1/3Dunhuang Art Mandala Motif
Original design by @来杯冰阔落
A 13-round Dunhuang-inspired mandala motif in six colours, built from bobbles, shells and post stitches. It works up as a coaster, a cushion block or a repeating granny square for a larger blanket.
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Hook
- 2.0mm
- Yarn
- 8-strand cotton (worsted)
- Time
- 2-4 hours
Materials
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Stitches used: MR, ch, sc, dc, tr, BPdc, BPsc, FPtr, sl st, inc, dec
Dunhuang Art Mandala Motif — Rnds 1-2 (Centre) Rnd 1: Magic ring, 12 dc in ring, join (12) Rnd 2: Working into each space BETWEEN two dc of Rnd 1: *sc, ch 2*, repeat 12 times around (12 sc, 12 ch-2 spaces) Note: this motif is worked in 13 rounds with colour changes each round; the ch-2 spaces made here become the anchor points for the bobbles in Rnd 3.
Notes
Classic Dunhuang-style granny/mandala motif. 8-strand cotton yarn, 2.0 mm hook. Beginner-friendly but high impact. In this pattern's shorthand F = dc, X = sc, CH = chain.
Dunhuang Art Mandala Motif — Rnd 3 (Bobble round) Rnd 3: Into each ch-2 space of Rnd 2: *3-dc bobble (3 unfinished dc worked into the same space, then yarn over and draw through all 4 loops), ch 2*, repeat 12 times around (12 bobbles, 12 ch-2 spaces) Change colour before starting this round.
Notes
Bobble = 枣形针, made from 3 incomplete dc closed together. Worked with 8-strand cotton and a 2.0 mm hook.
Dunhuang Art Mandala Motif — Rnd 4 (Shell round) Rnd 4: Into each ch-2 space of Rnd 3: *3 dc, ch 2 (the ch-2 passes over the bobble of the previous round)*, repeat 12 times around (36 dc, 12 ch-2 spaces) Change colour before starting this round.
Notes
The ch-2 skips over each bobble so the bobbles stay raised on the front of the work. 2.0 mm hook, 8-strand cotton.
Dunhuang Art Mandala Motif — Rnd 5 (Back-post round) Rnd 5: *Into the ch-2 space work 2 dc, then work 3 BPdc (back post double crochet) around each of the 3 dc of Rnd 4 in turn*, repeat 12 times around (60 sts) Change colour before starting this round.
Notes
内钩长针 = BPdc, worked around the post of the stitch from behind so the shell of Rnd 4 pops forward.
Dunhuang Art Mandala Motif — Rnd 6 (Single crochet round) Rnd 6: Sc in each stitch of Rnd 5 around, working *5 sc* per pattern repeat, 12 repeats (60 sc) Change colour before starting this round. This flat round levels the fabric before the next textured round.
Notes
A plain sc round; keep the tension even so the motif stays flat. 2.0 mm hook.
Dunhuang Art Mandala Motif — Rnd 7 (Front-post treble round) Rnd 7: *Working into the 2 sc that sit above the centre of each group of BPdc from Rnd 5, make 2 dc increases (2 dc in each of those 2 sts = 4 dc); then work 2 FPtr (front post treble) around the 2 dc that were worked into the ch-2 space in Rnd 5; skip to the next group of 2 sc above the next set of 3 BPdc*, repeat the pattern 12 times around Change colour before starting this round.
Notes
FV = dc increase (2 dc in one st); 外钩长长针 = FPtr worked around the post from the front. The FPtr pull the earlier round forward and create the raised ray effect.
Dunhuang Art Mandala Motif — Rnd 8 (Single crochet round) Rnd 8: *Working over the dc increases of Rnd 7, place 3 sc into the 3 gaps between the 4 dc; sc into the skipped sc of Rnd 6 below; 2 sc over the front post trebles; sc into the next skipped st of Rnd 6*, repeat 12 times around (7 sc per repeat, 84 sc) Change colour before starting this round.
Notes
This round anchors the front post stitches from Rnd 7 and restores an even stitch count.
Dunhuang Art Mandala Motif — Rnd 9 (Chain-space round) Rnd 9: *Starting in the sc that was worked into Rnd 6, work 4 sc, then ch 4 skipping the 3 sc that sit over the dc increases*, repeat 12 times around (48 sc and 12 ch-4 spaces) Change colour before starting this round.
