Free 3D Layered Mandala SVG: How to Make 3D Mandala Crafts

Make a showstopper papercraft project with your Cricut machine! Get your free SVG file to make a gorgeous 3D layered mandala. Only you will know how easy it actually was to make 😀

This intricate mandala can be cut in a range of different colours to make different effects. I love the rainbow look with each section of the mandala in a different colour.

For a simpler look, try re-colouring the layers to make it just two colours. I cut it from two shades of pale blue to resemble an abstract snowflake which I framed on some brightly coloured festive scrapbook paper for a decor frame for Christmas.

This intricate mandala has been designed to be cut with cardstock on Cricut machines and other digital cutting machines.

See how to stick all the layers together (and the order they go in!) in this tutorial.

Video tutorial: Free layered mandala SVG

Watch the video below to find out how to cut and assemble your 3D mandala SVG. Or, keep scrolling for a written tutorial.

The link to download the free layered mandala SVG is a little further down this page. Look for the pale green box 🙂

How to make a 3D layered mandala on a Cricut machine

Here is a list of the materials that I used to make this project.

Please note that some of the links included in this article are affiliate links, which means that if you click through and make a purchase I may receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.

• Cricut Maker
• Light blue Cricut cutting mat
• Coloured Card (I used 160gsm weight of card)
• Collall All Purpose Glue
• Needle Tip Applicator Bottle
• 3D foam pads
• Shadow box (I used a white shadow frame from Hobbycraft)
• Christmas themed scrapbook paper

Layered mandala SVG assembly instructions

Here’s how to make your very own mandala craft using a Cricut machine!

Step 1) Download the free file & unzip the downloaded folder

Before you upload the SVG to Design Space, you need to unzip the download folder that it comes in.

• How to unzip a folder on Windows computer
• How to unzip a folder on a Mac
• How to unzip a folder on an iPad/iPhone
• How to unzip a folder on an Android device

Step 2) Upload the SVG file into Design Space

Open up Cricut Design Space and upload the file called SVG_Mandala_CraftWithSarah.svg

Make sure you upload the file which starts SVG_ in the filename!!

This is how it should look after you have uploaded the file:

After uploading, the mandala will show in your “Recently Uploaded Images”. Click on it and then press “Insert Image” to put it onto your Project.

Click the mandala on your canvas and use the width/height boxes near the top of the screen to make it the size that you want to cut it.

I made mine 7.75 inches wide to fit inside my shadow box. I definitely wouldn’t recommend going much smaller than about 6 inches in width as some of the patterns inside the mandala sections are quite intricate.

Re-colour the layers if you wish to cut them differently than the rainbow effect that shows when the SVG is uploaded.

Here’s an example of how it looks changed to two colours:

When you’re happy with the size and colour of the mandala SVG in Design Space, click “Make It” and follow the instructions on-screen to cut out all the layers.

Step 3) Stick the layered mandala together

Use 3D foam pads and glue to stick the layers together.

Use this guide to see the order to stick the layers together in. A high quality printable version of this assembly guide is included in the folder when you download this SVG.

My favourite glue to use on papercraft projects is Collall All Purpose Glue.

It’s SO good because it doesn’t “warp” or bend the cardstock like some glues do. You can use as much of it as you want and the card stays perfect – and it dries perfectly clear too!

To make it even easier to apply glue to layered card projects, I highly recommend getting some of these needle tip applicator bottles to put the glue into.

The nozzles are REALLY tiny which makes them perfect for putting glue in the pieces of cardstock that make up this ballerina.

When adding the foam pads to the relevant layers, make sure you add some in the middle of the pieces of card so it give stability to the middles. If you don’t add any foam pads in the middles then it can “sag” under the weight of the other layers which doesn’t look as good.

Step 4) Frame your mandala papercraft project

The final step is to frame your mandala!

I cut a piece of Christmas themed scrapbook paper to fit inside the frame and then glued the mandala into the middle.

And here is the finished result…

I hope that you enjoy this free layered mandala SVG!

Love layered SVGs? Check out my other free layered SVG files

Happy crafting,
Sarah x