Basket Weave Container. Challenge running from September 1st to September 30th, 2014. Sponsored by Red Heart Yarns.
Personalize Your Container
Your mission is to crochet a custom made basket weave container that is decorated with a minimum of 3 crochet motifs attached to the container with optional use of using mixed media such as ribbons, buttons and whatever you can get your hands on. Your container can be in any theme or decorative idea.
Optional But Creative: We would love to see containers that tell a story in some way. Maybe it’s part of a fairy tale, nursery rhythm or maybe something that is relevant to your life.
One lucky person at the end, will be gifted a fully loaded Red Heart Yarn Bag with Crochet Crowd Gifts. We also have a sterling silver crochet hook necklace by Furls Crochet Hooks in this package.
Each completed container is considered 1 entry. Do as many as you like. We have random draws, unless otherwise stated. It’s a lottery system and everyone has a fair chance.
Inspired by Candy Crush
If you need help with colour schemes using Super Saver Yarn, check out Diva Dan’s Trendy Colours Page for ideas. Diva Dan has over 80 different colour combinations.
Goals for This Project
Learn and understand the concepts of enlarging circles as shown on the base of the container.
Learn a technique of applying a ridge at the base of the container for stablization.
Learn and understand the concepts of this basket weave stitch.
Find and exercise your personal creativity with applying a minimum of 3 crochet motifs to your project.
Have fun and encourage each other’s creative skills.
Guidelines for Completion – The Challenge
Container Challenge for September 2014 Crochet Challenges
You must complete the pattern for the main base of the container. The minimum completion is Round 1 to Round 25 of the container instructions. If your tension is different and the sizing doesn’t match the pattern the physical size it should be, we will accept the entry as long as the pattern is followed and we can count the minimum number of rounds in the picture.
You may substitute your crochet hook but you still must follow the pattern for the main base of the container.
You may increase the size of your container in diameter and/or height but you may not change the shape, for example – round to square.
OPTIONAL – Handle completion and owl face on the pattern are not required.
Suggested Yarn is Red Heart Super Saver but you may substitute yarn to make this project. Red Heart Super Saver is known for being stiff and sturdy, please be aware that other yarns may not provide the thickness or rigidity to allow the container to take its shape.
You can choose any colours you wish. You can mix and match your yarns. You are the creator.
Complete a minimum of 3 crochet motifs to apply to the outside of the container. For example, if your motif is made up of a few pieces in order to make the 1 complete motif, that is classified as 1 motif. The motifs can be anything such as doilies, flowers, characters or whatever is in your mind. You can add as many variety motifs as you wish. Embellishing your containers with mixed media such as ribbons, buttons and more are encouraged.
There is no sign up required to participate. Complete the project and submit your photo when you are done. This challenge is open to fans of The Crochet Crowd. There are no restrictions of country origin associated to our challenges.
You may use any yarn you wish. You may substitute your yarn for any brand or colors that you desire. You may create any color scheme
The projects must be the same stitching as indicated in the pattern. Do not disqualify yourself by changing the pattern stitching. Submission of a project equivalent to the project but isn’t the same will not be accepted.
If you are changing your hook size, we are still looking for the pattern to be the same. Even though your item may be bigger or smaller, we expect the same pattern to be followed. Changing the hook size doesn’t add or take away from the work involved in the stitches.
You may do as many projects as you wish. Each submitted project is considered a separate entry. If multiple entries are identical, a picture showing the projects together to prove their are multiple must be included with your submissions.
Crocheters Choice: After your pattern instructions are complete, you may add embellishments, borders and etc to the pattern to push your creativity further.
We require your photo to show the entire project so we know the entire project is done. The project photo must be showing all of the project for us to examine it’s completion. Ensure your project is completely finished with yarn tails and etc not showing. It’s like giving it out as a gift, we want to the see the photo showing as if you were gifting us the finished product. We will then know you are completely done.
This is intended for a fun community challenge only. We each are deserving of the highest praise possible for our own creativity. Let’s have fun.
How to Submit Your Photo
Submitting for the Crochet Crowd Challenge is really easy.
You must include your name and full mailing address to qualify.
Attach your photo(s).
If you have forgotten to include your name and address in your email and have to resend, you must send in your photo again with your new email.
Give us a 3 day window to review and enter your photo into our challenge. Do not resubmit. We do not acknowledge the arrivals of each email, but you may check our assigned gallery for this draw to ensure we have received it. The galleries are in alphabetical order by the assigned name you gave us.
