Isa Catepillán For Purl Soho: Cielito Lindo Wrap
Isa Catepillán describes the creation of her extraordinary Cielito Lindo Wrap as “crocheting my own constellation,” and we can’t think of a better way to talk about the feeling of connection we get from making. Isa lives far from home, but hooking up her wrap was a salient reminder to her that she, residing through the pandemic in Australia, and her loved ones, home in Chile, all live under the same sky.
Isa suggested the name Cielito Lindo, a hugely popular Mexican song, whose name means “sweet little heaven” and whose ay, ay, ay ay chorus is a kind of joyful lament for home… So apt and so beautiful!
The Cielito Lindo Wrap does all of our favorite crochet things. It plays with negative and positive space; it conjures patterns in nature; and it awes us with its beauty. The main motif is a simple double and treble crochet mandala, joined by square motifs in the middle and half squares on the edges, and all finished with a lovely curtain of fringe.
To keep her wrap light and delicate, Isa used our fingering weight Linen Quill, a mix of fine highland wool, alpaca, and linen. Its rustic hand and elegant drape make it the perfect choice for creating your own constellation!
Designed for Purl Soho by Isa Catepillán.
Materials
- 5 skeins of Purl Soho’s Linen Quill, 50% fine highland wool, 35% alpaca, and 15% linen. Each skein is approximately 439 yards/100 grams; approximately 2180 yards required. We used the color Pale Oats.
- A size C (3.0 mm) crochet hook
Gauge
Each Mandala Motif measures approximately 5½ inches in diameter.
Each Square Motif is approximately 2¼ inches square.
Size
Finished Dimensions: 30 inches wide x 72 inches long, excluding fringe
Notes
Construction
You will make this wrap with three different motifs: Mandalas, Squares, and Half Squares. You will work each motif in the round from the center out. You will work all Mandalas first, joining them as you go, until you’ve made 12 rows of 5 Mandalas each. Then you will work the Squares and Half Squares between the Mandalas. Finally, you will add fringe to each end of the wrap.
Construction Schematic
Want to see it bigger? Download the PDF!
Crochet Basics
For help with crochet basics, including chains, slip stitches, single, double, half double, and treble crochets, please visit www.purlsoho.com/create/crochet-basics/
Pattern
First Mandala
Make the first Mandala by following the charted or written instructions, below.
Mandala Chart
Click here to download a PDF version of this chart.
Mandala Written Instructions
Chain (ch) 6, slip stitch (sl st) into first ch to form ring.
Round 1: Ch 4 (counts as treble crochet [tr]), tr 23 into ring, sl st in top of beginning ch-4 to join. [24 trs]
Round 2: Ch 7 (first ch-3 counts as double crochet [dc]), skip (sk) first tr, *dc in next tr, ch 4, sk 1 tr, repeat from * to end of round, sl st in third ch of beginning ch-7 to join. [12 dcs, 12 ch-4 spaces]
Round 3: Ch 9 (first ch-4 counts as tr), tr 5 in ch-4 space (sp), *ch 5, tr 5 in next ch-4 sp, repeat from * to last ch-4 sp, ch 5, tr 4 in last ch-4 sp, sl st in fourth ch of beginning ch-9 to join. [60 trs, 12 ch-5 sps]
Round 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc 3 in ch-5 sp, ch 3, dc 4 in same ch-5 sp, *[dc 4, ch 3, dc 4] in next ch-5 sp, repeat from * to end of round, sl st in top of beginning ch-3 to join. [96 dcs, 12 ch-3 sps]
Cut yarn and pull through last stitch.
Second Mandala
Work through Round 3 of First Mandala.
NOTE: You will join the Second Mandala to the First Mandala at two points as you come to the end of Round 4. See Construction Schematic (in Notes, above).
Round 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc 3 in ch-5 sp, ch 3, dc 4 in same ch-5 sp, [dc 4, ch 3, dc 4] in next ch-5 sp, dc 4 in next ch-5 sp, ch 1, single crochet (sc) in ch-3 sp of First Mandala, ch 1, dc 4 in same ch-5 sp, dc 4 in next ch-5 sp, ch 1, sc in next ch-3 sp of First Mandala, ch 1, dc 4 in same ch-5 sp, *[dc 4, ch 3, dc 4] in next ch-5 sp, repeat from * to end of round, sl st in top of beginning ch-3 to join. [96 dcs, 12 ch-3 sps]
Cut yarn and pull through last stitch.
Remaining Mandalas
Work through Round 3 of First Mandala.
Round 4: Work same as Round 4 for Second Mandala, except replace ch 3 with [ch 1, sc into ch-3 sp of adjoining Mandala, ch 1] at each point where you connect to an adjoining Mandala. See Construction Schematic, above.
Repeat until you have made a total of 60 connected Mandalas, arranged in 12 rows of 5 Mandalas each.
Squares
NOTE: You will work a Square to fill each gap where four Mandalas meet. Follow the written or charted instructions, below, for Square motif, and the Construction Schematic, above, for a visual of how to join the Squares.
Square Chart
Click here to download a PDF version of this chart.
Square Written Instructions
Ch 4, sl st in first ch to form ring.
Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc 3 into ring, ch 1, [dc 4 into ring, ch 1] 3 times, sl st in top of beginning ch-3 to join. [16 dcs, 4 ch-1 sps]
Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st as join, dc in next 2 dcs, dc 2 in next dc, ch 3, [dc 2 in next dc, dc in next 2 dcs, dc 2 in next dc, ch 3] 3 times, sl st in top of beginning ch-3 to join. [24 dcs, 4 ch-3 sps]
NOTE: You will connect the corners of the Square to the 4 adjoining Mandalas while working Round 3.
Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st as join, dc in next 4 dcs, dc 2 in next dc, ch 2, sc in ch-3 sp of Mandala, ch 2, [dc 2 in next dc, dc in next 4 dcs, dc 2 in next dc, ch 2, sc in ch-3 sp of next Mandala, ch 2] 3 times, sl st in top of beginning ch-3 to join. [32 dcs, 4 corner sps joined to Mandalas]
Cut yarn and pull through last stitch.
Repeat until you’ve filled each gap where four Mandalas meet with a total of 44 Squares.
Half Squares
NOTE: You will work a Half Square to fill the gaps between the Manadalas along the two long edges of the wrap. The Half Squares are worked in rows. Follow the written or charted instructions, below, for Half Square motif, and the Construction Schematic, above, for a visual of how to join the Half Squares.
Half Square Chart
Click here to download a PDF version of this chart.
Half Square Written Instructions
Ch 4, sl st in first ch to form ring.
Row 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc into ring, ch 1, dc 4 into ring, ch 1, dc 2 into ring, turn work. [8 dcs, 2 ch-1 sps]
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc 2 in next dc, ch 3, dc 2 in next dc, dc in next 2 dcs, dc 2 in next dc, ch 3, dc 2 in next dc, dc in top of beginning ch-3 from previous row, turn work. [12 dcs, 2 ch-3 sps]
NOTE: You will connect the corners of the Half Square to the 2 adjoining Mandalas while working Row 3.
Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next dc, dc 2 in next dc, ch 2, sc in ch-3 sp of Mandala, ch 2, dc 2 in next dc, dc in next 4 dcs, dc 2 in next dc, ch 2, sc in ch-3 sp of next Mandala, ch 2, dc 2 in next dc, dc in next dc, dc in top of beginning ch-3 from previous row. [16 dcs, 2 corner sps joined to Mandalas]
Cut yarn and pull through last stitch.
Repeat until you’ve filled each gap along the long edges where two Mandalas meet with a total of 22 Half Squares.
Edging
NOTE: You will work the edging along the 2 long sides of the wrap only.
Row 1: With right side facing you and beginning with a corner Mandala, join yarn in ch-3 sp two spaces before the space joined to a Half Square. Sc in this ch-3 sp, ch 8, sc in next ch-3 sp, [ch 8, sc 2 in each of next 3 dcs at ends of rows of Half Square, sc in ring at center of Half Square, sc 2 in each of next 3 dcs at ends of rows of Half Square,(ch 8, sc in next ch-3 sp of next Mandala) 2 times] 11 times.
Cut yarn and pull through last stitch.
Repeat along other long edge of wrap.
Finishing
Weave in ends and gently block.
Fringe
Cut 416 strands of yarn, each 16 inches long.
