Miniature Crocheted Basket 

Designed by Linda Driscoll of Uniqueness

You'll enjoy making this elegant, lacy crocheted basket with Kreinik Fine Braid. You can fill it with miniature dried flowers for a gift, or use at a party for candy or mints (great idea for a baby shower, wedding shower, anniversary party, etc).

Materials needed:

• two spools Kreinik Fine (#8) Braid 017HL White Gold Hi Lustre

• Boye steel crochet hook size #11

• Aleene's stiffening and draping liquid to paint brush on finished piece

Instructions:

To begin, ch 3, join to form ring.

Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 12 dc in ring, slip st in top of ch 3 (13 dc)

Round 2: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next dc *2dc in next dc, * around (26 dc)

Round 3: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next dc, *2dc in next dc, 1dc in next dc* around (40dc)

Round 4: Ch 1, sc in same st, skip 1 dc, dc ch 1 in next dc 3 times, skip 1 dc, sc in next stitch, (3dc shell made), work 9 more shells around in same way (10 shells made)

Round 5: Slp st to middle dc in 1st shell. *Ch 3, skip 1dc, sc in space, ch 3, skip next dc, skip next sc, skip next dc, dc in next space, * around * slip st. to first picot loop made (22 picot loops)

Round 6: Ch 1, sc in same picot loop; in next loop, make 3dc shell, sc in next loop - repeat around, 10 3dc shells

Round 7: Repeat round 5

Round 8: Ch 4, * 3 trbl in next loop, * Ch 1, trbl in next loop, ch 1, 3 trbl in next loop * around.

Round 9: Sc in top of ch 4, skip 1 ch, 1 dc, 3 dc shell in next trbl, skip 1 dc, skip 1 ch, and sc in next trbl around.

Round 10: Repeat round 5

Round 11: Repeat round 6

Round 12: Repeat round 5

To work handle: Ch 60, counting to the right, skip 9 loops. In 10th loop, sc, ch 3, skip 1 loop to the right and sc in next loop. Ch 1, going back across on chain, skip 1 ch and dc in next ch. Skip 1 ch, dc in next chain across, ending with ch 1 and sc to top of loop

Round 13: 5 dc in next loop, working around basket to the left, and sc in next loop. Work 5 dc shells around basket in this fashion. When working near handle, hold back handle and work 5 dc shells into picots of previous rd.

Round 14: Work ch 3 picot around in spaces between dc in shells. End off and hide thread with a needle or crochet hook.

Stiffen basket and handle by painting inside of basket and underside of handle with Aleene's stiffening and draping liquid.
 

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

dc = double crochet

sc = single crochet

slip st = slip stitch

trbl = treble crochet