This playful fox basket will delight the whole family—the knit-style basket is worked in tapestry crochet

Basket size: 22 cm (8.7″ × 18.5 cm (7.3″) (diameter × height).

Crocheted fox basket—materials:

Gauge: 6.5 sts and 8 rnds = 10 cm (3.9″) in waistcoat stitches.

Abbreviations:

Crocheted fox basket—pattern:

Basket base

First, crochet the round base of the basket. Make a starting ring around your finger with the terracotta yarn.

Round 1: Ch 1 and work 8 sc into the ring. Close the starting ring by pulling the yarn tail, and crochet it inside the stitches on the next round. Continue in a spiral without joining rounds. Mark the beginning of each round and shift the marker at the end of the round.

Round 2: 2 sc in each st = 16 sts.

Round 3: *1 sc, 2 sc in the same st*, repeat from * to * another 7 times = 24 sts.

Round 4: *2 sc, 2 sc in the same st*, repeat from * to * another 7 times = 32 sts.

Round 5: 1 sc, *2 sc in the same st, 3 sc*, repeat from * to * another 6 times, 2 sc in the same st, 2 sc = 40 sts.

Round 6: *4 sc, 2 sc in the same st*, repeat from * to * another 7 times = 48 sts. Steam the finished base. Begin the sides, working waistcoat stitches as follows: insert the hook through the center of the single crochet of the previous round so that the hook goes under the horizontal bar visible on the wrong side, then complete a single crochet. The front and back of the sc of the previous round will be hidden inside the waistcoat stitch.

Round 7: Add the white yarn. Work 48 ws in terracotta while carrying the white yarn inside the stitches. Next, start tapestry crochet in ws according to the pattern and chart. Switch colors by completing the last yarn over of the stitch with the new color.

Tapestry crochet

Round 1: Work 9 ws in terracotta while carrying the white yarn inside the stitches. Switch to the white yarn at the end of the 9th stitch and work 4 ws in white while carrying the terracotta yarn. Then switch back to terracotta at the end of the 4th stitch and continue the rest of the round in terracotta. Keep the carried yarn snug so the basket stays evenly shaped. The white yarn will be visible on the wrong side between stitches.

Round 2: 7 ws in terracotta, 8 ws in white, and rest of the round in terracotta. Remember to switch colors on the last yarn over of the last stitch of the previous color.

Round 3: 5 ws in terracotta, 12 ws in white, rest of the round in terracotta.

Rounds 4-9: Follow the chart.

Rounds 10-11: Work 48 ws in terracotta while carrying the white yarn inside stitches. Leave about 4.2 m (13'9'') of yarn at the end, and make an ear by working ws in rows.

Ears

Rounds 1-2: *Work 7 ws and pull the yarn through the last st*. Do not turn. Instead, go back to the start of the row so that you leave a long strand across the wrong side; repeat from * to * and crochet that strand inside these stitches. Return again to the start of the row.

Rounds 3-4: Skip the first ws, *work 5 ws and pull the yarn through the last st*. Go back to the start of the row and repeat from * to *.

Round 5: Skip the first ws, work 3 ws, and pull the yarn through. Weave in the yarn tail with the smaller hook inside the stitches of the previous row. Cut a 4.3 m (14'1'') piece of yarn and make the second ear in the same manner 8 sts away.

Nose

Make a starting ring around your finger with the black yarn.

Round 1: Using the smaller hook, ch 1, 3 sc into the ring, and turn.

Round 2: ch 1, 1 sc, 2 sc in the same st, 1 sc, turn.

Round 3: ch 1, 1 sc in each st, turn, then work 1 sl st in each st. Fasten off and weave in the end.

Paws

Using the larger hook and the terracotta yarn, crochet rounds 1–3 of the nose pattern. Fasten off. Thread one end of the yarn inside the basket, then back out under the paws, and again inside. Thread the other yarn end inside, then tie both ends together. Weave in the ends inside the stitches.

Finishing

Sew the nose to the snout and the buttons for eyes. Paint the woven-in tube yarn ends with a mixture of water and glue (1 part water, 1 part glue) so they won’t come undone.

For yarn and pattern inquiries: Lankava.