This set has three separate pieces: two teardrop hanging baskets and one round counter basket. All three are worked in dense single crochet in a warm terracotta (rust) bulky yarn. Hang the teardrops on wall hooks for rolled washcloths or soap, and stand the round basket by the sink for bottles and brushes.
The look is plain and modern. There is no colorwork and no lace, just even rows of single crochet with clear V-stitches, which makes a firm fabric that holds its shape. A chunky yarn and a tight gauge keep the walls upright without any stiffener.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. Each teardrop basket is about 7 in (17.8 cm) wide and 11.4 in (29.0 cm) tall, plus a hanging loop of 2.75 in (7.0 cm). The round basket is about 6.4 in (16.3 cm) across and 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tall.
Here is how it is built. Every piece starts with a flat single crochet circle worked in a continuous spiral. On the round basket, a back-loop round turns the edge and the walls go straight up. On each teardrop, the circle becomes a deep cup. Then the back half is worked in rows that narrow to a point, and a covered loop is made at the tip.
Finished Size and Construction
- Teardrop basket: 7 in (17.8 cm) wide x 11.4 in (29.0 cm) tall; about 14 in (35.6 cm) with loop
- Round basket: 6.4 in (16.3 cm) diameter x 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tall
- Skill level: Easy / advanced beginner
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Bulky (#5)
- Hook: 6.0 mm (US J-10)
- Number of pieces: 3 separate pieces (2 teardrop baskets, 1 round basket), not joined to each other
- Layout: two teardrops hung side by side, round basket on the counter below
- Teardrop size before edging: 7 in (17.8 cm) wide x 11 in (27.9 cm) tall
- Round basket before rim: walls 4 in (10.2 cm) tall
- Edging/rim depth: about 0.4 in (1.0 cm)
Materials
Pick a smooth bulky yarn with good body. Cotton or a cotton-acrylic blend gives crisp stitches and dries well in a humid bathroom. Avoid fluffy or very soft yarns, because the baskets will slump.
- Terracotta / rust: 200 g, about 220 m (240 yd) for the full set
- Each teardrop basket: about 50 g / 55 m (60 yd)
- Round basket: about 65 g / 70 m (77 yd)
These amounts include a margin of about 20% for swatching and weaving in ends.
Tools:
- 6.0 mm (US J-10) crochet hook
- 1 locking stitch marker (plus a few spares)
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Pins and a spray bottle for blocking
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- MR – magic ring
- BLO – back loop only
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- sc3tog – single crochet 3 together
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- Rnd – round
Special stitch – sc3tog: (insert hook in next st, yarn over, pull up a loop) 3 times, yarn over, pull through all 4 loops on hook. This turns 3 sts into 1.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 12 sc x 12 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in single crochet, worked firmly.
This gauge makes a square stitch: 3 sts and 3 rows per inch (2.54 cm). That square ratio is what lets the edging use one stitch per row-end later. Keep it tight. Loose sc makes floppy baskets.
Test one piece first. Make one teardrop basket before the others. It uses every technique in the set, and it shows within a few rounds whether your gauge is right.
Checkpoints:
- Teardrop Rnd 7 (42 sts): flat circle about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across
- Teardrop Rnd 14: cup about 7 in (17.8 cm) wide when pressed flat
- Teardrop Row 10 (11 sts): back panel about 3.7 in (9.4 cm) wide
- Round basket Rnd 5 (30 sts): about 3.2 in (8.1 cm) across
- Round basket Rnd 10 (60 sts): about 6.4 in (16.3 cm) across
- Round basket Rnd 22: walls 4 in (10.2 cm) tall
If it’s too big: go down to a 5.5 mm (US I-9) hook. If it’s too small: go up to a 6.5 mm (US K-10.5) hook. Change the hook, not the stitch counts. Every count below depends on the 3-sts-per-inch gauge.
Teardrop Hanging Basket (Make 2)
Work in a continuous spiral. Do not join rounds. Place the marker in the first st of each round and move it up as you go.
