This two-tier hanging basket gives a small bathroom more storage without using any counter or shelf space. Two oval baskets with open grid walls hang one above the other on wooden dowels, joined by slim crocheted cords that run up to a single wall hook.
The sample is made in one calm mint green cotton. Solid single crochet bands at the bottom and top of each basket hold the shape, and the open filet mesh in between keeps the baskets light, quick to dry and easy to see into. The style is simple, modern and practical.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. Each basket measures about 11.5 in (29.2 cm) long and 4 in (10.2 cm) deep. The upper basket stands 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tall and the lower basket 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall. The whole organizer hangs about 24 in (61.0 cm) from hook to bottom and is 13 in (33.0 cm) wide at the dowels.
Construction is in four parts. You work an oval base in the round, then turn the walls up through the back loops. Next come the solid band, the mesh rounds and the solid rim. Finally you add two dowel tabs and join everything with three crocheted cords.
Finished Size and Construction
- Basket size: 11.5 in x 4 in (29.2 cm x 10.2 cm) at the base
- Basket height: Basket A (upper) 3.25 in (8.3 cm); Basket B (lower) 3.75 in (9.5 cm)
- Overall hanging size: about 13 in (33.0 cm) wide x 24 in (61.0 cm) tall
- Skill level: Easy / Advanced Beginner
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: US 7 (4.5 mm)
- Number of pieces: 2 baskets, 3 cords, 2 dowels
- Layout: baskets stacked vertically, 6 in (15.2 cm) of cord between the dowels
- Piece size before rim: 104 stitches around, about 27.7 in (70.4 cm) circumference
- Rim depth: 3 rounds of sc, 0.75 in (1.9 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth, firm worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds its shape in a damp bathroom and does not stretch out under weight the way acrylic can. Avoid fuzzy or very soft yarns, because they blur the mesh squares.
Yarn (one color):
– Mint Green: 200 g (about 340 m), based on a typical 100 g / 170 m worsted cotton
– Basket A: about 65 g (110 m)
– Basket B: about 75 g (128 m)
– Cords: about 15 g (26 m)
All quantities include a margin of about 45 g for your gauge swatch and small differences in tension.
Tools:
– US 7 (4.5 mm) crochet hook
– 2 wooden dowels, 1/2 in (1.3 cm) in diameter, each cut to 13 in (33.0 cm)
– Fine sandpaper for the dowel ends
– 4 locking stitch markers
– Tapestry needle
– Scissors and measuring tape
– 1 sturdy wall hook
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- BLO – back loop only
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rep – repeat
- rnd – round
Special stitch – Back-bump sc: Turn the chain over and find the small bump on the back of each chain. Insert the hook under that bump only and complete a sc. This gives a cord with a neat chain edge on both sides.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 15 sc x 16 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm). In mesh, 7.5 squares = 4 in (10.2 cm) wide and 4 mesh rnds = 2 in (5.1 cm) tall.
Make Basket A completely before starting Basket B. It works as your test piece, and the measurements tell you right away whether your tension is on target.
Checkpoints:
1. After Rnd 8, the base measures 11.5 in x 4 in (29.2 cm x 10.2 cm) and lies flat.
2. After Rnd 12, the walls stand up 1 in (2.5 cm) from the turning ridge.
3. After the mesh, each mesh square is close to square, about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) each way.
4. After the rim, the opening matches the base and the walls do not flare out or pull in.
If the base is too big: go down to a 4 mm hook. If it is too small: go up to a 5 mm hook. If the base ruffles, your tension is loose; if it cups, your tension is tight. Fix this before you start the walls, because the wall stitch count depends on the base.
Basket (make 2)
Each round is joined with a sl st to the first st. The ch 1 at the start of sc rounds does not count as a stitch.
Oval Base
Ch 31.
Rnd 1: 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 28 ch, 3 sc in last ch. Working along the opposite side of the foundation chain, sc in next 28 ch. Join. (62 sts: 28 per long side, 3 per end)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, [2 sc in each of next 3 sts, sc in next 28 sts] twice. Join. (68 sts: 28 per side, 6 per end)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, [(sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 28 sts] twice. Join. (74 sts: 9 per end)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, [(sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 28 sts] twice. Join. (80 sts: 12 per end)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, [(sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 28 sts] twice. Join. (86 sts: 15 per end)
Rnd 6: Ch 1, [(sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 28 sts] twice. Join. (92 sts: 18 per end)
Rnd 7: Ch 1, [(sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 28 sts] twice. Join. (98 sts: 21 per end)
Rnd 8: Ch 1, [(sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 28 sts] twice. Join. (104 sts: 28 per long side, 24 per end)
Checkpoint: the base is 11.5 in x 4 in (29.2 cm x 10.2 cm).
Turning Ridge and Solid Band
Rnd 9: Ch 1, sc in BLO of each st around. Join. (104 sts)
The unused front loops form a crisp ridge, and the walls turn upward from here.
Rnds 10–12: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (104 sts each rnd)
Checkpoint: the solid band is 1 in (2.5 cm) tall, counting from the ridge.
Mesh Walls
Rnd 13: Ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1), sk next st, dc in next st, ch 1, sk next st; rep from * 50 more times. Join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-4. (52 dc and 52 ch-1 sps = 104 sts: 14 squares per long side, 12 per end)*
Next mesh rnd: Ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1), dc in next dc, ch 1; rep from * 50 more times. Join with sl st to 3rd ch of beg ch-4. (52 dc, 52 ch-1 sps)*
- Basket A: work the next mesh rnd 2 times (Rnds 14–15), for 3 mesh rnds in total.
