Grocery sack waste basket

for a while now I've been thinking about making a trash basket to fit the plastic grocery sack but I never really got around to coming up with the pattern until now.  I wanted something that the bag handles will be hooked on but didn't want plastic bag handing over the basket so the other night I thought how I would want it to look and came up with this basket.  Its very simple basket and though you could decorate it how ever you like by using dyed weaver, I decided to go with simple 2 racing stripes as a stake and keep it plain.  I did add 4 ball feet to keep it more steady on the carpet.

Here are what I used:

No10 round reed for handle (cut 2 @ 17")
5/8" Flat natural and dyed for stakes (cut 5 Natural at 39" and 7 Natural at 35" and 2 Dyed at 35")
3/8" Flat for filler and weavers (cut 4 at 17")
1/2" Flat Oval for rim
3/16" Flat Oval for lashing
seagrass for rim filler
4 ball knob for feet (1-1/4")

First we make the handle: here is a link to my tutorial to make handles
mark at 4" on each end then mark again about 1/2 inch towards the center , wet well, shape and let dry.  Cut at the mark less than half way !!! don't cut through anymore.. you only want to cut about the thickness of the rim you'll be placing in there!!! make sure the 1/2" Flat oval fits in the cut you made and make sure its deep enough that it catches if not adjust accordingly, set aside.

cut all pieces, mark all at center on the rough side and soak in water.

base:
Lay the 39" stakes horizontally, lay the fillers in between them lining them up at the center line.
take 1 of the 35" stake and weave in vertically on the center line making sure that the stake is placed over the filler and under the stakes.  weave in 4 more stakes in one side and on the other side weave in 1 natural, 2 dyed and 1 natural.

measure the base to be 5"X 11"

cut the filler longways up to the the vertical and chicken scratch each filler.

twine once around with no2 or no3 round.

spray down with water and upstake





weaving:
29 rows of 3/8" flat flat with last row being rim row.


pack down and straighten the stakes. cut and tuck as you normally do


attach your handle to the short end 1st and the 5th stake


rim with 1/2" flat oval

add seagrass


lash with 3/16" flat oval

glue ball knob to the bottom

add grocery sack! enjoy!!

Catch all Basket

Today I want to share with you my newest basket I completed.  Its by Suzanne Moore and you can find her free pattern here. I started using glue to attach the spoke/stake to the base because most of the reed I've been getting lately have been too loose on the base and it just don't want to stay put!  If you notice that your reed are loose on the base I suggest you use glue such as insta glue or maxi glue and if you are going to buy the glue make sure you get the glue un-cure.  You may make the same mistake I've made in the past, added on one too many spokes in the base and I could not get it off of it until I used un-cure.

Happy weaving!!

Totoro

Today, instead of sharing with you basket pattern, (sorry if you where looking for one) but I want to share with you something I've been working on. When it gets cold I like to work with yarn and while the outside temp started to drop, I started looking on line to see what I can work on.  I found a site that a gal came up with pattern to make Totoro Amigurumi.  What is Amigurumi? that's Japanese word for Crocheted stuffed toy.  What is Totoro? I can't be too sure what he is but he is Anime character from my neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki.  He also wrote and directed Anime like Ponyo and Kiki's delivery service. 

anyway I found this free pattern site totoro and made one! so cute! It was very easy to make it!! now I'm making the little white one and I hope to find a pattern for the LARGE gray one and maybe even the catbus!!

Halloween party foods

Today I want share with you what I made for this year's Halloween party.

I try to find gross looking but tasty food to serve at our Halloween party.  

Yummy Mummy from  Rodes bread site but  I used my own dough.

 Here are some roasted hands.. actually its meatloaf. You can find instruction here at notmartha 

 

 better view of the hands

 

 speaking of meatloaf... how about some meaty feet?

Deviled Eggs

 

I made this egg in likeness to my 22 year old son

 Larva mini pig in a blanket

Pasta Salad

Halloween shaped Pasta from World Market

Eyes 

Lychee stuffed with blueberries

 cream cheese brain

(melt the cream cheese, color it, put it in a small brain mold chill until ready to use)

red stuff is triple berry and pepper jelly goes well with cream cheese and crackers