Apr
Starting With Mandala Yarn Because It’s Actually Pretty Forgiving
So Lion Brand Mandala is one of those gradient yarns that does the color work for you which honestly makes you look like a better crocheter than you actually are. I used it in summer 2023 when I was stuck inside during that weird heat wave and needed something to do besides watch my cat destroy another cardboard box.
The thing about cake yarns is they’re already wound up in a center-pull format. You don’t need to do anything special, just find the end in the middle and start working. Mandala specifically is a category 3 light weight yarn, so it’s not super chunky but also not thin enough to make you want to quit halfway through a project.
What Actually Works With This Yarn
Shawls are the obvious choice because the gradient just naturally flows across the triangular shape. I made one using the Centaurus colorway and it went from deep purple to teal to this weird but kinda cool mustard yellow. Used a basic V-stitch pattern, nothing fancy. You’re gonna want at least two cakes for a decent sized shawl though, maybe three if you want it actually warm.
Temperature blankets are another thing people do but honestly that’s a year-long commitment and I can’t even commit to finishing a TV series so. But the concept is you assign temperature ranges to the different color sections and crochet a row each day based on the temp. Sounds cute in theory.
Bags and market totes work really well because you need something sturdy but the gradient makes it look intentional instead of just “I made a bag.” I usually do a simple granny square pattern or just continuous rounds of double crochet. The Sphinx colorway has these nice earthy tones that don’t look too crafty if that makes sense.
The Blanket I Actually Finished
Made a baby blanket in spring 2022 with the Genie colorway which is like coral and pink and cream. Used a corner-to-corner pattern because it’s basically mindless once you get the rhythm down. Started in one corner, increased until it was wide enough, then decreased back down to the opposite corner. The gradient spread out diagonally which actually looked pretty intentional.
You need like 3-4 cakes depending on how big you want it. I used 3 and it was decent size for a baby blanket, maybe 30×30 inches or something close to that. Didn’t measure because who actually does that for baby gifts.
The Hook Size Thing That Everyone Gets Wrong
The label says use a 5mm hook but that’s gonna give you a pretty tight fabric. I usually go up to 5.5mm or even 6mm if I want it drapey. For bags you want tight so the stuff doesn’t fall through the stitches, but for shawls or blankets the looser fabric just feels better.
Test your tension with like 20 stitches and see if you like how it feels. If it’s stiff and hard to work with, go up a hook size. If it’s so loose you can see through it in a weird way, go down. I know people say make a gauge swatch but I usually just start the actual project and if I hate it after a few rows I restart with a different hook.
Patterns That Don’t Fight The Gradient
Simple stitches work best. The yarn is already doing visual work so you don’t need complicated stitch patterns competing with it. Basic double crochet, half double crochet, V-stitch, shell stitch, those all let the colors show.
I tried doing a complex lace pattern once with the Wizard colorway and it just looked muddy. You couldn’t see the stitch definition and the color changes happened in weird spots that broke up the lace design. Total waste of time and yarn.
Granny squares are fine but the color pooling can be unpredictable. Sometimes you get a square that’s all one color, sometimes it transitions right in the middle. If you’re making a blanket with multiple squares it can look random instead of planned. Some people like that chaotic look, I think it just looks like I didn’t know what I was doing.
The One Thing That Really Annoyed Me
The yarn splits. Like constantly. You’re going along fine and then your hook catches just part of the yarn strand instead of the whole thing and suddenly you’ve got this messy split stitch. It’s not the worst splitting yarn I’ve used but it’s definitely not smooth sailing.
Using a hook with a rounded tip helps some. The Clover Amour hooks worked better for me than the basic aluminum ones. Also making sure you’re not pulling too tight on your stitches, because tension makes the splitting worse.
And the color transitions aren’t always smooth. Sometimes you get this abrupt line where teal just stops and orange starts, which I guess is how gradient yarn works but it can land in an annoying spot. Like right in the center of a shawl where everyone’s gonna see it. You can’t really control where the transitions happen unless you’re willing to cut the yarn and waste a bunch which seems wasteful.
Projects I’ve Actually Completed
Besides the baby blanket I made a triangle scarf with the Valkyrie colorway. That one goes from cream to pink to dark burgundy. Just did rows of double crochet increasing at both ends until I ran out of yarn. Took one cake and probably like 6 hours total while watching The Great British Baking Show or something.
A drawstring bag with Mermaid which is blues and greens. Used two cakes, worked in the round from the bottom up, decreased for the base, then straight sides, then did a few rows of chain spaces at the top for the drawstring. Lined it with fabric because otherwise you could see everything through the stitches even though I used a smaller hook.
