UPCYCLE A BASKET
Enrich a plain basket with the air and avour of exotic Morocco. Designed by Sara Huntington
This vibrant design bursts over the basket lip, pours down the diamond motifs and then drips to the floor through the beaded fringing. Now that’s awash with colour. Thanks to www.atty-s.blogspot.com for inspiring the diamond motif in this make.
NOTES
Diamond Motifs are made first and then joined together across the top. A band of crochet is worked up from the joined Motifs before joining the Motifs where the corners meet across the centre.
See Measurements to calculate the number of Motifs you’ll need to make, we made 12. Change colours on the last yrh of last st of round when colour change is indicated. You will need 2 felted or wooden beads for each Motif you make.
BASKET EMBELLISHMENT
DIAMOND MOTIF 1
Using Sazerac, ch4 and ss into first ch to form a loop.
Round 1 (RS) Ch3 (counts as tr throughout), 2tr into loop, ch1, (3tr, ch1) 3 times, ss to top of beg ch-3 to join. [12 tr, 4 ch-1 sps]
Change to Blue Hawaii.
Round 2 Ch3, tr in next 2 sts, *(tr, ch1, tr) in next ch-1 sp, tr in next 3 sts, (tr, dtr, ch1, dtr, tr) in next ch-1 sp**, tr in next 3 sts; rep from * to **, ss to top of beg ch-3. [24 sts]
Change to Tequila Sunrise.
Round 3 Ch3, tr each st to ch-sp, (tr, ch1, tr) in ch-1 sp, tr in each st to next ch-sp, (tr, dtr, ch1, dtr, tr) in ch-1 sp; rep from * once more, tr in each st to end, ss to top of beg ch-3. [36 sts] Change to Sangria.
Round 4 As Round 3. [48 sts] DIAMOND MOTIF 2
Make as for Diamond Motif 1, using Sangria on Round 3 and Tequila Sunrise on Round 4. Using Sea Breeze, work 20 French knots evenly around the stitches of Round 4.
Block all Motifs to measurements given.
JOIN MOTIFS AND MAKE TOP BAND
Join Sazerac into ch-1 sp at top point of any Motif.
Round 1 (RS) Ch1, dc into ch-1 sp, *ch12, dc into ch-1 sp at the top of next Motif; rep from * until all Motifs have been joined,ch12, ss to top of beg dc.
Round 2 (RS) Ch1, dc in each st around increasing approx 4 stitches evenly around. You will need to end round with a multiple of 4 sts.
Round 3 Ch1, dc in each st around, ss to top of beg dc.
Change to Blue Hawaii.
Round 4 Ch3, tr3tog next 3 sts, ch3, (tr4tog next 4 sts, ch3) around, ss to top of beg ch-3. Change to Sangria.
Round 5 Ss into first st, ss into first ch of ch-3 sp,
ch3, 3tr in same ch, skip next 2 ch and tr4tog, (4tr in next ch, skip next 2 ch and tr4tog) around, ss in top of beg ch-3.
Change to Sea Breeze.
Rounds 6-8 As Round 3.
Change to Sangria.
Round 9 As Round 4.
Change to Blue Hawaii.
Round 10 As Round 5.
Change to Sazerac.
Rounds 11-13 Ch1, dc in each st around, ss to top of beg dc.
Fasten off.
Using Tequila Sunrise, work French knots evenly around the Top Band over Round 7. You can use the image as a guide.
JOIN MOTIFS AT CENTRE POINT
Join Sazerac into top ch-1 sp on any Motif. Working in opposite side of ch-12 from Round 1 of Join Motifs and Make Top Band section, 2dc in first ch, dc in each ch to last ch before next Motif, 2dc in last ch, working down upper edge of Motif, dc in each st along edge to central ch-1 sp, dc2tog in ch-1 sp on current Motif and adjacent Motif, dc along upper edge of adjacent Motif, ss to beg dc.
Fasten off and weave in ends.
Repeat for all Motifs.
TO FINISH
Position Top Band along top edge of your basket and sew in place.
Using Sazerac and a tapestry needle, add a bead in the centre of each of the triangle spaces created by the Centre Point join, then add a bead at the lower point of each Diamond Motif. Make a tassel for each Diamond Motif and attach below beads at the bottom of Motifs.