The Lavender Bloom Mandala Dreamcatcher is a soft, airy wall hanging built around one lacy crochet mandala stretched inside a lavender-covered hoop. Five flower dangles with leaves, round beads and long tassels hang from the lower edge.
The palette uses just two colors. Cream makes up the open mesh, the petal ring and the flowers. Lavender appears in the center disc, the eight fan wedges, the hoop cover, the leaves and the tassels. The look is boho, light and calm, which suits a nursery, bedroom or reading corner.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The mandala measures 8.5 in (21.6 cm) across and is set into a 10 in (25.4 cm) hoop. The finished hanging is about 11 in (27.9 cm) wide and 26 in (66.0 cm) long, including the hanging loop and the center tassel.
Construction is simple and goes in order. You work the mandala in the round, cover the hoop with single crochet and tie the mandala to the hoop with 16 short chain spokes. Then you make the small pieces and hang them from the bottom of the hoop on chain cords.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 11 in (27.9 cm) wide x 26 in (66.0 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK (light worsted, #3) cotton
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
- Number of pieces: 1 mandala, 1 hoop cover, 5 flowers, 4 leaves, 6 beads, 5 tassels, 5 cords
- Layout: mandala centered in the hoop; 5 dangles across the lower half of the hoop
- Mandala size (before border): 7 in (17.8 cm) after Round 8
- Mandala size (after border): 8.5 in (21.6 cm)
- Border depth: 0.75 in (1.9 cm) on each side
- Gap between mandala and hoop: 0.75 in (1.9 cm), bridged by chain spokes
Materials
Choose a smooth mercerized or soft combed cotton in DK weight, about 115 m per 50 g. Cotton shows lace stitches clearly and blocks flat. Avoid fuzzy yarns, which hide the open mesh.
- Cream: 35 g / 80 m
- Lavender: 60 g / 138 m
These amounts include a margin of about 25 percent.
Tools:
- 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
- 10 in (25.4 cm) metal or wooden ring (an embroidery hoop’s inner ring works)
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Stitch markers
- Small amount of fiberfill for the beads
- A 4 in (10.2 cm) piece of stiff cardboard for tassels
- Blocking mat, rust-proof pins and spray bottle
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- MR – magic ring
- blo – back loop only
Special stitches:
- Standing sc: with a slip knot on the hook, insert the hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.
- Back post sc (bpsc): insert the hook from back to front to back around the post of the stitch, then complete a sc.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make the mandala first. It is the piece that controls the fit inside the hoop.
- After Round 2: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across
- After Round 4: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) across
- After Round 6: 5 in (12.7 cm) across
- After Round 8: 7 in (17.8 cm) across
- After Round 10: 8.5 in (21.6 cm) across
Measure the piece flat and lightly pressed, without stretching. Being within 0.25 in (0.6 cm) is fine.
If you are more than 0.25 in (0.6 cm) too big at Round 2, go down to a 3.25 mm hook. If you are too small, go up to a 3.75 mm hook. Start again from Round 1 rather than adjusting later. A mandala that is slightly small is easier to fix than one that is too big, because the spokes can stretch a little.
Mandala
Center (Lavender)
Round 1: MR, ch 3 (counts as dc), 15 dc in ring, pull the ring nearly closed so a small hole remains, sl st to top of ch-3. (16 dc)
Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st, 2 dc in each of next 15 sts, sl st to top of ch-3. (32 dc)
Checkpoint: 2.25 in (5.7 cm). Fasten off.
Petal Ring (Cream)
Round 3: Standing sc in any st, ch 5, sk 3, *sc in next st, ch 5, sk 3; repeat from * 6 more times, sl st to first sc. (8 sc, 8 ch-5 loops)
Each repeat uses 4 sts of Round 2, and 8 x 4 = 32 sts.
Round 4: Sl st into first ch-5 loop, ch 1, (sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc) in each ch-5 loop around, sl st to first sc. (56 sts, 8 petals)
Checkpoint: 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
Round 5: Working behind the petals, ch 1, bpsc around the next Round 3 sc, ch 7, *bpsc around next Round 3 sc, ch 7; repeat from * 6 more times, sl st to first bpsc. (8 bpsc, 8 ch-7 loops)
The petals now sit in front, and the loops form a new base.
