Naissance Mandala, the symbol of new beginnings

Naissance Mandala, the symbol of new beginnings

January, the time for resolutions, new starts, new beginnings and usually, for me, a new craft to try or a new project to embark on. The thirst for new experiences and the need to learn and discover has led me to try a whole host of crafts and creative activities.

Over the past few years, (much to the amusement of friends and family) I've had annual crafting passions; there has been 'the year of baking', closely followed by 'the year of cake decorating', not forgetting the years of wet felting, needle felting, sewing and even Chinese painting!  I know I am not alone, if you like to make stuff, you usually like to try new stuff out too.  You're with me on that I'm sure? (Let's not even mention the acquisition and stashing of resources!)

On a professional and academic level there have been others, (teaching Graphic Products and Resistant Materials as Design and Technology teacher in a former existence allowed for so much scope and exploration!) but, the one craft that has always drawn me back is Crochet.

It's always been there; my Grandma first taught me when I was about seven, then my Mum in my teens, then there was a bout of knitting & crochet during my university years...(here's a cardigan I made at University)....

Back in September 2014 I was given a new opportunity to teach adults how to crochet in my local village, the course was (and still is) a 4 week course and I created the mandala to help teach and practise a range of stitches. There we have it, a mandala that represented my new beginnings in teaching adults, the new beginnings of a hobby for many others and now the new beginnings of Cotton Pod my on-line web-store. In my next post I will share the Naissance Mandala pattern, I hope you enjoy making one yourself someday!  Happy hooking!