Guest Post Written by Tamara Kelly of Moogly
When I got the offer to play with Red Heart Vivid, I was super excited! It’s an amazingly bright and bold yarn, and I hadn’t had a chance to get my hands on any yet. When it arrived, I was even more thrilled with how soft and squishy it was. Super bulky yarns are some of my favorites, and I immediately knew that these 10 skeins needed to become something special.
The eye-catching neon crochet colors of Vivid are fun and contemporary, and mandala rugs are beautiful and timeless – so to my mind a mandala rug in Vivid seemed to be the perfect playful combo! Within the week I’d designed the Shocking Mandala Rug. Each row of the pattern is different, so you won’t get bored crocheting it. But the stitches used are easy, and it’s so fun to see the pattern grow and change!
The Shocking Mandala Rug is perfect for kid’s spaces, and anywhere you want a bright pop of color; it’s a great home decor piece. My 6 and 7 year old boys had claimed it when I was only a few rows in! Every hour or so they’d come ask if it was done yet, and every time I put it down I’d come back to find one of them cuddled up with it on the couch. It’s been hugged, laid on, and squabbled over…and a fair bit of it was frogged and re-worked as I worked up the finished design. Yet the Vivid stood up to them (and me!) and looked brand new the whole time. Now that it’s finished it’ll live in our playroom as a welcome burst of color – and a comfy cozy spot for kids to hang out! The only trick will be getting them to share!
This pattern is made with 10 skeins of Red Heart Vivid. I used 5 skeins of Electric Blue and 5 skeins of Glowing Green, with just a little bit of each color left over when I was done. The super bulky yarn means you can have a finished rug in only 15 rows – love that! A couple tips: it’s important to keep your stitches loose and hand relaxed . Working with super bulky yarns can feel a little different than working with smaller yarns, but it’s not necessarily any more difficult. Make sure to pull each stitch up to the proper height and you’ll have a project you’ll love before you know it.
The Shocking Mandala Rug is 42 inches across, and absolutely luxurious underfoot. Capturing the color on camera was tricky – it’s super florescent! If you want a smaller rug, it’s easy to stop at any point in the pattern and go to the instructions for the last two rows to finish it off. The spiky pattern compliments the electric neon colors, and the big bold stitches make for a real statement. You can keep it bold with Vivid or use softer colors for a whole different look. But I do love these neon colors – as do my boys!
Materials:
- Red Heart® Vivid:10 skeins total
- 5 skeins Electric Blue (Color A)
- 5 skeins Glowing Green shown (Color B)
- Crochet Hook: US-Q, 15mm or 16mm
- Large Plastic Yarn Needle
NOTE: Starting in Round 2 with the introduction of Color B, crochet over the unused color, holding it behind the row at the bottom and enclosing it in each stitch, carrying it along until it is called for again.
Instructions:
Round 1: Using Color A, ch 6 and join to the first ch with a sl st to form a ring. Ch 2 (does not count as a stitch), dc 12 in the ring. Join to the first dc with a sl st. (12 sts)
Round 2: Ch 2, dc2tog over the first and second sts, finishing the st with Color B. Work 3 dc between the posts of the previous st and the next st, finishing the last st with Color A. *Dc2tog, finishing st with Color B. Work 3 dc between posts of previous and next st, finishing last st with Color A. Repeat from * to end. Join with a sl st to the top of the first dc2tog. (24 sts)
Round 3: Ch 1, sc in the first st (the top of the dc2tog), finishing the st with Color B. Skip the next st, work 5 dc in the next st, finishing the last st with Color A. Skip the next st. *Sc in the next st, finishing the st with Color B. Skip the next st, work 5 dc in the next st, finishing the last st with Color A. Skip the next st. Repeat from * to end. Join with a sl st to the top of the first st. (36 sts)
Round 4: Ch 2, (2 dc finishing last st with Color B, 2 dc finishing last st with Color A, 2 dc finishing last st with Color B) in the first st. Skip the next 2 sts, sc in the next st, finishing with Color A. *(2 dc finishing last st with Color B, 2 dc finishing last st with Color A, 2 dc finishing last st with Color B) in the next st, skip the next 2 sts, sc in the next st finishing with Color A. Repeat from * to end. Join with a sl st to the top of the first st. (42 sts)