Round 6: Sl st into first ch-7 loop, ch 3 (counts as dc), (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in same loop, ch 1, *(3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in next loop, ch 1; repeat from * 6 more times, sl st to top of ch-3. (48 dc, 8 ch-3 sps, 8 ch-1 sps)
Checkpoint: 5 in (12.7 cm).
Round 7: Sl st in next 2 dc and into the ch-3 sp, ch 1, sc in same sp, ch 6, sc in next ch-1 sp, ch 6, *sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 6, sc in next ch-1 sp, ch 6; repeat from * 6 more times, sl st to first sc. (16 sc, 16 ch-6 loops)
Call the loops that start at a shell point “A loops” and the loops that start at a ch-1 sp “B loops.” There are 8 of each, and they alternate. Fasten off.
Fan Ring (Lavender)
Round 8: Standing sc in any A loop, ch 2, 9 dc in next B loop, ch 2, *sc in next A loop, ch 2, 9 dc in next B loop, ch 2; repeat from * 6 more times, sl st to first sc. (72 dc + 8 sc = 80 sts, 16 ch-2 sps)
The 8 solid lavender fans form wedges between cream openings. Checkpoint: 7 in (17.8 cm). Fasten off.
Make All Pieces
Flowers (make 5)
Round 1 (Lavender): MR, ch 1, 10 sc in ring, sl st to first sc. (10 sc) Fasten off.
Round 2 (Cream): Join with sl st in any sc, *(hdc, 3 dc, hdc) in next sc, sl st in next sc; repeat from * 4 more times. (5 petals: 25 petal sts + 5 sl sts)
Each petal uses 2 sc, and 5 x 2 = 10. Each flower measures 1.75 in (4.4 cm). Leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail.
Leaves (make 4, Lavender)
Ch 14.
Side 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, ch 1, sk 1, dc in next ch, ch 1, sk 1, tr in next ch, ch 1, sk 1, tr in next ch, ch 1, sk 1, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch, 3 sc in last ch.
Side 2: Working in the free loops of the foundation chain, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, ch 1, sk 1, tr in next ch, ch 1, sk 1, tr in next ch, ch 1, sk 1, dc in next ch, ch 1, sk 1, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch, sc in last ch, sl st to first sc. (8 sts per side + 3 sc at the base = 19 sts, 8 ch-1 sps)
The ch-1 spaces line up as small openings on each side of a center line, which gives the leaf a lacy vein. Each leaf is 2.75 in (7.0 cm) long. Leave a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail.
Beads (make 6, Cream)
Round 1: MR, 6 sc in ring. (6 sc)
Round 2: 2 sc in each st. (12 sc)
Round 3: Sc in each st. (12 sc)
Round 4: Sc2tog 6 times. (6 sc)
Stuff firmly, close the hole and leave a tail. Each bead is 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.
Tassels (make 5, Lavender)
Wrap yarn 40 times around the 4 in (10.2 cm) card. Tie the top with a 10 in (25.4 cm) strand, cut the bottom loops and wrap the neck 0.5 in (1.3 cm) below the top. Trim to 4 in (10.2 cm).
Dangle Layout
Count the hoop cover stitches from the top center (st 1), going clockwise. Bottom center is st 81.
Hoop st: 113 97 81 65 49
Flower Flower Flower Flower Flower
Leaf Leaf Bead Leaf Leaf
Bead Bead Bead Bead Bead
Tassel Tassel Tassel Tassel Tassel
Cord: 7 in 8 in 9 in 8 in 7 in
Cord lengths are 7 in (17.8 cm), 8 in (20.3 cm) and 9 in (22.9 cm).
Joining
Hoop Cover (Lavender)
Join with a sc worked around the ring. Work 159 more sc around the ring, pushing the stitches together so the ring is hidden. Sl st to first sc. (160 sc)
The ring is 31.4 in (79.8 cm) around, so this works out to about 5.1 sc per inch. If the ring shows between stitches, go up 0.25 mm for this round only. Keep exactly 160 sc, because the spoke math depends on it.
Hanging loop: At st 1, ch 20, sl st in the same st. The loop stands about 2 in (5.1 cm) tall. Fasten off.
Attaching the Mandala
Work Rounds 9 and 10 (the border, below) first. Then attach the mandala with cream spokes.
Place the mandala inside the hoop with one picot at the top, lined up with st 1. Join cream with a sl st in that picot.
