Craft Project: Crocheted Easter Basket

A handmade Easter basket. Instructions for two sizes.

Approximate Time: 2 hours

Supplies:

• Worsted weight yarn
• Size US H crochet hook
• CD or plastic round
• Plastic mesh for handle

Gauge: 4 dc = 1 inch

Sizes:

Large: 10 inches in diameter and 4.5 inches tall

Small: 5.5 inches in diameter and 4.5 inches tall

Notes:

1. Read all instructions through before beginning.

2. I got my plastic canvas round at Michaels.

3. Always pull your slipstitches tight.

4. Beginning chains DO NOT count as a stitch throughout.

5. Don't look too close, I didn't start with a full skein of yellow and ran out of yarn on side round 9 on the large basket, so went straight to round 10.

6. I used contrasting yarn for side round 10 and the trim around the bottom.

Special Stitch:

Slant Stitch = Skip next st, dc in next 3 sts, yo, insert hook in skipped st and draw up a loop even with the hook, yo and draw through two loops on hook twice.

Large Basket Instructions:

Inside Base

Round 1: Ch 3, (do not count as first dc) 12 dc in the 3rd ch from hook. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (12 sts)

Round 2: Ch 2 (do not count as first dc from now on), 2 dc in each st. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (24 sts)

Round 3: Ch 2, (dc in 1 st, 2 dc in next st) repeat around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (36 sts)

Round 4: Ch 2, (dc in 2 sts, 2 dc in next st) repeat around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (48 sts)

Round 5: Ch 2, (dc in 3 sts, 2 dc in next st) repeat around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (60 sts) Fasten off, weave ends into back of work.

Round 6: Ch 2, (dc in 4 sts, 2 dc in next st) repeat around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (72 sts)

Round 7: Ch 2, (dc in 5 sts, 2 dc in next st) repeat around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (84 sts)

Round 8: Ch 2, (dc in 6 sts, 2 dc in next st) repeat around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (96 sts)

Fasten off.

Outside Base:

Round 1-8: Repeat rounds 1 - 8 of inside base, but DO NOT fasten off. Ch1.

Round 9: Put both pieces together, wrong sides facing each other. Working through both layers, insert hook through same st as slipstitch and through any dc on the other layer. Work a *hdc in each st. Insert plastic canvas round before closing. Join with a slipstitch in first hdc. (96 hdc)

Sides:

Round 1: Ch 1, sc in each st around. (Notice there are three loops, work the sc in the back two loops leaving the front one free). Join with a slipstitch in first sc. (96 sts)

Round 2: Ch 2, dc in 3 sts, yo, insert hook in sc before the 3 dc (the last st of round 1) and draw up a loop even with the hook, yo and draw through two loops on hook twice. Slant st made. *Skip next sc, dc in next 3 sc, yo, insert hook in skipped sc and draw up a loop even with the hook, yo and draw through two loops on hook twice. Repeat from * around. Join with a slipstitch

Round 3: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in first sc. (96 sc)

Round 4: Ch 2, dc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (96 dc)

Round 5: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in first sc. (96 sc)

Round 6: Ch 2, dc in 3 sts, yo, insert hook in sc before the 3 dc (the last st of round 5) and draw up a loop even with the hook, yo and draw through two loops on hook twice. Slant st made. *Skip next sc, dc in next 3 sc, yo, insert hook in skipped sc and draw up a loop even with the hook, yo and draw through two loops on hook twice. Repeat from * around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (24 slant sts)

Round 7: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in first sc. (96 sc)

Round 8: Ch 2, dc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (96 dc)

Round 9: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in first sc. (96 sc)

Fasten off main color.

Round 10: Join contrast color with a slipstitch in any sc. Ch 1, rev sc in each st around. DO NOT join. (96 rev sc)

Fasten off and use your yarn needle to join and weave in ends.

Bottom Trim

Remember that round of hdc where you left a free loop? With the opening toward you, join yarn with a slipstitch in any free loop of the hdc round.

Rev sc in free loops of the hdc round, around. DO NOT join.

Fasten off and use your yarn needle to join and weave in ends.

Small Basket Instructions:

Inside Base

Round 1: Ch 3, (do not count as first dc) 12 dc in the 3rd ch from hook. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (12 sts)

Round 2: Ch 2 (do not count as first dc from now on), 2 dc in each st. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (24 sts)

Round 3: Ch 2, (dc in 1 st, 2 dc in next st) repeat around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (36 sts)

Round 4: Ch 2, (dc in 2 sts, 2 dc in next st) repeat around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (48 sts)

Fasten off.

Outside Base:

Round 1-4: Repeat rounds 1 - 4 of inside base, but DO NOT fasten off. Ch1.

Round 5: Put both pieces together, wrong sides facing each other. Working through both layers, insert hook through same st as slipstitch and through any dc on the other layer. Work a *hdc in each st. Insert plastic canvas round before closing. Join with a slipstitch in first hdc. (48 hdc)

Sides

Round 1: Ch 1, sc in each st around. (Notice there are three loops, work the sc in the back two loops leaving the front one free). Join with a slipstitch in first sc. (48 sts)

Round 2: Ch 2, dc in same stitch as join, dc in next 2 sts, yo, insert hook in sc before the 3 dc (the last st of round 1) and draw up a loop even with the hook, yo and draw through two loops on hook twice. Slant st made. *Skip next sc, dc in next 3 sc, yo, insert hook in skipped sc and draw up a loop even with the hook, yo and draw through two loops on hook twice. Repeat from * around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (12 slant sts)

Round 3: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in first sc. (48 sc)

Round 4: Ch 2, dc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (48 dc)

Round 5: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in first sc. (48 sc)

Round 6: Ch 2, dc in 3 sts, yo, insert hook in sc before the 3 dc (the last st of round 5) and draw up a loop even with the hook, yo and draw through two loops on hook twice. Slant st made. *Skip next sc, dc in next 3 sc, yo, insert hook in skipped sc and draw up a loop even with the hook, yo and draw through two loops on hook twice. Repeat from * around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (12 slant sts)

Round 7: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in first sc. (48 sc)

Round 8: Ch 2, dc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in first dc. (48 dc)

Round 9: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join with a slipstitch in first sc. (48 sc)

Fasten off main color.

Round 10: Join contrast color with a slipstitch in any sc. Ch 1, rev sc in each st around. DO NOT join. (48 rev sc)

Fasten off and use your yarn needle to join and weave in ends.

Bottom Trim:

Remember that round of hdc where you left a free loop? With the opening toward you, join yarn with a slipstitch in any free loop of the hdc round.

Rev sc in free loops of the hdc round, around. DO NOT join.

Fasten off and use your yarn needle to join and weave in ends.

Optional Handle

Cut 3 pieces of yarn each about 3 feet long. (I used 2 green and one yellow.) Using a running stitch leave a tail at least 8 inches long at each end of the plastic canvas strip. Use the ends to sew handle to inside of basket. Tie three ends together after sewing. I put a drop of Tacky glue on the knot, and after it dried cut the ends short.

By Suzie from Bellingham, WA