Crochet Gate: Jute Web Hula Hoop Mandala -free crochet pattern-

This is my second hula hoop mandala that I've made from jute! I made my first one last fall, when hula hoops were 'out of season' and it was almost impossible to find one! When I did find one, it had a bend in the hoop, I bought it anyway at a discount, and tried to get the bend out, but it came back and sorta ruined the look of my mandala.... that being said, this is the best time of year to buy hula hoops (spring!) This lovely is hanging on my black wall right now. Although it makes for great and interesting wall art, it is going to make its way outside and hang from my garden shed (that I need to paint first).

This mandala is not hard to make, just a bit rough on the hands! You can easily make one in a few hours. If I could give jute a yarn weight, I'd say it's bulky or chunky. The hula hoop is one of the larger ones, although you could use a smaller one and simply adjust the number of stitches, as long as it's in multiples of 5. You begin by working cluster stitches over the hoop... Cluster stitches allow for a fan effect, because you want your working stitches facing the inner side of the hoop. If you work just basic stitches around the hoop to begin, you will have too many stitches on the inner ring and it will be all bunched up and ripply, too less and you will have gaps and see the color of the hoop peeking through; (unless you want to paint your hoop first, but who has time for that!) clusters make more loops to cover the hoop, yet one stitch. This will make more sense once you get going!

Designed By: Farrah Hodgson

Skill Level: Intermediate

Materials:

2 standard balls of Jute cord. (I found mine at the local garden centre, however I have found it at dollar stores in the past) If you're using the smaller balls of jute from Walmart, you will need 3 of them.
Size 8.0mm crochet hook
Hula Hoop (34" diameter)

Beginning Round on Hoop: This is the most time consuming part...

Work a sl st on the hoop; work a *5sc cluster* (see below). Repeat 112 times; sl st in first cluster st to join. Make sure your "working" stitches are facing the inner side of the hoop, pull your work to make sure it's even and have no large gaps of hoop showing.

Tip: For tension, it doesn't have to be super tight, but not so loose that it looks bunchy. You want your stitches to be able to slide around the hoop when you pull on them, but not sliding around without pulling on them!!

5sc Cluster= *Work your hook under the hoop, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through first loop on hook** 4 times, work your hook under the hoop, pull up a loop, pull through all 6 loops on the hook.

pull through all 6 loops on hook to close the cluster stitch

Rnd 1: Turn; ch3, *5tr cluster, ch7** 22 times, sl st in 1st st to join.

5tr-Cluster= *yarn over twice, insert hook into next st, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook, yarn over, pull through next 2 loops on hook** 5 times, (6 loops remaining on hook), yarn over, pull through all 6 loops on hook.

Rnd 2: Do not turn; sc in same st as join, ch2 (counts as 1tr); *ch5, skip 7 chs, tr in next cluster st** 21 times, ch5, skip 7 chs, sl st in 2nd ch of beg ch2 to join.

Rnd 3: Do not turn; sc in same st as join, ch2 (counts as 1 tr), *ch3, skip 5 chs, tr in next tr** 21 times, ch3, skip 5 chs, sl st in 2nd ch of beg ch2 to join.

Rnd 4: Do not turn; sc in same st as join, ch2 (counts as 1 tr), *ch2, skip 3 chs, tr in next tr** 21 times, ch2, skip 3 chs, sl st in 2nd ch of beg ch2 to join.

Rnd 5: Do not turn; (sl st, sc) in 1st ch2 sp, ch3,tr in same sp *ch1, skip next ch2 sp, trv-st in next ch2sp** 10 times, ch1, sl st in 2nd ch of beg ch2 to join.

trv-Stitch= (tr, ch1, tr) in same space

Rnd 6: Do not turn; sc in centre of 1st v-st; ch2-dc in same sp; *ch1, v-st in next v-st** 10 times, ch1, sl st in 1st ch to join.

V-Stitch= (dc, ch1, dc) in same space