Hazel is a sturdy round basket with a cheerful owl face. She has big cream eyes, a small mustard beak, a lacy cream belly, layered feather wings and two pointed ears that stand up above the rim. Two round tube handles make her easy to carry from room to room.
The main color is a soft muted teal. Cream, black and mustard are used for the face and belly details. The same design also looks lovely in terracotta, so choose any main color you like.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished basket is about 7 in (17.8 cm) across and 6¼ in (15.9 cm) tall, with a circumference of about 22 in (55.9 cm). The handles rise about 4 in (10.2 cm) above the rim.
The base and walls are worked as one seamless piece of single crochet in joined rounds. You crochet the handles, ears, eyes, beak, feathers and belly separately and sew them on. A two-round rim border finishes the top edge.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 7 in (17.8 cm) diameter × 6¼ in (15.9 cm) tall
- Skill level: Confident beginner to intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Bulky (#5) cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 1 basket body (base and wall), plus 16 small sewn-on parts
- Layout: One basket, with the owl face on the front half
- Piece size: Base 7 in (17.8 cm) across; wall 72 stitches around
- Size before border: 7 in (17.8 cm) × 6 in (15.2 cm) tall
- Border depth: ¼ in (0.6 cm)
Materials
Choose a firm, smooth cotton so the basket holds its shape and the stitches stay crisp. Cotton or cotton-blend cord yarn in a bulky weight works well. Avoid very fuzzy yarns, because they hide the granny holes in the belly.
- Teal (main color): 150 g / 150 m
- Cream: 30 g / 30 m
- Black: 5 g / 5 m
- Mustard: 5 g / 5 m
All quantities include a safety margin of about 15%.
Tools:
– 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
– 6 stitch markers
– Tapestry needle
– Sewing pins
– Scissors
– Measuring tape
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- BLO / FLO – back loop only / front loop only
- MR – magic ring
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
Special stitch – Group: 2 dc worked into the same stitch or space.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 13 sc × 14 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm) in single crochet.
Make the base first, because it is your gauge swatch.
- After Rnd 6 (36 sts): 3½ in (8.9 cm) across
- After Rnd 12 (72 sts): 7 in (17.8 cm) across
- After Rnd 33: 6 in (15.2 cm) tall from the base ridge
- After the border: 6¼ in (15.9 cm) tall
If your base is larger than 7 in (17.8 cm), go down half a hook size. If it is smaller, go up half a size. Don’t add or remove rounds on the base, because the wall needs exactly 72 stitches. Fix any height difference by adding or removing body rounds instead.
Basket Base
Use teal. Join each round with a sl st to the first sc. The ch 1 at the start of each round does not count as a stitch.
Rnd 1: In a MR, ch 1, work 6 sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc, 2 sc in next st; repeat around. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat around. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat around. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: Ch 1, sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat around. (36 sts)
Rnds 7–12: Keep increasing by 6 stitches per round, with one more sc between increases each round. Rnd 7 has 42 sts, Rnd 8 has 48, Rnd 9 has 54, Rnd 10 has 60, Rnd 11 has 66, and Rnd 12 has 72.
Check that the base lies flat and measures 7 in (17.8 cm) across.
Basket Wall
Rnd 13 (turning round): Ch 1, sc in the BLO of each st around. (72 sts)
Working in the back loops makes the wall turn upward and leaves the front loops free for the braided edge later.
Rnds 14–33: Ch 1, sc in each st around. (72 sts each round)
The wall rounds 13–33 make 21 rounds, which is 6 in (15.2 cm) of height. Keep the join seams lined up in one vertical line, because that line is your reference mark later. Don’t fasten off yet if you plan to go straight on to the border.
Base braid: Turn the basket upside down. Join teal in any free front loop of Rnd 12 and sl st loosely in each front loop around. (72 sl sts) Fasten off. This makes the raised braided ridge that runs around the base.
Handles (Make 2)
Use teal.
Row 1: Ch 41, sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (40 sts)
Rows 2–4: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (40 sts)
The strip measures about 12¼ in × 1⅛ in (31.1 × 2.9 cm). Fold it in half lengthwise and sl st through both long edges to make a tube about ½ in (1.3 cm) wide. Leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail for sewing.
Ears (Make 2)
Use teal.
Row 1: Ch 9, sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (8 sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog. (6 sts)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st. (6 sts)
Row 4: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog. (4 sts)
Row 5: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st. (4 sts)
Row 6: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog twice. (2 sts)
Row 7: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog. (1 st)
Each ear is a triangle about 2½ in (6.4 cm) wide at the base and 2 in (5.1 cm) tall.
Eyes (Make 2)
Rnd 1 (black): In a MR, ch 1, work 6 sc. Join. (6 sts)
Rnd 2 (black): Ch 1, 2 sc in each st. Join with cream and fasten off black. (12 sts)
Rnd 3 (cream): Ch 1, sc, 2 sc in next st; repeat around. (18 sts)
Rnd 4 (cream): Ch 1, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat around. (24 sts)
Rnd 5 (cream): Sl st loosely in each st around. (24 sl sts)
The slip-stitch round makes a neat, defined outer ring. Each eye measures about 2¼ in (5.7 cm) across, and the pupil is about 1 in (2.5 cm). With cream, work one small straight stitch in the upper part of each pupil as a highlight.
Beak
Use mustard.
Row 1: Ch 4, sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in the next 2 ch. (3 sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc. (2 sts)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog. (1 st)
The beak is a triangle about 1 in (2.5 cm) wide and ¾ in (1.9 cm) tall.
Feathers (Make 8)
Use teal. Each wing has 4 feathers.