Round 5: Ch 2, work 2 dc in the first st, then 2 dc in the next st finishing last st with Color B. Dc2tog finishing st with Color A. Work 2 dc in the next st, then 2 dc in the next st, finishing last st with Color B. Dc in next st, finishing with Color A. *Work 2 dc in the next st, then 2 dc in the next st finishing last st with Color B. Dc2tog finishing st with Color A. Work 2 dc in the next st, then 2 dc in the next st, finishing last st with Color B. Dc in next st, finishing with Color A. Repeat from * to end. Join with a sl st to the top of the first st. (60 sts)
Round 6: Ch 2, *dc between the the posts of the next and the following st. Ch 1, skip the next 2 sts, 2 dc between the posts of the previous and next st, finishing the last st with Color B. Skip the next st, sc in the next st finishing with Color A. Repeat from * to end. Join with a sl st to the top of the first st. (72 sts)
Round 7: Ch 2, dc2tog in the first two sts finishing with Color B. Work 3 dc in the ch sp finishing the last st with Color A. Dc2tog finishing with Color B. Work 3 dc in the next st finishing with Color A. *Dc2tog finishing with Color B. Work 3 dc in the ch sp finishing the last st with Color A. Dc2tog finishing with Color B. Work 3 dc in the next st finishing with Color A. Repeat from * to end. Join with a sl st to the top of the first st. (96 sts)
Round 8: Ch 2, dc in the first st finishing with Color B. Dc in the next 3 sts finishing last st with Color A. *Dc in the next st finishing with Color B, dc in the next 3 sts finishing last st with Color A. Repeat from * to end. Join with a sl st to the top of the first st. (96 sts)
Round 9: Ch 1, sc in the first st finishing with Color B. Skip the next st, (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next st finishing last st with Color A. Skip the next st. *Sc in the first st finishing with Color B. Skip the next st, (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next st finishing last st with Color A. Skip the next st. Repeat from * to end. Join with a sl st to the top of the first st. (144 sts)
Round 10: Ch 1, sc in the first st finishing with Color B. Skip the next 2 sts, work 5 dc in the ch sp finishing last st with Color A. Skip the next 2 sts. *Sc in the next st finishing with Color B. Skip the next 2 sts, work 5 dc in the ch sp finishing last st with Color A. Skip the next 2 sts. Repeat from * to end. Join with a sl st to the top of the first st. (144 sts)
Round 11: Ch 2, work 3 sc in the first st finishing last st with Color B. *Skip the next 2 sts, sc in the next st finishing with Color A. Skip the next 2 sts, work 5 dc in the next st finishing with Color B. Repeat from * ending with 2 dc in Color A worked in the same st as the first 3 sts of the round. Join with a sl st to the top of the first st. (144 sts)
Round 12: Ch 2, dc in the first st, dc in the next 2 sts finishing the last st with Color B. *Work 2 dc in the next st finishing the last st with Color A. Dc in the next 5 sts finishing the last st with Color B. Repeat from * until 2 sts remain. Dc in the last 2 sts with Color A, join with a sl st to the top of the first st. (168 sts)
Round 13: Ch 2, work 2 dc in the first st finishing last st with Color B. Skip the next 2 sts, *2 dc in the next st, 2 dc in the next st finishing the last st with Color A. Skip the next 2 sts, work 3 dc in the next st finishing the last st with Color B. Skip the next 2 sts. Repeat from * ending with a dc in the same st as the first st of the round. Join with a sl st to the top of the first st using Color B. (168 sts)
Round 14: Leaving Color A behind and no longer enclosing it, use Color B to sl st in the FLO of each st around. Break Color B and seamless join to the first sl st of the round. (168 sts)
Round 15: Pick up Color A and sl st in the FLO of each st of Round 13 behind the sts of Round 14. Break Color A and seamless join to the first sl st of the round. (168 sts)
Abbreviations:
ch = chain; sl st = slip stitch; dc = double crochet; dc2tog = double crochet decrease; sc = single crochet; st(s) = stitch(es); FLO = front loop only; ( ) = work directions in parentheses into specified st or sp; * = repeat whatever follows the * as indicated.
Win some of the yarn to make this rug! Contest runs July 3 – July 17, 2013.
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