Base and Cup
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (sc 1, inc) 6 times. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: (sc 2, inc) 6 times. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: (sc 3, inc) 6 times. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: (sc 4, inc) 6 times. (36 sts)
Rnd 7: (sc 5, inc) 6 times. (42 sts)
Check: the circle lies flat and measures about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across.
Rnds 8–14: sc in each st around. (42 sts in each round)
Do not turn the edge with a BLO round here. The sides should rise in a soft curve, which gives the rounded bottom of the teardrop.
At the end of Rnd 14, sl st in the next st to smooth the spiral step. Press the cup flat with the step at one side. It should be about 7 in (17.8 cm) wide.
Back Panel (Worked in Rows)
The back panel is worked over 21 sts, half of the 42. The other 21 sts stay unworked and form the low front rim of the opening.
Row 1: ch 1 (does not count as a st), sc in each of next 21 sts, turn. (21 sts)
Row 2 (decrease row): ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next 17 sts, sc2tog, turn. (19 sts)
Row 3 (plain row): ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (19 sts)
Rows 4–19: repeat Rows 2–3 eight more times. Each decrease row (even rows) removes 2 sts, and each plain row (odd rows) keeps the count. Totals after each pair are:
- Rows 4–5: 17 sts
- Rows 6–7: 15 sts
- Rows 8–9: 13 sts
- Rows 10–11: 11 sts
- Rows 12–13: 9 sts
- Rows 14–15: 7 sts
- Rows 16–17: 5 sts
- Rows 18–19: 3 sts
Row 20: ch 1, sc3tog. (1 st)
Do not fasten off. The back panel is now a tapered triangle 20 rows tall, about 6.7 in (17.0 cm). With the cup, the body is about 11 in (27.9 cm) tall before edging.
Round Counter Basket (Make 1)
Work in a continuous spiral with a marker, the same way as the teardrop.
Base
Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnds 3–10: increase 6 sts per round, with one more sc between increases each round.
- Rnd 3: (sc 1, inc) x 6. (18 sts)
- Rnd 4: (sc 2, inc) x 6. (24 sts)
- Rnd 5: (sc 3, inc) x 6. (30 sts)
- Rnd 6: (sc 4, inc) x 6. (36 sts)
- Rnd 7: (sc 5, inc) x 6. (42 sts)
- Rnd 8: (sc 6, inc) x 6. (48 sts)
- Rnd 9: (sc 7, inc) x 6. (54 sts)
- Rnd 10: (sc 8, inc) x 6. (60 sts)
Check: the base lies flat and measures about 6.4 in (16.3 cm) across. If it ruffles, your stitches are too loose. If it cups, they are too tight.
Walls
Rnd 11: sc in BLO of each st around. (60 sts) This leaves a ridge on the outside and turns the walls up sharply.
Rnds 12–22: sc in each st around. (60 sts in each round)
Check: the walls are 12 rounds tall, about 4 in (10.2 cm), measured from the BLO ridge. Continue to the rim.
Make All Pieces
Make 3 pieces in total, all in the same yarn:
- Teardrop basket: 2 pieces, about 50 g each
- Round basket: 1 piece, about 65 g
- Total: about 165 g used, 200 g with margin
Suggested display layout:
[ Teardrop A ] [ Teardrop B ] <- wall hooks
[ Round Basket ] <- counter
Joining
The pieces are not joined to each other. Each one is a separate, freestanding basket. The only attachment on any piece is the hanging loop, which is worked straight out of the teardrop tip. Nothing is sewn on.
Hanging loop (each teardrop, after the edging below): from the single st at the tip, ch 18. Sl st into the tip st to form a loop. Work 24 sc over the chain loop, going around the chain rather than into it. Push the sc together so they cover the chain fully. Sl st into the tip, fasten off, and weave the tail down through the back panel.
The loop goes into one stitch and adds no stitches to the edging count. Keep the 24 sc firm and packed tight. A loose loop stretches over time and drops the basket lower on the hook. The finished loop is about 2.75 in (7.0 cm) long, for a total height of about 14 in (35.6 cm).
