Lion Brand Notebook ®
When you’re shopping for a cake yarn, there are a variety of options to choose from. While they’ve all got their own flavor, we think Mandala is the sweetest, and we’ll tell you why! Once you try our cake yarn, it’s sure to become your go-to for patterns that will benefit from beautiful color gradation, softness for draping, and ultimate length-per-cake. With the addition of Mandala Baby to the Lion Brand family, we’ve got all your project plans covered, no matter who you’re knitting for!
Chances are, you’ve admired a cake or two in the yarn aisle. From Caron Cakes to Sweet Rolls, Ice Yarns to Bernat Pop!, let’s see how they wind up. If you’ve wondered how to choose the best one for your project, we’ll share some specs below!
This medium worsted (4) weight yarn comes in 30 colors, with a variety of related lines. The fiber content is 80% Acrylic, 20% Wool, so those with wool sensitivity or allergy will want to cast off. You’ll get 383 yd (350m) for $7.99/cake. You’d have to go with one of the Big Cakes ($9.99/cake) to match Mandala’s yardage and you’ll be spending much more!
Sweet Rolls are another take on the popular cake. Another medium worsted (4) weight fiber, the content is 100% Acrylic. 25 color options are offered, though many reviews suggest the color changes are a bit too dramatic. They’re the shortest of the cakes, measuring just 245 yd.
Each cake has five shades, and the fiber is 100% acrylic. The cakes are fairly small, each one offering 280 yds (256m) of crafting. Some reviews mention ‘spotting’; occasional blips of one color in the middle of another, which can cause blotches in a project.
Mandala in color Phoenix
Our cake yarn, Mandala, comes in 24 spell-binding colors. With 590 yds (540m) per cake, you’ll be able to finish even larger projects with just one! At $7.99/cake, we hope to make your most ambitious self-striping projects affordable. This fiber is 100% Acrylic, so it’s safe for sensitive skin. Mandala is also exceptional in that the weight is lighter than the other cakes (3), so garments will have a fabulous drape.
Baby in Honey Dukes
The latest addition to the Mandala Family is Mandala Baby! This version of our cake yarn comes in 12 fun, bright colors to engage the youngest wearers. With the same yardage as our regular Mandala, you could make a matching hat / scarf / mittens set, and have some leftover! Also being 100% Acrylic, it can be machine-washed and dried, perfect for easy care baby and childrens’ projects that will see more use & wear.
If you haven’t had the chance to try Mandala yet, we hope you’ll pick up a cake (or two!) soon. We’d love for you to experience the softness and unique colors for yourself! Let us know your favorite project you’ve cast on, or the next pattern you have planned.
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Rebecca Monnin
Thank you for the comparison of Mandala yarn to the other cakes out there. I’ve seen the yarns in stores and they are pretty. With the information you’ve provided, it will make for better decisions in purchasing the right yarn for the project.
Nancy W. Figger
Does Mandala yarn wash and wear good without “pilling” ?
Maddy boudette
Mandala yarn is beautiful. I am absolutely in love w it, except for its fiber content. Like many other artisans, I use only natural fibers. Please please consider doing a line of mandala in natural fibers!
Patsy Cobb
I am crocheting a Virus Shawl using Mandala Baby. It’s turning out beautifully. I’m using an H hook. I love how the colors just “glide” into each other. Thank you for this yarn.
Debi Longfellow
Thanks for the description, I have noticed all the ‘cake’ yarns out there and wanted to know the differences. Your explanation really helped. I, too, would be interested in a natural fiber Mandala.
DENISE FOSTER
I have knitted 3 scarves & I live in Australia, from other yarn, but found Mandela the best to use. I have
made scarves for my cousins in MA USA. I just hope they will like the patterns & colours. It is so easy to use
even when I get myself in a tangle with it. I just love it, though knitting during Summer is not great, but I put it
in the freezer to cool it down.
Bridget Swahlen
I’m crocheting an afghan with “Wizard” and love the colors, Are there any solid color yarns that would match the colors in Wizard or any of the other Mandala yarns? I would like to make an afghan with large Mandala squares and then smaller squares in a matching solid color.
Thank you
Lore Bolone
Mandala Yarn Love This Yarn. Have made a granny cardigan with it. So soft and versatile! The colors are so rich and soft to the touch. Love love love!
Michelle S. Berry
Thank you for the yarn brand comparisons! I had printed off a cool design blanket using “Caron Big Cakes”. Got to the store and discovered the ‘cakes’ there were “Mandala”. Confused, I didn’t know if I could use the pattern with that yarn. From the comparison work written above; I am deducing I can… although,, my blanket will be BIGGER due to the increased yardage. and yes, the available colors are very yummy, natural or not.
Linda Rolley
Trying to view colors on this site is a nightmare. They need to offer top view and side view that can be enlarged to see all the colors for a cake yarn like Mandala. Without this being offer in a store near by it is very difficult to get a educated idea on the true colors in each color skein to be able to make a purchase that I like.
Terry Maupin
Are mandala cakes pull skeins? I can’t find the center ends.