Mandala madness is a HUGE mandala crochet blanket designed by Helen Shrimpton. In 18 parts you make an ever changing mandala by playin with shape, color and texture. In this post you find all the information and links to Mandala Madness.
Resources
- Add this free pattern to your Ravelry library
- Written pattern in English and many translations
- All video tutorials in one YouTube playlist
- ***YARN KITS***
- Color chart
Yarn & yarn packs
There are several yarn packs available for the crochet along, in Scheepjes Colour Crafeter, Merinoe Soft and Stone Washed XL. The yarn kits are available from Wool Warehouse (UK/International).
Mandala Madness in Cotton
I preferred not to use a kit, but to go my own way. I used Scheepjes Sunkissed and Scheepjes Cotton 8 with a 3mm (D-3) hook to make my mandala. I had no preset plan for my list of colors or color distribution, I just took it week by week using leftovers from other projects and yarn from my stash. I ended up using 11 shades of Sunkissed and 8 shades of Cotton 8; that is a very bright total of 19 colors. No wonder my mandala is such a color explosion. I hadn’t realized that there were that many colors until I counted them. You can find all the details of which colors I used for each round in my color chart.
Scheepjes Cotton 8 and Sunkissed is available from Wool Warehouse (UK/International), Love Crafts (US/UK) and Caro’s Atelier (NL/EU) to name but a few Scheepjes stockists.
Yarn amounts for my version
I have done some calculation on how much yarn you need of each color to make a mandala similar to mine. Please realize that this is an estimate based on my personal tension and style of crochet. If your tension is much different to mine you may need more or less yarn than I needed. Both Sunkissed and Cotton 8 come in 50g balls and have a running length of 170m per ball. I have calculated the yarn amount I used per color and rounded it up to get the number of balls. Inevitably there will be some left-overs from certain colors. It turns out that there is a whopping 4km of yarn in my mandala.
| Yarn & number | Color name | Yarn amount | Number of balls |
| Sunkissed – 04 | poolside | 240m | 2 |
| Sunkissed – 05 | seaside | 340m | 2 |
| Sunkissed – 10 | lavender ice | 290m | 2 |
| Sunkissed – 12 | beach hut orange | 170m | 1 |
| Sunkissed – 13 | cherry ice | 460m | 3 |
| Sunkissed – 14 | spearmint green | 235m | 2 |
| Sunkissed – 15 | noonday sun | 360m | 3 |
| Sunkissed – 17 | summer rain | 205m | 2 |
| Sunkissed – 19 | candy floss | 150m | 1 |
| Sunkissed – 20 | beach hut pink | 190m | 2 |
| Sunkissed – 21 | ultra violet | 170m | 1 |
| Cotton 8 – 508 | soft yellow | 105m | 1 |
| Cotton 8 – 652 | grey-blue | 365m | 3 |
| Cotton 8 – 661 | purple | 25m | 1 |
| Cotton 8 – 669 | olive | 210m | 2 |
| Cotton 8 – 716 | orange | 30m | 1 |
| Cotton 8 – 717 | bordeaux | 230m | 2 |
| Cotton 8 – 720 | fuchsia | 100m | 1 |
| Cotton 8 – 721 | heath | 135m | 1 |
Video tutorials
I have a video tutorial for each of the 18 parts that make up Mandala Madness. You can find all the videos for Mandala Madness on my YouTube channel in this playlist:
Mandala Madness in a few numbers
Just for fun I have tried to capture my mandala in a series of numbers, I am an engineer after all.
- diameter: 150cm
- weight: 1200g
- yarn used: 4km
- colors used: 19
- size of crochet hook: 3mm
- video playtime: 16 hours
- recording & editing: 140 hours
- days working on project: 180 days
#itsallinanutshell
If you are making something with one of my patterns or one of my videos, I would love to see your work. Use the hashtag #itsallinanutshell on Instagram to help me find it, share your work in my It’s all in a Nutshell Crochet Nuts group on Facebook or tag me in one of your posts.
With love,
Esther
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This is my first CAL and I enjoy every week, im on week 13, thanks for all the work you did on this magnificent proyect.
yes, it was hard work 🙂 But so happy that I can help you
Thank you! I am what started later . Each new week is still in an envelope. So every week a new challenge! By taken you by the hand , it is so far succeeded well !
Hallo Jo,
Komt zeker goed. Een toer per keer.
Veel plezier bij het maken van je mandala 🙂
Groetjes, Esther
Thank you for all your help and patience. I started late so nowhere near finishing and am so grateful that I will have your links to follow.
It is not a race. Take your time and enjoy making something beautiful 🙂
That is perfect! Stunning, beautiful and I’m full of admiration for your work. ?
