A Tisket A Tasket, I made a Basket!

You've got to be kidding me! This is going to turn into a basket?

Amazingly they did!

Thanks to a lot of patient help from our wonderful teacher, Marielle.

Yesterday some friends and I went to another friend's house to make baskets. She is an expert weaver and her baskets are beautiful. All three of us started out with the same bottom - and all three baskets came out entirely different! What fun! After we finished the weaving, we dipped them in a solution of brewed crushed walnuts and the result was amazing!

We were even treated to grilled chicken for lunch and there was lots of chocolate available to counteract any frustration we might have encountered! It was a really fun day. I think I will be making more baskets....maybe!

I have to admit that basket weaving, at least for me, is not as relaxing as knitting. I finished my stash bag which was inspired by one I saw on Colorjoy's blog. I used small balls of leftover Noro in different color combinations combined with a strand of solid yarn, and just knit until I ran out of one or the other and then added another color. I love the way it came out! There is really no pattern but basically:

CO 40 sts on size 8 needles.

Row 1: Sl 1 K1 across,

Row 2: K

Repeat these two rows until the piece measure about 20" long and then BO.

Fold the bag in half and sew the side seams. Of course you can make it any size you want by increasing or decreasing the amount of stitches CO and the number of rows knit. This bag is

10 x 10.

For the braid, cut 18 lengths of yarn about twice as long as you need for the handle, braid them using 3 sets of 6 strands, leaving enough loose yarn for the tassels at the beginning and end of the braid - and then sew it up the sides of the bag leaving the middle part of the braid for the handle. After I took the pictures I added a crocheted loop and button to the middle of the bag so it can be closed. You can see that each side of the bag is different - that's what I love about it!

I think I've finally found a great way to use up all of those little balls of yarn that I have been saving up!