To avoid your email from being misdirected and hitting our junk box. You must use the subject title. We are not responsible for emails that are misdirected as a result of a submission not following this procedure. To protect our servers, we delete any emails that arrive that have no subject title to prevent malware and virus programs from our systems.
Please read challenge rules before submitting photo.
Photo will be checked to verify it meets the challenge requirements.
All photos must be submitted during the challenge time frame only to be eligible for the prize giveaways. Entries after this due date will be accepted for our gallery but there are no prize giveaways after the deadline. We are firm on deadlines and do not offer extensions to be fair to everyone who has submitted on time.
When you email your finished photo to us, we respect your privacy and will only post your first and last name on the picture in our gallery with the photo so we can identify the winner at the end.
Posting your photos to our Facebook Wall doesn’t count as an entry. You must send it to us in the form above for us to review.
We will not switch the photo if you are unhappy with how it looks in the gallery, please ensure it’s the photo you definitely want featured is the only one sent.
Your emails are kept on file for the duration of the challenge and then deleted afterwards. We do not add your email to our newsletter lists.
Due to the countless technology platforms and services, we are not responsible for any of our challengers if a mobile devices or technology that isn’t compliant to being able to read our website, view our videos and/or get access to the free patterns.
Please verify your entry is in our gallery prior to our draw. We need up to 2 days to get your entry into our gallery. We upload it ourselves as part of our review process. If you do not see your entry, we most likely haven’t received your email. Do not wait until after the draw to check if your entry is in.
We are not responsible for any emails that are not delivered to us before the due date.
Show’n Tell on Facebook
Show’n Tell: Post your finished project on The Crochet Crowd Facebook Page to show everyone your finished work so we can drool over your creativity.
Featuring on Facebook is dependent on you. We do not upload your emailed photos to Facebook. You have to do that yourself if you want to Show N Tell your creativity.
Hello I am very new to crocheting and have only just found these challenges i live in York UK and never heard of Red Heart Supersaver wool if I don’t manage to find any are people allowed to use what ever wool/yarn they can or does it have to be specific? As I would feel pretty upset to step up to a challenge only to be disqualified.
Kindest regards
Our challenges include using any yarn brand you wish even though it’s sponsored. it states that in each challenge plus a general overview of our challenges as a whole. Michael
Lianne, not sure if you will see this. Mikey is right but I want to add to his response, since you are new. If you go to the web site ‘thecrochetcrowd.com’, do a search on yarn comparison. This will bring up a blog Mikey wrote, comparing yarn with the UK and USA. This will help you on substituting yarn for any challenge.
Hi I am from the UK our nearest equivalent to red heart super saver is Aran weight wool. I haven’t found any stockists who sell it in the uk, some online stores do sell red heart yarn but not super saver line. Red heart do ship to the UK and delivery was just under 7 days when I ordered but like Mikey said you don’t have to use it for the challenge.
The cheap stuff from Boyes is about the equivalent, as far as I can tell. (I’m in Hull and I’ve asked about this before) Basically, this isn’t a project for your nice wool shop wools, it’s a Boyes best buy one! (Or poundland’s finest would do it too)
*sings* I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it… Can’t wait to see what you have in store for this months challenge. I am secretly hoping an sort of neck shawl so I can wear it in work when it gets colder..
I was stupidly late for last months challege but Mikey I don’t envy you going through all the hundreds of spiffy afghans.. How does one choose!?
I’m thrilled with what ever Michael decides to have for a challenge. It forces me to make something I would never otherwise do should I take part of the challenge. I have plenty of crochet projects to keep me busy should I choose to not take part. I just wait for the next month.
Thank you Michael for all the wonderful ideas you choose for the challenges.
I’ll be seeing you in October at the CreativFestival!
My first challenge! Cant wait. Dont have any red worsted weight yarn, and not enough pennies to buy so will use a different colour and see what I end up with lol
Creativity is the heart of these challenges! As Red Heart brand yarn is the sponsor, they suggest that yarn, however, you are free to use whatever yarn you like, in whatever color floats your boat
Have fun!
If you go to Ravelry’s weabsite and search ‘yarn’, there is a table that compares US to UK on yarn types. This should help those who need to adjust required yarn for a project.
I have found a lot of differences in various yarn brands by ounce. It is so much simpler to buy by the yardage of a skein . Yardage stays the same but the amount of yarn you get by the ounce varies by brand and type.
What size do you have that’s close? You could use a thinner yarn if your hook is much smaller.
I found a whole set of bamboo hooks online, from China, for $1.99, including shipping. I think it was eBay. If that helps
I live in Guernsey Channel Islands and even we have red heart yarn. You can def.get it online. I am trying to finish the stitchcation project but still have to put it all together and do the boarder! I only learnt to crochet in June and can’t believe how much I have achieved. It’s all thanks to mikey and the team well done.
