Crochet Easter Basket Pattern

With Easter just around the corner I have had requests for the pattern for my Hello Kitty and Elmo Easter baskets. I never wrote down the pattern, but here is basically how to did it:

Basic Basket

Bottom:
Using 2 strands of yarn hdc 6 in a magic circle. If you don't know the magic circle chain 4 and join. Hdc 6 in the inner loop.
Round 2: Hdc 2 in each stitch around (12). Join.
Round 3:  Ch. 1. *Hdc 2 in the first stitch. Hdc 1 in the next stitch. Repeat from * around. Join. (18)
Round 4:  Ch. 1. *Hdc 2 in the first stitch. Hdc 1 in the next 2 stitches. Repeat from * around. Join. (24)

Continue to increase until your basket is the desired circumference. Ch. 2.
*Before moving onto the sides cut plastic canvas to the same size as your bottom.

Sides:
Double crochet in the top part of each stitch to allow the sides to come up from the bottom. Join.
Ch 2. *Double crochet in each stitch around. Join.
Repeat until your basket is the desired height. I did 8 rows.
*About half way through you can sew your canvas to the bottom (inside) of your basket using the same color yarn.

Ch 1. Sc in each stitch around. Join. DO NOT BREAK OFF!

Handle:
Row 1: Ch 1. Sc in next 3 stitches. Ch. 1. Turn.
Row 2: Sc in each of the 3 stitches. Ch. 1. Turn.
*Continue until your handle is the desired length.  Break off leaving enough yarn to sew the handle to the other side of the basket.

I will be posting instructions for the faces a little later.

Happy Hooking!