Raffia Storage Basket :Free Pattern

Hi everyone,  I realise I have not updated my blog for a while. This does not mean I have not been making stuff. I just find crocheting more exciting than writing about what I make. Need to setup a blog schedule to get better at it. Anyway, we have recently moved into a new apartment and this has motivated me to get crafting for the home. I got some RICO Creative Paper yarn from a trip to Hobbycraft and decided to make some baskets using this yarn. There are many patterns for this online already but I wanted to make my own pattern and really just made this up as I went along.

One ball was enough to make one whole basket with a little left over. So I could have made a bigger one. But this one suited my purpose. I use it as a key bowl in my hallway and it was a great way to add some color and make a useful piece at the same time.

It was a really quick one to make and just took me a couple of hours. The yarn is a little tricky to work with but I am sure for people who have a lot of experience with crochet, this could possibly be done in under an hour.

I am thinking of using the left over to make some coasters and the same pattern could be easily modified to do the coasters. I would think just stopping after the first 7 rounds would make a good coaster. I have found working with this yarn a little tricky but its such a versatile material that I think I will continue to use it for coasters/placemats/bags/table runner. Will definitely blog about those as and when it happens.

Material: 

RICO Creative Paper 1 ball

5 mm Crochet Hook

Yarn needle/scissors

stitch marker

Abbreviation: (UK Notation)

ch = chain

dc = double crochet

sl st = slip stitch

sts = stitches

Pattern: 

The pattern is crocheted in a spiral, so its good to use a stitch marker at the beginning of each round to keep track of rounds and stitches.

Make a magic circle and 6 dc in the circle.

Row 1:    2 dc in each stitch around (12 sts )

Row 2:    (dc,dc,2dc) repeat 4 times (16 sts )

Row 3:    (dc,dc,dc,2dc) repeat 4 times (20 sts )

Row 4:    (dc,dc,dc,2dc) repeat 5 times (25 sts )

Row 5:    (dc,dc,dc,dc,2dc) repeat 5 times (30 sts )

Row 6:    (dc,dc,dc,dc,2dc) repeat 6 times (36 sts )

Row 7:    (dc,dc,dc,dc,dc,2dc) repeat 6 times (42 sts )

Row 8:    (dc,dc,dc,dc,dc,2dc) repeat 7 times (49 sts )

Row 9:    (dc,dc,dc,dc,dc,dc,2dc) repeat 7 times (56 sts )

Row 10:  (dc,dc,dc,dc,dc,dc,dc,2dc) repeat 7 times (60 sts )

Row 11-15:  dc in each st around ( add more rows if you want a taller basket)

Row 16: ( sl st, ch 5, skip a st, sl st) 20 times (this makes a cute border for the basket)

Fasten off.

Pattern for Coaster:

Follow pattern for row 1-7 fasten off.

With 1 ball of RICO Creative paper you should be able to make at least a 4 coaster set.