Attempted a mandala wall hanging which is where the yarn name makes sense I guess. Started with a magic ring and just kept doing increase rounds with different stitch patterns. Used Warlock colorway which is dark and moody. Got about 15 inches across and then my dog knocked over my coffee onto it so that project lives in a drawer now as a reminder to put drinks on the other side of the room.
Combining Multiple Cakes
If you’re doing a bigger project you’ll need multiple cakes and this is where it gets tricky. The dye lots can be slightly different even in the same colorway. Not hugely noticeable but if you put them right next to each other you might see it.
I usually alternate cakes every few rows if I’m making something where that works. Like for a blanket, do 4 rows with cake A, 4 rows with cake B, and it blends any differences. For something worked in the round you kinda just have to commit to one cake until it’s done then switch.
Starting each cake from the same color point helps it look more intentional. So if cake A starts with purple, try to join cake B when you’re at a purple section too. Doesn’t always work perfectly but it’s better than having random color jumps.
Actual Yardage Reality Check
Each cake is 590 yards which sounds like a lot but goes faster than you think. A simple shawl takes 2 cakes minimum. A baby blanket takes 3-4. An adult blanket you’re looking at probably 8-10 cakes which starts getting expensive.
At like $7-8 per cake it’s not the cheapest yarn but also not boutique pricing. Comparable to Red Heart Super Saver or Caron Simply Soft in terms of price point. I’ve seen it on sale at Michaels and Joann sometimes, worth waiting for a coupon.
Washing and Care
It’s acrylic so it’s machine washable which is honestly why I use it for baby stuff and bags. The label says cool water and lay flat to dry but I’ve thrown projects in the dryer on low and they survived fine. The colors didn’t bleed or fade noticeably.
Some people say it gets softer after washing and I guess that’s true but it’s not scratchy to begin with so. It’s got a normal acrylic feel, not super soft like Caron Cakes, not rough like basic Red Heart.
Other Cake Yarns For Comparison
Caron Cakes are softer and a category 4 medium weight so they work up faster. But they’re also thicker which means less yardage per cake, like 383 yards versus Mandala’s 590. The color transitions in Caron Cakes are longer too, more gradual.
Hobbii Sultan is another gradient cake option but you gotta order online and shipping takes forever if you’re in the US. The colors are really saturated though, more intense than Mandala.
Red Heart Roll With It is cheaper but the quality shows. More splitting, colors aren’t as nice, the cake isn’t wound as neatly so it can tangle.
Patterns You Can Find Free
Lion Brand’s website has free patterns specifically for Mandala yarn. They’re pretty basic but they work. The Lost in Time Shawl pattern is popular, uses 2 cakes and is just a triangle with some eyelet rows.
Ravelry has tons of patterns tagged for gradient yarn. Search for “cake yarn” or “gradient” and filter by free. Most shawl patterns work fine with Mandala even if they don’t specifically call for it.
Honestly you don’t even need a pattern for a lot of projects. Just pick a basic stitch and start making a rectangle or triangle or circle until you run out of yarn or it’s the size you want. The gradient does enough visual interest that simple shapes look complete.
Color Choices That Actually Matter
Some colorways are way more popular than others. Sphinx, Warlock, and Phoenix seem to be everywhere. Genie and Mermaid are pretty common too. The more out-there color combos like Gnome or Kraken sit on shelves longer so they’re easier to find.
I tend to go for the ones that have a clear color story instead of like six different colors fighting each other. Valkyrie’s pink-to-burgundy progression makes sense. Something like Jester which has yellow and purple and teal and pink is just… a lot.
Neutrals like Chimera or Opal are nice if you want something that looks handmade but not obviously crafty. Good for wearables if you’re worried about looking too arts-and-crafts.
What Doesn’t Work Well
Amigurumi is weird with gradient yarn because the color changes happen in random spots on the stuffed animal. Unless you’re going for an abstract look it usually just seems unplanned.
Garments are tricky because you need gauge to be accurate and the color placement is hard to control. I tried making a cardigan and one sleeve ended up mostly purple while the other was mostly teal and it looked like I ran out of yarn halfway through even though I didn’t.
Really detailed stitch patterns get lost. Cables, popcorn stitches, complex textures, they just don’t show up well when the color is constantly changing and drawing the eye.
Small projects sometimes don’t use enough of the gradient to make it worth it. Like if you’re making a coaster you might only see two colors and at that point just use regular yarn.
The yarn is acrylic so it doesn’t have great stitch definition compared to wool or cotton. Fine for casual projects but if you’re trying to showcase your skills it won’t make your stitches look crisp and perfect.