Edging and Rim (Border)
The border is an sc round plus a sl st round. Work it at the same gauge of 3 sts per inch. Because the swatch is square (3 sts and 3 rows per inch), one sc per row-end lies flat along the sloped sides.
Teardrop Edging
After Row 20, do not turn. Rotate so you can work down the side of the back panel.
Edging Rnd 1:
- Right side of back panel: 20 sc, one into each row-end from Row 20 down to Row 1
- Front rim: sc in each of the 21 unworked sts of Rnd 14 (21 sc)
- Left side of back panel: 20 sc, one into each row-end from Row 1 up to Row 20
- Tip: 3 sc in the Row 20 st
Total: 20 + 21 + 20 + 3 = 64 sts.
Edging Rnd 2: sl st in each st around, loosely. (64 sl st) Finish with the last sl st in the center sc of the tip group, then work the hanging loop from that center st.
Why the math works: the back panel has 20 rows on each side, so it gets 20 edging sts per side. Each front rim st gets exactly 1. The 3 sc at the tip turn the point without pulling it. Nothing is added at the two places where the rows meet the round, so the opening stays flat and does not flare.
Round Basket Rim
Rnd 23: sc in each st around. (60 sts)
Rnd 24: sl st in each st around, loosely. (60 sl st)
Join with an invisible join to the first sl st, fasten off, and weave in.
Why the math works: the rim is worked 1 st into each of the 60 wall sts, so it keeps the 20 in (50.8 cm) circumference and the 6.4 in (16.3 cm) diameter exactly. The sl st round firms the top edge without flaring it. The finished height is about 4.5 in (11.4 cm).
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends inside the baskets, through at least 2 in (5.1 cm) of stitches.
- Mist each piece lightly with water until damp, not soaked.
- Round basket: stuff with a towel or set it over a jar about 6.4 in (16.3 cm) across. Smooth the walls upright and level the rim.
- Teardrops: lay each one flat with the back panel down. Pin the tip to a point and straighten the side edges. Fill the cup with a rolled towel so it dries rounded.
- Check measurements while damp: teardrop 7 in (17.8 cm) wide, round basket 6.4 in (16.3 cm) across.
- Let everything dry completely, about 24 hours, before hanging or loading.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Teardrop Rnd 14 has 42 sts, and the back panel starts on exactly 21 sts
- Back panel ends at 1 st after Row 20
- Teardrop Edging Rnd 1 has 64 sts, with 20 on each side
- Both teardrops match in height within 0.25 in (0.6 cm)
- Round basket base has 60 sts and lies flat
- Round basket walls hold 60 sts every round with no drift
- Hanging loops are fully covered and the same length
- All ends are woven in on the inside
Troubleshooting
Base ruffles: your stitches are too loose, or you added extra increases. Recount the round and go down a hook size.
Base cups before the walls: your tension is too tight. Go up a hook size, or relax your grip on the increase rounds.
Round basket walls slant outward: a stitch was added somewhere. Count every few rounds. The walls must stay at 60.
Teardrop tip is off-center: a decrease was missed. Every decrease row needs an sc2tog at both ends.
Edging ripples along the sides: your rows are shorter than gauge. Skip 1 row-end every 6–7 rows, then check that both sides match.
Basket sags when loaded: the yarn is too soft, or the gauge is too loose. Remake it on a smaller hook.
Care
Hand wash in cool water, press out the water in a towel, and dry flat in shape. Do not tumble dry, because heat can loosen the dense fabric.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is simple. The gauge of 12 sc x 12 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) sets every size. A 42-st teardrop cup gives a 7 in (17.8 cm) width, and a 20-row back panel brings the body to about 11 in (27.9 cm). The 64-st edging adds 0.4 in (1.0 cm), and the loop adds 2.75 in (7.0 cm). On the round basket, the 60-st base gives 6.4 in (16.3 cm) across, and 12 wall rounds plus the rim give 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tall. If you hit each checkpoint, all three pieces will match.
Happy crocheting!