Your Towels Should Be Multi-Tasking, Part Deux

Basket Towel Set Pattern from Quick Tricks in Crochet, Book No. 13, 1950

Yesterday, you had time off to get in a few rounds of goofy golf, but now it’s time to get back to the serious business of making mercerized cotton flower baskets for your towels. After all, it just wouldn’t do if you only had one large towel that was capable of drying your children, stockpiling bath supplies, and displaying your dazzling crochet skills.

Furthermore, towels always traveled in complete sets in the 1950s and for a very good reason...

For the complete pattern (and more snark!):

Medium Basket – Front . . . Work as for Large Basket until 20 rows are completed. Ch 5, turn at end of 20th row.

21st row: Skip first sc, dc in next sc, * ch 9, skip 9 sc, dc in next sc, ch 2, dc in next sc. Repeat from * across. Ch 3, turn.

22nd row: 6 dc in first sp, * 7 sc in next sp, 7 dc in next ch-2 sp. Repeat from * across. Break off.

Back in the 1950s, the washroom AKA the bathroom AKA the powder room AKA the goldfish graveyard was a far more perilous place than it is now.

Base . . . Attach Green to opposite side of starting chain and work as for Large Basket.

During the early Cold War, washrooms were hotbeds of Communism.

Back . . . Using Green, ch 69.

1st row: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Ch 5, turn.

2nd and 3rd rows: Repeat 21st and 22nd rows of Front.

Banned unions handed out pamphlets in factory washrooms under management’s noses.

Handle . . . Work as for Large Basket until piece measures 15 inches. Break off.

Which is pretty darn clever. . . I mean, communism is bad, m’kay?

Flowers . . . Make 2 each of Mid Pink, Blue, Shaded Yellows, Shaded Purples and Shaded Lavenders, and 1 each of Pink, Purple and Shaded Blues. Make all centers Yellow.

If you make some of those centers anything other than Yellow, you are a communist!

Sew entire basket and flowers to hand towel.

Now, it is imperative that you make a basket for your wash cloth AKA face cloth AKA flannel AKA useless piece of terry cloth once you’ve covered it with a flower basket.

Small Basket . . . Starting at bottom with Green, ch 20. Work as for Large Basket until 14 rows are completed. Ch 5, turn at the end of 14th row.

15th row: Skip first sc, dc in next sc, * ch 6, skip 6 sc, dc in next sc, ch 2, dc in next sc. Repeat from * across. Ch 3, turn.

16th row: 6 dc in first sp, * 4 sc in next sp, 7 dc in next ch-2 sp. Repeat from * across. Break off.

By this point, it probably has occurred to you that all of these mercerized cotton baskets might interfere with the washing and drying functions of your towels and washcloths.

Base . . . 1st row: Attach Green to opposite side of starting chain, make 19 sc evenly across the bottom. Ch 3, turn.

2nd row: 6 dc in, first sc, * skip 2 sc, sc in next sc, skip 2 sc, 7 dc in next sc. Repeat from * across. Break off.

Do not give into these misgivings. Capitalism depends on entrepreneurs constantly building a better mouse trap.

Handle . . . Work as for Large Basket until piece measures 8 inches. Break off.

Flowers . . . Make 1 each of Purple, Pink, Lt. Steel Blue and Shaded Blues. Make all centers Yellow.

However, do not fill these baskets with cheese.

Sew basket to corner of wash cloth, leaving top open to form pocket. Sew handle in place. Sew flowers to basket.

Now start stuffing those flowery baskets with anything you might need to defend your bathtub against the Red Menace: soap, toothbrushes, razors, toilet paper rolls, toilet plungers, and .50 caliber Browning heavy machine guns. The Free World is depending on you and your towels!

But if you need to actually dry something, you better stock up on Scot Tissue Towels.

Click here for the printable pattern.