Crocheted picnic basket with a sturdy handle and plywood base—make it and take it anywhere!
This round picnic basket is crocheted in one piece onto a plywood base, making it effortless to complete. It’s handy to take outdoors or use at home for storage.
Size: 26 × 18 cm (top opening diameter × height).
Crocheted basket with plywood base—supplies:
- Pamela braided cord (80% recycled cotton, 20% polyester, 700 g = approx. 180 m), 700 g in shade terra (86)
- Crochet hooks measuring 3.5 mm and 6 mm, or larger if needed for gauge
- 20 cm plywood basket base (3 mm plywood, 6 mm hole diameter), 25 cm metal ring, 30 cm thick wire
Gauge: 8 sts and 10 rnds = 10 × 10 cm.
Abbreviations:
- rnd: round
- ch: chain stitch
- sc: single crochet
- sl st: slip stitch
Crocheted basket with a plywood base—instructions:
Work the basket in one piece from the plywood base up to the top edge. Use the smaller hook to thread the cord through the base holes as follows: Insert the hook through a hole, take the cord on the hook, pull it through, and crochet 1 ch. *Insert the hook through the next hole and crochet 1 sc.* Repeat *—* until the end of the round, then crochet 1 sl st into the first sc.
Round 1: Ch 1, sc in each stitch, sl st in the first sc.
Round 2: Ch 1, now crochet single crochets into the previous stitches as follows: insert the hook through the center of each stitch from the previous round so both loops of the sc remain around the new stitch, then work 1 sl st into the center of the first sc from the previous round. (Search for a tutorial video with the keyword “waistcoat stitch”.) Repeat Round 2 until you have crocheted a total of 17 rounds. Then reinforce the top edge with the metal ring as follows: Ch 1 while enclosing the ring in the stitch. Continue working single crochets as usual (through both loops), enclosing the ring inside the stitches. Do not close the round with a slip stitch; instead, finish with 1 round of slip stitches through both loops. Cut and weave in the cord.
Handle
Crochet a foundation chain of 41. Work 3 sc into the second chain from the hook (the loop on the hook does not count), 1 sc in each chain, and 3 sc in the last chain. Continue by working 1 sc in each stitch along the opposite side of the foundation chain. Leave about 40 cm (16 in) of cord for sewing.
Finishing
Stitch the edges of the handle together with the leftover cord, enclosing about 30 cm (12 in) of wire or another stiffening material inside. Then sew one end of the handle where the rounds meet and the other end on the opposite side, about 5 cm (2 in) below the top edge of the basket. Weave in the ends.
Yarn and pattern inquiries: Lankava.