Working with a bundle of 8 strands held together, fold bundle in half to form a loop, push loop through an open ch-3 sp on short edge of wrap, pass ends through the loop and pull ends to secure. Repeat along both short edges of wrap, placing fringe in each open ch-3 sp, in the ch-3 sps at the end of the long side edgings, and around the scs which join Mandalas, for a total of 26 bundles of fringe at each end of wrap.
Trim ends of fringe as desired. We lay our fringe straight and flat, then trimmed it with a straightedge ruler and rotary cutter. The longest bundles measure 6½ inches.
Could you please let me know what experience level this stunning pattern is geared to? I’m a beginner crocheter and it appears intimidating but so so tempting!
Thank you!
Amanda
Hi Amanda,
Thanks for reaching out! I definitely wouldn’t say this is a beginner crochet pattern, it is more of an advanced beginner to intermediate pattern! I think if you are a beginner, you could start out by working a test swatch of the pattern and play around with the techniques to get comfortable with it before tackling the wrap!
Also, if you have leftover yarn from the Natures Palette Blanket you could certainly use that for this wrap! I think it could look beautiful transitioning colors as you work to achieve an ombre effect!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Gianna
Thank you Gianna for your super helpful and inspiring (as always) reply!
Hi again,
I’ve made the Nature’s Palette blanket (twice!) and I was wondering how I might use my leftover yarn to make this gorgeous wrap?
I am really curious about this too. I have 5 skeins of linen quill left over from the Moonlight Wrap (which I failed terribly at making) and would love to use them here instead. I’ve made the first mandala and it’s so pretty, this is a really lovely and fluid pattern.
Hi Kathryn,
Thanks for reaching out! I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying the pattern already! I think you could absolutely use your leftover skeins from the Moonlight Wrap for this pattern. I think it will look lovely worked in a single color or in several colors!
Warmly,
Kelsey
I think this is my favorite of all the projects you’ve ever posted, and I have many favorites. So beautiful.
Can’t wait to start it!
I am so excited to start this project, then I checked my crochet hooks and I have what is labelled a C hook but is 2.75mm and a D hook that says it’s 3.25. Could I get by with one of these or do you think I need exactly 3mm?
Thank you!
Catherine
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for reaching out! I think you should be able to get away with one of the hooks! I would suggest working a swatch to see how the gauge compares to the pattern, but I think it should work just fine!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hello there,
I made this wrap with some modifications to suit the yarn I had on hand, and I also adjusted rounds 3 and 4 of the mandala to make them work for my left-handed crochet. I am not on instagram but if you would like to see my end result, I am happy to email a picture. I really enjoyed making this, and would love to see more crochet patterns, including left-handed mods if necessary. Thanks so much!!
Hi Norma,
Thanks for writing in! We would love to see your finished wrap! You can send us some pictures to our email customerservice@purlsoho.com
Happy crafting!
Gianna
Hello,
I am currently crocheting this wrap using the Linen Quill yarn. The yarn has a lovely rustic quality which goes so well with the pattern. Would you recommend blocking the wrap when I finish and, if so, what is the best blocking method to use with this yarn?
Thank you.
Hi Dana,
Thanks for writing in! I am so thrilled to hear that you are enjoying this yarn, it is one of my favorites to work with, and blocking your finished wrap will give you a beautiful overall finish! I would recommend soaking the finished wrap and then laying it flat to dry, for more tips I would suggest checking out our lovely Blocking tutorial!
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Gianna
Hi, do you think this would work with silk? I’m eyeing some of the Cattail Silk during the sale – thanks!
Hi Eliza,
Thanks for writing in! I think this wrap would be absolutely lovely in Cattail Silk! Cattail Silk and Linen Quill are very similar in gauge so you should be able to follow the pattern without needing any adjustments!
I hope this helps and please let us know how this turns out!
Gianna
Hi, there! This wrap is stunning and I want to make it in the exact color of linen quill in the photos. So, which color is it as there are three it could be, so I want to make sure I get the right one! 🙂
Hi Leah,
Thanks for reaching out! We always provide the color we use for projects under the MATERIALS section of the pattern! For this wrap, we used Linen Quill in Pale Oats!
Warmly,
Gianna
I am very excited to start this wrap. It’s so beautiful! I would love to see photo’s if anyone has completed or partially completed the wrap.
