"Astraea" ~ Starry mini mandala pattern in lockdown

Here in India, we are in the third phase of lockdown, 44^th day of lockdown as I am writing this post. It’s been a long time since I published any post. I am working from home, working for home, handling my toddler, working on some WIP’s plus so many other things at the same time. Just wasn’t able to put things together for post. Situation in India is still under control but have no idea when things will be like they used to be before. Or will they ever be same as before (post lockdown era!).

Some things have changed irrevocably, some for good like our mother earth is healing, nature is recovering but some for bad like our economy is going down also there is a big question of employment. Everyone is reporting losses, pay cuts, laying off employees..😔

We still are in the better situation, have shelter on our head, have access to food and other essential items, enjoying cool air of AC, trying out different varieties of food (Thanks to YouTube..!!) enjoying simple pleasures in life like enjoying sunset but there is one class of people, daily wage laborer, who do not have access to any of the above facilities, who are walking on foot in this hot Indian Summer to reach their hometown since transportation is closed. They want to return to their hometown because they have no money for their day to day needs & that they know they will die of hunger if not of Covid. Travelling at the mercy of local charities or some good Samaritans who come forward to help them on the road, carrying the old ones and children on their shoulder.. 

Government is definitely doing their job to help these migrant laborers but I can not stop thinking of them, situation like this stirs our conscience. I am doing my bit in the best way possible. While writing this, just hoping that everyone reaches their home safely and thankful that I am home with my loved ones. Restrictions of lockdown have made us come to appreciate the togetherness and that there is no one more important than our Family. So stay connected with your family and stay safe in this coronavirus pandemic. This phase too shall pass..!!

Today I want to share a small starry mandala pattern with y’all as a reminder of a bright star shining in the dark night serving as ray of Hope..!

I was able to take progress pictures as well for this tutorial. This starry mandala can be used as coaster as well but if you choose to use it as a wall hanging, you will need an embroidery hoop or mandala ring with 8’’ diameter.

Hope you will like the pattern, by the way I chose to name it “Astraea”.

DESIGN INFORMATION:

Material Used: Soft fingering weight yarn, I used local Indian brand yarn from my stash

                        Matching hook, I used 3mm hook

                        Scissors & Darning needle for weaving in the ends (yarn tails)

                        Embroidery hoop or mandala ring if you wish to attach the mandala to ring / hoop.

Yardage:         100 – 150 yards

Crochet Terms:  US

Skill Level:       Enthusiastic Beginner

PATTERN NOTES:

* Join rounds with slip stitches in the first st made unless otherwise noted.

* Pattern repeats are marked within round with any of the following: **, (), {}.

* Stitch count for each round are listed at the end of the round.

* Groups of stitches are marked in parenthesis () or {}.

* Please go through the "STITCH GUIDE & ABBREVIATIONS" section before you begin. All stitches in this pattern are listed and/or explained in this section unless they are explained within the round itself.

* It is always best to wash your product by hand and block appropriately.

* I have done my best to make sure this pattern is accurate. However, if you find any errors or typographical mistake or have any query with regard to the pattern, please drop me an email on hooksbooksnme@gmail.com

* In most of the rounds I start by saying, start your round with standing st and the position where the stitch has to be placed; this is just a starting instruction and should not be counted as a st . Moreover, you can start the round with slip st and corresponding chains for a standing st (such as ch3 for dc, ch4 for tr and so on)

* Ch1 does not count as a stitch unless explicitly mentioned.

* The stitches of the background are always crocheted in the back loops only (unless otherwise mentioned in the pattern) while the overlaid stitches are worked in the front loops of stitches of previous round.

