Testing a new yarn

It is not always that I find good yarn in my neck of the woods. So when I chanced upon paper yarn I went berserk. It was a tad pricey for such a wee amount of yarn. But what the heck! I wanted to try out this new material at any cost. 😉
When asked to show me the yarn, the shop guy looked amused because I asked for that “yarn”.
“That is decorative paper madam,” he explained.
Though a wee bit annoyed that he thought that I couldn’t differentiate between decorative paper and yarn, I curiously fingered the yarn(?) and took three skeins….just to test the waters before getting a whole pack. Very doubtful that the yarn could break or tear, I spent the whole evening just touching and feeling it till members of the household threw me irritatingly amusing glances. 🙂
The next morning I spent at least half hour just thinking of which hook to use. When I finally selected the H hook and decided that I would make granny squares as a testing project.

After making the granny squares and I found that it was satisfactory, I decided that I would join it to make a pen holder.

Initially I was reluctant to slip stitch the squares for fear of breaking the yarn. But surprisingly I could easily slip stich. Finally, I glued the slip stitched squares to the base instead of slip stitching them.
Now, I had one skein and a few yards of the other skeins on hand. So I decided that I would test another pattern.
This was to be a flower basket. When my father comes home to visit, he takes a plate outside to the garden to pluck flowers for puja (morning prayers). So I thought this time I would give him a trendy basket to collect his flowers.

So with that in mind and armed with my H hook, I made this basket, the pattern for which can be found below. If you spot any errors please let me know.

Flower Basket

Ch 6. Join.
1. Make 10 sc in the ring formed. Join with sl st in the first st. turn.
2. Ch 1, sc in the next st. 2 sc in the next st, repeat around. Join with Sl st in the first st. (15 sc)
3. Ch1, sc in next st, 2 sc in the next st, repeat around. Join with sl st in the first st. (22 sc)
4. Ch 1, sc in the next st, 2sc in the next st, repeat around. Join with sl st in the first st. (32)
5. Ch 2, hdc around (32 hdc)
6. Ch 2, hdc in the next st, 2 hdc in the next st. repeat around. Join.
7. Ch 2, hdc in the next st, 2 hdc in the next st. repeat around. Join.
8. Ch 5, skip next st, sc in next st. Ch 2, skip next st, repeat around. Join.
9. Sl st to the center of next st, ch3 sc in next loop, repeat around. Join.
10. Ch 4, dc in next loop, ch 1 dc in next loop, repeat around. Join.
11. Ch 3, dc in next dc, dc in ch 1 space, dc in next dc, repeat around. Join.

Weave in ends. Turn bowl inside out.