Starflower Mandala: Pattern

About a week ago I made a STARFLOWER MANDALA

I posted this photo in online groups and within a few hours I had hundreds of requests for the pattern,

I started making another Starflower Mandala so that I could write up the pattern;   while I was writing it up a few lovely ladies from various crochet groups were helping me test the pattern.

We completed the first phase of the testing yesterday morning after I had finished my second mandala:

Another group of lovely ladies helped me run a second test - and I made a THIRD mandala:

I was going to do a complete tutorial for the pattern but the ladies who tested the pattern have assured me that the pattern is very easy to follow.

So, without further ado, here it is:

THE STARFLOWER MANDALA PATTERN


Yarn:  Stylecraft Special DK;   

Hook:  3.50mm

Size:  33cm in diameter

Pattern Terms:  US

(I have included this conversion chart for my UK readers)

Foundation:  6ch, ss to first chain to form a circle

Row 1:  Into the circle,  2ch 2dc cluster, 3ch;   *3dc cluster, 3ch* crochet *to* 5x (6 clusters), ss  into top of first cluster to close,  break off yarn

Note:   a 3dc cluster is formed as follows - yarn over hook, work the first part of the stitch leaving 2 loops on your hook, repeat this twice more (four loops on hook) Yarn over hook and draw through the loops on the hook to form your cluster

Row 2:  Into any 3ch sp, 3ch, 3dc 1ch;  *into next 3ch sp, 4dc (4dc group), 1ch* *to* 5x   (24dc);  ss into top of 3ch at start of row to close

  
Row 3:  Join yarn in sp between 1st and 2nd dc on any 4dc group;  3ch, 1dc into same space;  2dc into each of next 2 spaces between dc;  8ch;  *2dc into each sp between dc on next 4dc group, 8ch* *to* 5x;   ss into top of 3ch at start of row to close.

Note:   3 x groupings of 2dc formed between each 8ch

Row 4:  Join yarn with ss into first dc after any 8ch sp;   ss through front and back loops on next 5dc;  *into 8ch sp, 1sc, 1hdc, 3dc, 1tr, 3ch, 1tr, 3dc, 1hdc, 1sc (Petal formed);  1ss through front and back loops on next 6dc* *to* x5;  into last 8ch sp, 1sc, 1hdc, 3dc, 1tr, 3ch, 1tr, 3dc, 1hdc, 1sc;  break off yarn.

I suppose there could be some debate about the correct way to end this row off, but this works for me:

With a tapestry needle, pull the yarn through from front to back on the first ss, pull to tighten neatly. then thread the yarn through the back loops on the next 5 ss.

Row 5:  Join yarn into the top of the 3rd dc on Row 3;   3ch, 1dc into top of next dc,  *3ch, 1sc into first dc on Petal, 1hdc into next dc,  1dc into each of next 2 stitches;  2dc, 1tr, 3ch, 1tr, 2dc into 3ch sp;  1dc into each of next 2 stitches, 1hdc into next dc, 1sc into next dc,  3ch;  1dc into each of the 3rd and 4th dc on Row 3* *to* x5;   3ch, 1sc into first dc on Petal, 1hdc into next dc,  1dc into each of next 2 stitches;  2dc, 1tr, 3ch, 1tr, 2dc into 3ch sp;  1dc into each of next 2 stitches, 1hdc into next dc, 1sc into next dc,  3ch,  ss into top of 3ch at start of row to close.

Row 6:  Join yarn into centre of any "middle" 2dc grouping, 3ch, 1dc;  *3ch, 1sc into first dc on Petal, 1hdc into next dc,  1dc into each of next 3 stitches;  2dc, 3ch, 2dc into 3ch sp;  1dc into each of next 3 stitches, 1hdc into next dc, 1sc into next dc,  3ch;  2dc into the centre of  "middle" 2dc grouping* *to* x5;   3ch, 1sc into first dc on Petal, 1hdc into next dc,  1dc into each of next 3 stitches;  2dc, 3ch, 2dc into 3ch sp;  1dc into each of next 3 stitches, 1hdc into next dc, 1sc into next dc,  3ch, ss into top of start 3ch

Row 7:  Join yarn into centre of any "middle" 2dc grouping, 1ch, 1sc;  *6ch, 1sc into first dc on Petal, 1hdc into next dc,  1dc into each of next 3 dc;  2dc, 3ch, 2dc into 3ch sp;  1dc into each of next 3 dc, 1hdc into next dc, 1sc into next dc,  6ch;  1 sc into the centre of  "middle" 2dc grouping* *to* x5;   6ch, 1sc into first dc on Petal, 1hdc into next dc,  1dc into each of next 3 dc;  2dc, 3ch, 2dc into 3ch sp;  1dc into each of next 3 dc, 1hdc into next dc, 1sc into next dc,  6ch, ss into start 1ch

Row 8:  Join yarn into first dc on right hand side of any petal 1ch, 1sc into same dc, 1hdc into next dc, 1 dc into each of next 3dc;  2dc, 3ch, 2dc into 3ch sp;  1dc into each of next 3dc; 1hdc into next dc, 1sc into next dc *6ch, 1sc into 6ch on Row 7; 6ch, 1sc into 6ch on Row 7; 6ch 1sc into first dc on petal, 1hdc into next dc, 1dc into each of next 3dc;  2dc, 3ch, 2dc into 3ch sp;  1dc into each of next 3dc, 1hdc into next dc, 1sc into next dc* *to* x5;  6ch, 1sc into 6ch on Row 7; 6ch, 1sc into 6ch on Row 7; 6ch, ss into 1ch at start of row