STITCH GUIDE / ABBREVIATIONS (US Terminology):

St – Stitch                                                       sk – skip

YO – yarn over                                               sc – Single Crochet

dc – Double Crochet                                      tr – Treble Crochet

hdc – Half Double Crochet                            FPsc – Front Post Single Crochet

FPtr3tog          Front Post Treble 3 Together

{YO twice, insert hook around the st indicated, YO and pull up a loop (4 loops on the hook), (YO and draw through 2 loops) × twice} × 3 times, (4 loops on the hook), (YO and draw through all the loops on the hook)

Fp-puff St       Front Post Puff St

(YO, insert hook around the post of the st indicated, YO and pull up a loop) × 4 times, (9 loops on the hook), (YO and draw through all the loops on the hook at once), ch1 to close

Split Cluster Split cluster is explained in the round itself. It is made over several stitches (can be same or different type of stitches)

PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS:

Start with a double magic ring, if you are not comfortable using MR, ch 4, sl st in fourth ch from the hook to form a ring.

Round 1

Start with standing sc in MR, 8 sc in MR. Join with ss in first st made. ~ 8 sc

Round 2

Ch 1 (does not count as a st in this rnd and hereafter in every rnd), *2 sc in next st; rep from * to end. Join with ss in the first st made.  ~ 16 sc

Round 3

Ch 1, *sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; rep from * to end. Join with ss in first st made.  ~ 24 sc

Round 4

Ch 1, *sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st; rep from * to end. Join with ss in first st made. Fasten off.  ~ 32 sc

All the rounds will be worked in back loop only unless otherwise mentioned.

Round 5

Start with standing sc in any st, * sc in next 2 sts, FPtr3tog in next st 4 rounds below (round 1), do not ak any st, sc in next 2 sts ; rep from * to end. Join with ss in first st made.  ~ 32 sc, 8 FPtr3tog

Round 6

Ch1 (does not count as a st), * sc in the next 2 sts, fpsc around fptr3tog, sc in the next 2 sts, ch2* rep from* to* around. Join with ss in the first st made.  ~ 32 sc, 8 fpsc, 8 ch2 sps

Round 7

Start with standing sc in the fpsc, * sc in the next 3 sts, skip ch2 sp, dc in between 2 sc’s ( 2^nd & 3^rd sc of 4 sc group worked in between 2 fptr3tog (of round 5)), sc in the next 2 sts* rep from* to* around. Join with ss in the first st made.  ~ 40 sc, 8 dc

Note: while working dc, keep the ch2 in front.

Round 8

Start with standing sc in any st worked after dc,* sc in the next 5 sts, skip dc, hdc in the ch2 sp ( from round 6)* rep from* to* around. Join with ss in the first st made.  ~ 40 sc, 8 hdc

Round 9

Start with standing sc in the hdc from previous round, * 2 sc in the next hdc, dc in the fl of the next 5 sts one round below * rep from* to * around. Join with ss in the first st made. ~ 40 dc, 16 sc

Round 10

Start with standing sc in any first dc from 5 dc group, * sc in the next 5 sts, dc in the fl of the hdc (round 8), ch1, dc in the fl of the same hdc* rep from* to * around. Join with ss in the first st made. ~ 40 sc, 16 dc, 8 ch1 sps

Round 11

Start with standing sc in ch1 sp from previous round, * sc in the ch1 sp, sc in the next 3 sts, tr-dc split cluster over 5 dc group from previous round, skip next St, sc in the next 3 sts* rep from * to * around. Join with ss in the first st made.  ~ 56 sc, 8 split cluster

Note on how to work split cluster:  work one tr in the first dc of 5 dc group (round 10) keeping one loop on the hook, dc over next 3 sts keeping one loop each on the hook, tr in the last dc keeping one loop on the hook, 6 loops in the hook, YO, pull through all the loops.

Round 12

Start with standing sc in the st after split cluster from previous round, * sc over next 7 sts, split cluster over 2nd dc of dc-ch1-dc group (of round 10), split cluster from previous round and first dc from next dc-ch1-dc group (of round 10)* rep from* to * around. Join with ss in the first st made.  ~ 56 sc, 8 split cluster

Note on how to work split cluster: tr in the fl of 2nd dc of dc-ch1-dc group (of round 10) keeping one loop on the hook, fpsc around previous split cluster keeping one loop on the hook, tr in the fl of first dc of next dc-ch1-dc group (of round 10) keeping one loop on the hook, 4 loops on the hook, YO, pull through all the loops.

