Large Crocheted Basket

I saw a photo on Pinterest of some big, chunky, crocheted baskets.  I have tons of yarn so I am always looking for containers to hold it.  I found the pattern at allaboutami.com.  I, loosely, followed it, using Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick in Grey Marble.  It took six skeins, holding two strands throughout.  I used a size "N" crochet hook.

My basket is 13" high and 16" in diameter.  I might cover cardboard with felt and make an insert for the bottom and sides to make the basket really stable.

Basically, this is how I made it.

Holding two strands, I chained 5, then slip stitched in the first chain to make a circle.  Chain 2, then 7 hdc in the circle.  The entire bottom is worked in the round, so you never slip stitch to end and start a new row.

2nd round -  Work 2 hdc in each hdc around.

3rd round - *work 2 hdc in first hdc, 1 hdc in next hdc, repeat from * around.

4th round - *work 2 hdc in first hdc. 1hdc in next 2 hdc, repeat from * around.

Continue working in rounds, increasing one more hdc after the stitches with 2 hdc in one hdc.  I did this for eight rounds.

Next round, sc in each back loop of each stitch. This starts the sides of the basket.  From this point on, work one hdc in each hdc until you get the basket as tall as you want it.

To make the handles.

Count how many stitches you have around the top.  Subtract 20.  Divide this number in half and that's the amount of stitches you will have between handles.

For example.  I had 60 stitches around.  So I sc in 10 stitches, chained 10 stitches for the handle, skip 10 stitches, sc in next 20 stitches, chain 10 for other handle, skip 10 stitches, sc in last 10 stitches.

On the last round, sc in each sc, 12 sc over the chain handles.  At the end slip stitch in next ditch and fasten off.

I hope that you could make sense out of this.  Feel free to ask questions.

That's it for today.

Peace,

Cyndi