Lion Brand Mandala is a self striping light weight cake style yarn. I’ll be honest….it’s definitely one of my favourites. I love the colourway options and the amount of yarn in one is just perfect for crocheting small and portable projects (hats, scarves, etc). There is a lot to chat about with this yarn so let’s jump in and learn more about Lion Brand Mandala.

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I want to share that these thoughts and opinions are strictly my own. I have not been paid or asked to write this review and all comments are based on my own experiences of purchasing and crocheting with this yarn.

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I have been using Lion Brand Mandala for awhile. I like the colour options and find it to be a consistent and comfortable yarn to work with. If this yarn is new to you or perhaps you’ve seen it but haven’t been sure about it, I hope this review is helpful!

This review is for the original Mandala line only. Did you know there are others? I counted a total of 11 different styles of Mandala yarn on the Lion Brand website (which includes a sparkle option! Ohhh! Ahhhh!)

Fibre Content:

Lion Brand Mandala is 100% acrylic which means that it’s a versatile fibre that’s great for number of different projects with easy care.

Yarn Information:

This yarn is a light weight 3 (DK) wound in a cake form. Each cake weighs 5.3oz/150g and contains 590yd/540m of yarn. DK weight yarn is especially great for lightweight wearables and blankets. Mandala yarn is soft and when worked up into a project, finishes off with a soft and squishy texture.

If you’re crocheting, the recommended hook size is 5mm (H-8) or 3.75mm (5) needles if knitting is your preference.

Washing Instructions:

Lion Brand has made it very easy to care for your finished handmade items using Mandala yarn. Projects made with this line can be placed in both the washer and the dryer! Ironing is not recommended due to the fibre content. Don’t you love easy care? It definitely makes a difference, especially when the item you’re making might be gifted! A baby blanket in this yarn would look beautiful and the new parent or guardian would be so thankful for easy washing instructions.

Other Label Details:

A really fun thing about this label is that there is a small picture of the colourway which I think is a really fabulous feature. Sometimes when the yarn is wound up in a cake, it can be hard to get a good look at all the colours, especially the ones in the middle. The picture is a great way to get a good look at the colours so you know exactly the shades you’ll be working with.

This yarn does have a dye lot which means if you need more than one for a project, it’s important to make sure those numbers match so that the colours used in each skein (or cake) are the same (shades can differ if they come from different lots). However, due to the nature of the yarn and the way the colours transition, yarn from the same dye lot may differ slightly. This could mean that the colours that start and end in one cake might be different in another cake. Or, perhaps the colours may transition ever so slightly in a different way. It doesn’t bother me and as the label mentions, this is part of the charm!

Also on the label you will find the article number, colour number (with a colourway name underneath it) and then the dye lot.

On the inside of the label is a note from Lion Brand sharing their website where you can find various helpful crochet and knitting resources.

Lion Brand also provides information on their social media channels and where you can find them. The logos on the label show that they are on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

What Can I Make With It?

Since this yarn is 100% acrylic, it has a lot of possibilities for projects. I have used this fun pattern to crochet triangle scarves with really gorgeous results. Check out my version of the Madeline Triangle Scarf (Designed by Ginger Knots):

A quick search on Google, Pinterest and Ravelry will also come up with many unique and beautiful ways to use this yarn. I’ve seen patterns for scarves, neck warmers, throw pillow covers, cardigans, sweaters, blankets….there are so many creative designs. Lion Brand has a large selection of patterns available on their website as well.

Looking for a free, one cake pattern? Check out my One Skein Granny Rows Scarf using Lion Brand Mandala. Can you tell I love the “Warlock” colourway?

If you have two cakes, you can make the Two Skein Granny Rows Wrap!

Where Can I Buy It?

I purchased this particular cake from Yarn Canada. I find them to have a great selection of yarn as well as fantastic customer service and quick shipping. Walmart Canada, Amazon.ca, LoveCrafts and other craft and hobby retailers also carry this yarn at comparable prices. Of course, you can purchase directly from the Lion Brand website too. Prices generally seem to be listed at $7.00-$10.00 CDN. I found 33 colourways listed on the Lion Brand website….that’s a lot to choose from!

So, How Does It Work Up?

Mandala yarn works up so nicely and it creates such unique projects because of the colour transitions. It is a comfortable yarn to work with and I had no issues with splitting, knots, twists or it being uneven. I particularly love not having to switch colours throughout the project and I’m happy to let the colours fall where they do. However, I do know quite a few people who prefer to have more control over where the colour changes happen and often snip the yarn at the end of rows or rounds for a smoother transition.

As with most wound yarn, you do have the option of pulling from the centre or the outside. You may prefer one over the other depending on if you want to start with a particular colour. I tend to use the centre pull because I can rest the cake in a bowl and not have it flop around. However, I have pulled from the outside and it really wasn’t much trouble.

As for the colours, each shade displays nicely and compliments each other perfectly. They are bold, bright and transition into each other well.

Is This Yarn a Hit?

You bet! Factors like easy washing instructions, colourway options, ease of use…these are all wins for me. I also find it to be fairly priced and pretty consistent between different retailers. I absolutely adore this yarn and always try to have a cake or two in my stash. You get enough yarn in one cake for a decent project (and you know how one skein projects are my jam!). Two thumbs up (or hooks?) for this yarn!

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Have you used Lion Brand Mandala? What projects do you like to make with it? Leave me a message and let me know your thoughts! Don’t forget to share this review with your yarn loving friends by sharing this post to your favourite crochet/knitting Pinterest board!

Looking to discover more yarn brands? Check out my other yarn reviews here

Happy Crocheting!