Sunday 21 August 2016

The Big Mandala Swap



There is something very exciting in issue 5 of Crochet Now magazine – it’s a gorgeous book full of beautiful mandalas. In it you will find not only patterns for 9 mandalas but also a great project you can get involved in called The Big Mandala Swap. 
 
 What is the big mandala swap?? I hear you ask….well…We all know, experienced or have heard how crochet can help with one’s mental wellbeing, it certainly helped me a lot through some dark times and it still does, but talking with someone about your issues is incredibly important, so as a way of opening a dialogue Crochet Now has teamed up with Rethink Mental Illness charity to raise awareness of mental health issues and The Big Mandala Swap was born. You can read a lot more about it in the book, or go to Crochet Now blog

How it works……pretty simple really, you make a mandala of around 20cm diameter, write a letter about yourself, parcel it up and send it to the address below before 1st January 2017, Crochet Now will swap the mandalas and send them out to their new homes, you can provide contact details so your new crochet friend can get in touch. 

The Big Mandala Swap
Crochet Now, Practical Publishing
Suite G2 St Christopher House,
217 Wellington Road South,
Stockport SK2 6NG

If you have a story to tell about how crochet has helped your life, write it in a letter to your swap partner, send it in to the editor at hugh.metcalf@practicalpublishing.co.uk or post it online, tagging Crochet Now as well as the #thebigmandalaswap hashtag.

  Passion by Lynne Rowe

You can also drop your mandala to one of the participation yarn shops across the country. This is a great way to involve your community and help your local yarn shops to hold workshops and support this great project. 

I’m truly honoured to have designed one of the mandalas included in this great little book. My mandala is called Energy and it's also shown on the cover with more gentle colours.
Energy is just one of many beautiful mandalas designed by very talented designers.

 Energy

Crochet Now issue 5 is on sale now so go on get your hooks out and get involved!! 


Anna xx

4 comments:

  1. what a fabulous idea. I know that crochet has helped me over the past couple of years cope with my dad having cancer. Must be the colours and chosing yarn and taking projects to hospital appointments and visits that gets people talking and takes your mind off why you are there in the first place! I think I might have to join in

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    1. Thank you so much for sharing. It was the same with me, crochet really helped me when I lost me mum. It will be amazing if you could get involved and spread the word xx

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  2. I love your mandala. I'm in the U.S. though. Do you know if the pattern(s) will be available on Ravelry?

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    1. Thank you so much :) The pattern will be available on Ravelry, but it will be few good months yet xx

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