Interweave Crochet Project of the Week: Mandala Cushion

We were so excited to work with Sandra Eng for Interweave Crochet Fall 2018! You’ve probably seen and admired Sandra’s work before. Now she has created the Mandala Cushion for our Sweet Abode project theme, and it’s one of the most inspiring projects in the issue!

Crocheters looking for a challenge will absolutely love the Mandala Cushion. The project combines a wide range of stitches, including front post stitches, cluster stitches, decreases, and increases, to create this colorful design. Each round is worked in one color, but those stitches work over and on top of previous rounds, creating dimensionality and an intricate pattern. If you’re feeling apprehensive about which stitch goes where, the issue includes a stitch chart to help you work it out.

The best part of this project is the ability to customize your color choices. My bedroom has a black, white, red, and yellow theme, so I might switch out the grey for red and create the perfect accent pillow for my bed. You could work up the Low-Key Afghan in a similar color and have a lovely crochet bedroom set! I can’t wait to get nice and cozy for fall in all these crochet pillows and afghans!

Have you thought about what color you’ll make the Mandala Cushion? What other home projects from this issue will you make to go with it?

Pattern Details

DESIGNER Sandra Eng

DIFFICULTY Complex

FINISHED SIZE 18″ in diameter, to fit a standard 16″ round pillow form.

YARN Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran (100% cotton; 93 yd [85 m]/13/4 oz [50g]): #602 pure black (B) and #603 champagne white (D), 2 balls each; #624 mustard yellow (A) and #605 stormy grey (C), 1 ball each.

HOOK Size 7 (4.5 mm). Adjust hook size if necessary to obtain correct gauge.

NOTIONS Yarn needle; stitch markers (m); 16″ round pillow form, 1.

GAUGE Front: Rnds 1–6 = about 3″ in diameter; back: Rnds 1–3 = about 3-1/2″ in diameter.

Meditate on this mandala…