Thank you
Kimberly
Hi Kimberly,
Thanks for reaching out! I would suggest looking at this project on Ravelry or on Instagram to see photos of the completed or in-progress wrap!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi! I really want to make this beautiful wrap, but my husband prodded me to ask this since it needs 5 skeins of the linen quill. To quote him “Will there be a sale on ‘this’ linen quill anytime soon?” Fingers crossed!! LOL
Hi Jackie,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately, we don’t have any sales on Linen Quill coming up, but I would recommend signing up for our newsletter if you haven’t already! When you sign up for our newsletter now you will receive a 15% off code to use on your first order of Purl Soho-Brand goods, like Linen Quill! If you would like to sign up, you can find this available right on our home page! But please do keep in mind that this only applies to new sign-ups, if you already receive our newsletters you won’t receive a discount code.
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Gianna
Hello! I absolutely love this pattern. I made one in an off white color in May-June and it is stunning. I am now working on a blue color. I thought about doing a scarf, would you be able to post approximately how many yards in a yarn that I would need for a scarf? Most likely doing 2-3 Mandela width
Thanks
Maria
Hi Maria,
Thanks for reaching out! I am so thrilled to hear that you have enjoyed this pattern! I think for a scarf version of this wrap you should be good to go with 3 skeins! You can always order extra to be safe, and if you don’t need it all, you can return the yarn to us within 6 months for store credit as long as they are in original condition!
I hope this helps, happy crafting!
Gianna
Hello! I just started this wrap and finished/joined the second mandala, but coming to the remaining mandalas, I’m confused. You say..
Round 4: Work same as Round 4 for Second Mandala, except replace ch 3 with [ch 1, sc into ch-3 sp of adjoining Mandala, ch 1] at each point where you connect to an adjoining Mandala.
Which chain 3 do I replace with a chain 1? The first chain 3? Why wouldn’t you continue to join the mandalas the way it’s joined in round 4 for each joining point because it looks the same to me [ch 1, sc into ch-3 sp of adjoining Mandala, ch 1] ?
That said, thank you for this gorgeous pattern!!
Hi Melanie,
Thanks for reaching out! This section can definitely get a bit confusing, but I’d be glad to help clarify! You won’t replace the first ch 3 with the new instructions; instead, you’ll work the [ch 1, sc into ch-3 sp of adjoining Mandala, ch 1] only at the points where you will be connecting them to an adjoining Mandala. It is the same instruction as listed on the Second Mandala, but for most other subsequent Mandalas you will be connecting at more than just the two points listed in the directions for the Second Mandala. To be sure of where you’ll need to work the connections, you can refer to the construction schematic listed above! Or, if you need some additional help, feel free to reach out to us at customerservice@purlsoho.com and we’d be happy to assist you further!
Warmly,
Kelsey
What a great idea to include a crochet latinamerican creation. So beautiful.
I love this pattern, although it does remind me of grandmother’s tablecloth. I live in the southwest where it is warm most of the year, and I am wondering about making this in Buttercup Cotton. I made a sample with a 2.75 mm hook and it is just about right.
My questions are…do you agree this would be a good substitute for the yarn recommended (I have used that yarn and don’t find it as friendly to the skin as I like) and would it drape well?
Cheers,
Kathy
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for reaching out. I think that Buttercup Cotton is a perfect substitute for Linen Quill in this pattern! It will definitely drape well, and as long as you’re getting the correct gauge for each motif, then you’re good to go. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hello! Have skimmed the pattern and comments, and curious about finished length?
Hi Summer,
Thanks for reaching out. You can find the finished dimensions of this pattern under the “SIZE” heading! For reference, the finished length is 72 inches long, excluding fringe. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Do you have a utube tutorial for the Cielito Lindo Wrap?
Are you also offering in person free lessons if the yarn is bought from your store? Also, what substitute yarns do you recommend?
Hi Linda,
Thanks for reaching out. I’m sorry to say that we do not have a YouTube tutorial for this pattern though! We are sadly keeping our shop closed now, so we are not offering any in-person services. However, you may be interested in our new 1-On-1 Project Help! This pattern uses a fingering weight yarn, so most of our other fingering weight yarns would be great substitutes. In particular, I think that Quartz and Buttercup Cotton would make a very nice wrap!
All the best,
Lili
Hi. I love this project. Yet I don’t crochet, only knit. Is there a pattern for knitters or another project that is similar for knitters?
