Mandalas for Wink

Hello........... After hearing the sad news about Wink last week I decided I wanted to make one of her colourful mandalas, to help celebrate her wonderful creativity,

So yesterday I dug out the Drops Paris and choose this pattern from her  'A Creative Being blog'.  I really loved how the the shells in the outer part of the pattern reminded me of clouds and blues reminded me of Summer skies, I was a little concerned about the spokes and my lack of a Tunisian crochet hook, but I was willing to give it a try.

So the colours I picked all remind me of Summertime, I had a idea to turn the centre and spokes into the sun with each ring of the mandala representing a different aspect of Summer, so first up the Sun, then grass and  summer meadows with the green, which has a lovely lovely bit of sparkle and is the only cotton used that is not Drops Paris, it's called 'Ella' by Sirdar shade 0008

Next up a Turquoise blue sky

Then grey storm clouds, just like yesterdays weather, well it wouldn't be summer here in the UK without them.

Then green again as I just love that sparkle and turquoise followed by a darker Turquoise for the Sea, now something magical happen when I added the turquoise and green as that stormy grey now appears to be lilac, it's not just a camera trick, in reality it looks that way too.

So seven rounds done following Winks wonderful tutorial.

Next up the round that really inspired me, the clouds, now I started off with white then I got a little scared, it was a bit too white !! and stark against the other rounds, so I admit to a little wobble at this point but hey its all part of the creative process. So I tried a Ecru and also a very pale ice blue. 

But it just had to be White, as what I wanted was white fluffy summer cotton wool clouds. So I was brave and just went for it with the white, eek thinking if I had too I could rip it out. 

No need for concern though as when I added the Summer sky blue, I was in love with those fluffy white clouds again.  That's not to say things went smoothly, 'where are the spokes I here you ask?' well I tried and failed, I was lacking the right sort of hook and the talent so it would seem. 

So at this point I adapted Winks pattern a little and just completed the round without adding in the Spokes.  There's no picture as I was huffy and puffy and scratching my head too much at the time to remember to take one, really must get me a Tunisian hook for the future.

I then had the idea to make some spokes for my sun rays from simple chains, but in the end decided against it.  So I apologise for adapting Winks wonderful pattern. 

As there were no spokes I was left with loops on the first round where I had only crocheted the back loops as per the pattern in the second round.

So what to do with the centre of the mandala, the loops in the yellow round we mocking me and my inability to make spokes so after a bit of pondering, I decided to add a flower, now what I should have done is make one, but as I was very tired by this point I just pinched one off my Summertime wreath.

Ta-Dah

My Summer Skies Mandala.

Depression is such a terrible illness that doesn't discriminate, it can happen to anyone at anytime and claims far to many.  Hug you loved ones real close as you never know how they are feeling and what the future may hold.

#Mandalasforwink.

I will miss Marinke's colourful blog and creativity very much, I hope she has found peace.

Clare xx