Crochet Care Basket DIY

When you're living with 8 other people, don't have alone time ever, work full time but still are completely broke because you don't get paid, while living in one of the wealthiest (and most expensive) areas in the country... you can get a bit down. (Don't feel too bad... we live a block from the beach...) This is when you need some roomie care packages... because my roomies are awesome... and who better to understand what you're going through than someone who is going through the exact same thing.

If you want to deliver a care package to someone you love... here's a way to crochet a nifty basket to stick it in. It's fun and everything is more special with a little handmade somethin somethin. You will need: -Thick beading cord (as thick as you can find... mine was a little thin, but it worked) - 1 skein of worsted weight yarn (or a 1 skein in 2 colors if you want to get really fancy)... you can also use crochet thread if you want a smaller basket, are willing to crochet way more, and have the cord show through. -A crochet hook - I'm using a G.

Begin like you would a hat. Chain 4. Join in a circle with a sl st to form a small ch-4 loop. Row 1: Ch 1. In the center of the loop, make 10 sc. Join with a sl st. Row 2: Ch 1. Add the cord. Do this by placing the end of the cord where you are beginning your first stitch of this row. Crochet around the cord so that the cord is being worked through the center of the stitches. 2 Sc in each sc of previous row. (20 sc total). End the row with a sl st around the cord so as to hide the cord. The cord will continue being worked through each remaining row and winding up the basket.

Row 3: Ch 1. *1 sc in first st, 2 sc in next st. Repeat from * around. 30 sc total. Join with sl st. Row 4: Ch 1. *1 sc in first 2 st, 2 sc in third st. Repeat from * around. 40 sc total. Join with sl st. Row 5: Ch 1. * 1 sc in first 3 st, 2 sc in fourth st. Repeat from * around. 50 sc total. Join with sl st. Row 6: Ch 1. *1 sc in first 4 st, 2 sc in fifth st. Repeat from * around. 60 sc total. Join with sl st. Continue in this fashion until the base of your basket is as large as you want it to be. I stopped when I had 100 stitches around total. Start working up with basket by Ch 1, 1 sc in each sc of previous row. Joining with a sl st. Repeat the row until the basket is as high as you want. Some fun things you can add to this basket: Color Changing: You can work some really fun color changing into your basket pattern. String whatever color you are not using through the inside of the stitch along with the cord. When you want to change colors change which color is being trailed along the inside. Switch colors in the final pull through 2 loops on hook of the sc in the stitch BEFORE you want the color change to appear.

Handles: To add a handle to your basket, you can make your sc st just go around the cord, but not actually go through the stitches of the previous row so that part of the basket is unattached. However many stitches you do around the cord, you should skip that many stitches in the previous row of the basket. After counting and matching up, you can just go back to stitching both around the cord AND into the stitches of the previous row.

And TA DA! You have a really cool crochet basket to keep or give away. Giving it away feels great, especially when there are some extra goodies for the people you love inside. Or Easter candy... candy is ALWAYS a good thing to find in a basket. The end.

If you have any questions with this pattern shoot an email over to SansLimitesCrochet@gmail.com and I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible.