This hanging basket organizer is three small oval baskets joined side by side and hung from a towel bar on four short straps. Each basket holds one standard toilet roll.
Each basket has a solid single crochet base, a short solid band at the bottom of the wall, an open diamond lattice through the middle, and a solid rim band finished with a corded crab stitch edge. The sample uses one color, a soft olive green cotton, so the lattice texture does most of the decorative work.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The joined organizer measures about 18.75 in (47.6 cm) wide, 4.5 in (11.4 cm) deep and 4.75 in (12.1 cm) tall at the rim. The hanging loops add about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) above that.
Construction is simple. You crochet three identical baskets in joined rounds, starting from an oval base. Then you sew them together where their ends touch, add a crab stitch rim to each basket and sew on four strap loops for hanging.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 18.75 in (47.6 cm) wide x 4.5 in (11.4 cm) deep x 4.75 in (12.1 cm) tall, plus 1.5 in (3.8 cm) of strap loop
- Skill level: Easy to Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 3 baskets and 4 straps
- Layout: 3 baskets in a single row (1 x 3)
- Single basket size: 6.25 in (15.9 cm) long x 4.5 in (11.4 cm) deep
- Wall height before border: 4.5 in (11.4 cm)
- Border depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm) crab stitch rim
Materials
Yarn: Use a firm worsted weight cotton or cotton blend so the baskets keep their shape while they hang. Cotton also copes well with bathroom humidity. Avoid very soft or splitty yarns, because they make the lattice sag.
- Olive green: 150 g, about 255 m (279 yd), based on roughly 85 m per 50 g
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- 2 stitch markers
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Rust-proof pins and a blocking surface
The yarn amounts include a margin of about 20 percent for your gauge swatch, seaming and straps.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- BLO: back loop only
- sk: skip
- st(s): stitch(es)
- rnd(s): round(s)
- rev sc: reverse single crochet (crab stitch)
Special stitch: reverse single crochet (rev sc). Work from left to right, or from right to left if you crochet left-handed. Insert the hook into the next stitch to the right, yarn over and pull up a loop. Yarn over again and draw through both loops on the hook. This stitch makes the twisted, corded edge on the rim.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 14 sc and 16 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm) in sc worked in the round.
Make one complete basket before you start the other two. Every measurement below depends on this gauge.
- After Rnd 9 (base): 6.25 in (15.9 cm) long x 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide, lying flat
- After Rnd 13 (lower band): the wall stands about 1 in (2.5 cm) tall
- After Rnd 17 (lattice): the wall is about 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tall
- After Rnd 22 (rim band): the wall is 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tall
If your base is too big, go down half a hook size. If it is too small, go up half a hook size. A finished basket should hold a toilet roll snugly without stretching.
Basket (Make 3)
Oval Base
Join every round with a sl st to the first sc. The ch 1 at the start of each round does not count as a stitch. Each round adds 6 sts, 3 at each curved end. The two straight sides stay at 6 sts each.
Rnd 1: Ch 9. Work 3 sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, sc in the next 6 ch, then 3 sc in the last ch. Turn the work so you are on the other side of the foundation chain, and sc in the next 6 ch. Join. (18 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, [2 sc in each of next 3 sts, sc in next 6 sts] twice. Join. (24 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, [(sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 6 sts] twice. Join. (30 sts)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, [(sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 6 sts] twice. Join. (36 sts)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, [(sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 6 sts] twice. Join. (42 sts)
Rnd 6: Ch 1, [(sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 6 sts] twice. Join. (48 sts)
Rnd 7: Ch 1, [(sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 6 sts] twice. Join. (54 sts)
Rnd 8: Ch 1, [(sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 6 sts] twice. Join. (60 sts)
Rnd 9: Ch 1, [(sc in next 7 sts, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 6 sts] twice. Join. (66 sts)
Each curved end now has 27 sts and each straight side has 6 sts: 27 + 6 + 27 + 6 = 66. Check the base measurement before you continue.
