Crochet a three-piece mushroom basket—perfect for storage and forage!
This crocheted mushroom basket is perfect for fall forest outings but also works well at home as a storage basket. Made from separate pieces, it has a sturdy construction that’s easy to complete, and the material can be washed if needed.
Size: 30 cm × 20 cm × 22 cm or 12 in × 8 in × 9 in (width × height × depth).
Crocheted mushroom basket: supplies:
- Lankava Moi cord yarn (80% recycled cotton, 20% polyester, 500 g = approx. 300 m) 450 g in brown (54) and 450 g in beige (53).
- a 6 mm crochet hook or according to your gauge
- 75 cm (30 in) natural-colored leather strap (width 30 mm or 1.2 in)
- heavy-duty thread for sewing the strap, e.g., fish thread
Gauge: 11 sts and 11.5 rows = 10 cm × 10 cm (4 in × 4 in).
Abbreviations:
- sc: single crochet
- RS: right side
Crocheted mushroom basket: instructions
Side pieces
Make two identical pieces. Use a double strand (one brown and one beige) and crochet a foundation chain of 21 chain stitches.
Row 1 (RS): Work 1 single crochet in the second chain from the hook, then 19 single crochets, and turn.
Rows 2–18: Chain 1 (counts as the first stitch of the row), work 1 single crochet in each stitch = 20 stitches.
Edge the piece as follows: First, work 20 slip stitches along the top edge. Then, along the long side, work 1 single crochet into each row (17 total), 3 single crochets in the corner stitch at the bottom edge, 20 single crochets along the bottom edge, 3 single crochets in the corner, and 1 single crochet in each row along the other long side (17 total). Fasten off and weave in the ends. The edging remains visible on the outside of the basket. Make the second piece in the same way.
Center piece
Crochet a foundation chain of 30 chain stitches.
Row 1: Work 1 single crochet in the second chain from the hook, then 28 single crochets, and turn.
Row 2: Chain 1, single crochet in the next 12 stitches, chain 3, skip 3 stitches, then single crochet in the next 13 stitches, and turn.
Row 3: Chain 1, work 1 single crochet in each stitch = 29 stitches.
Row 4: Chain 1, work 1 single crochet in each stitch, and turn.
Repeat Row 4 until you have completed 57 rows.
Row 58: Work as in Row 2.
Row 59: Work as in Row 3. Then begin edging at the top left corner as follows: Work 1 single crochet in each row (60 total) down the long side, 29 slip stitches across the bottom edge, 1 single crochet in each row (60 total) up the other long side, and finally 29 slip stitches along the top edge. Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Assembling and finishing the basket
Place the side piece under the center piece, with wrong sides together, and align the top edges.
Join the pieces together with single crochet stitches. Begin at the top corner of the center piece. Leave about 30 cm (12 in) of yarn at both the start and end of the seam for reinforcement stitches. The seam is 60 single crochets long and remains visible on the right side. Attach the other side piece in the same way. Finally, sew a few reinforcing stitches by hand at the ends of the side seams so they won’t stretch out with use.
Trim the leather strap to a length of 45 cm (18 in). Thread its ends through the openings and sew them in place on the inside of the basket.
For instructions and yarn inquiries: Lankava.