Row 9:  Join yarn into 4th dc on right hand side of any petal;  3ch, 1dc into next dc;  2dc, 3ch, 2dc into 3ch sp;  1dc into each of next 2dc; *(6ch, 1sc into 6ch sp) x3;  6ch;  1dc into 4th dc on petal, 1dc into next dc;  2dc, 3ch, 2dc into 3ch sp;  1dc into each of next 2dc* *to* x5;  (6ch, 1sc into 6ch sp) x3;  6ch

Row 10:  Join yarn into third dc on right side of any petal;  2ch, 1hdc into next dc;  2hdc, 2ch, 2hdc into 3ch sp; 1hdc into each of next 2dc;  *6ch, 1sc into 6ch sp;  6ch, 4dc into next 6ch space;  4dc into next 6ch space;  6ch, 1sc into 6ch sp;  6ch, 1hdc into third dc on petal, 1hdc into next dc;  2hdc, 2ch, 2hdc into 3ch sp;  1hdc into each of next 2dc* *to* x5;  6ch, 1sc into 6ch sp;  6ch, 4dc into next 6ch space;  4dc into next 6ch space;  6ch, 1sc into 6ch sp;  6ch ss into top of 2ch at start of row

Row 11:   Join yarn into third hdc on right side of any petal;   2ch, 1hdc into next hdc, 3hdc into 2ch sp, 1hdc into each of next 2hdc;  *6ch, 3dc into 6ch sp;  6ch,  (1tr into each of next 4 dc) x2;  6ch,  skip first 6ch sp, 3dc into next 6ch sp;  6ch 1hdc into third hdc, 1hdc into next hdc, 3hdc into 2ch sp, 1hdc into each of next 2hdc* *to* x5; ss into top of 2ch at start of row to close

Row 12: Join yarn between 3rd and 4th hdc on right hand side of any petal;  2ch, 1hdc between 4th and 5th hdc, *1ch;  6dc, into each of next two  6ch spaces; 1ch,  skip 1st tr on Row 11;  1tr into each of next 6 tr;  1ch;  6dc into each of next two 6ch spaces, 1ch;  1hdc between 3rd and 4th hdc;  1hdc between 4th and 5th hdc* *to* x5;  1ch;  6dc, 1ch into each of next 2  6ch spaces;  skip 1st tr on Row 11;  1tr into each of next 6 tr;  1ch;  6dc, 1ch into each of next 2 6ch spaces;  ss into top of 2ch at start of row to close 

Row 13:  Join yarn between 2hdc at top of petal;  2ch;  *1hdc into 1ch space, 1hdc into each of next 6dc;  1dc into each of next 6dc; 1tr into each of next 6tr;  1dc into each of next 6dc;  1hdc into each of next 6dc; 1hdc into 1 ch space;  1hdc into space between 2hdc at top of petal*  *to* x5;   1hdc into 1ch space, 1hdc into each of next 6dc;  1dc into each of next 6dc; 1tr into each of next 6tr;  1dc into each of next 6dc;  1hdc into each of next 6dc; 1hdc into 1 ch space,  ss into top of 2ch at start of row to close

Row 14:   Join yarn into second tr of any 6tr sequence on Row 13;   4ch, 1tr into each of next 4tr;  1dc into each of next  13 stitches;  1tr into each of next 2hdc;  1dc into each of next 13 stitches;   *1tr into each of next 5tr:  1dc into each of next  13 stitches;  1tr into each of next 2hdc;  1dc into each of next 13 stitches* *to* x 5;   ss into top of 4ch at start of row to close;

Row 15:  (EDITED)  Join yarn in space between any 2tr at top of petal;  5ch (counts as 1sc and 4ch), skip two spaces then 1 sc in next space;  *4ch, skip 2 spaces, then 1sc in next space*  until last 2 spaces, 4ch, ss into 1st chain at start of row

Row 16:  Join yarn in any 4ch space, 3ch, 2dc in same space, 1ch;  *3dc, 1ch in next 4ch space* to end of row, ss into top of 3ch at start of row to close

Row 17:   Join yarn in 2nd dc of any 3dc group on Row 16;  1ch, 1sc in same space as join, 1ch;  *dc spike to the left of the sc in Row 15;  dc spike to the right of the sc in Row 15 (crossover spike made), 1ch 1sc into the second dc of next 3dc group 1ch* *to* to end of row ss into 1ch at start of row to close.

Note:  When doing the spike stitch keep your tension even but not too tight

Row 18:  Join yarn  with a ss in 1ch sp to the left of any crossover spike, ss in next 1ch sp, *6ch, ss into 4th ch from hook;  ss into 1ch sp to the left of next crossover stitch, ss into next 1ch* *to* to the right of the last crossover spike;  6ch, ss into 4th ch from hook, ss into ss at start of row.

PS:  I have prepared a row by row photo aid to this pattern, which can be found HERE