Thank you
Your Mandala is so stunning 🙂
I started with everyine else, but ill health has made me a few weeks behind now – I’m still on week 14, but I’m hoping to start back on it soon, as I want my mandala to look at least a little bit as pretty as your’s has turned out to be 🙂
Thankyou for all the work you put in, so we could make our Manadalas with more ease than might have been the case 🙂
I’m sure yours will be beautiful too ?
Only because it had a wonderful designer, and a great video maker to follow 🙂
Oh wow, this one looks amazing! I can only imagine, how much work went into it!
A Lot! ?
This is just stunning! Well done ! 🙂
thank you 🙂
Thank you for all your hard work so that we can make this beautiful project I have my yarn pack and hope to start soon
Enjoy making your Mandala
Hallo Esther,
Allereerst ook ontzettend bedankt voor alle duidelijke videos. Het maakt voor mij het werken aan deze deken tot een groot feest. De telkens wisselende kleuren maken mij blij. Als ik deze Manadala af heb, duurt nog wel even want ik ben pas bij part 9, dan zal ik zeker weer met een project starten waar jij aan meewerkt. Hopelijk blijf je het nog lang doen.
Dan heb ik een vraag over deze laatste blog. Heel fijn dat je nu de hoeveelheden van het garen kon vermelden en ik ben direct bij gaan bestellen. Nu lees ik in je resumé dat je 20 kleuren gebruikt hebt. 12 Sunkissed en 8 Cotton8 en hier kom ik even door in verwarring. Ik tel in je kleurenlijst namelijk 11 kleuren Sunkissed en inderdaad 8 Cotton8. En in mijn garen lade tel ik dus maar 19 kleuren. Zie ik iets over het hoofd misschien, mijn Engels is redelijk maar niet supergoed namelijk. Heel graag hoor zie,ik je antwoord tegemoet.
Hartelijke haak-groet van Thea
Hoi Thea, zou best kunnen dat ik verkeerd geteld heb. Ik kijk er morgen nog eens goed naar en kom bij je terug ?
Superrr, bedankt alvast…?
Hoi Thea,
Ik ben tot de conclusie gekomen dat ik niet tot 20 kan tellen 😀 Je hebt helemaal gelijk. Het zijn 19 kleuren; 11 sunkissed en 8 Cotton 8.
Blond 😉
Ik pas mijn post even aan.
Groetjes!
hartelijk bedankt voor al deze uren gewerkt, voor zoveel gedult, , voor mij, je was echt een virtueel vriendin geworden… Ik ken je niet, et en toch……
sorry voor mijn gebrakel nederlands, il ben franstalig, in Touraine in Frankrijk, en ik heb, met je hulp veel mooie momenten met mijn groot mandala ( in scheepje stone xl!)gehad…en nog niet gedaan…..rij 52 maar!
neem toch Tijd voor jezelf et geniet van de mooie zomer.
ik stuur je veel vriendschap
Arwen
Beste Arwen,
Wat fijn dat je de moeite neemt in het Nederlands te schrijven terwijl het niet je moedertaal is.
Heel graag gedaan, die video’s. Ik ben altijd blij als ik hoor dat iemand er veel aan gehad heeft.
Groetjes,
Esther
Hi
I was just womdering when round 18 was going to be up?
All videos are up sinds theen publication of part 18. You can find the video links here
https://itsallinanutshell.comcrochet-2/crochet-videos/mandala-madness-cal/
Mis más sinceras felicitaciones…no hablo inglés pero estoy siguiendo tus vídeos a la perfección…hiciste un trabajo increíble…fascinante…alucinante…Sos una excelente maestra….te mando un abrazo enorme y un agradecimiento eterno por esto q nos regalas…tu “arte” y tu ” tiempo”..no veo la hora de terminarlo….ya llegara el dia…!!!!!????besos dsd Buenos Aires Argentina….Lorena
Hi Lorena,
Wonderful that you can follow my videos, even if they are in English. I am really happy that you have enjoyed making your mandala.
Hope to see you again for a new project.
Esther
I’ve just realized what your mandala reminds me of, and it’s not an insult I promise. You know how an oil slick in a puddle of water reflects and shimmers, with the colors all rainbow-ish and changing as the water ripples? That’s what I see in the full photo.
That I had not seen in it before 😀 And no worries, I am not insulted.
Thanks Esther for the videos love your YouTube Channel keep the good work 🙂
Thank you ?
I just started to make this and want to thank you for your outstanding videos. You have a way of explaining that is easy for me to understand. I don’t think I would be able to do this without your help
You are very welcome. Enjoy making your Mandala ?
