This set of three small hanging baskets holds spare toilet rolls on a wall rod. Each basket is a round cylinder in warm terracotta cotton. The wall has a band of open lace fans, and the rim is a cream row of round bobbles. A solid strap at the back of each basket loops over the rod, so the baskets hang in a neat row.
The style is somewhere between boho and farmhouse. Terracotta and cream look good with white tile, wood and green plants. The fans are open enough to show the roll inside, and the base and bands are solid enough to hold their shape.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. Each finished basket is 5 in (12.7 cm) across and 4.25 in (10.8 cm) tall. Each strap is 1.1 in (2.8 cm) wide.
You work each basket in joined rounds, starting with a flat half double crochet base and then building the lace wall straight up. Next comes a two-round cream bobble border. You make the strap flat and then sew it on. You make three identical baskets and hang each one by its own strap. The baskets are never joined to each other.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size (each basket): 5 in (12.7 cm) across × 4.25 in (10.8 cm) tall
- Skill level: Intermediate (tall-stitch fans, bobbles)
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: US H-8 (5.0 mm)
- Number of pieces: 3 baskets + 3 straps
- Layout: 1 row of 3 baskets with about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) between them
- Piece size: 5 in (12.7 cm) base diameter, 16 in (40.6 cm) around
- Size before border: 3.6 in (9.1 cm) wall height
- Border depth: 0.65 in (1.7 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend, about 170 m per 100 g. Cotton keeps the basket firm and stands up to bathroom humidity better than acrylic.
- Rust/terracotta (main color, MC): 175 g / 300 m
- Cream (contrast color, CC): 40 g / 70 m
These amounts are for all three baskets and straps, and they include a margin of about 15% for your gauge swatch and small tension differences.
Tools:
– US H-8 (5.0 mm) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Stitch marker
– Tape measure
– Wooden rod about 20 in (50.8 cm) long, with wall brackets
– A standard toilet roll, to check the size as you go
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- BLO – back loop only
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rep – repeat
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
Special stitch – Bobble (bo): [Yarn over, insert hook in the st, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops] 4 times in the same st. You now have 5 loops on the hook. Yarn over and draw through all 5 loops.
Shell: 7 tr in the same st.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 14 hdc and 11 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm), worked in the round. For the strap, 14 sc and 16 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Make one complete basket before you start the others. It acts as your full-size gauge test.
Checkpoints:
– After Rnd 4, the base measures 2.9 in (7.4 cm) across.
– After Rnd 7, the base measures 5 in (12.7 cm) across and lies flat.
– After Rnd 10, the wall is 1.25 in (3.2 cm) tall.
– After Rnd 13, the wall is 3 in (7.6 cm) tall.
– After Rnd 15, the wall is 3.6 in (9.1 cm) tall and a toilet roll slides in easily.
If the base is larger than 5 in (12.7 cm), go down one hook size. If it is under 4.75 in (12.1 cm), go up one hook size. The roll should go in without stretching the basket. A loose fit is better than a tight one.
Basket (Make 3)
Use MC. At the end of each round, join with a sl st to the top of the first st. The beginning ch 2 of the hdc rounds does not count as a stitch.
Base
Rnd 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 2, then 8 hdc in the ring. Join. (8 hdc)
Rnd 2: Ch 2, 2 hdc in each st around. Join. (16 hdc)
Rnd 3: Ch 2, *hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st; rep from * around. Join. (24 hdc)
Rnd 4: Ch 2, *hdc in next 2 sts, 2 hdc in next st; rep from * around. Join. (32 hdc)
Rnd 5: Ch 2, *hdc in next 3 sts, 2 hdc in next st; rep from * around. Join. (40 hdc)
Rnd 6: Ch 2, *hdc in next 4 sts, 2 hdc in next st; rep from * around. Join. (48 hdc)
Rnd 7: Ch 2, *hdc in next 5 sts, 2 hdc in next st; rep from * around. Join. (56 hdc)
Check that the base is 5 in (12.7 cm) across and lies flat.
Solid Lower Wall
Rnd 8: Ch 2, hdc in the BLO of each st around. Join. (56 hdc)
Working in the back loop leaves a ridge at the base, so the wall turns straight up.
Rnd 9: Ch 2, hdc in each st around. Join. (56 hdc)
Rnd 10: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each st around. Join to the top of the ch-3. (56 dc)
Post Round
Rnd 11: Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1). Sk next st, *dc in next st, ch 1, sk next st; rep from * 26 more times. Join to the 3rd ch of the ch-4. (28 dc, 28 ch-1 sps)
This round makes the row of open vertical posts below the fans.
Fan Round
Rnd 12: Ch 1, sc in the same st. *Sk (ch-1 sp, dc, ch-1 sp), shell in next dc, sk (ch-1 sp, dc, ch-1 sp), sc in next dc; rep from * around. On the last repeat, leave out the final sc and join to the first sc instead. (7 shells = 49 tr, plus 7 sc = 56 sts)
Each repeat uses 4 dc from Rnd 11, and 28 ÷ 4 = 7 fans. The seven tr in each shell spread out from one point, which makes the fan shape.
Arch Round
Rnd 13: Ch 4 (counts as tr) in the same sc. *Ch 3, sk 3 tr, sc in the center (4th) tr, ch 3, sk 3 tr, tr in next sc; rep from * around. On the last repeat, leave out the final tr and join to the 4th ch of the ch-4 instead. (7 tr, 7 sc, 14 ch-3 sps)
The chain arches cap the top of each fan, and the tr fill the low spots between the fans. Each repeat is 8 sts wide (1 + 3 + 1 + 3), so the wall stays straight.
