Most crochet baskets flop. This one does not, and the reason is a single round worked in the back loop only, which gives the base a hinge to fold up along. Everything else is half double crochet, which is about as forgiving as crochet gets.
The full pattern is below, along with how to scale it up.
What you need
- Polyester viscose yarn in brown (or any firm yarn that holds its shape — this is the one choice that matters)
- 3.0 mm crochet hook
- Stitch marker, yarn needle, scissors
Skill level: Beginner. Worked in continuous rounds from a magic ring.
On yarn choice: a soft, drapey yarn will make a soft, drapey basket, which is to say a puddle. You want something with body to it. A stiff cotton works; so does raffia or t-shirt yarn if you go up a hook size.
A note on terms: this pattern is written in US crochet terms. If you are used to UK terms, our US to UK conversion chart will save you a lot of confusion.
Abbreviations
- MR — magic ring
- ch — chain sk — skip
- sc — single crochet
- hdc — half double crochet
- dc — double crochet
- inc — increase (2 hdc in the same stitch)
- BLO — back loop only
- sl st — slip stitch FO — fasten off
The pattern
Base
- R1: make a magic ring, work 7 hdc into it. (7)
- R2: inc in each st around — repeat 7 times. (14)
- R3: (1 hdc, inc) around — repeat 7 times. (21)
- R4: (2 hdc, inc) around — repeat 7 times. (28)
- R5: (3 hdc, inc) around — repeat 7 times. (35)
- R6: (4 hdc, inc) around — repeat 7 times. (42)
- R7: (5 hdc, inc) around — repeat 7 times. (49)
- R8: (6 hdc, inc) around — repeat 7 times. (56)
You can see the formula: each round adds one more plain hdc before each increase. Hold on to that, because it is how you change the size.
Round 9 — the fold round
- R9: 1 hdc in the back loop only of each st around. (56)
This is the round that does the work. Leaving the front loops free creates a crease the sides fold up along, instead of the base slowly curving into a bowl.
Rounds 10 to 14 — the sides
- R10–14: 1 hdc in each st around. No increases. (56)
For a deeper basket, just keep repeating this round until it is as tall as you want.
Round 15 — the scalloped edge
- R15: ch 1, sk the next st, 5 dc into the next st, sk the next st, sc in the next st. Repeat that sequence all the way around.
Fasten off and weave in the ends. Weave them along the inside of the top round rather than across the base, where they would show.
Making it bigger
Medium: before working round 9, keep going with increase rounds. The next one would be (7 hdc, inc) around, then (8 hdc, inc), and so on. Stop when the base is the diameter you want, then do the BLO round and the sides exactly as written.
Large: same method, more rounds. Each new increase round adds one more plain hdc before each increase.
Two things to watch as it gets bigger: the base needs to lie completely flat before you start the sides, and a bigger basket needs either a firmer yarn or a smaller hook, or it will sag under whatever you put in it.
Prefer a printable copy?
The whole pattern is on this page, free, and always will be. If you would rather have a tidy PDF to print or keep on your phone — with the step photos alongside the instructions — you can download it here. It is free too. No account, no waiting.
Fancy something smaller first? The flower coaster uses the same flat-circle maths and takes an hour. Everything free is in our free patterns collection.