I felt like my 50 Yards of Cheerfulness cotton rope basket was missing something so I took it out of the shop. Of course, that something was rainbow pompoms! I think it looks even more cheerful now, and it has been relisted.

Before, with tassels. But not enough tassels. I ran out of cord.

RAINBOW POMPOMS!

The pompom trim is crocheted on from the inside to give a nice finish.

This took over 4 yards of pompom fringe.

This is plastic basket #2, with handles this time. I have given up crocheting with foil backed plastics. Although the colours are often great, the plastic is very fragile and breaks after almost every stitch. I’m using an 8mm hook and cutting the plastic strips 1 – 2 inches wide, depending on the toughness of the stuff I’m working with.

Starting the basket. Fellow Gudrunistas may recognise the mailing bag being used here…

All done, with handles this time!

To make the handles, I chained 10 stitches and rejoined. On the next round, I crocheted over the chain (not into it) to give more strength.

At the edges of the handles, I crocheted over two rows (spike stitch) to reinforce the plastic.

I did a test load filling the basket with books. It held together fine, and I didn’t feel anything stretching.

The silver in this basket comes from a very strong silver mailing envelope, not foil-backed plastic.

Here it is with its little sister.

I think we’re all becoming much more aware of the plastics we consume and throw away. I’ve been collecting quite a lot of ours. For this one, as well as mailing bags and carrier bags, there are bags from frozen peas, bananas, Quorn, bread, tortillas*, and the plastic wrapping from multipacks of fizzy water bottles and loo rolls. It’s amazing how much you can use up crocheting a bag or basket!

If you’ve got a ton of plastic lying around, but don’t crochet, I offer a service to custom make a basket or bag in my etsy shop.

* I give the bags that have held food a good wash first. I fill them with hot water, add a drop or two of washing up liquid, and rub them together between my hands. Then I give them a thorough rinse with more hot water, and leave them to dry. I’m not brave enough to use anything that’s wrapped meat or fish or anything else particularly messy or smelly.