Solid Upper Band
Rnd 14 (conversion round): Ch 2. Hdc in the same st, *3 hdc in next ch-3 sp, hdc in next sc, 3 hdc in next ch-3 sp, hdc in next tr; rep from * around. On the last repeat, leave out the final hdc and join to the first hdc. (14 hdc worked into the 7 tr and 7 sc + 42 hdc worked into the spaces = 56 hdc)
Rnd 15: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (56 sc) Fasten off MC.
The wall is now 3.6 in (9.1 cm) tall.
Strap (Make 3)
Use MC.
Row 1: Ch 5. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (4 sc)
Rows 2–36: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (4 sc)
Edging: Ch 1, then work loose sl sts down one long edge, placing 1 sl st in the end of each row. Do the same along the other long edge. Fasten off and leave a 16 in (40.6 cm) tail.
The strap is 1.1 in (2.8 cm) wide and 9 in (22.9 cm) long. The edging firms up the long edges so the strap does not curl.
Make All Pieces
Make 3 baskets and 3 straps. Per piece:
- Each basket: MC for Rnds 1–15, CC for the border
- Each strap: MC only
Layout (front view):
========== wooden rod ==========
[S] [S] [S]
[Basket 1] [Basket 2] [Basket 3]
5 in 0.5 in gap 5 in
The total width is 3 × 5 in plus 2 × 0.5 in = 16 in (40.6 cm). This fits easily on a 20 in (50.8 cm) rod.
Joining (Strap to Basket)
The baskets are never joined to each other. The only joins are between each strap and its basket. Sew each strap on after you finish the border.
- Find the center back of the basket, where you joined the rounds, so the strap hides the join.
- Place one end of the strap against the inside of the back wall, overlapping it by 1.5 in (3.8 cm) from the top of the border.
- Whipstitch the 4 sts of the strap’s last row to 4 sts of the wall, one to one. Then sew both long edges of the overlap, one strap row end to each wall stitch row it covers.
- Bring the strap up and over the rod, then down the outside of the same back wall. Overlap it by 1.5 in (3.8 cm) and sew it the same way.
That leaves 6 in (15.2 cm) of free strap. The top of the rod sits about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) above the rim.
Tension: Keep your stitches snug but not tight. Pulled stitches pucker the lace behind the strap.
Size check: Hang the basket with a roll inside. The rim should stay level. If the basket tips forward, move both ends of the strap 0.25 in (0.6 cm) lower.
Border
Use CC.
Border gauge: Work the cream sc at the same gauge as the body, 14 sts = 4 in (10.2 cm). That way, 56 sts still measure 16 in (40.6 cm) around and the rim neither flares nor pulls in.
Rnd 16: Join CC in the center-back st of Rnd 15. Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (56 sc: 28 on the front half, 28 on the back half)
Rnd 17: Ch 1, turn so the WS (inside of the basket) faces you. *Bo in next st, sc in next st; rep from * around. Join. (28 bo + 28 sc = 56 sts: 14 bobbles on each half) Fasten off.
Why the math works: Each bobble-and-sc pair uses 2 sts, and 56 ÷ 2 = 28 repeats with no leftover sts. Working the bobbles from the WS pushes them out toward the RS, so they sit on the outside of the rim. The border adds 0.65 in (1.7 cm) of height, which brings the basket to 4.25 in (10.8 cm) tall.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends along stitches of the same color.
- Spritz each basket until it is evenly damp.
- Slide a toilet roll, or a 5 in (12.7 cm) wide jar wrapped in a towel, inside the basket.
- Shape the base flat and push the fans into even arcs with your fingers.
- Round out each bobble with your fingertip.
- Pin each strap flat to its full 9 in (22.9 cm) length.
- Let everything dry completely, then remove the form.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- [ ] Each base is 5 in (12.7 cm) across and lies flat.
- [ ] Each basket is 16 in (40.6 cm) around at the rim.
- [ ] Each wall is 3.6 in (9.1 cm) tall before the border and 4.25 in (10.8 cm) tall after it.
- [ ] Each basket has 7 fans with 7 tr each.
- [ ] Each basket has 28 bobbles, all pointing outward.
- [ ] Each strap is centered over the round join and sewn on both sides of the wall.
- [ ] All three baskets hang level at the same height.
Troubleshooting
The base cups upward. Your tension is too tight or your gauge is off. Go up one hook size or loosen your hdc.
The base ruffles. Go down one hook size.
The fans lean to one side. Count your skips in Rnd 12 again. Each shell needs exactly 1 skipped dc on each side.
The bobbles point into the basket. You didn’t turn before Rnd 17. Redo the round with the WS facing you.
The rim flares. Your bobbles are too loose. Make them more snugly, or try a 4.5 mm hook for Rnd 17 only.
The strap stretches. Add a second sl st edging, or work the strap with a hook one size smaller.
The baskets hang at different heights. Adjust the strap overlap until all three rims line up.
Care
Hand wash in cool water and lay flat to dry, with a roll inside to hold the shape. Don’t tumble dry.
Final Notes
Here is the measurement chain:
- The 56-st base is 5 in (12.7 cm) across.
- The straight wall keeps that 56-st count through the posts, the 7 fans and the arches, and reaches 3.6 in (9.1 cm) tall.
- The cream bobble border adds 0.65 in (1.7 cm), for a total height of 4.25 in (10.8 cm).
- Each 9 in (22.9 cm) strap is sewn down 1.5 in (3.8 cm) on each side of the wall, which leaves a 6 in (15.2 cm) loop for the rod.
If you check each stage against its checkpoint, all three baskets will match.
Happy crocheting!