Learn how to crochet a basket with this easy tutorial. A crochet basket is a truly handy solution to storage space in your home. You can make large ones to store your children’s toys or slightly smaller ones to hold your current crochet project. You can make little ones for your kitchen to store fruit or eggs. Another idea for a larger one is to use it in the bathroom to store rolled-up towels. You can create themed baskets to hold Easter eggs or Halloween candy. What about one for your dresser to store hair accessories or make-up brushes? You can crochet one to use as a pot plant holder. The possibilities are endless! These lovely hand-crafted baskets also make great gifts. Especially when already filled with more gifts!
Contents
How to Crochet a Basket (Free Crochet Basket Pattern)
Crochet Basket - Materials
- YARN - To crochet a basket you will need a very thick yarn. T-shirt yarn is ideal for this purpose. T-shirt yarn is thicker than super bulky weight yarn - it is durable, it won’t pill, and it is easily washable. If you can’t get your hands on t-shirt yarn, super bulky yarn is another possible option. If you want to make the basket as a scrap buster, you will need to use multiple strands of yarn. Use 2-3 strands of thick yarn or 5-6 strands of thin yarn.
- HOOK - Your hook size needs to be smaller than recommended. The smaller hook will make a nice firm fabric for your basket which you want to stand up securely. Try a hook 2 sizes smaller than you expect to need! Work a sample swatch to see how solid your crochet fabric will be for this project.
Tips for How to Crochet a Basket
The secret to a strong, firm basket is to have an extra tight tension and a firm base. This tight tension makes the crochet more difficult to work, but it is worth it!
Because you are using super thick yarn and a large crochet hook, these baskets work up quickly. Our basket is made with single crochet stitches, so it is pretty easy! The single crochet is the best choice, as it creates a thick, firm fabric, which is exactly what you need!
Crochet Basket - Abbreviations
These instructions are presented in US crochet terms.
- ch - chain stitch crochet
- sc - single crochet
- st - stitch
- sl st - slip stitch crochet
How to Crochet a Basket with T-Shirt Yarn Tutorial
This is not so much a definite pattern for a crochet basket as a general, adaptable recipe for making the exact basket that you need.
How to Crochet a Basket Any Size
You can use this tutorial to make a simple crochet basket of any size. The size of the base of your basket is very much up to you, and what you intend to use the basket for, but here are some guidelines. Of course, these measurements do not need to be precise.
| USE | BASE | SIDE HEIGHT |
| Dresser storage | 3” (7.6cm) | 4” (10cm) |
| Eggs, Easter eggs, candy | 4” (10cm) | 5” (13cm) |
| Fruit | 7” (18cm) | 10” (25cm) |
| Crochet, knitting, wool storage | 8” (20cm) | 10-12” (25-30cm) |
| Towel storage | 14” (36cm) | 15” (38cm) |
| Toy storage | 18” (46cm) | 24” (61cm) |
| Pot plant holder | Slightly larger than base of pot. | Same height as pot. |
How Long Does it Take to Crochet a Basket?
The length of time it takes to crochet a basket can depend on the basket size and your yarn thickness. Both my baskets were made from t-shirt yarn so were super fast to make up. The larger grey one took me a couple of hours but the orange smaller basket only took around 45 minutes. This is a great beginner project that will give you a beautiful basket in a very short time.
What is the Best Stitch to Use for a Crochet Basket?
This tutorial uses single crochet (sc) since it gives a dense stitch that gives stiffness to your basket. You could easily substitute a half double crochet stitch (hdc) which will work up a little faster however your basket may be a little floppier.
DIY Crochet Basket Tutorial
Crochet Basket - Bottom Base
- Start with a magic ring.
HOW TO MAKE A MAGIC RING:
- To make the magic ring, take the tail end of your yarn and make a large, loose, letter’e’..The working yarn should go over the top of the tail end.
- Insert your hook into the upper part of the ‘e’. (The loop) When it is through the loop, wrap yarn from back to front.
- Keep the yarn wrapped around your hook, and pull the hook back up through the loop of the ‘e’. The loop is very loose right now, so keep the crossed point closed by holding it with your fingers.
- Take your working yarn and make another loop on your hook from back to front. Be careful not to let the original loop fall apart!
- Pull the working yarn through and up. This has made your first chain stitch onto the magic ring.
- Work 10 sc into the magic ring. (You will do this by inserting the hook into the ring, yarn over, pull the yarn up and through. These are just normal single crochet stitches, but they are all made into the loose ring. Keep the circle loose at this stage.)
- ALTERNATIVE TO MAGIC RING - If you really dislike the idea of the magic ring, ch2, then work 10 sc into the first ch.
- Join with a sl st, and pull your starting circle as tight as you can.
