I was given some Ribbon XL yarn to try some time ago by the lovely Gwen from Hoooked and have finally had the chance to have a little play with it.

I’m on an organising kick at the moment and needed some pretty storage solutions to control my mess (ahem … creativity 😉 so these handy little  baskets were just the thing I needed and are the perfect size for storing all your bits and bobs.  I’m hanging mine on my pegboard but they can be hung anywhere you like.

Made in my favourite stitch, the Linen Stitch, which gives them a wonderful woven texture.  I’ve included instructions for a basket with a contrast band around the top or you can change colour in any round to make your basket your own.

 What you’ll need:

• 6.mm hook
• Ribbon XL yarn – I’ve used  Mint Green and Sweet Pink.  (I’ve only used 1/2 skein of each colour to make 3 baskets so there’s plenty left over)

US Terms Used (UK terms in brackets)

Abbreviations:

ch:  chain

pm:   place marker

sc (dc):   single crochet (double crochet)

sk:    skip

st/s:  stitch/es

ss:   slip stitch

yo:  yarn over

Pattern:

Worked in spiral rounds. Place marker in first st of each round, moving marker up as you go.

 Base:

Round 1:  Make a magic ring  (or ch 4 and join with a ss).  6 sc (dc) into ring

Round 2:  2 sc (dc) into each st to end (12 sc (dc) )

Round 3:  * 1 sc (dc), 2 sc (dc) into next st. Repeat from * to end ( 18 sc (dc) )

Round 4:  * 2 sc (dc), 2 sc (dc) into next st. Repeat from * to end ( 24 sc (dc) )

Round 5:  * 3 sc (dc), 2 sc (dc) into next st. Repeat from * to end ( 30 sc (dc) )

 Sides:

Round 6:   sc (dc) into first st, * ch 1, sk next st, sc (dc) into next st. Repeat from * to last st, sc into last st

Round 7:  sc (dc) into first st, * ch 1, sc (dc) into next ch sp. Repeat from * to end.

Rounds 8 – 10:  Work as for Round 7. Change colour at the end of Round 10 (when you have 2 loops left on your hook for the last st, yo with new colour and pull through to complete st).  Fasten off main colour.

Rounds 11 – 13:  Continuing on in contrast colour, work as for Round 7. (Linen stitch pattern ends after Round 13)

Round 14:  ss into first st, Ch 5, skip next 4 sps and sts (2 sps and 2 sts), sc (dc) into next st, sc (dc) into each sp and st to end

Handle:  5 sc (dc) over ch sts from previous round, join with a ss into next sc (dc) of previous round. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Happy hooking!

Michelle x