Notes
The ch-4 arcs become the base for the 8-dc shells in Rnd 10.
Dunhuang Art Mandala Motif — Rnd 10 (Shell round) Rnd 10: *Into each ch-4 arc of Rnd 9 work 8 dc; then work 2 dc into the 2 sc of Rnd 8 that sit over the front post stitches*, repeat 12 times around (120 dc) Change colour before starting this round. The 8-dc shells form the scalloped flower edge.
Notes
Work the 8 dc loosely around the whole chain arc, not into individual chains, so the shell fans out.
Dunhuang Art Mandala Motif — Rnd 11 (Back-post round) Rnd 11: *2 sc into the 2 dc that bridged the shells in Rnd 10; then 8 BPdc, one around each of the 8 dc of the shell*, repeat 12 times around (120 sts) Change colour before starting this round.
Notes
Working the shell stitches as back post dc pushes each shell forward into a rounded petal.
Dunhuang Art Mandala Motif — Rnd 12 (Bobble and back-post round) Rnd 12: *Insert the hook between the 2 dc of Rnd 10 that sit below the 2 sc of Rnd 11 and work a 3-dc bobble; then work 4 BPdc around the next 4 back post stitches, ch 2, 4 BPdc around the following 4 back post stitches*, repeat 12 times around Change colour before starting this round.
Notes
The ch 2 at the top of each petal creates the notch that the final round fills with sc.
Dunhuang Art Mandala Motif — Rnd 13 (Final round) Rnd 13: *2 sc into the ch-2 space of Rnd 12; 4 BPsc (back post single crochet) around the next 4 back post stitches; 1 sc into the top of the bobble; 4 BPsc around the following 4 back post stitches*, repeat 12 times around. Fasten off and weave in ends. The finished motif is a 12-point Dunhuang-style mandala square/circle.
Notes
Final round; 内钩短针 = BPsc. Fasten off and weave in all colour-change tails on the back.
Dunhuang Art Mandala — Full Symbol Chart (Rnds 1-13) Rnd 1: MR, 12 dc (12) Rnd 2: *Sc between 2 dc, ch 2*, x12 Rnd 3: *3-dc bobble in ch-2 sp, ch 2*, x12 Rnd 4: *3 dc in ch-2 sp, ch 2 over bobble*, x12 Rnd 5: *2 dc in ch-2 sp, 3 BPdc over the 3 dc*, x12 Rnd 6: Sc in each st around (5 sc per repeat) Rnd 7: *2 dc inc over the 2 sc above the BPdc, 2 FPtr over the 2 dc*, x12 Rnd 8: *3 sc between the 4 dc, sc in skipped st, 2 sc over FPtr, sc in skipped st*, x12 Rnd 9: *4 sc, ch 4 skipping 3 sc*, x12 Rnd 10: *8 dc in ch-4 arc, 2 dc in the 2 bridging sc*, x12 Rnd 11: *2 sc, 8 BPdc over the shell*, x12 Rnd 12: *3-dc bobble, 4 BPdc, ch 2, 4 BPdc*, x12 Rnd 13: *2 sc in ch-2 sp, 4 BPsc, sc in bobble, 4 BPsc*, x12. Fasten off.
Notes
Language-independent symbol chart for the whole motif; matches the 13 step photos. 8-strand cotton, 2.0 mm hook.
Crochet Diagrams
Frequently asked questions
Why do the shells stand up from the fabric?
Rounds 5, 11 and 12 are worked as back post double crochet around the stitches of the round below, which pushes the previous shell forward so it sits raised on the front of the motif.
How many colours do I need?
The sample changes colour at almost every round, using six shades in rotation. You can work it in fewer colours or a single colour without changing any stitch counts.
Do I have to make the bobbles exactly as written?
The bobbles in Rnds 3 and 12 are three unfinished double crochet closed together. If you prefer a fuller texture you can substitute a 4-dc popcorn, but keep one bobble per repeat so the 12-point layout still works.
How do I keep the motif flat?
Keep an even tension on the chain spaces and work the 8-dc shells in Rnd 10 around the whole chain arc rather than into individual chains. Blocking the finished motif also helps it sit flat.