- Ch 1
- 2 sc into each st, join with a sl st. (20 stitches.)
- Ch1
- *Sc into next st, 2 sc into following st.
- Repeat from * all the way around, join with a sl st. (30 stitches.)
- Ch1, * sc into each of next 2 sts. Then work 2 sc into next st.
- Repeat from* all the way around.
- Continue increasing in this way until you have a flat base the size you want for the bottom of your basket.
How to Stop a Crochet Basket Curling
If your base is curling, you may have too many or too few stitches to keep it flat. This may be due to your tension or type of yarn. For edges are curling out, you have too many stitches and need to add fewer stitches the next round. If the edges are curling up forming a cup, you have too few stitches and should add in a few extra stitches the next round.
Here is the formula for increasing on each round:
- Round 1 - Crochet one single crochet into the ring base.
- Round 2 - Increase into every stitch.
- Round 3 - Have 1 single crochet in between each increase. So 1 single crochet, 1 increase stitch, 1 single crochet, 1 increase, and so on.
- Round 4 - Two single crochets in between each increase.
- Round 5 - Three single crochets in between each increase.
- And so on.
Mine is now slightly larger than my plant pot base.
- Once you have made the base the required size, sl st into the back loops only of your last round.
- Then work another round of sc, inserting your hook into the same spaces as you did in the last round. You will enclose your sl st round with this sc round. This extra step will give you a firm turning point before you start to crochet up the sides.
Crochet Basket - Sides
- Once you have reinforced your base in this way, keep crocheting in rounds, without any increases at all.
- This forms a tubular shape, which creates the sides of the basket.
- Keep crocheting until the sides are the height you require. (See the table above.)
To Make Handles
Marking Position
- If you would like your basket to have handles, once you reach the required height of the sides, lay your project down so that the sides are flat. The circle base will still stick out, but this doesn’t matter.
- Mark the center stitches on both the front and the back of your sides, measuring in from the sides. Use a stitch marker or safety pins. Now count out 3 - 5 stitches from that central stitch, going both ways. The number of stitches will depend on the size of your basket. Obviously a larger basket will need more stitches. Mark again.
How to Crochet the Basket Handles
- Work in sc up to the first marker, ch7-9, then sc into the st with the second marker.
- Continue around the basket, and do the same on the other side.
- Sl st to close that round.
- On the next round, when you get to the ch loop you have made, sc the same no of sts as you did ch sts, over the ch, into the space you have made with the ch loop.
- Do this on both sides.
- Continue by working 2 more rounds, thus creating nice thick handles.
- To finish, sl st to close the round, pull the yarn through and weave the ends in.
Well done! Your basket is now complete! Add a yarn tassel or pom-poms to decorate it.
How to Make a Decorative Edge
You may like your basket to have a decorative edge. If so, when you have completed the 1st round after the handle spaces, change from sc to a more decorative stitch for the last few rounds. Just make sure you are choosing a firm, solid type of decorative stitch!
How To Crochet a Stiff Basket
Occasionally, even after your best efforts, your basket may still look like a floppy bowl. If you have finished the basket, and it isn’t standing up as firmly as you would like, you can use a fabric stiffener to make it firmer.
The simplest method is to use spray-on starch which you can buy at the supermarket. Otherwise, you can use homemade stiffeners such as sugar, water (2:1 water to sugar) potato flour, starch which has to be mixed, or glue mixed with water (50% water to glue).
When your basket is complete, spray it generously with the spray starch, reshape it, and leave it to dry. If using a homemade stiffener, dip the basket into the solution until it has soaked through completely, squeeze out the excess, reshape it, and leave it to dry.
You may want to make a really large basket. To do this, you will need to crochet the sc stitches over some flexible wire. Simply enclose the wire with your stitches each time you insert your hook.
This technique is useful for things such as a laundry basket or a picnic basket, which needs to be strong enough to carry some weight!
More Baskets
How to Crochet a Basket - In Conclusion
Whether you have chosen the perfect t-shirt yarn to match your décor, or are using scraps leftover in your yarn stash, relax and enjoy the process of this wonderful hobby. Do not try to rush to finish your basket! You will find each stitch slower going than your usual crochet projects because you are working with very thick yarn and very tight tension. This is, at least not a huge project, (unless you are making a laundry basket!) In that sense, it will be completed relatively quickly! Enjoy the process as much as you will enjoy the finished project. You will end up with a useful crochet basket, whatever size you decide to make.
More Free Crochet Projects
Treasurie
The grey was from Kmart! Thanks for reading 🙂
Cs
Love this new crochet basket pattern! I’m going to make some to put plants in. Where do you buy the tshirt crochet yarn from?