Baskets not done in rounds

[Horsy]

Howdy.  I wish to crochet some small, firm, sturdy baskets for storing odds & sods in the bathroom, etc.

If the entire basket is one colour, then going in spirals is fine (not using slip stitches but rather using markers to show you when the end of the round has arrived).

However, I want to use more than one colour, i.e., striped baskets, but then where you change colours, the rounds don't line up and it looks bad. Yes, it shows only at the seam but still I don't like the look. 

So,  does anyone here have any patterns for baskets done in rows?  

Many thanks!

[Granny Square]

If you turn your rounds, this won't happen.  So you really wouldn't need a different pattern, just turn each round the pattern you already were thinking of using.  

Crochet stitches don't sit directly on top of each other which is what causes the skew you described, BUT if you turn, one row skews a little one way, the next skews a little the other, so they cancel each other out and 'line up'.

I did an experiment on a little tube a long time ago that demonstrates this.  The bottom was working in a spiral, without turning, and the rounds drift to the right.  The top part was done in the back loop, also a spiral without turning.  What I should have added is a third section, which was turning and working through both loops, which would have cancelled out the skew also.  Turning will end up with a subtle seam, but I think that's the lesser of 2 evils.

I'm having a bit of operator error attaching the pic, I'll be back in a bit.....OK, it's going to be one of THOSE days, see the next post for the pic, bottom half with grey stripe is showing just changing the color for 1 stitch 'in the same spot', working thru both loops.  Top half shows the same except working in the back loop only.  (On another forum, someone said this also works front loop only, I haven't tried that yet, but that would look better for your basket.)

Edited September 10 by Granny Square

[Granny Square]

Here 

[Horsy]

23 hours ago, Granny Square said:

If you turn your rounds, this won't happen.  So you really wouldn't need a different pattern, just turn each round the pattern you already were thinking of using.  

Do you mean we then have to sew up the two sides of the seam, or what.  I apologize in advance for being so thick.  😁

You're right about the slight directionality/skew/forward throw of crochet stitches, which shows itself after several rows. Sure wish I'd kept up with my knitting lessons, finding a better teacher.  (Most or maybe all of us girls had difficulty with her approach, so I don't feel like too much of a dummy there.)

23 hours ago, Granny Square said:

bottom half with grey stripe is showing just changing the color for 1 stitch 'in the same spot', working thru both loops.  Top half shows the same except working in the back loop only.  (On another forum, someone said this also works front loop only, I haven't tried that yet, but that would look better for your basket.)

Thanks v. much for your photo.  It is perfect for illustrating your point.  I made 2 little baskets in the past but they are kind of wonky (worked in a spiral);  I'm using them anyway.  But I want things to look as good as I can possibly make them, so I appreciate your trouble in replying to me, esp. that nifty picture.  

 

23 hours ago, Granny Square said:

OK, it's going to be one of THOSE days,

I'm having "one of those decades", I think.  

 

 

[NCcountrygal]

I use to have several links on joins and color changes. This is on amigurumi but the principle is the same  https://www.planetjune.com/blog/amigurumi-help/ultimate-stripes-for-amigurumi/

[Granny Square]

Here's the recipe to make a tube not in a spiral, all it is, is  working in turned rounds:

Make a chain, and work across.  Join (slst) first stitch to last; TURN. 

Pattern:  Chain 1, SC in same spot as the join, put a stitch marker in that SC to mark the first stitch of the round (so you don't get lost, which is easy to do!), and work across the rest of the stitches.  Join (slst) first stitch to last; TURN. 

Repeat the pattern line to the length you want.  This will result in a tube in horizontal rounds.  There will be a slight 'seam' look where the round changing happens.  You might want to play with this, example try making the initial SC without the chain.

The fabric is  going to look a tiny bit different when you turn the rounds, rather than having all the rounds face the same way as in a spiral.

Edited to add, I will have to look at that video from Planet June, it's been a while since I visited her site (I don't make a lot of amigurumi). 

I know there is another way to get around this, where the fabric looks like same side facing, but you actually PURL every other row, like knitting (not with needles, but in knitting, a purl stitch is 'sort of a backwards knit stitch', so a crochet purl is 'sort of a backward SC stitch'  There is a video on tapestrycrochet.com that shows this (the one called flat tapestry crochet, but you don't have to doing colorwork to purl).  I have yet to try this, tho.

 

 

 

Edited September 11 by Granny Square

[Horsy]

3 hours ago, NCcountrygal said:

I use to have several links on joins and color changes. This is on amigurumi but the principle is the same  https://www.planetjune.com/blog/amigurumi-help/ultimate-stripes-for-amigurumi/

What a find!  The very first sentences are:  

I’ve developed this Ultimate Stripes method to make the most perfect stripes in amigurumi. There is absolutely no seam or colour jog, and no way to tell where the join is in the finished piece – it’s completely perfect!

