This year for Mother’s Day I made my daughter & daughter-in-law these felted crochet Wicker Baskets. Quick to make in Super Bulky yarn with a 15mm hook, you can felt them in your sink using a bit of dish detergent to help the process! The Baskets can be used to put a vase of flowers or a potted plant in… or how about using one in your bathroom to hold guest hand towels?
SIZE, NOTES, MATERIALS
NOTE: US/CANADIAN TERMS USED
I did not measure my baskets; they are approximately 6 inches wide and 6 inches high after felting.
You will need approximately 2 ounces of Super Bulky 100% wool. I used vintage White Buffalo 6 strand unspun roving, which is no longer available, but you can use Briggs & Little “Country Roving,” Custom Woolen Mills “Prairie Wool Bulky 6-Strand” or other similar yarns. [White Buffalo Unspun: 122 yards (112 meters); 227 grams (8 ounces)]
15mm and 6mm crochet hooks
INSTRUCTIONS for Wicker Basket
Using the 15mm hook:
Round 1. Chain 2; in 2nd chain from hook work 7 single crochet; slip stitch in the first stitch to join; chain 1 but do NOT turn. [7 stitches]
Round 2. Work 2 single crochet in each stitch; slip stitch in the first stitch of this round to join; chain 1 but do NOT turn. [14 stitches]
Round 3. *Work 2 single crochet in next stitch, 1 single crochet in next; repeat from * to the end of the round; slip stitch in the first stitch of this round to join; chain 1 but do NOT turn. [21 stitches]
Round 4. Back post single crochet in each stitch to the end of the round; slip stitch in the first stitch of this round to join; chain 1 but do NOT turn. [21 stitches; this round is worked as “back post single crochet” because it gives a really nice edge on the bottom of the basket]
Rounds 5 – 10. Work 1 single crochet in each stitch to the end of the round; slip stitch in the first stitch of this round to join; chain 1 but do NOT turn.
Round 11. Work 1 slip stitch in each stitch to the end of the round; fasten off, weave in ends.
FELT the finished piece in your preferred way of felting. Though some people like felting in the machine, I prefer felting by hand in the sink or in a bowl. There are tons of photo and video tutorials for felting–try a search on YouTube or Google 🙂 I run some very hot water in the sink, add a squish of dish detergent (I used Sunlight brand this time; Dawn works well also, for me), then roll, squeeze, etc. until felted. It helps to rinse and squeeze occasionally in cold water before plunging back into hot–I make several changes of water. The shock of the water temperature changes helps the felting process.
FLOWER WITH LEAF
I added a flower for trim, which I also felted. For this I used the same yarn with a 6mm hook. It is worked in one piece.
Step 1: Chain 11; slip stitch in the 11th chain from the hook [the first chain you made]; *chain 10, slip stitch in the same stitch you made the other slip stitch in; repeat from * 3 times more–you should have 5 petals; Step 2: chain 11; slip stitch in the 2nd chain from the hook, single crochet in the next, half double crochet in the next, double crochet in the next, half double crochet in the next, slip stitch in the next [leaf made]; Step 3: chain 5 or 6 for the stem. Fasten off.
TIE FOR TRIM AND BOW
I used the 6mm hook and the same yarn, and made a long chain which I felted–don’t forget that it will shrink quite a lot in felting, so make it longer than you need it to be when finished. I left a foot long tail on each piece, rolling it in my hands to make it more like yarn–when that was felted I cut if off the thicker chain, and used it to fasten the flower to the basket, sewing it in a couple of places. I threaded the chain strip through the holes in the basket, then tied in a bow.
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