Mandalas to Embroider: Kaleidoscope Stitching in a Hoop

The biggest problem is that the transfer pages don't actually transfer the designs. I tried on both cotton and linen fabric using a variety of heat settings, and they wouldn't work. That makes it really challenging to transfer the most intricate designs to the fabric. It was an incredibly frustrating experience for me. Also, this is really stupid, but the pocket on the back of the book that's meant to hold the transfer pages after you tear them out isn't big enough to fit the pages inside! They end up sticking out and/or getting crinkled if you try to stuff them in. It's all a nice concept but very poorly executed.

The book itself was wonderful; the colors on trend, the designs each unique, directions are comprehensive...until you get your iron ready to transfer the design to your fabric. So...aside from the direction in the book - I have used a product to transfer coloring sheet pages from the web to my fabric to sew with really good results. There may be other brands, but I used Sulky brand Printable self-adhesive, sticky fabri-solvy. Scan or print your design to a sheet of the paper, make sure your fabric is clean of lint and wrinkles; then peel the back off the sheet and roll it onto your fabric compressing the bubbles as you go. I let mine kind of 'cure' for a few days before I sew so that it is not as sticky and the needle glides through easier. When you are all done simply hand rinse in a warm tub/clean sink and it dissolves away!I know...more products to buy - but this stuff will set you free! I am planning a whole quilt out of an Autumn themed coloring book - can't wait to start. Good Luck

Embroidery is huge in our community right now because the Bohemian style has come back into fashion. Mandalas to Embroider contains iron-on transfers for 12 large and 12 small mandalas. The designs are novel and exciting. There are paisleys (love those), flowers and great designs with a Danish flare. Carina Envoldsen-Harris is Danish and her style has just the right hint of her heritage. Instructions are given for using the Dandelyne embroidery hoops to make necklaces, badges or pins. She includes 10 stitches with complete instructions to make those stitches. Lazy daisy, chain stitch, running stitch, back stitch, fly stitch and French knot are some of the stitches used. The stitches used are easy and a great place for the beginner embroiderer to begin. The designs are easy to stitch and can be completed in a few hours (the small ones) or not much longer for the larger ones. Each large design is about 4" across and the small designs are about 1 1/2" across. You can use the designs to decorate your clothing or frame them for decorations. The author encourages the reader to make the book's design their own by changing thread color or stitches used. She also encourages everyone to create their own mandala designs.

This book has so many pluses and one glaring minus. The designs are very attractive and instructions are laid out very nicely with each picture. The stitch illustrations are also very well done. However...the designs do NOT transfer no matter how hard you might try. This is hugely disappointing to me. I used a light box on one small design but doing that on the larger designs is just not my cup of tea. The designer clearly says the designs can be transferred. I wonder if she has addressed this problem anywhere. How could that have happened? Maybe an issue with the printer? Also the pocket in the back while a nice idea is not large enough to hold the cut out design unless you cut the design off the page. That’s a very minor issue but the non transferring problem is unforgivable.

The designs are pretty so I gave it a star but the patterns did not iron on at all! What’s up with that! I had to trace the designs with transfer pencils which was a royal pain!

“Transferable” patterns do not transfer.Experienced crafter toasted transfer paper trying to get ink to transfer.No luck whatsoever.Cut designs. Bad transfer ink.

Ugh! I was so disappointed! These designs are just lovely but they don't actually transfer which is heartbreaking; they would have been delightful to stitch!

TRANSFERS WORK PERFECTLY!!! I purchased this book despite the reviews that the transfers did not transfer. I think that the designs are beautiful and even if i had to transfer by hand i was happy to do so.... But the transfers came out perfectly , i just followed the instructions and I had no problems. The book is better than I expected, normally there are just a couple designs I like and the rest are sub par but I love every design in the book. A great purchase

I love this book. The transfers are fabulous and there are different sizes. There’s lots of brilliant instructions but by the same token you can do them your own way for example using beads and shisha mirrors like I will be doing.There are stitch lists for each design and colour codes but don’t be afraid to do your own thing. I might even try them on my sewing machine.There’s no reason why you couldn’t add these to denim jackets for the festival season and hippy rucksacks.

This is a great book with beautiful patterns in it and I would have given it five stars if it wasn't for the fact that I can't get the iron on transfers to work.They look just like normal printed paper and I wasn't even convinced that they were transfers when I first looked at them but I followed the instructions for transferring them onto fabric just to see but no matter what I try and I've tried a hotter iron and left the iron over them longer and just ended up with burnt paper and fabric, the ink will not transfer no matter what.I even thought maybe it was the wrong type of fabric but it was just the same on other types I tried.Very annoying and I have ended up having to buy a light box to trace the pattern onto my fabric as I am determined to use the book as they are such lovely patterns.Maybe someone could enlighten me as to what I'm doing wrong?

Love this book, have completed three of the small Mandalas, and have prepped the other designs in the book. I find the designs very relaxing to embroider and I was able to use up materials and threads I already had. This turned out to be a perfect lockdown project. I didn't have any bother using the transfer sheets they all worked perfectly for me. They are also reusable for at least 3 transfers.

I have just spent a very chilled evening stitching my first product . The book is lovely and easy to follow or do your own thing. I will gladly recommend this book you don’t need a large repertoire of stitches or you can stitch it in one colour on a back stitch if you prefer. It is also very affordable book.

Just what I hoped for, though the seller kept sending the wrong book and I only received it on the third attempt! The patterns are lovely and are just the type of thing I will enjoy doing. It's been a while since I did any embroidery and this will help to get me back into it. So I'm very much looking forward to trying some of the projects.As a matter of interest - the iron on transfers can apparently be used more than once, or you can trace and transfer that way if you wish.