purlJam

# Mandala Leaf & Flower Shell Pullover
**Difficulty Level:** Advanced
**Construction:** Top-Down Seamless Circular Yoke

### 1. MATERIALS
- **Yarn:** Lion Brand Mandala Gradient (Weight 3/DK, 5.3oz/150g, 590yds/540m).
  - Small: 2 cakes
  - Medium: 3 cakes
  - Large: 3 cakes
  - XL: 4 cakes
  - 2XL: 4 cakes
- **Hooks:** 4.5 mm (US 7) for body, 3.75 mm (F) for ribbing.
- **Notions:** 4 Stitch markers, tapestry needle, measuring tape.

### 2. GAUGE
18 dc and 10 rows = 4" (10 cm) with 4.5 mm hook.
*Technical Note: Check gauge after Row 4 of the yoke to ensure the circle lies flat.*

### 3. SIZING & MEASUREMENTS
| Size | Fits Bust | Finished Bust | Yoke Depth |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Small** | 34-36" | 37" | 8.5" |
| **Medium** | 38-40" | 41" | 9.25" |
| **Large** | 42-44" | 45" | 10" |
| **XL** | 46-48" | 49" | 10.75" |
| **2XL** | 50-52" | 53" | 11.5" |

---

### 4. SPECIAL STITCHES
- **Shell:** 5 dc in indicated st or sp.
- **Fpdc (Front Post Double Crochet):** For the Leaf Vein.
- **Puff (Flower Center):** [Yarn over, insert hook in st, yarn over, pull up a loop] 3 times, yarn over, pull through all 7 loops on hook, ch 1 to close.

---

### 5. PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS

#### A. Neck Ribbing
With 3.75 mm hook, ch 11.
**Row 1:** Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across. (10 sc)
**Row 2:** Ch 1, turn. Sc in BLO of each st across.
Repeat Row 2 until ribbing measures 18 (19, 20, 21, 22)" slightly stretched.
Join ends with sl st to form a circle. Switch to 4.5 mm hook.

#### B. The Yoke (Leaf & Flower Motifs)
Work in rounds. Join with sl st to first st of round.
**Rnd 1 (Set-up):** Ch 2 (does not count as st), work 72 (78, 84, 90, 96) dc evenly around the edge of the ribbing. 
*Math: This provides a base of 12 (13, 14, 15, 16) repeats.*

**Rnd 2 (Leaf Base):** Ch 2, *dc in 5 sts, 2 dc in next st; repeat from * around. [84 (91, 98, 105, 112) sts]

**Rnd 3 (Leaf Veins):** Ch 2, *dc 2, Fpdc around dc from row below (leaf vein), dc 4; repeat from * around.

**Rnd 4 (Increases):** Ch 2, *dc in next 3 sts, 2 dc in next st; repeat from * around. [105 (113, 122, 131, 140) sts]

**Rnd 5-8 (Flower Row):** 
Ch 2, *dc 3, Puff (Flower) in next st, ch 1, skip 1, dc 3; repeat from * around. 
*Note: Continue increasing 12-15 sts per round in a staggered fashion to keep yoke flat.*

**Rnd 9-15:** Continue dc rounds with Fpdc "veins" and staggered increases until you reach a total stitch count of 252 (276, 300, 324, 348) sts.
*Validation: For Medium (276 sts): 276 / 6 = 46 shell repeats total.*

#### C. Separation (Size Medium Example)
Place markers to divide: 84 sts for Front, 54 sts for Sleeve, 84 sts for Back, 54 sts for Sleeve.
**Rnd 1:** Ch 2, dc in each st to first marker, ch 6 (8, 10, 12, 14) for underarm, skip sleeve sts, dc in each st to next marker, ch 6 (8, 10, 12, 14) for underarm, skip sleeve sts, join.
*Medium Body Count: 84 + 84 + 6 + 6 = 180 sts.*

#### D. Body (Shell Stitch)
**Rnd 1:** Ch 1, sc in same st, *skip 2 sts, 5 dc in next st (Shell), skip 2 sts, sc in next; repeat from * around, join.
**Rnd 2:** Sl st to center dc of first shell, ch 1, sc in same st, *Shell in sc of previous round, sc in center dc of shell; repeat from * around.
Repeat Rnd 2 until body measures 12" from underarm or 2" less than desired total length.

#### E. Body Hem
Switch to 3.75 mm hook.
**Rnd 1:** Ch 1, sc in each dc and sc around.
**Hem Ribbing:** Work as per Neck Ribbing, but attach to the body edge by working sc2tog into the body edge at the end of every 2nd row of ribbing to secure.

#### F. Sleeves (Work for both)
Reattach yarn at center of underarm.
**Rnd 1:** Ch 1, work sc evenly around armhole and underarm chain. Ensure count is a multiple of 6.
**Rnds 2-End:** Work Shell Stitch pattern (same as body). Decrease 1 shell repeat every 3" to taper.
**Cuff:** Switch to 3.75 mm hook and work 2" of SC-BLO ribbing.

### 6. FINISHING
1. Fasten off and weave in all ends.
2. Lightly steam block the yoke to open up the Leaf and Flower motifs. 
3. *Technical Note:* Do not over-block the acrylic yarn (Mandala); keep the iron 1 inch away from the fabric to prevent "killing" the fiber.