Darla asked me to make her a little Easter Basket.

So you get a new free crochet pattern!

This is a simple project and is created using a new type of yarn I found at Michael’s called Shoelace by Loops & Threads. 

Finished Dimensions: 3.5″ diameter (across the bottom), 3″ in height (for the basket), 7″ from the top of the handle to the base of the basket.

This would also make a very sturdy yarn basket – you can easily adjust this to a larger size by working more increase rounds and the height rounds. I have included some ‘examples’ in the pattern in italics. 

How to Make a Simple Easter Basket

Yarn: Shoelace, Loops & Threads (2 balls for the 3.5″ diameter basket)
Hook: 3.5 mm (E)

Abbreviations: ch – chain, dc – double crochet, sl st – slip stitch, st – stitch, sts – stitches, sc – single crochet

Helpful Tutorials:

Invisible Finish/Invisible Join

Magic Ring

Increase Rounds:

R1: Make a magic ring, ch 3 (this counts as a dc), work 11 dc into the ring, sl st to the top of the ch 3 to join (12)

R2: (ch 3, 1 dc) in the first st, (2 dc in the next st) 11 times, sl st to top of the ch 3 to join (24)

R3: (ch 3, 1 dc) in the first st, 1 dc in the next st, (2 dc in the next st, 1 dc in the next st) 11 times, sl st to the top of the ch 3 to join (36)

The diameter of your circle is 3.5″ at this point. This is where I stopped for Darla’s Easter Basket as she only wanted one large enough to fit her toy inside. If you want the same size basket please skip over this next bit and continue at *R4*

If you wish to make a larger basket continue as follows:

R4: (ch 3, 1 dc) in the first st, 1 dc in each of the next 2 sts, (2 dc in the next st, 1 dc in each of the next 2 sts) 11 times, sl st to the top of the ch 3 to join (48)
R5: (ch 3, 1 dc) in the first st, 1 dc in each of the next 3 sts, (2 dc in the next st, 1 dc in each of the next 3 sts) 11 times, sl st to the top of the ch 3 to join (56)
R6: (ch 3, 1 dc) in the first st, 1 dc in each of the next 4 sts, (2 dc in the next st, 1 dc in each of the next 4 sts) 11 times, sl st to the top of the ch 3 to join (68)
R7: (ch 3, 1 dc) in the first st, 1 dc in each of the next 5 sts, (2 dc in the next st, 1 dc in each of the next 5 sts) 11 times, sl st to the top of the ch 3 to join (80)

You can keep increasing until you reach the size of the bottom of the basket  YOU wish to make – by increasing the bolded number of stitches by adding 1 more stitch for each round. Then you will continue with the pattern as follows:

Height Rounds:

*R4*: You may wish to mark the sl st you worked to join the round. 1 sc in the same st as the sl st join was worked; 1 sc in the bl of each st around. Sl st to the 1st sc of the round (skip over the sl st join) (36)

R5: ch 3, 1 dc in the last sc of the previous round, (this means to work 1 dc in the last sc worked in *R4*!), (skip the next st, 1 dc in the next st, 1 dc in the skipped st) 17 times, sl st to the top of the ch 3 to join (36)

R6: ch 3, 1 dc in the last st of the previous round, (skip the next st, 1 dc in the next st, 1 dc in the skipped st) 17 times, sl st to the top of the ch 3 to join (36)

R7-R8: repeat R6, use and invisible finish and weave in ends (36)

To increase the height of the basket, simply continue to repeat R6 until you reach the height you want! You will need to remember the number of times to repeat will be different based on the number of stitches in your rounds. Basically you take the total number of stitches at the end of your increase rounds – so say you worked 68 stitches for the basket size you want. Take those 68 stitches and divide by 2 (because each crossed double crochet stitch consists of 2 dc sts). This equals 34 crossed double crochet stitches for each round. Since the first double crochet stitch is written separately from the rest of the repeats in the height round you would subtract 1 stitch to come up with the number of repeats you will be doing for your sized baskets in the height rounds. So you will use a repeat of 33.

You would be working this for your height rounds for a basket with 68 sts: ch 3, 1 dc in the last st of the previous round, (skip the next st, 1 dc in the next st, 1 dc in the skipped st) 33 times, sl st to the top of the ch 3 to join (68)

For the strap I worked the following:

This is also easily adjusted. Chain the number of stitches for the length of the strap you wish to use (make it just a little bit shorter than your final strap length). I wanted my strap to reach the base of the basket on the outside but if you want a strap that only joins at the top you can just chain less stitches until your chain is the length you prefer 🙂 then follow the instructions below. Repeat Row 2 until you have a width of strap just shy of what you want, then proceed to Round 3. For each additional Repeat of Row 2 you worked add an extra 2 sts in the very end of the row (or more if you want) to make it easy to work around to the other side of the strap to give it a rounded finished edge.

Row 1: ch 51, beginning in the 2nd st from the hook, 1 sc in each st across, ch 1, turn

Row 2: 1 sc in each st across

Round 3: you will now work around the end of the strap to continue working as a round, work 3 sc in the very end of the row, 1 sc in each st to the other end, work 3 sc in the very end of the row  2 sc in the next, 1 sc in each st to the last st (before the end st where you worked 3 sts), work 2 in this stitch and finish off with an invisible join.

Now using the same colour of yarn as the strap, simply hand sew it on to the basket.