo of your finished Glitterball. Or tag me on Instagram @red.haired.amazona.crochets

I love love love seeing everyone's finished projects!