This is amazing. I am coming to this later, and would really like a complete pdf. I feel like you say somewhere that there is a compiled version, but I can’t find it. Am I wrong? Thank you…
Kara
Do you mean a complete pdf of my colorway or a pdf of the complete pattern? There is a pdf of my colorway in this post, link about half way. For a pdf of the complete pattern you will have to ask the designer Helen Shrimpton
Thankyu Mam for describing each and every step in such simple words .. in love with ur designs
You’re welcome ?
Me encanta esta mandala, muchas gracias por compartir tu sabiduria
Happy to help, enjoy your beautiful mandala
I love that you used yarn leftover from other projects, it became a memory project of sorts :D. I hope to try this one day!
Thank you so much for your instructions. I never thought I could make something like this but have just finished my mandala. I previously followed you through Sophie’s Universe as well. I started using my leftover wool so have made both in 8ply wool. Thanks again.
You are most welcome ?
great job thank you for all the efforts..i am doing my mandala madness following you on youtube. my question is do you have any plans to add a video for squaring the mandala made by Ineke Mooijenkind. thanks.
No, i will not be making a video for the square
Gracias por tus videos, yo no hablo ingles y tampoco se hacer muy bien ganchilo, pero con ver tus explicaciones me ha salido muy bien, haces un trabajo estupendo y te lo agradezco, sin ellos no lo hubiera conseguido nunca.
Ahora estoy haciendo unos de tus chals, tambien por el video, genial.
Gracias de nuevo y enhorabuena tienes una pagina estupenda y com cosas preciosas.
Sylvi
You’re welcome ?
Im just about to start part 18 in a day. This one im working on is all in one color. I would like to do one in 2 colors so when I do the squared part it will match. Is there a color chart with rounds for me to do this. Thank you james
The color chart i give under resources is for the version i made. If you would like a different color placement you can best ask the designer
do you recommend any other types of yarn for this project? such as brand and weight?
You can use any yarn you like
I heard about this in April 2019 and started my first round on April 23rd. I followed the written pattern and your videos, and finished on July 4, 2019. Thank you for the videos, as I couldn’t have completed the project without them!
Estoy encantada de tejer con usted Es muy relajante y didactica Un saludo
Hello Esther,
When I saw your Mandala, I thought – this is it! I decided then and there to learn how to crochet. I started the knit along immediately with some yarn I had in my stash, about 6 different colours of various hues of purple, lilac, mauve, coral, wine and blue. I really appreciated your gentle manner and clear demonstrations. Now as I’ve reached the end of part 9, I am running out of yarn. I have to get more yarn, but need to keep close to the shades I’ve started with. Do you have any recommendations of the approximate yardage required for the rounds?
Thanks in advance for your response!
And, thank you for the wonderful video tutorial!
Hi, good to head that you enjoy the videos. I am not the designer of Mandala Madness, I only did the videos. For questions about yardage per round, you can best ask the designer because I do not have this information. You can contact Helen on http://www.crystalsandcrochet.com
You are wonderful–I have followed you for some time.. now to the mandala madness. I have purchased lion cupcake streetlight a graduated color way. Have you done any without making breaks for the colors and pattern changes? Iam not sure??? I would like to just do it straight through, but find I get ocd about where the color changes. any ideas
I have not used a variegrated yarn for mandala madness, there are other who have. just post in any crochet group, i am sure you will get loads of pictures
Goedenavond, ik heb hulp nodig bij het vierkant maken van de mandala Madness. Ik kom niet uit toer 4 van het patroon van Ineke Mooijenkind. Kunt u mij helpen?
Nee, je kunt echt het beste de ontwerpster vragen.
After following you through the Trinity mandala I got a bit addicted to your guidance, so thank you for being incredible ?
The colors of the photo of the mandala in this page, matches what list of yarn?
And also, in the tutorials you are using different colors than the ones in the photo here. I am confused, sorry.
The color chart given for MM is under resources. It gives the sample shown in the photos and is the one I made the videos with.
Under resources there is the photo of the mandala I really want to make. Is there anywhere I can get the list of colours to it?
In the listed items under resources, you see a link called Color chart. Click on it and you will get a list of every color per round.
Esther, can you put the yarn total used in yards for me? I always knew how to crochet, but I just picked it back up again a couple of years ago. Even if I was just learning to crochet I’m someone who goes all out and would love patterns with detail and a challenge. ?? I’m going to have to use what I have on hand and most of my yarn is a 4 weight. So this will be big. LoL thank you for your tutorials.
Hi
I am thinking of this project but wondering if an advanced beginner can do it. Also I don’t like using yarn with animal fibre so are there any substitutes or if you can give me the weight I can look around.
Thanks