Welcome to your rainbow basket portal. Here you will find the pattern instructions as they are added across 3 weeks starting 1st Nov 2021. You can choose to crochet along with us or wait until the full pattern is released on the 22nd.
Please post your pictures on the Contented Crochet Crowd group to keep us all inspired. Especially if you choose to use a different colourway or type of yarn to what we recommend.
November 1st – Base
Using either chunky yarn or two strands of DK and a 6mm hook.
Abbreviations:
Htr – Half treble (yarn over, hook in, draw yarn through to the front, 3 loops on hook, draw yarn through all 3 loops)
Ss – Slip stitch
Ch – chain
Htr/inc – 2 htr in 1 stitch
Tr cluster stitch – *Yarn over, insert hook, pull through yarn to the front (3 loops/will look like 6 if doubling up), yarn over and draw through 2 loops (LEAVE THE REMAINING LOOPS ON YOUR HOOK AND DO NOT COMPLETE THE tr)*. Repeat between *&* again so that you have 3 loops on your hook (will look like 6 if using DK held double). Yarn over and pull through all loops.
Pattern:
BASE – Start by making a circle as large as you wish your bag base to be (I’d suggest approx 8″ across to start with). The only rule is that the number of stitches around the outside must be divisible by 2 when you have completed the base.
I use my accent colour for my base and handles (in this instance if you are using my suggested colours it would be graphite)
To make the circle start by chaining 3 and joining with a slip stitch to form a loop. (We will be using using htr stitches to make the base for speed and strength). Ch 2 (this forms your 1st htr) then insert 11 htr into the ring. Join with a ss then ch2 (again forming your 1st htr) and insert a further htr into the same stitch (this forms your 1st increase).
*htr into the next stitch and then htr/inc into the next stitch* continue between *&* until you reach the beginning, join with a ss to end the round.
ch2 (again forming your 1st htr) and insert a further htr into the same stitch (this forms your 1st increase). This time *htr into the next 2 stitches and then htr/inc into the next*. Continue between *&* to the beginning, join with a ss to end the round.
For the remaining rounds continue to increase the number of htrs between each increase by 1 for each row until you get a circle that is the size you wish for your base to be and the edges are divisible by 2. (If you get to the size you want it to be and your stitches still don’t divide by 2 you can always cheat and add another little stitch in before you join with a ss to make it work out for you)!
November 8th – Sides
You will be working from the bottom up so please reverse your rainbow if you are using our suggested colours and start with magenta as your first colour.
+Join in your yarn into any stitch round the edge of your base using the chain join method (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puWOwrb4o_E) and ch 3 (inc your join).
Your ch 3 counts as your 1st treble. Remember that it will look as though you have 2 stitches on your hook if you are using doubled-up DK yarn. We are now going to work a tr cluster stitch. *Yarn over, insert hook, pull through yarn to the front (3 loops/will look like 6 if doubling up), yarn over and draw through 2 loops (LEAVE THE REMAINING LOOPS ON YOUR HOOK AND DO NOT COMPLETE THE tr)*. Repeat between *&* again so that you have 3 loops on your hook (will look like 6 if doubling). Yarn over and pull through all loops.
Ch1, miss a stitch and work a tr cluster stitch as per the above method into the next stitch. This time before you pull the wool through for the final time, you will have 4 loops on your hook so it will include our chain 1 between clusters/puffs.
Repeat making clusters separated by ch 1 all the way round your bag until you get back to the beginning. End with a ch1 and join with a ss into the top of the cluster.+
Change colour at this point and join with a ch join into any ch 1 gap between tr clusters. Repeat your pattern between +&+ above. Continue adding rows until you have the desired height of your bag.
November 15th – Top and Handles
TOP – Join your yarn into any ch1 space with a single ch and htr into the same space. htr into the top of the next cluster stitch, htr into the ch1 space, htr into the top of the cluster stitch and continue all the way around.
Join with a ss to the top of your 1st stitch to close. *Ch 2 and work another round of htr in every stitch around*. Repeat between *&* one more time. You can make the top higher if you wish but we are going to stop at 3. DON’T CAST OFF
HANDLES –Fold your bag in half (closed) and mark ¼ of the way in from either side, front and back. Count the number of stitches between each marker and ensure the gaps are the same on both sides.
Ch 2, htr into the same stitch and then htr along until we get to the stitch marker. Htr into the stitch you have marked.
*Count the number of stitches you have between your markers and add 4. Ch this number of stitches and then htr into the stitch marked with your next marker.*
Continue htr around until you meet your next marker and htr into it. Repeat between *&* above. htr across until you meet the beginning of the row and then ss to join.
Ch 2 and htr into the same stitch, then work a full round of htr counting all the chains in the handles as stitches. Ss to join and darn in all your ends!
Additions – You can make these bags in any size. Just change your yarn choice, hook sizes, change from htr to dc, add longer handles, make a giant basket or however you wish. Play around with the pattern but please do remember to credit Beautiful Things for your designs
November 22nd – Full PDF pattern uploaded for download.
You can download the full written pattern as a printable PDF HERE
