The Flower Basket Wrap crochet pattern is released today! The written pattern is available as a pdf download in English in both UK and US crochet terms. Get your copy of the pattern and be surrounded by flowers throughout the winter. It's available on Ravelry or Etsy.
I came up with the design and called it the Flower Basket Wrap because the texture of the basketweave stitch and the wide flower filled border reminded me of picking flowers on a sunny day.
Like many of my designs, after sketching out how I wanted the design to look, I created a garment and an accessory option to see how the same elements could look in different contexts. The shawl also had a jacket version with the yoke area full of flowers. What do you think? Is the shawl the best option or could the jacket also work well? Let me know in the comments at the end.
I was delighted to hear that it was chosen for a spring issue of Crochet Now magazine with a picnic theme, which seemed a perfect fit for it. They provided lovely soft blown cotton yarn by Jody Long Yarns to make the sample. You can read more about creating the pattern and seeing it in the magazine in this blog post.
The Flower Basket Wrap is a stylish and eye catching accessory and also very practical. You're sure to get plenty comments on it and it's so warm and comfortable that you’ll want to have it close at hand all the time and the good news is that it’s a great cross season addition to the wardrobe and it looks great as a throw too, over the back of a chair when you aren't wearing it. I also used it over a table as a backdrop for my Twitch livestreams!
For Winter- I like to keep a shawl by my favourite chair and often put it over my shoulders for a little extra warmth or a comforting feel. The flowers are so cheery too, at a time of year where we don't see many
For Spring - It's so tempting to opt for a summer dress on a sunny spring day and all too often the weather changes and leaves you a little chilly but the Flower Basket Wrap is a great accompaniment to a summer dress that will keep you warm without ruining your summery look.
For Summer - The cotton yarn the shawl is made in is very breathable even with a dense stitch so you won't overheat if you're caught outside on a sunny day and want to protect your shoulders against sunburn and as the evening comes, it's a great option to ward off the cooler air as you enjoy the sunset in a reclining chair.
For Autumn - This is a great wardrobe addition for the changeable weather this season brings and looks equally good over a light dress, a handmade pullover or a warm jacket.
The sample was made with Jody Long Cottontails which is an incredibly soft, fluffy aran/worsted weight cotton yarn and worked really well for this design. It's such an unusual yarn with fluffy cotton fibres blown into a mesh tube. If splitty yarns are a real bugbear of yours, you'll absolutely love this type of yarn, and it makes the shawl feel as soft as cashmere, while still having the comforting weight and drape of cotton.
I know some of you will be substituting yarns to fit your budget, yarn availability in your part of the world, style preferences, health and ethical considerations. Not every yarn will turn out the same way and I want all crafters to feel they can create something they'll love, so I would suggest that going for something soft, slightly fluffy and tending to drapiness rather than springiness. You could choose a superwash wool or aim for a little extra luxury by choosing a natural wool mixed with other animal fibres like alpaca or cashmere to help counteract the wool's natural springiness. You could even go for a pure alpaca or cashmere if the budget allows. I think a cotton acrylic, or wool cotton blend would work beautifully too. Other types of blown yarn would work well too. They are quite a trend and I've seen examples in US and European brands recently.
It's also possible to substitute a different yarn weight, although your yarn quantities will vary. Just use a hook that gives you a fabric you like (usually this will be the same as or close to the yarn band suggestion). The pattern describes how to adjust the width and length so if you're using a smaller or larger yarn you can do that too so you don't end up with a huge or tiny shawl.
I think this is a great garment for both formal and casual wear. I can picture it equally accompanying a pretty chiffon dress at an elegant wedding and draped over jeans and a t-shirt at a picnic in the local park. I really love the flexibility of shawls and wraps as they can be worn lightly almost as a purely decorative element but equally they can be pulled in close and feel comforting and warm depending on how you are feeling.
I think has to have been one of my most enjoyable makes this year. The basketweave stitch of the wrap is so easy and relaxing to work that is perfect to accompany a good audiobook/television programme, while the flower motifs have a more varied range of stitches to keep your interest and make an excellent portable project to carry with you on the go. I made a lot of them on the bus and in the waiting area while my children had their dance class.
I've added some customisation tips to the pattern too: being tall or petite or perhaps having broad or narrow shoulders can affect the length and width we want our wrap and perhaps there are flowers we love or don't like so much. Or maybe you want to use this design for a scarf, blanket or table runner rather than a wrap. One of the great advantages to making your own clothes and household items should be having them turn out just how you want and I want my patterns to support the maker with that, whether that's about getting a good fit for their figure or more of a style choice. I love seeing how creative people can be and seeing how different versions of the same pattern turn out is one of the best parts of being a designer.
The Flower Basket Wrap was originally published in Crochet Now Magazine Issue 94 and a downloadable copy of the individual pattern including for the first time a US terminology version in addition to the original UK terminology version is available from Sunday 10th September 2023 on Ravelry or Etsy.
Do let me know if you make the wrap. I'm always excited when I see that someone has used one of my patterns!