Maybelle Flower Mandala Pattern

First Ta-dah moment : Maybelle Flower Mandala Pattern

I am beyond excited ..... I am posting a pattern of my own creation! What a feeling .. I am nervous and anxious, but also almost jumping for joy, and most of all so proud that I have achieved this level of confidence to have fellow crochet friends actually reading and perhaps trying my pattern, thank you ♥

Pattern terms: US (find UK terms here)
Hook: 4.00mm
Yarn: Elle Family Knit Double Knit
and a nice big eyed darner and scissors

Stitches used: Sl st ~ slip stitch; sc ~ single crochet; hdc ~ half double crochet
dc ~ double crochet; Fp sc ~ front post single crochet; Fp hdc ~ front post half double crochet; Fp dc ~ front post double crochet; and Double 2dc cluster

Notes:
☻To make a Double 2 dc cluster:
*Yarn over hook, insert hook in next stitch, yarn over hook, draw yarn through the stitch, yarn over hook, draw through 2 loops on hook, leaving 2 loops on hook. Yarn over hook, insert hook into same stitch, yarn over hook, draw yarn through stitch – 4 loops on hook, yarn over hook, draw through 2 loops on hook, yarn over hook, draw through last 3 loops** Chain 1, and repeat from * through to ** in same stitch – thus making a double 2 dc cluster in same stitch. Here is a small picture to show how it looks completed.

 Double 2 dc cluster

☻ This lovely site has really good photos showing how to close rows of rounds of any stitch. I prefer this method, it is neat. Her blog is full of great patterns too! Her colour combos are inspiring!

☻Foundation row can be made with either the method as described in the Maybelle Flower pattern or with a Magic Circle, link for Magic Circle is here

☻Standing double crochet link can be found here

☻Standing half double crochet link can be found here

☻Standing single crochet link can be found here

The Maybelle flower centre is on this site. Follow pattern, working 23hdc into circle (instead of 23dc) as in pattern. That gives us a stitch count of 24hdc including the 2ch ~ I wanted a smaller circle to start the flower.  Proceed with Rows 2 - Row 4 as per pattern. (16 petals)

The following rows form my pattern:

Row 5: Attach yarn to any dc, sl st into each dc stitch through both loops quite loosely, this just forms a sl st border to the flower and you don't want the petals to pucker; work around flower, join to first sl st to end row.

Row 5

Row 6: For this row, you will be working into the loops behind the sl sts. Attach yarn into loops of dc at centre of ‘valley’ between the petals, chain 3 (or start with a standing dc), add a second dc into same space, dc into next 7dc back loops, 2dc into back loops of next dc, dc into next 7dc, proceed around circle and join to top of 3ch or to top of standing chain to end the row.

Row 6

Double loops behind slip stitch row

Row 7: Attach yarn in between any double dc stitch, chain 3 (or start with standing dc), into this space, make a Double 2dc cluster, ch 2 * skip 3 stitches, Double 2dc cluster into 4th st, chain 2 , Double 2 dc cluster into next 'valley' ch 2** . Proceed between * and ** round circle and join to top of 3 ch (or top of standing dc) to join the row. (16 Double 2dc clusters)

Row 7

Row 8: Attach yarn to any 1 ch space, 1 ch (stands as first sc), 5 dc into following 2 ch space ~ making a 5dc shell; *1 sc into 1 chain space, 5 dc into 2ch space** Continue in pattern between * and ** to the end of row and join to 1 ch at start.   16 shells or wedges

Row 8

Row 9: Attach yarn to centre dc of shell, chain 4 (1 ch to stand as starting sc and a 3 ch loop), 1Fp hdc around post of sc (as show in picture) chain 3, 1 sc into centre dc of shell, chain 3, 1Fp hdc around post of sc, chain 3, 1 sc into centre dc of shell , continue in pattern, end by joining row to beginning 1ch.

Row 9

Row 10: Attach yarn into any 3 ch space, chain 2 ~ forms first hdc or use standing half double crochet; 2 hdc into same 3 ch space , 1 Fp hdc around Fp hdc of previous row, 3 hdc into 3 ch space, 1 Fp hdc round sc. Continue in pattern, join row with a 
sl st into top of 2 chain or standing hdc.

Row 10

Row 11: Now for the final row, find the space just before Fp hdc of previous row, as indicated in picture, and attach yarn; chain 3 or start with standing dc; add two more dc into same space; 1 Fp dc around Fp hdc, find space just after Fp hdc and work 3 dc into the space; skip 3 dc, 1 Fp sc around Fp hdc on previous round, continue in pattern. To finish sl st into top ch of 3ch or top of standing dc to join row ~ 16 shells.

Row 11

Ta Daah!

~ and there we have it! I will beg your forgiveness in advance for: a) my long winded explanations and b) any glaring mistakes ~ this being my very first attempt at putting a pattern into script! Please feel free to leave a comment if any such gremlins crop up!

Pretty in pink

I added another row to the next mandala I made, and I quite like how it looks ~

~ a row of slip stitches into the loops of the last row, in the same way as we did in Row 5!

Where I have indicated links, please explore these wonderful sites .. a goldmine of good patterns, and tutorials with clear photos ... I find photos essential when learning something new!

Watch this space for my Sunshine Mandala, based on this pattern but increased in size by another 6 rows!

Pat xx