Lindsey's Pay It Forward (just getting started...)

With each new project I've undertaken for someone else, I've learned a new stitch or skill in crocheting.  With the beehive pincushion, it was the popcorn stitch.  With the cookies, it was the magic circle.  With the animals, it was how to follow a pattern and the concepts involved in shaping something with increases and decreases, which allows me to tweak pretty much any pattern for my own purposes.  With the hat/purse combo, they were two stitches called the front post and back post double crochets.  When I saw the basketweave stitch, then, and instantly wanted to learn how to do it, it only seemed natural that I would turn the stitch into something special for my final pay-it-forward gifts. 

My best friend, Lindsey, is moving soon into a new apartment.  She is the embodiment of cheerfulness and fun.  She likes sparkly things, but unless I spend a boatload of money on tinsely yarn I can't really crochet her anything sparkly.  :)  I made her a scarf and flower pin for Christmas, and I didn't want to make her anything that I'd made anyone else already.  The idea came into my mind that the basketweave stitch would make a great placemat stitch, so today I made my first one:

Placemat numero uno.

Mmmm...yummy texture!  Not too shabby for my first attempt!

The colors of these placemats was inspired by my flowers.  :)

I'm hoping to make one in each of six different spring/summer colors, and flower-buttoned napkin rings to match.  If I have yarn left over, I'll make a vase cozy to match it all and pull in the whole table ensemble.  :)  I sure hope she likes it when all is said and done!  :)  To be honest, I may have to purchase more yarn and make some myself...I don't have a single crocheted thing around the house for US yet, and I really love the texture of these placemats!