Lower Solid Band
Rnd 10: Ch 1, sc in the BLO of each st around. Join. (66 sts) The unused front loops make a crisp ridge where the base turns up into the wall.
Rnds 11–13: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (66 sts)
Diamond Lattice
The lattice has 22 chain loops per round. This works because 66 sts divide evenly into 22 groups of 3. In each round, every sc sits in the center of a loop from the round below. This offsets the loops so they form diamonds.
Rnd 14 (lattice setup): Ch 1, sc in first st, ch 5, sk 2 sts, sc in next st; repeat from * 20 more times, ch 5, sk 2 sts, join with a sl st to first sc. (22 ch-5 loops)
Rnd 15: Sl st in the next 3 ch to reach the center of the first loop. Ch 1, sc in the same loop, ch 5, sc in next ch-5 loop; repeat from * 20 more times, ch 5, join with a sl st to first sc. (22 ch-5 loops)
Rnds 16–17: Repeat Rnd 15. (22 ch-5 loops each)
Upper Solid Band
Rnd 18 (conversion round): Ch 1, work 3 sc in each ch-5 loop around. Skip the sc between the loops. Join. (22 loops x 3 sc = 66 sts) This matches the Rnd 13 count exactly, so the top of the wall is the same size around as the bottom and the sides stay straight.
Rnds 19–22: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (66 sts)
Fasten off. On one basket only, leave a 24 in (61.0 cm) tail to use for seaming. Weave in all other ends.
Mark the Sides
Flatten the basket with a straight side facing you. The center stitch of each curved end is the 14th of that end’s 27 sts. Place a marker in this end-center stitch on Rnd 22 at both ends. You should have 32 sts between the markers on each side.
Each long side counts as 34 sts, which includes both end-center stitches. The two sides share those 2 stitches, so 34 + 34 – 2 = 66. Choose one side to be the front and the other to be the back.
Make All Pieces
- Baskets: make 3 in olive green, about 45 g or 76.5 m (83.7 yd) each
- Straps: make 4 in olive green, about 3 g or 5.1 m (5.6 yd) each
Strap (make 4): Ch 5. Row 1: sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across, turn. (4 sts) Rows 2–20: ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (4 sts) Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail. Each strap is about 1.1 in (2.8 cm) wide and 5 in (12.7 cm) long.
Layout grid (front view, left to right):
S1 S2 S3 S4
| [ B1 ] | [ B2 ] | [ B3 ] |
B1 to B3 are the baskets and S1 to S4 are the straps. S1 and S4 go at the outer ends. S2 and S3 go over the seams.
Joining
Set the three baskets in a row with their fronts facing you. Each seam connects the end-center stitches of one basket to the end-center stitches of the basket next to it.
Method: Whipstitch with a yarn needle, using the 24 in (61.0 cm) tail or a new length of yarn.
Stitch-to-stitch logic: Match each round to the same round on the other basket. Sew the end-center stitch of Rnd 10 on the left basket to the end-center stitch of Rnd 10 on the right basket. Continue the same way through Rnds 11, 12 and 13, for 4 matched pairs. Skip the lattice rounds. Then sew Rnds 18 through 22 the same way, for 5 more matched pairs. Each seam uses 9 stitch pairs in total. Leaving the lattice unsewn keeps the open diamonds visible.
Tension: Pull each whipstitch only until the two stitches touch. Pulling harder puckers the ends and makes the baskets lean toward each other.
Repeat for the second seam.
Size checkpoint: The joined row should measure 18.75 in (47.6 cm) wide, which is 3 x 6.25 in (15.9 cm). The rims should be level with each other.
Border
Border gauge: 1 rev sc in each sc, so 14 rev sc = 4 in (10.2 cm). The border adds about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) of height.