Round 13

Start with standing sc in the previous st of split cluster from previous round, * sc in the st, fpsc around previous split cluster, sc in the next st, (tr-htr-dc-ch2-dc-htr-tr) in the fl of sc worked in ch1 sp (of round 10)* rep from* to* around. Join with ss in the first st made.   ~ 16 sc, 8 fpsc, 16 tr, 16 htr, 16 dc, 8 ch2 sps

Round 14

Start with standing hdc in any ch2 sp, * (hdc, ch2, hdc), sc over next 3 sts,  tr in the ch1 sp (of round 10) - sp before sc,  sc over next 3 sts, tr in the same ch1 sp (of round 10) - sp after sc, sc over next 3 sts* rep from* to* around. Join with ss in the first st made.  ~ 16 hdc, 72 sc, 16 tr, 8 ch2 sps

Round 15

Start with standing sc in the tr from previous round, * sc in the next 5 sts, (dc, ch2,  dc) in the ch2 sp of round 13, sc in the next 5 sts, dc in the next 3 sts one round below * rep from* to* around. Join with ss in the first st made.  ~ 80 sc, 40 dc, 8 ch2 sps

You can stop here, this can be used as coaster.

Round 16

Start with standing hdc in any ch2 sp, * (hdc, ch2, hdc) in ch2 sp, sc in the next 5 sts, fpdc around tr (of round 14), fp-puff around next 3 dc's, fpdc around next tr (of round 14), sc in the next 5 sts* rep from* to * around. Join with ss in the first st made.  ~ 80 sc, 16 hdc, 24 fp-puff, 16 fpdc, 4 ch2 sps

Round 17

This entire round will be worked through both the loops.

Start with standing sc in any ch2 sp, * (sc, ch2, sc) in ch2 sp, sc in the next st, tr in the ch2 sp ( of round 14), skip next St, sc in the next 4 sts, fpsc around next 5 sts, sc in the next 4 sts, tr in the same ch2 sp (of round 14), skip next St, sc in the next st* rep from* to* around. Join with ss in the first st made.  ~ 96 sc, 40 fpsc, 8 ch2 sps

Attaching the Motif to ring

Start with a slip knot on the hook (leaving long tail end), insert hook in any ch2 sp of round 17, yo, draw up a loop through hoop / ring (adjusting the height of the loop to match the height of your hoop / ring), yo and pull through both the loops on the hook, repeat this 5 times, ch1, cut the yarn leaving long tail end, pull the yarn tail through ch1 and close.

Turn your work to the wrong side, pull both the tail ends behind, and tie the knot, work in your yarn tail behind.

Repeat this seven more times, each time working through next ch2 sp and hoop / ring.

And Ta-dah! We are done.

More designs are available on Ravelry @ https://www.ravelry.com/designers/hooksbooksnme-designs

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Copyright 2020 HooksBooksNMe Designs – All rights reserved

Please do not redistribute this pattern in whole or in partial, with or without change. You may sell items made using this pattern but please credit me as designer. Thank you for understanding.

And now it is time to share WoW (Words of Wisdom).

Today's quote is taken from “Kafka on the Shore”, my lockdown reading, I have read this book before also but you need to read it once more or even twice to understand the true meaning of Murakami’s writings and lockdown is one such period to enjoy reading over and over again.!!

I would also like to mention few lines below from the same book, my favorite..!!

“We’re so caught up in our everyday lives that events of the past are no longer in orbits around our minds. There are just too many things we have to learn. But still, no matter how much time passes, no matter what takes place in the interim, there are some things we can never assign to oblivion, memories we can never rub away. They remain with us forever, like a touchstone.”

In the same way, there are few lines, some quotes which always stays with us as if thay are written for us, just for us and for me it is one of them...

Hope you like my pattern and some bits of reading..!!

Stay safe, stay healthy until we meet again at this small space.

Take Care.. !!