These baskets were made for jemimah in the Use the Good Stuff Swap on Craftster, hosted by craftylittlemonkey. The idea of the swap is that life is short, so we should use the treasured craft supplies we would otherwise hoard, while we can.
While digging through my stash of silk yarns, I came across these two bright skeins from two months worth of Darn Good Yarn's monthly subscription box. I poked around Ravelry, trying to find some inspiration from other crafters. I saw an awesome post from user marianheart, where she combined the same two skeins I was trying to, into some baskets, based on a pattern for a floor pouf.
I decided I wanted to make something similar, and so I wrote my own pattern, using what I think is the same stitch (alternating spike stitch), but changing the base to one I've made a million times for bags and bowls. I made a large and a small basket out of the two skeins, and would have made a medium sized one if I had more yarn. The patterns for both the big & small, and the nonexistent medium size, are written out below.
**LARGE BASKET**
Rounds 1-7: Start with the Begonia, and crochet in the round, with 6 sc increases per row. (42 sc at end of round 7)
Row 8: Change to Machu Pichu (without cutting previous yarn - the spike stitches and the abundance of colors in the yarns help hide the jog between rows, which will be on the inside of the basket). Do a row of sc in **back loop only** to start the sides.
Row 9: Change to Begonia (without cutting previous yarn); do a row of [alternating spike stitch][1].
Row 10: Change to Machu Pichu (without cutting previous yarn); do a row of alternating spike stitch.
Row 11-22: Continue doing rounds of alternating spike stitch, changing colors without cutting yarn, in each row. You will end with Machu Pichu.
Row 23: Add a round of [decorative slip stitch][2] in Begonia.
Finish off, weave in ends.
**SMALL BOWL**
Rounds 1-5: Start with the Begonia, and crochet in the round, with 6 sc increases per row. (30 sc at end of round 5)
Row 6: Change to Machu Pichu (without cutting previous yarn - the spike stitches and the abundance of colors in the yarns help hide the jog between rows, which will be on the inside of the basket). Do a row of sc in **back loop only** to start the sides.
Row 7: Change to Begonia (without cutting previous yarn); do a row of [alternating spike stitch][1].
Row 8: Change to Machu Pichu (without cutting previous yarn); do a row of alternating spike stitch.
Row 9-12: Continue doing rounds of alternating spike stitch, changing colors without cutting yarn, in each row. You will end with Machu Pichu.
Row 13: Because I had more Machu Pichu than Begonia left, I did a final row of alternating spike stitch in Machu Pichu (so 2 rows in that color).
Edging: Thread the remaining end of the Begonia on a yarn needle. Run the needle up through the back of rows 12 & 13, to hide this longer jog. Add a whip stitch along the top edge of the basket.
Finish off, weave in ends.
If I had more yarn, I would do a medium size version, so here's a pattern for a medium size basket.
**MEDIUM BASKET**
Rounds 1-6: Start with the Begonia, and crochet in the round, with 6 sc increases per row. (36 sc at end of round 6)
Row 7: Change to Machu Pichu (without cutting previous yarn - the spike stitches and the abundance of colors in the yarns help hide the jog between rows, which will be on the inside of the basket). Do a row of sc in **back loop only** to start the sides.
Row 9: Change to Begonia (without cutting previous yarn); do a row of [alternating spike stitch][1].
Row 10: Change to Machu Pichu (without cutting previous yarn); do a row of alternating spike stitch.
Row 11-18: Continue doing rounds of alternating spike stitch, changing colors without cutting yarn, in each row. You will end with Begonia.
Row 19: Add a round of [decorative slip stitch][2] in Machu Pichu.
Finish off, weave in ends.