Thanks kindly, NCcountrygal. 

@Granny Square.  Can't thank you enough for the explicit instructions.  

Well, girls, I guess I can go and work on my li'l baskets now...  😍  Er...I hope I didn't make an error in saying "girls".  Couple of years ago I was on ravelry's shawl & shoulder cover forum and I cheerily said, "Thanks for all the good advice, girls." or something similar.  Right quick the moderator advised me that not everyone here is a "girl" and they were inclusive and so on, so I should correct myself.  With 7 million members, it is nice to see such efficiency.   

So, I changed my comment pronto to "friends",  was none the worse for wear and remained on good terms with the "folks" there on Ravelry.   The moderator was nice about correcting me,  I hasten to add. 

Least said, soonest healed, I guess. 

 

[Granny Square]

Well I'm not exactly a 'girl' anymore, I'm an 'old lady' nowadays, but 'girl' is OK with me!  

[NCcountrygal]

16 hours ago, Horsy said:

What a find!  The very first sentences are:  

I’ve developed this Ultimate Stripes method to make the most perfect stripes in amigurumi. There is absolutely no seam or colour jog, and no way to tell where the join is in the finished piece – it’s completely perfect!

Thanks kindly, NCcountrygal. 

You are welcome.  🙂

[Horsy]

20 hours ago, Granny Square said:

Well I'm not exactly a 'girl' anymore, I'm an 'old lady' nowadays, but 'girl' is OK with me!  

Glad to hear it!  

[Horsy]

On 9/11/2024 at 11:12 AM, NCcountrygal said:

I use to have several links on joins and color changes. This is on amigurumi but the principle is the same  https://www.planetjune.com/blog/amigurumi-help/ultimate-stripes-for-amigurumi/

It never occurred to me to try amigurumi, but after looking at the above info on Planet June, I think I am going to take a crack at it, after I'm done with my little baskets.  I suspect that ami is going to be somewhat more "challenging", so I am going to find something really easy for a first project.  Anyone here have any recommendations?

[NCcountrygal]

14 hours ago, Horsy said:

It never occurred to me to try amigurumi, but after looking at the above info on Planet June, I think I am going to take a crack at it, after I'm done with my little baskets.  I suspect that ami is going to be somewhat more "challenging", so I am going to find something really easy for a first project.  Anyone here have any recommendations?

What type of amigurumi interests you to make?  There is so much available. 

eta

https://makeanddocrew.com/easy-amigurumi-patterns/

Edited September 14 by NCcountrygal
add url

[Granny Square]

NCcountrygal is right, there are all sorts, from simple to complex.  That seal on the above link is ADORABLE and I think would be a good place to start (and doesn't look too scary for a first toy pattern.

I haven't made a LOT of toys, but you will run into a lot of different shaping 'situations' you haven't run into before. 

[Horsy]

but you will run into a lot of different shaping 'situations' you haven't run into before. 

You don't say! 😜 I want to make a carrot, for starters, so if this is "hard", don't tell me!  If it ends up looking funny, well, you gardeners here know that there's always a lot of carrots which certainly do not look like those perfectly straight ones in the grocery store.  

My goal is to make a Totoro amigurumi toy.  If it looks OK, it will be a present for my (adult) son, who still likes those Japanese cartoon films.  So do I, to tell you the truth.  

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/totoro-18

[NCcountrygal]

Some others you can check when you are ready. https://crochetscout.com/totoro-crochet-patterns/

[Granny Square]

A 'plain' carrot should be easy, I'd think; I'd assume you'd start at the wide end with a circle, and start decreasing at a certain rate (probably not every round) until you reach the tip.  The greenery at the top end might be more challenging, if you were going to include it.

Totoro doesn't look hard either, a sort of pear shape.  The arms and ears are probably made separately and sewn on, and I'm guessing his face and zig zags on his chest are embroidered on.  Looks like the eyes are white felt with black beads or black eyes made to fasten securely for this sort of toy

[Horsy]

Thanks to the both of you.  Re carrot, it doesn't matter if I have trouble with the instrs - there is always a variety of carrot which it will resemble.  I have grown all kinds; there is no shortage of shapes.   Thanks for notes on Totoro, Granny Square. 

@NCcountrygal.  I can't believe it; an entire section of a site devoted to Totoros!  And plenty of stuff there for first timers.  I better hurry up and finish my stash-busting basket project so I can get started on what I really want to do. 

 

 

 

[Horsy]

@Granny Square

"The greenery at the top end might be more challenging, if you were going to include it."

Yes, the body of the carrot was easy as pie.

What is challenging to find are instrs for greens which will at least slightly resemble carrot stalks/leaves.  I thought of buying some fuzzy pipe cleaner thingies instead, since they will at least stay upright.  That would involve taking apart what I did crochet already!  That's baseball!

Of course, if you let your freshly picked-from-the-garden carrots sit around long enough, their tops will lie flat, too.  😜