- Basket B: work the next mesh rnd 3 times (Rnds 14–16), for 4 mesh rnds in total.
Each dc sits directly on top of the dc below, so the squares line up in straight columns.
Checkpoint: the mesh is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall on Basket A and 2 in (5.1 cm) tall on Basket B.
Make All Pieces
- Basket A (upper): 1 basket with 3 mesh rnds; 65 g Mint Green
- Basket B (lower): 1 basket with 4 mesh rnds; 75 g Mint Green
- Hanging cord: 1; 7 g Mint Green
- Connector cords: 2; 4 g Mint Green each
Cords:
- Hanging cord: Ch 121. Back-bump sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Fasten off, leaving an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail at both ends. (120 sc, about 32 in / 81.3 cm)
- Connector cord (make 2): Ch 31. Back-bump sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Fasten off, leaving 8 in (20.3 cm) tails. (30 sc, about 8 in / 20.3 cm)
Layout grid (front view):
[ wall hook ]
/ \
hanging cord (32 in)
/ \
==o=====[ Basket A ]=====o== dowel 1
| |
connector connector
(8 in) (8 in)
| |
==o=====[ Basket B ]=====o== dowel 2
Joining
The joining has two parts: the dowel tabs on each basket, and the cords that link the dowels.
Dowel tabs (2 per basket): Flatten the finished basket so the long sides lie on top of each other. The fold at each end marks the center of that end’s 24-st section. Count 3 sts on each side of the fold and mark those 6 sts. Join yarn in the first marked st on the top rim round.
- Row 1: Ch 1, sc in each of the 6 marked sts, turn. (6 sc)
- Rows 2–12: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (6 sc each row)
Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail. The tab is 1.6 in (4.1 cm) wide and 3 in (7.6 cm) long. Repeat at the other end.
Fitting the dowel: Slide a dowel above the basket opening so it runs the full length. Fold each tab over the dowel toward the inside of the basket. Line up the 6 sts of the last tab row with the same 6 sts of the first rim round, and whipstitch them together one stitch to one stitch. The dowel should sit about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) above the rim, with 0.75 in (1.9 cm) sticking out past each end of the basket.
Cords: Wrap 1 in (2.5 cm) of each cord end around the dowel tip, just outside the tab. Sew the cord end to itself with the tail.
- The hanging cord goes from one end of dowel 1 to the other end of dowel 1.
- Each connector cord goes from a dowel 1 tip down to the matching dowel 2 tip.
Tension: Sew firmly but do not pull the yarn tight. If the stitches pucker, they will loosen unevenly once the baskets carry weight.
Size checkpoint: after wrapping, each connector leaves 6 in (15.2 cm) of drop and the hanging cord leaves 30 in (76.2 cm) of free length. Hang the organizer and check that both dowels are level before you weave in the ends.
Border (Top Rim)
Rim gauge: the same as the base, 15 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Rim Rnd 1 (conversion round): Ch 1, sc in each dc and sc in each ch-1 sp around. Join. (52 sc into dc + 52 sc into ch-1 sps = 104 sts: 28 per long side, 24 per end)
Rim Rnds 2–3: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (104 sts each rnd: 28 + 24 + 28 + 24)
Fasten off after Rim Rnd 3 and weave in the end. Work the dowel tabs (see Joining) from the last rim round.
Why the math works: Rnd 8 of the base ends with 104 sts, about 27.7 in (70.4 cm) around. Every wall round, mesh round and rim round keeps exactly 104 sts: 52 dc plus 52 spaces in the mesh, and 104 sc in the solid rounds. There are no increases or decreases above the base, so the walls rise straight up and the rim matches the base, 28 sts on each long side and 24 sts at each end.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends before blocking, except the cord tails if you have not sewn the cords yet.
- Mist each basket with water until it is evenly damp, not dripping.
- Fill each basket firmly with a rolled towel or a small box about 11.5 in x 4 in (29.2 cm x 10.2 cm).
- Pinch the turning ridge so it forms a sharp edge.
- Nudge each mesh column straight up so the squares look square.
- Slide the dowels through the tabs while the baskets dry, so the tabs set around them.
- Let the baskets dry completely, for about 24 hours, before hanging.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The base is 104 sts and lies flat at 11.5 in x 4 in (29.2 cm x 10.2 cm).
- The turning ridge runs all the way around.
- Each mesh round has 52 squares in straight columns.
- Rim Rnd 1 has 104 sts, and the walls are vertical.
- Basket A is 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tall and Basket B is 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall.
- The tabs are centered at each end and sewn stitch to stitch.
- The dowels stick out 0.75 in (1.9 cm) on each side.
- Both dowels hang level, with 6 in (15.2 cm) of drop between them.
- All ends are woven in securely.
Troubleshooting
- The base cups: your tension is tight. Use a larger hook or relax your grip.
- The base ruffles: your tension is loose, or you added an extra increase. Recount each end section.
- The mesh slants: the dc are landing in the ch-1 sps. Work each dc into the dc below.
- The walls flare: your mesh round count is off. Recount for 52 dc.
- The basket tilts: a tab is off center. Re-mark 3 sts on each side of the end fold.
- The cord twists: steam it flat before you attach it.
Care
Hand wash in cool water and lay the baskets flat to dry, reshaped around a towel. Slide the dowels out before washing.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is simple. A 104-st oval base gives a 27.7 in (70.4 cm) circumference, which carries straight up through the walls, the 52-square mesh and the 104-st rim. The dowel tabs and cords then set the 6 in (15.2 cm) spacing between the two baskets and the 24 in (61.0 cm) overall drop. If the base hits its checkpoint, everything after it will fit.
Happy crocheting!