Will Baguio artisan finally get Guinness World Records with biggest Mandala in her second attempt?

Baguio City, Philippines – With a crochet hook and yarn in hand, a Baguio-based artist is once again threading her dreams into loops and colors at the Burnham’s Rose Garden, determined to create a mandala so big it will secure her a place in the Guinness World Records.

Adelaida “Adel” Guia, a passionate advocate for handmade traditions, learned to crochet by just observing her mother do the needlework. 

Before moving to Baguio City in 2016, she and her husband, also a craftsman from Mt. Province, began selling crocheted items in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

Her creativity further bloomed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when she created her first giant mandala. Mandala, Sanskrit term for “circle” or “center”, is a geometric and symbolic design that represents the universe, wholeness, and the interconnectedness of things.

Adel’s intricate giant mandala drew public attention when it was displayed and was later sold during the 2021 Mandëko Kito, a local curated market that was opened in the city for Cordilleran artists.

First attempt for Guinness World Record

“After making the giant mandala, I asked myself: what’s next? So I dreamt big and worked with this dream,” she recounted with GURU Press Cordillera.

In October 2023, Adel made her first attempt by registering through the Guinness World Records platform. She navigated the process independently and on a modest personal budget. After registration, she asked for guidance and support for the following steps from the Mayor’s Office, which then endorsed her letter to the CCBC and Tourism Office.

“Unfortunately, timing didn't align, and the opportunity didn't materialize,” she recounted.

The 55-year-old artist did not let that setback stop her from achieving her dream.

Second attempt

More determined than ever, Adel picked up her hook again and restarted her project in July 2024. This time, she has more tools with the community behind her. She completed training with Baguio City’s Imagineer, an initiative to help artists turn their ideas into impactful projects. Also, she became an incubatee under a local innovation program.

However, she was forced to pause after suffering from a heart attack in August 2024. Still, she is not giving up.

On May 22, 2025, she restarted her Guinness-bound mandala. For her work to be seen, documented, and supported, she is taking her project beyond the walls of her home as she crochets at the Rose Garden in Burnham. This setup, she believes, would help not only generate public interest and potential sponsors but would likewise inspire others to chase their dreams no matter their age, health condition, or background.

As of Thursday, June 5, her mandala reached 223 inches in diameter, and she is still working on it for what may become the “Giant crocheted mandala completed by a single individual” in the Guinness World Records. Currently, the record holder for the giant crocheted mandala is held by multiple individuals.

To date, Adel is still trying to raise $800 for her registration fee. After registering, validation process will begin.

According to the record holder aspirant, she will be working on her piece at the Rose Garden until June 15 and is hoping to be able to register this month.