Mandala Cardigan

I’d been playing with circles for a while when this cardigan started taking shape. Round after round, just one simple stitch on repeat, extended half double crochet, and before I knew it the fabric was growing into something really special. There’s something so calming about working in the round like this, watching a circle slowly expand.

The name came later. During meditation I kept seeing these colors come to me, one layer after another, almost like they were arranging themselves into a mandala. That’s when I realized this design had its own rhythm, not just a circle, but a mandala you can wear.

The construction is easy: the whole body is one continuous circle, and the sleeves are added straight into the openings. Simple to make, relaxing to work on, and surprisingly versatile when finished. You can follow my color chart or go your own way, even in a single color it carries that same meditative energy.