Honestly fellow crocheters, I don’t know how a lot of you do it. With the stitch-cation, I spent many hours on just one square, and then I would see how others had 6 done. It took all of my time of 6 weeks to complete it. I have realized I am very slow and also a perfectionist, so I do a lot of frogging. I loved learning new stitches but struggled with all of my squares not being the right size and then putting them together…you could tell I had never done that before. It’s taken me three weeks of talking to myself before I gave in to enter the Madagascar challenge. It will take me the rest of my free time to make it and get it out the door.
Therefore this challenge is left to you all 😀
Don’t feel bad. I’ve been crocheting for 30 years, and I don’t think I could do that afghan in 6 weeks!
Squares are fussy. You are not the only one who did lots of frogging for sure!
You will love the accomplishment though! An heirloom, to be sure!
It is so comforting to know that other crocheters have the same problems I have been having with this afghan. I felt it was only me and may be it was due to my lack of experience. I have battled through, knowing I am learning the whole time. I have really enjoyed it even though squares are not always completely square.
It’s all about accepting the challenge and completing it on your own time for you! When I accepted the Rainbow Throw challenge, I did not finish it in time since I ran out of yarn and had to wait for pay day to buy more, but I still finished it later and was really proud of myself. I make baby blankets like there is no tomorrow, but regular throws and such take MUCH MORE time. I was proud that I didn’t just sit it aside and move on – I went back and finished it. I see the challenges as trying something new, something I probably wouldn’t have tried before or something that was on my list to do but I haven’t gotten around to it. So, no worries on how long it takes for you to complete a project! Just make sure you have fun and love it!
Exactly! So happy to hear about your priorities…especially fun, learn and share. I never expect to win. I love seeing what others do which encourages me to do better.
I don’t think this challenge will be a stuffy of any sort. It is done with a K-6.5mm hook. That wouldn’t stuff very well even done in single crochet. A hook that large would allow stuffing to bleed out of the stitches. Just my humble opinion and I am often famously wrong. Other than that I am clueless. Another state that I often visit. Not a wearable and not likely a stuffy……hmmm……can’t wait!
Silly question! 2 identical skeins of Red Heart SS or Love, both are 7 oz. Or use an
equivalent – choice of your own, do we need 14 oz of identical yarn or can we get by with 2 smaller – 3.5 oz – EACH – of identical/equivalent yarn? Love your challenges even though I am doing the stitch-cation and haven’t finished yet!!! lol More than anything I love shopping for the next project!!! Thanks in advance!!
Another silly question that I may have missed. Any color? For some reason I have red in my brain. That could be because I read it as 2 balls of Red Heart.. :/
would love to have more details on septembers challenge to see if it is something my husband & I can do together as we crochet together. we are a team & our joy is seeing each others completed projects.
Just to add really quickly, I didn’t mean by calling it a “breather” that it would be simple, or any less work for you all. I really do appreciate the work you put in to all the projects you prepare for us. I have two afghans that I still haven’t started, but you inspire me enough to know that someday I will get them crocheted. Thank you!!!
I’m actually looking forward to a “breather”! I can’t wait to get started on it, and I am participating in the Caron Mystery Adventure Scarf, and with plenty of swatches left to play with with from the Knit & Crochet Show I am pretty well set for September
Maybe not every crochet a long needs to be a challenge or part of a drawing. Most of us crochet because we like to, the drawings and stuff are just an added bonus.
I am very grateful for a smaller challenge this time. I don’t have access to enough yarn to do a whole afghan.
Mikey, (or Dan, or Cathy, or Colleen, whoever happens to be responding
So, run 2 cal a month with one to be donated to charity, such as chemo caps, prayer shawls, toys for children’ shelters or hospitals, preemie items, lapghans for nursing homes, the list is endless. God gave us the talent to crochet, shouldn’t we pay it forward? The feeling I get when I donate something is worth far more than your giveaways (even as spectacular as they are. If its not possible to run 2CAL then why not devote one month to a charity CAL with maybe an assortment of projects or for project Linus or Warm Up America? Just a suggestion.
There are lots of yarn options! Red Heart Super Saver, Caron One Pound, Bernat Super Value, Bernat Handicrafter, Lily Sugar n Cream, one ball of Chunky or Bulky yarn instead of using two strands of worsted weight yarn… Whatever you have, try it out!
Well, the challenge calls for 2 strands of worsted weight, so I would do that for my challenge entry. But I am one who always finds my own better way, so subsequent baskets will be made from all sorts of things, like jute or even baling twine (we have lots of that, and it comes free with the hay!)
