DIY: Cotton Crochet basket:

BushcraftZ 2014

Basket weaving has always fascinated me and the many beautiful designs, patterns and textures are an inspiration.Baskets are not only functional items but often a work of art. I found beautiful chunky cotton yarn which inspired me to make a textured basket with a faux leather base using simple crochet technique.

Materials:

• 3 x 100g seriously chunky cotton yarn (Elle Cotton on)
• artificial leather for the base (25 cm x 32 cm)
• sturdy cardboard (23 cm x 30 cm)
• crochet hook 6mm (UK 4, US J/10)
• darning needle, punch, craft glue, ruler and marker pen, scissors

Method:

1. Cut out two leather rectangles (24cm x 32 cm) and 1 rectangle from cardboard (23cm x 30cm).

   

   BushcraftZ 2014

2. With leather pieces facing right side out, place the cardboard between the two leather pieces positioning it perfectly in the center and glue the three layers together. Allow to dry to form the leather base.
3. Round the leather corners slightly.
4. Use a ruler and marker pen and mark the position of the punch holes around the edge of the leather base. Space the punch holes evenly approximately 1cm apart and 0.75cm from the edge. Use a punch and make holes at each marked position.

   

   BushcraftZ 2014

5. Thread cotton yarn into darning needle and sew blanket stitches around the edge of the leather base.

   

   BushcraftZ 2014

6. Crochet pattern:

Abbreviations:

st = stitch

ch = chain

dc = double crochet ( US term: sc = single crochet)

tr = treble crochet (US term: dc = double crochet)

Bobble = MB: To make bobble work 3 tr into same st leaving 4 loops on the hook, draw yarn through all 4 loops, ss to secure bobble.

Round 1: Fasten yarn to blanket st with a ss. *ch 1, dc 1 into blanket st loop.* repeat * to * until the end of round. Close round with ss.

Round 2: ch 3, tr into each ch st, close round with ss.

Round 3: ch 3, tr into each st, close round with ss.

Round 4-7: ch 2, dc into each st, close round with ss. Count and note the number of st of round 7,

Round 8: ch 3, *MB into first st, ss into next st, ch 3*, repeat from * to * until end of round, close round with a ss.

Round 9: ch 2, dc into each st (MB is seen as one st). The number of st at the end of round 8 should be the same as for round 7.

Round 10: dc into each st.

To create handles on short sides of the basket. Determine and mark the centre of the short side. Count 4 stitches in each direction of the marked centre stitch and mark these positions. Repeat for the other short side.

Round 11:  ch 2, dc into each st until the first marker indicating the handle position. Ch 12, dc into second marker position, continue to dc into each st until the first marker of the second handle position, ch 12 dc into second marker of the second handle position, dc into each st to complete the round. Close the round with ss.

Round 12-15: ch 2, dc into each st, close round with ss.

Round 16-17: ss into each st, close round with ss.

Sew in ends to finish off basket.

BushcraftZ 2014

BushcraftZ 2014