Learn How To Crochet
Tapestry Crochet “Spiral” Basket
By Carol Ventura
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This project will introduce you to some basic tapestry crochet techniques. For more complete instructions, look at my books, Tapestry Crochet or More Tapestry Crochet. This basket begins with a flat spiral base. When the diameter of the base is no longer increased, the edges of the spiral move upwards to form the walls. The stripe motif is six stitches wide, so the total number of stitches in the base is a multiple of six. It is possible to make a variety of sizes with the same design motif simply by increasing or decreasing the size of the base by six stitches. Feel free to substitute another motif, just be sure that the total number of stitches in the base is a multiple of the number of stitches in your motif. Any type of thread or yarn can be used for tapestry crochet. This basket was crocheted with J. & P. Coats Speed-Cro-Sheen mercerized cotton thread, but feel free to substitute another thread or yarn.
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Finished
Size: 2 1/8” diameter by 3 3/4" high.
Materials: white and color size 3 cotton Speed-Cro-Sheen;
a safety pin or a piece of thread of a contrasting color
for counting the rounds.
Hook: Steel crochet hook size 1 or size that will
give an acceptable gauge.
Gauge: 7 1/2 stitches equals 1 inch, 6 rows equals
1 inch (although I crochet with a tight gauge, a looser
gauge is all right, as long as it is consistent).
Round 1: Starting with white, make a slip knot,
then chain 4 stitches. Join the ends together to form
a ring by working a slip stitch into the first chain stitch.
Single crochet 6 stitches loosely into the ring while
you carry the tail-end. The basket should have a total of 6 stitches
when you finish this round. This basket is worked as a
spiral, not in concentric rings, so it is difficult to
tell where each round ends. To keep track of where each
round ends, slip a safety pin or stitch marker into the
top of the last stitch of the round or lay a two inch
piece of thread of a contrasting color across the path
of the last stitch. You will remove the safety pin or
stitch marker from the last stitch as you come to it again
and slip it into the new last stitch or cross the path
of the last stitch with the end of the counting thread
at the end of each round.
Round 2: Cut the tail-end piece and start to carry
the color thread. Increase in every stitch to 12 stitches.
Round 3: Increase in every stitch to 24 stitches.
Round 4: Increase in every second stitch to 36
stitches.
Round 5: Single crochet one round without any increases.
Round 6: Increase in every third stitch. The basket
should have 48 stitches when you finish this round.
These illustrations are for right-handed crocheters.
Left-handed crocheters, please look at these illustrations
in a mirror.
Round 7: Rounds 7 through 10 correspond to the illustrated
stripe motif (read from right to left and bottom to top).
Remember, that to do a tapestry
crochet stitch, colors are switched while
2 loops are still on the hook; yarn over with the other
thread and pull it through the loops to prepare for the
tapestry crochet stitch. Start the stripe motif as follows:
tapestry crochet 4 white, then 2 color stitches. Repeat
this sequence around. Every once in a while, untwist the
threads by suspending the basket in the air with one of
the threads while pulling on the other thread. Let the
piece spin around in the air so that the threads untangle.
The number of stitches will now remain constant from round
to round.
Round 8: Tapestry crochet 4 white, then 2 color
stitches. (To create the stripe pattern, you will tapestry
crochet white stitches on white and color stitches on
color.) Repeat around.
Round 9: Tapestry crochet 4 white, then 2 color
stitches. Repeat around.
Round 10: Tapestry crochet 4 white, then 2 color
stitches. Repeat around.
Repeat rounds 8 through 10 as many times as you wish.
Finishing: To finish the basket, single crochet
2 rows of color, continuously carrying the white thread
until the last stitch, then cut the white thread flush.
Slip stitch with the color thread, cut it (leaving a 6
inch tail) then yarn over and pull the tail all the way
through the loop on the hook. Work in the end for one
inch along the top of the basket, then trim it off. To
block the basket, set a steam-iron to the appropriate
setting (some fibers will melt at high heat), insert an
empty can or big dowel into the basket, then carefully
steam-iron the piece. Now it’s time for you to show
off your basket and teach a friend how to make one!