I was thinking the same thing; twine, jute, etc. Follow the rules now but wait for what I come up with on my own! Rules are always made to be broken. LOL!
Hello I am very new to crocheting and have only just found these challenges i live in York UK and never heard of Red Heart Supersaver wool if I don’t manage to find any are people allowed to use what ever wool/yarn they can or does it have to be specific? As I would feel pretty upset to step up to a challenge only to be disqualified.
Kindest regards
Our challenges include using any yarn brand you wish even though it’s sponsored. it states that in each challenge plus a general overview of our challenges as a whole.
Michael
Lianne, not sure if you will see this. Mikey is right but I want to add to his response, since you are new. If you go to the web site ‘thecrochetcrowd.com’, do a search on yarn comparison. This will bring up a blog Mikey wrote, comparing yarn with the UK and USA. This will help you on substituting yarn for any challenge.
Great tip! I forgot about that one
Hi I am from the UK our nearest equivalent to red heart super saver is Aran weight wool. I haven’t found any stockists who sell it in the uk, some online stores do sell red heart yarn but not super saver line. Red heart do ship to the UK and delivery was just under 7 days when I ordered but like Mikey said you don’t have to use it for the challenge.
The cheap stuff from Boyes is about the equivalent, as far as I can tell. (I’m in Hull and I’ve asked about this before) Basically, this isn’t a project for your nice wool shop wools, it’s a Boyes best buy one! (Or poundland’s finest would do it too)
*sings* I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it… Can’t wait to see what you have in store for this months challenge. I am secretly hoping an sort of neck shawl so I can wear it in work when it gets colder..
I was stupidly late for last months challege but Mikey I don’t envy you going through all the hundreds of spiffy afghans.. How does one choose!?
It’s a random draw.
I’m thrilled with what ever Michael decides to have for a challenge. It forces me to make something I would never otherwise do should I take part of the challenge. I have plenty of crochet projects to keep me busy should I choose to not take part. I just wait for the next month.
Thank you Michael for all the wonderful ideas you choose for the challenges.
I’ll be seeing you in October at the CreativFestival!
My first challenge! Cant wait. Dont have any red worsted weight yarn, and not enough pennies to buy so will use a different colour and see what I end up with lol
Creativity is the heart of these challenges! As Red Heart brand yarn is the sponsor, they suggest that yarn, however, you are free to use whatever yarn you like, in whatever color floats your boat
Have fun!
It doesn’t have to be red. It’s Red Heart brand.
If you go to Ravelry’s weabsite and search ‘yarn’, there is a table that compares US to UK on yarn types. This should help those who need to adjust required yarn for a project.
I found this comparison really helpful … living here in New Zealand we don’t get the yarn specified…
http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/weight.html
Thanks! Great help!
I have found a lot of differences in various yarn brands by ounce. It is so much simpler to buy by the yardage of a skein . Yardage stays the same but the amount of yarn you get by the ounce varies by brand and type.
I am so excited that I discovered you and in time to join in on my first challenge. I have my supplies and am ready to GO!
i cant wait to do this challenge but i dont have a K hook
What size do you have that’s close? You could use a thinner yarn if your hook is much smaller.
I found a whole set of bamboo hooks online, from China, for $1.99, including shipping. I think it was eBay. If that helps
I live in Guernsey Channel Islands and even we have red heart yarn. You can def.get it online. I am trying to finish the stitchcation project but still have to put it all together and do the boarder! I only learnt to crochet in June and can’t believe how much I have achieved. It’s all thanks to mikey and the team well done.
Honestly fellow crocheters, I don’t know how a lot of you do it. With the stitch-cation, I spent many hours on just one square, and then I would see how others had 6 done. It took all of my time of 6 weeks to complete it. I have realized I am very slow and also a perfectionist, so I do a lot of frogging. I loved learning new stitches but struggled with all of my squares not being the right size and then putting them together…you could tell I had never done that before. It’s taken me three weeks of talking to myself before I gave in to enter the Madagascar challenge. It will take me the rest of my free time to make it and get it out the door.
Therefore this challenge is left to you all 😀
Don’t feel bad. I’ve been crocheting for 30 years, and I don’t think I could do that afghan in 6 weeks!
Squares are fussy. You are not the only one who did lots of frogging for sure!
You will love the accomplishment though! An heirloom, to be sure!
It is so comforting to know that other crocheters have the same problems I have been having with this afghan. I felt it was only me and may be it was due to my lack of experience. I have battled through, knowing I am learning the whole time. I have really enjoyed it even though squares are not always completely square.
