Free Crochet Mandala Pattern – Frank
This post may contain affiliate links; if you click and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support! Full affiliate disclosure here.
About the Frank Mandala Crochet Pattern
Free crochet mandala pattern first published in 2018 on Ravelry; updated February 2024
In modern crochet, a mandala (also known in some places as a doily) is considered to be any crocheted circle. We do not need to assign any deeper meaning to a crochet mandala pattern; they are simply fun to make and allow for wonderful color experimentation!
However, it is interesting to note that the word Mandala means ‘circle’ in Sanskrit and they have great symbolic meaning in the Hindu and Buddhist faiths.
To Tibetan Buddhists, these arresting figures are not just artwork but meditation tools: graphic representations of the cosmos, maps of the arduous journey to enlightenment.
– Sacred Circles by Joan Duncan Oliver, Tricycle Magazine Winter 2009
I am an aspiring daily meditator in the more traditional sense and I also believe in crochet as a meditation aid. I love the origins of the mandala for this reason! This design is called the Frank Mandala, after my husband. He is not into any of that woo stuff but supports me in mine, so this name seems apt 🙂
Frank was very my first crochet mandala design and has been enjoyed by hundreds of crocheters. I hope you enjoy it too, whether you watch a Netflix movie while you make it or hook it in meditative silence. Just do more of what makes you happy 😊🙏
This is an lower-intermediate level free crochet mandala pattern that includes a number of specialty stitches and techniques. Since 2021, I’ve been including stitch photo tutorials in all the crochet patterns I sell on Etsy and Ravelry. You can now access those very same handy tutorials by clicking the links in the Specialty Stitches section below. So you don’t need to Google if you don’t know a specialty stitch; you can just get straight to hooking 🙂
Materials
- I’ve used oddments of Knit Picks CotLin, which as the name suggests is a cotton (70%) / linen (30%) blend (123yds/112m, 50g/1.76oz) in the version used in the round by round photos. You can use any equivalent weight (light worsted) cotton or cotton blend yarn. Choose the shades that bring you most joy!
- 4mm/G crochet hook; I only use Clover Amours or Tulip Etimos
- I have also made this mandala in lace weight (Hobbii Rainbow Lace, 100% mercerised cotton) with a 1.5mm hook; in fingering weight (unidentified from stash) with a 3mm hook; and in aran weight (Yarn and Colors Epic, 100% cotton – new yarn for me and loving it!) with a 5mm hook; the possibilities really are endless!
- Experiment with different weights and colours, add a hoop, hot glue to a hardback notebook cover or a vase… ok granted I’ve not yet got the glue gun out myself, but why not?! Let me know if you do! 🙂
- Yarn needle; I prefer a bent tip
- Scissors
Gauge
Gauge is not important. Finished crochet mandala using recommended yarn and hook size measures 7″ (18 cm)
Stitch Key (US terms)
- yo = yarn over
- st(s) = stitch(es)
- sl st = slip stitch
- sk st = skip stitch
- ch = chain
- ch-sp(s) = chain space(s)
- sc = single crochet
- dc = double crochet
Specialty Stitches
- Adjustable Loop (or ch4, join with sl st to form loop)
- Standing stitches
- Invisible joins
- V-st = V Stitch = (dc, ch1, dc)
- BLOsc = back loop only single crochet
- 3bo = 3dc bobble stitch (with ‘beginning bo’ variation)
- 4bo = 4dc bobble stitch (with ‘beginning bo’ variation); refer to the 3dc bobble stitch tutorial and just add an extra yo, insert hook in same st, pull up loop, yo, pull through 2 loops as illustrated below – you’ve got this! 🙂
Notes
- Experience Level: Lower Intermediate
- Slip stitch joins may be used throughout, but invisible joins are recommended where indicated, for a neater finish
- Traditional chain starts may be used throughout, but standing stitches are recommended for best results
- Have questions? Email support is available: pam@bestcrochetlife.com
Free Crochet Mandala Pattern Instructions
Round 1: Colour A: make adjustable loop (or ch4 and sl st join), ch3 (counts as first dc), 15dc into loop, make invisible join (16 dc)
Round 2: Colour B: standing dc in any st, 2dc in same st, ch1, sk st, [3dc in next st, ch1, sk st] 7 times, join with sl st to first st, fasten off (24 dc, 8 ch-sps)
Round 3: Colour C: beginning 4bo in any ch-sp, ch2, sk st, dc in next st, ch2, sk st, [4bo in ch sp, ch2, sk st, dc in next st, ch2, sk st] 7 times, join with sl st to first st, fasten off (8 dc, 8 4bo, 16 ch2-sps)
Round 4: Colour D: standing dc in any ch-sp, 3dc in same ch-sp, ch1, [4dc in next ch-sp, ch1] 15 times, join with sl st to first st, fasten off (64 dc, 16 ch-sps)
Round 5: Colour E: (standing dc, ch1, dc) in any ch-sp (counts as first v-st), v-st between 2nd and 3rd dcs of next 4dc group, [v-st in ch-sp, v-st between 2nd and 3rd dcs of next 4dc group] 15 times, join with sl st to first st, fasten off (32 v-st)
Round 6: Colour F: beginning 3bo any ch-sp, ch2, [3bo in next ch-sp, ch2] 31 times, join with sl st to first st, fasten off (32 3bo, 32 ch2-sps)
Round 7: Colour C: standing dc in any ch2-sp, 3dc in same ch2-sp, [4dc in next ch2-sp] 31 times, make invisible join (128 dc)
If you are going to add a hoop, now is the time! It might be a bit fiddly at first, but all you need to do is crochet over the ring as you make your BLOsc stitches:
Round 8: Colour G: standing BLOsc in any st, BLOsc in next 127 st, make invisible join (128 BLOsc)
And your Frank Mandala is complete!! How are you feeling right now? Let me know in the comments; and if you have any questions, I’m here 🙂
Want more crochet in your life?
