This corner-to-corner crochet project features a mandala that seems to burst from its side of the pillow cover. With its added border and sweet handmade touch, this gift will make mom will think of you every time she relaxes on the couch.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Size: 14” x 14”
Gauge: 20 sts and 4 row = 4” [10 cm] in dc
Materials
Yarn:
I Love This Yarn! (100% Acrylic; 355 yards [325 meters]/198 grams): Gray (A), 1 skein
Premier Yarns Deborah Norville Everyday Collection (100% Acrylic; 203 yards [186 meters]/113 grams): Peony (B), 1 skein; Mustard (C), 1 skein; Teal (D), 1 skein
Hook: US size J/10 (6 mm)
Notions: Tapestry needle; 14” x 14” pillow form
Pattern Notes
Both panels are worked from corner to corner stto joyle. The two panels will have a border added, sewn together on one side, the mandala will be sewn over the seam and then the panels will be completely sewn together to finish.
Weave in ends as Mandala pattern progresses.
Pattern
Row 1: With A, ch 6,dc in the 4th ch from hook and in next 2 ch (first block made).
Row 2: Ch 6, turn, dc in 4th ch from hook and in next 2 ch, (sl st, ch 3, 3 dc) in ch-3 sp of previous row (2 blocks made).
Row 3: With B, ch 6, turn, dc in 4th ch from hook and in next 2 ch, [(sl st, ch 3, 3 dc) in next ch-3 sp of previous row] twice (3 blocks made).
Row 4: Ch 6, turn, dc in 4th ch from hook and in next 2 ch, [(sl st, ch 3, 3 dc) in next ch-3 sp of previous row] 3 times (4 blocks made).
Rows 5-13: Cont in this manner, increasing 1 block on each row until there are 13 blocks on middle row.
Begin decreasing rows as follows:
Row 14: Sl st across first 3 dc, *(sl st, ch 3, 3 dc) in next ch-3 sp of previous row; repeat from * to last ch-3 sp, sl st in last sp, turn, do not make a block in last space (12 blocks).
Rep Row 14 until 1 block rem.
Fasten off.
Border for Each Block
There are 2 sections around the edge: a ch-3 (or dc edge) and a 3 dc.
Row 1: Join A in ch-3 sp in any corner, 2 sc in ch-3 sp, sc in each dc across the 3-dc section. Do not do anything in corners. Just work in each sp, sl st to first st to join.
Row 2: Ch 3, *dc in each st to corner (there will be a natural corner created from Row 1), 3 dc in corner; rep from * around, sl st to first st to join.
Fasten off.
Mandala
With B, ch 4, sl st to first ch to join.
Rnd 1: Ch 2 (does not count as a st here and throughout), work 16 dc in ring, sl st to first st to join.
Rnd 2: Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2), sk next st, *dc in next st, ch 2; rep from * around, sl st to first st to join.
Rnd 3: Sl st in ch-2 sp, ch 3 (counts as first dc), 4 dc in same ch-2 sp, ch 3, *work 5 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 3; rep from * around, sl st to first st to join.
Rnd 4: Ch 2, in ch-sp work 4 dc leaving the last loop of each st on hook, pull through all loops to complete the first cluster, *ch 4, sl st to next ch-sp, ch 4, in next ch-sp work 5 dc leaving the last loop of each st on hook, pull through all loops to complete cluster; rep from * around, ch 4, sl st to ch-sp, ch 4, sl st to the first cluster to join.
Fasten off B.
Rnd 5: Join C in any ch-sp, ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 4 dc in next ch-sp, ch 3, *work 5 dc in next ch-sp, ch 3; rep from * around, sl st to the first st to join.
Rnd 6: Rep Rnd 4.
Fasten off C.
Rnd 7: Join D in any ch-sp, ch 1, [sc, (sc, ch 3, sl st on top of sc), sc] in each ch-sp, sl st to first st to join.
Fasten off.
Finishing
Sew one side together. Next, sew the Mandala around the outside edge and in the middle with ¾ of the flower on one panel and over the seam. 
Hi Nicola, what did the designer say in response to Gabriela’s mention of errors in the pattern. I’d love to know before I make this pillow. Can you share the designer’s response with all of us?
Hello, it would be best to reach out to this designer directly on Ravelry and a leave a comment on this pattern entry there:
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mandala-burst-pillow
– Nicola, Editor
This pattern has caused me quite a bit of frustration due to the incorrect directions. Here are some notes:
Why does Row 2 under “Pattern” say to switch to color B? The picture clearly shows the pillow “panel” to be all one color (color A). Even less randomly start with 1 color for just 1 row and then do another for the rest of the panel. Because of the color issue, I thought this part wasn’t the background panel. Since it’s mostly color B, the mandala gets lost. I have to frog the whole thing now.
Note 2, row 4 of the mandala pattern is completely wrong. You work the dc clusters on top of the previous row dc, NOT on the chain spaces. I thought I was doing something significantly wrong, but no it was the pattern.
Hope this helps someone out.
Hello Gabriela! I’ve reached out to the designer for advice and she or I will reply as soon as possible. Thanks! – Nicola, Editor
Please explain stto joyle
Hello Linda! I’ve reached out to the designer for advice and she or I will reply as soon as possible. Thanks! – Nicola, Editor
I love the Mandala pillow. It has happy colors…
Could I please get the pattern
Hi Elizabeth! You are welcome to save this pattern by copying and pasting into a word document or by printing the pattern via the printer icon on the left hand side of your screen. Hope this helps! – Nicola, Editor
Could you please email this pattern to me.??
Can u print this out if not could u e mail it to me thanks bunches
Please email me the pattern. Thanks.
thank you
I would like to have the pattern emailed to me
What is “stto joyle”?