Row 1: In a MR, ch 3 (counts as dc), work 6 dc. Turn. (7 dc)
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the first st, 2 dc in each remaining st across. (14 dc)
Pull the ring snug. Each feather is a half circle about 2¼ in (5.7 cm) wide and 1⅛ in (2.9 cm) tall.
Belly
Use cream.
Rnd 1: Ch 12. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in the next 9 ch. Work 3 sc in the last ch. Rotate the work and sc in the next 9 ch along the other side of the foundation chain. Work 2 sc in the last ch, which already holds the first sc. Join. (24 sc)
One end is centered on st 12 and the other on st 24.
Rnd 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the same st, ch 1, skip the next st. Work a group in the next st, ch 1, skip the next st; repeat 10 more times. Join to the top of the ch-3. (12 groups, 12 ch-1 sps)
Place a marker in the ch-1 sp above st 12 and in the ch-1 sp above st 24. These are the two end centers.
Rnd 3: Sl st into the first ch-1 sp. Ch 3 and dc in the same sp; this counts as the first group. In each ch-1 sp around, work a group and ch 1. In each marked sp, and in the sp on each side of it, work the group and ch 1 twice instead. Join. (18 groups, 18 ch-1 sps)
That makes 6 doubled spaces (3 at each end) and 6 single spaces, so 6 + 12 = 18 groups. The ch-1 spaces leave small holes, which show the teal through the belly.
Rnd 4 (edging): Ch 1, sc in each dc and in each ch-1 sp around. Join. (36 + 18 = 54 sc)
The finished belly is an oval about 6½ in (16.5 cm) wide and 3½ in (8.9 cm) tall. The dc groups give the edge a soft scalloped outline.
Assembly
Flatten the basket with the vertical join seam on the left fold. Number the rim stitches 1–72 starting at the seam. Sts 1–36 are the front and sts 37–72 are the back.
- Belly: Center the belly on the front with its lower edge ½ in (1.3 cm) above the base braid. Sew around the edging only, so the holes stay open.
- Eyes: Place the eyes side by side so they touch at the center front, between sts 18 and 19. Their top edges should sit ¼ in (0.6 cm) below the rim. Their lower edges overlap the top of the belly by about ¼ in (0.6 cm). Sew around Rnd 5.
- Beak: Sew the beak point down, centered between the eyes and just below their lower curve.
- Wings: Center each wing on a side fold. Sew the lowest feather first, with its curved edge facing down, 1 in (2.5 cm) above the base braid. Sew each next feather ¾ in (1.9 cm) higher so it covers the straight edge of the one below. The fourth feather goes on top. Sew along the straight edges only and leave the curves free. Each wing is about 3⅜ in (8.6 cm) tall.
- Ears: Pin each ear inside the front wall: one over sts 2–9 and the other over sts 28–35. Sew the lower ¾ in (1.9 cm) to the inside so 1¼ in (3.2 cm) stands above the rim.
- Handles: Sew the front handle ends inside the wall at sts 10 and 27, which are 5¼ in (13.3 cm) apart. Overlap each end by ¾ in (1.9 cm). Sew the back handle at sts 46 and 63 in the same way.
The handles are sewn on after the border, which is covered next.
Border
Border gauge: The border uses the same gauge as the body, 13 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Rnd 34: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (72 sts: 36 on the front, 36 on the back)
Rnd 35: Sl st loosely in each st around. (72 sl sts: 36 on the front, 36 on the back) Fasten off.
Why the math works: The basket has no corners, so the side counts are simply the two halves of the round: 36 + 36 = 72. There are no increases, so the wall stays straight and doesn’t flare. The sc round adds about ¼ in (0.6 cm) of height and the slip stitches add almost none, so the height goes from 6 in (15.2 cm) to 6¼ in (15.9 cm). The slip-stitch round firms up the rim so it doesn’t stretch when the basket is carried.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends on the inside, through stitches of the same color.
- Lightly mist the basket with water.
- Stuff it firmly with a towel to push out the walls into a straight cylinder.
- Press the base flat on a table and check that it is 7 in (17.8 cm) across.
- Shape the feathers so their curved edges lift slightly away from the wall.
- Smooth the ears upright and pinch their points.
- Let the basket dry fully with the towel inside, then remove the towel.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The base is 7 in (17.8 cm) across and lies flat
- The wall has 72 stitches in every round
- The basket is 6¼ in (15.9 cm) tall
- The base braid runs evenly all the way around
- The eyes are level and the beak is centered between them
- The belly holes are open and the belly sits centered
- Each wing has 4 evenly spaced feathers
- The ears stand above the rim at the front corners
- Each handle end is sewn securely and the two handles are the same height
Troubleshooting
- The base ruffles: Your tension is too loose or you added an extra increase. Count each round and use a smaller hook.
- The base cups upward: You missed increases or your tension is too tight. Check the counts and go up half a hook size.
- The wall flares out: You have extra stitches. Count to 72 and fix it in the next round with a sc2tog.
- The wall leans or twists: Join every round; don’t work in a spiral.
- The belly curls: Rnd 4 is too tight. Work it with a looser hand or with a hook one size larger.
- The handles stretch: Sew through both layers of the wall and the handle, with several passes at each end.
- The feathers droop: Sew the full straight edge, not just the center point.
Care
Hand wash in cool water, press out the water in a towel, and reshape the basket around a towel to dry. Don’t tumble dry.
Final Notes
Here is the measurement chain. A gauge of 13 sc to 4 in (10.2 cm) gives a 72-stitch base that is 7 in (17.8 cm) across. Twenty-one wall rounds add 6 in (15.2 cm) of height, and two border rounds bring the basket to 6¼ in (15.9 cm). Hit each checkpoint in order and the face pieces will fit the front exactly as planned. Once the basket is finished, it’s ready to hold your yarn.
Happy crocheting!