The Mandalorian: A Crochet Boba Fett-Inspired Mandala
Happy Star Wars Day!
This year I was stuck on what to make for May 4th and I really didn't want to make BB-8 (as so many suggested) because there were already some great patterns and designs for BB-8 (just check out this one on Crafty is Cool). Previously I'd made the Death Star and a Boba Fett bag, which I felt were and still are pretty unique pieces. Wanting something similar again, I brainstormed but nothing happened. Then I got my daily email from TeeFury (do you love their t-shirts or what?!) and the design was called Mandalorian Hunter with an image of Boba Fett, who is from Mandalore. In my bleary-eyed state (I had just woken up and coffee was still brewing) I accidentally read it as Mandala Hunter. At that moment, something clicked. The crocheters block was cleared and the Mandalorian crochet mandala was born.
Unlike other mandalas, this mandala project required a lot of planning and thinking ahead. I couldn't just get lost in the look and feel, I had to think about where I needed to make a back loop stitch so I would have a place (the front loop) for a spoke in later rounds.
With a mandala you need to be able to finish a round without cutting the yarn and picking up a stitch again - kind of like those drawing challenges where you can't lift the pencil off the paper. So for the last round I made a sequence of chains hidden behind the helmet just to connect one spoke to another without cutting the yarn a.k.a. lifting the pencil off the paper. I also had to make calculations and figure out the colour changes and their sequences while remembering to make increases. This was definitely one of the most multitasking and challenging projects.
At one point I got into a fight with the mandala, we (mostly me) said some mean things and the mandala went to sulk in a corner for over a week. I wondered if I would even finish in time and considered not having something for Star Wars day. And that thought is what sparked me to get out of my crocheters funk and get the mandala done. I swear, the relief I felt when I weaved in the ends and decided I was happy with it was like submerging into a perfect temperature bubble bath. Sigh :)
The Mandalorian is now among the other mandalas on the wall, another great addition to the ongoing mandala wall art project.
There are two rounds where very VERY tall stitches are used so here is this really great post on Moogly that explains tall crochet stitches. I was curious to see how the pattern would look in different colours and went with a pink pastel palette. Pretty, no?
Mandalorian Crochet Mandala Pattern
Materials
-4.00mm hook
-worsted weight yarn, colours for Boba Fett: black (A), dark green (B), olive green (C) , maroon (D), and grey (E).
Colours in example: (A) gold (B) cream (C) dusty rose (D) hot pink (E) baby pink
Stitches (US terms)
ch - chain
sl st - slip stitch
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
tr - treble crochet
BL - back loop
FL - front loop
inc - increase (2 sts in same st)
dec - decrease (ie. sc2tog)
work even - complete round without inc/dec
space(s) - sp(s)
Special Stitches
Quadruple treble - yarn over 5 times
Sextuple treble - yarn over 7 times
Once all loops are on hook complete the same was as a double or treble crochet (yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook, yarn over, pull through 2 loops and so on).
Notes - *Be sure to read before starting*
Pattern is worked in rounds, joined at the end of each round. Unless stated, starting ch(s) do not count as a stitch so the first stitch is made in the same space as the joining slip stitch. To keep the back neat when making colour changes (specifically in Round 4) be sure to carry the yarn as you work. Use standing stitch to make the first sextuple treble in the last round: make a slip knot on the hook and wrap yarn 7 times, complete sextuple treble. Instructions in asterisks (*) are repeated until the end of round.
Pattern
Starting with A
Round 1: in magic ring make 12 dc (12 sts)
Round 2: ch 5, working in BL, *dc, ch 2* repeat in each stitch around, fasten off (12 ch sps)
Change to B
Round 3: pick up dc in any ch sp, make 3 dc in each ch sp, make dc in BL of each dc st around, fasten off (48 sts)
Round 4: with C, ch 3, dc in first st and in next st, *switch to D, dc in next st, make dc in BL of next st, dc in next st, switch to C, dc in next 5 sts* around ending with 3 dc
Round 5: with C, ch 4, tr in first st and in next st, *switch to D, tr in next st, inc in next st, tr in next st, switch to C, tr in next 2 sts, inc in next, tr in next 2 sts * around ending with 3 tr
Round 6: with D, ch 2, hdc inc in first st, *hdc in next 3 sts, inc in next 2 sts* around
Change to A
Round 7: ch 2, hdc in first st and next 6 sts, *skip the next st and make a quadruple treble in the front loop of Round 4, hdc in next 13 sts* around ending with 6 hdc
Change to D
Round 8: ch 1, sc in each st around, fasten off (84 sts)
Change to C
Round 9: sk 8 sts from end of previous round, in next st pick up tr and make 5 more tr in same st (half 10tr fan made), *sk 3 sts, sl st in BLO of next 7 sts, sk next 3 sts, 10 tr in next st* around, ending with 5 tr
Round 10: continuing with C, ch 3, dc inc in first st and in next 4 sts, * sk 3 sts, sl st in next FL of sc Round 8, sk 3, dc inc in next 10 sts* around, ending with dc inc in last 5 sts
Change to E
Round 11: Using sl st from previous round as a guide follow a straight line and make spoke in FL of dc from Round 2, *sc in sl st of Round10, ch 15, sextuple tr in FL of next dc from Round 10, flip chains behind Rounds 9-10* around, ending last 15 ch with sl st in first st. Fasten off and weave ends.
Looking for more mandala patterns? Check this out:
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This pattern is for personal use only. The pattern and its photos may not be reproduced, distributed or resold, translated, published, altered, shared or posted in any way over the internet or offline.
You may sell finished items made from this pattern as long as it is handmade by you, not mass produced, giving the credit to Pops de Milk / Patricia Castillo as the designer. If you have any questions, you can email me at patricia@popsdemilk.com
