I decided to use a bowl for support instead of using the tapestry method of shaping because this bowl is intended for the practical use of holding food. It is to be used for the blessing of the food, a Polish custom in some Catholic Churches on the day before Easter.
I started crocheting in the round from the outside of the basket bottom, fitting it to the bowl as a progressed. I wanted the basket to be wider at the bottom then the bowl so I did a little extra increasing in that area, knowing that I would add stuffing later (sorta like stuffing a turkey to keep its shape..).
Following the shape of bowl to a little ledge in the bowl about one inch below the rim, I used the back loop only method for that one row so it would fit to the bowl and also help to maintain its position on the bowel. Up and over the rim, and slightly down the inside, requiring more back loop crocheting to faciliate the turn down over the top.
I couldn't make it in one piece because I would have to stuff and to add handles which I wanted to extend under the bowl for strength, so I started crocheting the inside at the bottom, separately increasing as I went, this time to fit the bowl as perfectly as possible (didn't succeed but came close enough that I could do a little fudging later). Not good to be perfect. Was only perfect once in my life! Imperfect is more human.
I crocheted the handle and stuffed a long piece of plastic canvas inside of it. Positioned it under the bowl and centered it -- boy oh boy that was a challenge because I only have two hands (tip: never put on hand lotion before your try this). Once that was done I slipped the handles through the openings I had left in the outsidie of the basket and through the crocheted handles. That's a simple explanation of a complicated task.
Ahh - now I'm into new territory - a hot glue gun! Never used one of those before, but I learned and burned quickly - don't let the glue touch your fingers. I glued the overlapping outside of the crocheting to the inside crocheted piece. Could only do one side of a time in order to fit and shape it, and because I am not an octopus. It worked.
This simplified explanation is of a more complicated process. I got totally absorbed in the process -- always planning a little ahead - should I increase or decrease the next row? Change colors? why won't the darn thing stay still? How do I get the handles under the basket? The plastic canvas is too short -am not going out an buying a longer piece too much stash, how to add another length to make it long enough while keeping it strong enough? this is a method of crocheting which I like to call the WHAT IF method, some might call it flying by the seat of your pants -- I got b-i-g pants so I had a lot to worth with.
Also, the video attached was new territory never made a video like this before and never able to attach anything like it to my blog. I feel quite satisfied at all my accomplishments here - imperfect as they may - with a lot of frogging I DID IT! Will you please ooh-and ahh over it with me?
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