Hi Mari,
Thanks for writing in. At the moment, we don’t have an especially similar pattern to this wrap for knitting. But you may be interested in some of our other lace knitting projects! In particular, I think that the Botanical Lace Wrap has a similar aesthetic to this design. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you for including this beautiful Crochet pattern in your collection. People sometimes forget that folks buy yarn for crochet projects also!
I’m working on this as a beginner. Crocheted two super simple blankets in chunky yarn before starting this. It’s a little confusing at first to figure out but i’ve gotten 3 mandalas joined so far. One mistake I made that is a total beginner mistake is I crocheted too tightly. I eyeballed it and thought my mandala was 5.5″ but it’s a full inch too small. So for beginners learn from me and crochet looser stitches than you think you should. Hopefully I’ll have enough yarn to add an extra row to make up for the smaller mandalas.
Hi Katie,
I’m so happy to hear that you’re taking on this project! It’s always great to use challenging projects to expand your skill set and knowledge of crochet.
What you’re running into is a very good example of a gauge difference! Gauge can differ immensely between crocheters, so while your mandalas are turning out too small, someone else’s may turn out too large (or the perfect size)! The best way to make sure you achieve the correct gauge is to swatch on a different hook. Since your gauge is too tight, you would need to try using a larger hook.
If this is daunting, I’d recommend checking out a tutorial called All About Gauge, which covers some incredibly helpful information. I even learned some interesting, new tidbits myself while looking over it, and you may, too! (One thing to note is that while this tutorial is mainly geared towards knitting, the general concepts absolutely still apply to crochet.)
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks! I’ll check out the video! I redid the mandalas using a looser stitch with the same hook size and got them to be the correct gauge. I was just making the stitches too tight. I also just started trying to knit too using the knitting basics tutorial. It is excellent! Looking forward to making a big old seed stitch wrap for my first project.
I’m excited to have finally made it to the stage of filling in the spaces with squares. This is my first project that is not a simple blanket and I’ve never blocked before. I’m wondering if Purl Soho would add some guidance to the instructions for how to block this project…type of method recommended, and where to place the pins?
Thank you for providing such a beautiful pattern!
Hi Katie,
Thanks for reaching out! We recommend wet blocking this project and laying it flat to dry. It’s important not to stretch a large project like this out too much while it’s soaking, so a good tip is to put the wrap in a pillowcase before placing it in the water to soak. Then, the entire project can be removed from the water without stretching and the excess water can be gently pressed out before laying it flat to dry!
Because of the way the motifs in this pattern are joined, you likely will not need any pins! Since each mandala and each square are joined to the others at the corners, these will automatically be pulled into the correct position when you lay the entire wrap flat. You might want to put some pins around the edges of the wrap as a whole if you’re finding that it’s scrunching inwards a bit, but you shouldn’t need to put any in the main body of the wrap. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hello! I would like to make this stunning wrap using 3 colors of linen quill. The large mandalas will be made with the main color, the squares and half squares each in a contrast color. Finally, the fringe will be a combination of all three colors. Are you able to guide me in how many skeins of each of the three colors I will need?
Many thanks for your help!
Barb
IG: @makingthingswithstixandstring
Hi Barb,
Thanks for reaching out, and that’s a great idea for this pattern! I’d recommend purchasing 4 skeins of the main color for the mandalas, and then 2 skeins for the squares and 1 skein for the half squares. This may be a bit of an overestimate, but I want to make sure you avoid running out of yarn early!
I also wanted to let you know that we accept returns of skeins in their original condition. So I’d recommend only winding each one until you’re certain you need to use it. That way, you can return any extras for store credit if you don’t end up using them!
All the best,
Lili
Hi Lila –
Thanks so much! I’ll head on over to the shop and place my order! I’m knitting the half and half triangle wrap right now with the linen quill and really love working with this yarn and it’s rustic look. Thanks again for your recommendation, I’m grateful!
Barb
You’re very welcome!
All the best,
Lili
Could this be made using cotton pure?
Hi Lindy,
Yes, you could use Cotton Pure for this pattern! However, it’s thicker than Linen Quill, so each mandala would turn out larger.
All the best,
Lili
I’m ready to add the fringe to my first wrap and am in the process of making a second one. The second time around I am forcing myself to weave in ends along the way – there are a lot of them!! both of my wraps combine 4 colors of Linen Quill – I love this yarn and can’t wait to wear the wraps!!