What is a Mandala? (And a Glimpse of My First Crochet Mandala)

It seems that crochet mandalas are all the rage these days. I have to admit, the mandalas I've seen are beautiful and have definitely piqued my interest. Up until recently, if you'd asked me anything about mandalas, my answer would have been very short.

"Necessity is the mother of invention" they say, and in the case of mandalas, it was also the mother of introduction. I needed an instant gratification crochet project to give me a break from my current blanket project, and my boyfriend M keeps saying that I need to crochet some potholders for our kitchen. Add to that the fact that I've been trying to use up a pretty skein of Bernat Cotton Yarn in Smokey Wine and its sidekick, a Sugar n Cream Cotton in Ecru, from a recent infinity scarf project. Put all these circumstances together, and my first mandala was born.

What Exactly is a Mandala?

"Mandala" is the Sanskrit word for "circle". In the Hindu and Buddhist religions mandalas have great spiritual significance. Spelled M-A-N-D-A-L-A with all A's, most mandalas are made with bright colors and patterns, but always in the shape of a circle. Since this was a scrapbuster project for me, I opted to use this yarn to help me get rid of some of my stash (so I can justify buying more!). Mandalas are used as potholders (as I'll be using mine), coasters, table centerpieces under a vase or fruit bowl, doilies or wall decor. I bet you can think of a few places where a mandala would be useful or pretty in your home.

My First Mandala (a Scrapbuster Project)

And here's my mandala practicing for its first official use as a potholder!

Now that I've designed my first mandala and like how it's turned out, I know I'll go back and make another in bright, happy colors. As soon as I do, I'll update this post with more pictures. Because this one will serve as a potholder, I wanted to use up some of my cotton yarn stash because I knew it could take the heat without melting like an acrylic yarn might.

What do you think? Have you made any mandalas? What do you use your mandalas for? I've embarked on new crochet territory! Isn't it fun to try out new crafty creations?

Today I'm Linking Up With:

Oombawka Design Weekly Link Party
Small Things Yarn Along Wednesday
Crochet Addict UK What Are You Doing Wednesday?
Easy Life Meal and Party Planning Four Seasons Blog Hop
Krafty Inspiration Thursday Link Party