It’s not about speed-It’s all about enjoying what you do.It’s relaxation-Speed is for work and stress-
It’s all about accepting the challenge and completing it on your own time for you! When I accepted the Rainbow Throw challenge, I did not finish it in time since I ran out of yarn and had to wait for pay day to buy more, but I still finished it later and was really proud of myself. I make baby blankets like there is no tomorrow, but regular throws and such take MUCH MORE time. I was proud that I didn’t just sit it aside and move on – I went back and finished it. I see the challenges as trying something new, something I probably wouldn’t have tried before or something that was on my list to do but I haven’t gotten around to it. So, no worries on how long it takes for you to complete a project! Just make sure you have fun and love it!
I agree!! Yes, exactly!
Exactly! So happy to hear about your priorities…especially fun, learn and share. I never expect to win. I love seeing what others do which encourages me to do better.
I don’t think this challenge will be a stuffy of any sort. It is done with a K-6.5mm hook. That wouldn’t stuff very well even done in single crochet. A hook that large would allow stuffing to bleed out of the stitches. Just my humble opinion and I am often famously wrong. Other than that I am clueless. Another state that I often visit. Not a wearable and not likely a stuffy……hmmm……can’t wait!
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Silly question! 2 identical skeins of Red Heart SS or Love, both are 7 oz. Or use an
equivalent – choice of your own, do we need 14 oz of identical yarn or can we get by with 2 smaller – 3.5 oz – EACH – of identical/equivalent yarn? Love your challenges even though I am doing the stitch-cation and haven’t finished yet!!! lol More than anything I love shopping for the next project!!! Thanks in advance!!
Yes thats right.
Another silly question that I may have missed. Any color? For some reason I have red in my brain. That could be because I read it as 2 balls of Red Heart.. :/
Any color! As Mikey says, you are the artist!
would love to have more details on septembers challenge to see if it is something my husband & I can do together as we crochet together. we are a team & our joy is seeing each others completed projects.
WOW! this is so inspiring!!! Congratulations to you both… and Best of Luck! Greetings from Caracas, Venezuela
Finally a challenge that I can do, can’t wait to start
Just to add really quickly, I didn’t mean by calling it a “breather” that it would be simple, or any less work for you all. I really do appreciate the work you put in to all the projects you prepare for us. I have two afghans that I still haven’t started, but you inspire me enough to know that someday I will get them crocheted. Thank you!!!
I’m actually looking forward to a “breather”! I can’t wait to get started on it, and I am participating in the Caron Mystery Adventure Scarf, and with plenty of swatches left to play with with from the Knit & Crochet Show I am pretty well set for September
Maybe not every crochet a long needs to be a challenge or part of a drawing. Most of us crochet because we like to, the drawings and stuff are just an added bonus.
I am very grateful for a smaller challenge this time. I don’t have access to enough yarn to do a whole afghan.
Mikey, (or Dan, or Cathy, or Colleen, whoever happens to be responding
Can you give us a hint about the September challenge? I hope it’s not a stuffed toy.. I don’t like doing those!
So, run 2 cal a month with one to be donated to charity, such as chemo caps, prayer shawls, toys for children’ shelters or hospitals, preemie items, lapghans for nursing homes, the list is endless. God gave us the talent to crochet, shouldn’t we pay it forward? The feeling I get when I donate something is worth far more than your giveaways (even as spectacular as they are. If its not possible to run 2CAL then why not devote one month to a charity CAL with maybe an assortment of projects or for project Linus or Warm Up America? Just a suggestion.
What size balls of yarn will be needed for the challenge?
Hi
hi i am from india and i dont get the yarn brands you have mentioned. so what is the alternative yarn i can use for your challenges
There are lots of yarn options! Red Heart Super Saver, Caron One Pound, Bernat Super Value, Bernat Handicrafter, Lily Sugar n Cream, one ball of Chunky or Bulky yarn instead of using two strands of worsted weight yarn… Whatever you have, try it out!
Well, the challenge calls for 2 strands of worsted weight, so I would do that for my challenge entry. But I am one who always finds my own better way, so subsequent baskets will be made from all sorts of things, like jute or even baling twine (we have lots of that, and it comes free with the hay!)
A bale twine basket would be great for the horses treats!
Oh! Good idea!
I was thinking the same thing; twine, jute, etc. Follow the rules now but wait for what I come up with on my own! Rules are always made to be broken. LOL!
That’s my motto!
Oops…9/9. You can sign up anytime. They give 3 color ways or you can choose your own combo. It call for 3 colors ~ 2 skeins of each.