Small Gift Baskets
Shared by Marg Coe at margcoe@nexicom.net

 I have made small baskets to give as a hostess gift and filled them with a knitted dishcloth and other goodies for our knit club members attending our Pot Luck Dinner.  Here is the pattern I came up with.  It is really just a
circular doily/dishcloth pattern and I did one less wedge (total 5 wedges).


This pattern uses short rowing techniques to form "five wedges" (each made up of three scallops).

Materials:                               No. 10 crochet cotton
Machine:                                Standard Gauge
Instructions
Tension                                 T6
E-wrap cast on over 22 needles with waste yarn ( L10 - 0 - R12)
Knit several rows and hang weights
End with COR - Change to Main Yarn
Knit one row - COL
Set Carriage to HOLD
NOTE:
When pushing right side needles to HOLD work from the outside needle towards the centre.
Keep moving weights as needed to keep stitches firmly on the needles.

First Scallop of Wedge
***Using 3-prong transfer tool move the 3 left hand stitches one needle to the left leaving 4th needle empty. Now push the right hand WP needle out to HOLD position & 4th empty needle to WP Knit two rows - COL Repeat moving left stitches, right st on HOLD and 4th ndl to WP - knit 2 rows - 2 more times*** Cast Off 3 stitches on left side putting the three empty needles in NWP. After casting off there should be 3 needles in HOLD position on right
edge side of work & 3 eyelets on left side of work.

Second Scallop of Wedge

Repeat from *** to *** three times and bind off three left stitches. You now have 6 needles in hold position on righthand side of work and 6 eyelets on left side.

Third Scallop of Wedge

Repeat from *** to *** three times and bind off three left stitches. You now have 9 needles in hold position on right hand side of work and 9 eyelets on left side.

To Complete Wedge

After casting off the three stitches on the left side at the end of the third scallop (you now havel3 stitches in WP and 9 in HOLD) Your carriage is on the left so put your right hand side of carriage to KNIT position and knit two rows This will knit all 22 stitches back to work position and end with COL

REMEMBER to put your right hand side of the carriage back to HOLD before you continue.

Make 4 more wedges - When complete you will have 5 wedges with 15 little scallops around the edge when you reach this point cut cotton leave a nice long tail (20") that you can use to knit across when you rehang the basket.
Take off on Waste Yarn - turn work so right side of work facing and rehang. Then rehang the cast on stitches. Loosen Tension (T10) and knit (using long tail) across from right to left. Latch off the stitches and pull yarn
through last stitch to secure. Pick stitches up around the centre hole and tighten tie off securely. Weave in loose yarn ends.

Starch

Commercial liquid OR 2 parts water to 1 part sugar OR equal parts of sugar and water OR White Glue OR Fabric Stiffener (Ilene's or other sold at craft stores). Sugar must be dissolved in hot water on stove, stirring to keep it
from sticking on the bottom of your saucepan and cooled before using.

Soak the rather sad looking shape in the starch of choice, cover a large tumbler glass with plastic wrap and then shape the fabric of the basket over the glass. Make sure you pull the little lacey edges out and the depth of the basket is as even as possible. Leave overnight and you should have a nice little basket. I'm sure there are many ways of starching but the liquid starch and sugar ones worked for me.

Enjoy.