Wicker basket crocheted

Materials:
- Brown yarn in two shades (color A and color B) – cotton, acrylic, wool (your choice). I used acrylic yarn, 600 m/100 g. I crocheted with 2 strands! If you follow these dimensions the finished size should be just the right size for a chicken egg. 

- A crochet hook, I used 1,5 mm crochet hook
- A sewing needle, matching sewing threads
- A piece of wire approx. 1,0 mm thick and 10 cm long (optional)
- For decoration-flowers, leaves (optional)
Abbreviations:
ch – chain
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
inc – increase (2 sc in 1 st)
2 inc – 2 increases in sequence
(...) x N times – repeat instructions in brackets N times

Basket bottom and base
Start with colour A
1) 7 sc in a Magic Ring
2) 7 inc (14)
3) (1 sc, inc) х 7 times (21)
4) (2 sc, inc) х 7 times (28)
5) (3 sc, inc) х 7 times (35)
6) 2 sc, inc, (3 sc, inc) х 8 times (44)

Make the twigs: 
7) (9 ch, from 2nd ch from hook: 8 sl st, continue along the bottom: 4 sl st)× 11 times

You should receive 11 twigs. Each of them will have a number 1-11. 

Twig 1: 8sl st to point 1 

Join in the twigs into a circle as follows:
8) 1 sl st to point 1, 4 ch, 1 sl st to point 2, 4 ch, 1 sl st to point 3, 4 ch, continue so till the end, come back to point 1, close the circle. 

9) 55 sc along the stiches of Rnd 8
Fasten off, cut off.

Basket walls
Make a long strip as follows: 
Work with colour В
1) 220 ch, from 3rd ch from hook: 218 hdc
Fasten off, cut off.

Attach and sew one side of the strip to the inner part of the bottom.

Start to weave the basket. Weave around the upright twigs until the end of the strip (see photos for guidance). The strip length should be enough to cover 4 rounds. Sew the tip of the strip to the base. 

Handle
Work with the colour А.
1) 50 ch, from 2nd ch from hook: 49 sl st, again 50 ch, from 2nd ch from hook: 49 sl st, again 50 ch, from 2nd ch from hook: 49 sl st
Fasten off, cut off.
You should receive a part like on the photo.

Make a braid. 
To ensure the handle keeps its shape you may want to weave in a thin wire. 
Sew to the basket.

Decorate the basket to your discretion. 
Happy Easter!