Spoke round: *Ch 4, sc in the matching hoop cover st, sl st in each of the 4 ch back toward the mandala, sl st in the picot, sl st blo in next 8 sc to the next picot; repeat from * 15 more times. The last repeat ends at the first picot. Fasten off.
Spokes land on hoop sts 1, 11, 21 and so on, every 10 sts: 16 spokes x 10 sts = 160 sts. The 8 sl sts between picots match the 4 sc + 4 sc between neighboring picots.
Tension: Each spoke should be gently taut, not tight. If the mandala ripples, add a ch to the spokes on the opposite side. If it sags, use ch 3 on the loose side. Checkpoint: the gap is 0.75 in (1.9 cm) all around.
Attaching the Dangles
Using lavender, sl st into the hoop st given in the layout. Work ch 32 for the 7 in (17.8 cm) cords, ch 36 for the 8 in (20.3 cm) cords and ch 40 for the 9 in (22.9 cm) cord. Fasten off.
Sew one flower centered over the top 1 in (2.5 cm) of each cord. Sew a leaf by its base 0.25 in (0.6 cm) below the flower, with the tip pointing down. Thread each bead onto the cord with the needle through its center, and secure it with two stitches. Tie the tassel to the end of the cord with its top strand.
Border
Work the border on the mandala after Round 8 and before the spoke round.
Border gauge: Rounds 9 and 10 together add 0.75 in (1.9 cm) on each side, taking the mandala from 7 in (17.8 cm) to 8.5 in (21.6 cm).
Round 9 (Cream): Standing sc in 5th dc of any fan, ch 7, sc in next sc between fans, ch 7, *sc in 5th dc of next fan, ch 7, sc in next sc, ch 7; repeat from * 6 more times, sl st to first sc. (16 sc, 16 ch-7 loops)
Round 10 (Cream): Sl st into first loop, ch 1, (4 sc, ch 3, 4 sc) in each loop around, sl st to first sc. (128 sc, 16 ch-3 picots)
Each sector (one fan plus one valley) has 2 loops, 16 sc and 2 picots. Across 8 sectors that is 8 x 16 sc = 128 sc.
Why the math works: 16 picots meet 16 spokes, and 160 hoop sts / 16 = 10 sts per spoke. Each picot is centered over a fan or a valley, so the 8 fans stay evenly spaced and the mandala sits centered in the hoop.
Final Blocking
- Block the mandala before attaching it. Spray it damp with water.
- Pin it to an 8.5 in (21.6 cm) circle on the mat. Pin each picot first, then the tip of each fan.
- Open each petal and loop with your fingers.
- Let it dry fully, for at least 6 hours.
- Block the leaves flat and the flowers with their petals open.
- After assembly, mist the tassels and comb them straight. Let them hang to dry.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Center hole is small and tidy
- 8 petals, 8 fans and 16 picots
- Mandala measures 8.5 in (21.6 cm)
- Hoop cover has 160 sc and no ring showing
- 16 spokes, evenly spaced every 10 sts
- Mandala lies flat with no ripples
- 5 dangles at sts 49, 65, 81, 97 and 113
- Flowers face forward and leaves point down
- All tassels are trimmed to 4 in (10.2 cm)
- All ends are woven in securely
Troubleshooting
Mandala cups: Round 5 or Round 7 is too tight. Loosen the chains or go up 0.25 mm.
Mandala ruffles: The fans are too loose. Go down 0.25 mm for Round 8.
Fans crowd the loop: Make sure Round 7 uses ch-6 loops, not ch-5.
Mandala off-center: Count the hoop sts again; one spoke is probably on the wrong st.
Dangles twist: Steam the cords lightly and let them hang with a small weight overnight.
Tassel looks thin: Add 10 more wraps.
Care
Dust gently, or spot clean with cool water and mild soap. Lay the mandala flat to dry, and comb the tassels while they are damp.
Final Notes
Keep track of the measurement chain: 2.25 in (5.7 cm) at Round 2, 3.5 in (8.9 cm) at Round 4, 5 in (12.7 cm) at Round 6, 7 in (17.8 cm) at Round 8 and 8.5 in (21.6 cm) after the border. Then add a 0.75 in (1.9 cm) spoke gap on each side to fill the 10 in (25.4 cm) hoop. If each checkpoint matches, the finished dreamcatcher will hang straight at about 11 in (27.9 cm) by 26 in (66.0 cm).
Happy crocheting!