Susanbcards: Spellbinders "Vintage Handcrafted Hexagon Base and Side Bowl" by Cathe Holden

Hello! Today I'm sharing Spellbinders' Vintage Handcrafted Hexagon Base and Side Bowl. It's from the new release, Christmas Flea Market Finds by Cathe Holden. When I saw this die set, I knew I had to have it. This is the coolest thing I ever made out of paper! The die set consists of 2 dies. You cut 1 base and 6 sides.

This is a vintage craft called a card bowl. People would reuse greeting cards, using templates cut them and punch holes for the stitches. Spellbinders has made it easy by making the dies with the holes! Using yarn (or any thread that can fit into the holes) you can crochet the bowl together like I did or hand sew it together.

Blanket stitch sewing it would be easier but I liked the way the package photo looked. I know basic crochet but never made anything, so I googled "how to stitch together a card bowl" on YouTube. I only found one where they showed how to crochet it. I followed the directions but it didn't look good, the spacing was for their template. So trial and error, I finally got the look I wanted.

Instead of cards, I used the beautful paper in this release called "Home for the Holidays". This is a 6"x 9" pad, 12 designs, 24 sheets in the pad. You can cut 2 sides from each sheet. I cut one scene print, one pattern print and one piece of scrap cardstock for each side. I sandwiched the cardstock between the 2 prints and glued it all together. I added the cardstock to make it sturdier. The paper is copy weight and I wanted to insert the hook 3x in the same hole without ripping it. If you end up using greeting cards you won't need the cardstock.

The crochet hook I used is a "B-2.25 mm" I also used a yarn needle and fine weight yarn in a cream color. I brought the die with me to the store to be sure everything would fit through the hole.

I made a video on how to crochet this bowl together, here's a written explanation. Each panel is crocheted around the edge. Insert the hook, and make an anchor stitch, chain one. Insert the hook back into the same hole and single crochet, repeat inserting the hook into the same hole 3x. Then move on to the next hole and repeat.

For the corner holes, insert the hook, single crochet, chain stitch TWO times, reinsert the hook into the same hole, single crochet, chain stitch ONE time, repeat.

Continue on around the panel. When you complete the final hole, insert the hook into the anchor hole, make a slip stitch. Wrap the yarn around the hook, pull it through the loop, cut the yarn. Pull this tail throught he loop and tug.

Crochet all the sides and base. Attach all the panels to the base using the yarn needle and same yarn. I just sewed them together, hiding the stitches as best as I could. When all the panels are attached to the base, sew up the sides. That's it.

I can imagine making these bowls and filling them with wrapped treats for holiday gifts. You could use photos for the sides. Or cut the sides from cardstock and have a child draw pictures on them for a sweet grandparent's gift. I'm one of those people who save greeting cards from people, I thought of cutting the card fronts and the inside messages for a rememberance of a special birthday or a wedding.

And don't throw away all the paper scraps! Here's a card I made using scraps. The bird is ephemera from the "Jingle Bells Miscellany Printed Die Cuts" set. The sentiment die is Spellbinders' "Christmas Mix and Match Sentiments".