Border Rnd 1: Crab Stitch Rim
Work this round on each basket separately. Join the yarn in any stitch of Rnd 22 and ch 1. Work 1 rev sc in each st around, join and fasten off.
Count per basket: 34 sts across the front and 34 sts across the back, with the 2 end-center sts counted on both sides. That is 66 sts in total.
Joined back edge: 3 baskets x 34 sts = 102 sts. No stitches are added at the seams, because each end-center stitch belongs to its own basket.
Why the math works: The crab stitch goes 1 into each stitch with no increases. The rim keeps the same 66 sts around as the wall, so it lies flat instead of ruffling or pulling in.
Border Part 2: Hanging Straps
The straps sit along the 102-st back edge. Each strap covers 4 sts, so the four straps use 16 sts in total.
- S1: the left end-center st of B1 plus the next 3 back sts of B1 (4 sts)
- S2: the last 2 back sts of B1, including its end-center st, plus the first 2 back sts of B2, including its end-center st (2 + 2 = 4 sts)
- S3: the last 2 back sts of B2 plus the first 2 back sts of B3, placed the same way as S2 (4 sts)
- S4: the last 3 back sts of B3 plus its right end-center st (4 sts)
Sew the bottom 1 in (2.5 cm) of each strap to the inside of the back wall, over its 4 marked sts and across Rnds 19–22. Take the strap over the bar from front to back. Sew the free end to the outside of the back wall, 0.75 in (1.9 cm) below the crab stitch. This leaves a loop about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) high.
If your rod comes off, sew the loops closed first and slide the rod through them. If the bar is fixed to the wall, sew the loops closed while the baskets hang in place.
Final Blocking
- Soak the joined piece in cool water for 10 minutes.
- Press the water out gently. Do not wring.
- Roll the piece in a towel to take out more water.
- Fill each basket with a toilet roll in a plastic bag, or with a rolled towel, so the walls stand at their full 4.5 in (11.4 cm).
- Open up the diamonds with your fingers so the loops look even.
- Check that the row is 18.75 in (47.6 cm) wide, and pin the bases square on a flat surface.
- Let the piece dry completely before hanging. This takes 24 to 48 hours.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each basket has 66 sts at Rnds 9, 13, 18 and 22 and in the border round.
- Each lattice round has 22 even loops.
- Each base measures 6.25 in x 4.5 in (15.9 cm x 11.4 cm).
- The walls stand 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tall before the border.
- Both seams use 9 matched stitch pairs and lie flat without puckering.
- The joined width is 18.75 in (47.6 cm).
- Each strap covers the correct 4 rim sts.
- All 4 strap loops are the same height.
- All ends are woven in securely.
Troubleshooting
- Base cups upward: Your stitches are too tight for the number of increases. Go up a hook size or loosen your tension.
- Base ruffles: Recount Rnds 6–9. You may have an extra increase.
- Lattice loops twist: Make sure each sc goes into the space under the loop, not into one of its chains.
- Rnd 18 count is wrong: Count the ch-5 loops in Rnd 17. There must be 22.
- Baskets tip forward: Sew the strap ends lower on the back wall, or add a second row of tacking stitches.
- Rim flares: Your crab stitch is too loose. Use a smaller hook for the border only.
- Gaps in the seams: Whipstitch a second time through the same 9 pairs.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap. Dry flat or shaped over a roll, and do not tumble dry, because the lattice can stretch.
Final Notes
Each measurement follows from the one before it. Gauge sets the base at 6.25 in x 4.5 in (15.9 cm x 11.4 cm) with 66 sts. The wall keeps those 66 sts all the way up to 4.5 in (11.4 cm). The 22-loop lattice converts back to exactly 66 sts. Three baskets joined end to end make a row 18.75 in (47.6 cm) wide with a 102-st back edge, and the crab stitch rim adds no stitches. If your first basket matches the checkpoints, the other two and the finished organizer will match too.
Happy crocheting!