Flat Oval Basket Liner Pattern

Hello,
 I have not been around for the last month. First I went on vacation, then I had a bout with tendonitis that made it impossible to crochet. Or do much of anything, even brushing my teeth was difficult.
 I promised to write this pattern for an oval basket liner. I have finally gotten it down on paper and all of the photos uploaded. It took forever. Over an hour to get them from the camera to the computer. I don't know why it is so slow. Does anyone else think Picasa is slow, or is it just me?

Here is the basket all lined and ready for yarn. My daughter is going to get this one for all of her needlepoint stuff.
It is really simple to make and you can adjust it to any size of basket, you will just keep increasing until the bottom is the right size. The same for the sides.
 Here goes. Step 1:
 Measure how wide the bottom of the basket is. Measure the length. Subtract the width from the length and you will make a chain that long.

For this basket I chained 13 stitches. Then dc in the fourth chain from the hook. 5 dc in the last chain. This is the cluster that makes the oval. Dc in next 9 stitches and then 3 dc in the last chain, there are already two dc in that stitch. That will complete the first row, join with a slip stitch and fasten off.

Row 2: Change colors here if you want to. Join on one of the sides and dc until you get to the first dc in the 5 dc cluster. 3 dc in that first dc. Then 1 dc, 3 dc, 1 dc, 3 dc. Dc in each stitch until you get to the other 5 dc cluster. 3 dc in first dc, 1 dc, 3 dc, 1 dc, 3 dc. Then dc until you meet the first stitch. Join and fasten off.

Row 3: The first three rows will have the same number of dc's on the sides. For this basket that is 9 dc on the sides before the increases start. Attach new color and dc until the first dc in the 3 dc cluster. Then* 2 dc in first stitch, 1 dc, 2dc, 1 dc, 2 dc, 1 dc, 2dc, 1 dc, 2 dc, 1dc, 2 dc*. Then dc in each stitch until next increase starts. Then repeat **. Dc till first dc and then join and fasten off.

Row 4: Attach new color and dc to first increase. Here the stitch pattern is *2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc, 1 dc, 1dc, 2 dc*. Dc until next increase and repeat **. Then dc to first stitch and join and fasten off.
Row 5: Attach new color. Dc to first increase. By now you should see a pattern. * 2dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1dc, 2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc, 1 dc, 1dc, 1 dc, 2 dc, 1 dc, 1dc, 1 dc, 2 dc*. Then dc to next increase and repeat **. Dc to first stitch and join and fasten off. There are 6 increases on each end of the oval. If you need to make the base larger, just keep going in this manner. This was big enough for mine.

Now for the sides. For the next two rows I didn't increase at all. I have made a couple of these liners and it seems that you will need to add increase rows on every third row. Just keep putting it in the basket to check. When you need to add an increase row, you carry on in the same way that you made the bottom. With this basket I left off with 6 increases on each end with 3 dc's between each increase. So for mine the next row would be *2dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 2 dc*. Dc on sides until you reach next increase. Always start increases on first increase stitch of the cluster and you will have a basket liner that turns out oval.

I made ten rows for the sides. Two rows with now increases to start from the base and then an increase round every third row. Mine fit perfectly. To attach it to the basket I sewed the yarn through the top of the stitches and the openings of the basket.

I made some really bad drawings of a chart, I don't know how to make charts on the computer. Here it is if it helps at all.

Pretty pathetic, but if it helps someone then that is great. Here is the basket with the scraps left over from this project. I am going to keep using this yarn until it is gone. I have made several blankets with it and it is discontinued. I can't throw it away. It is Bamboo Ewe and I love it.

If anyone has any questions, please let me know. I am not a great pattern writer. I hope to get better by writing more of them. :)