Owl Basket
Meet the Owl Basket Crochet Pattern—an effortlessly fun and functional addition to any room. With generous dimensions of 28 inches around and 12 inches high, this super cute basket is ideal for storing rolled-up towels, toys in the kids’ room, or miscellaneous items in the living room. Crafted from thick yarn, it offers both durability and a collapsible design for easy storage when not in use. With its playful owl design, this basket elevates your organization game while adding a touch of whimsy and charm to your home decor.
You’ll find everything you need to crochet the basket below, including the yarn, crochet hook, a free pattern, and a video tutorial. If you like this pattern, please share it!
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Disclaimer
This post contains affiliate links for the items I used to crochet this pattern, at no cost to you. I earn a small commission if you purchase through these links. This blog post also displays ads. The revenue from ads and affiliate links allows me to offer this crochet pattern for free. Please do not copy, paste, or distribute this pattern. If you prefer not to view the pattern on the blog, you may purchase an ad-free digital PDF in my pattern shops for a small fee (link below). Thank you so much for your support!
Crochet Tutorials
If you’re new to crochet, no worries! I have many beginner tutorial videos to guide you through every step of the process. My tutorials are designed to be easy to follow and will help you master the basics and beyond. You can use the search bar anytime to look for a particular stitch or technique.
Crochet Stitch Used For The Basket Portion Of The Pattern
The stitch used for the basket is basic half double crochet, making the bulk of the project nice and easy. If you are new to crochet I have slower video tutorials available that will walk you through working half double crochet in the round, increasing, decreasing and everything else used in this pattern that you can watch before you start this project.
Yarn Selection
For this project, I used Ecological Wool by Cascade. Ecological Wool is a soft, sustainable yarn made from 100% Peruvian Highland wool. Known for its natural, rustic texture, it is spun in its undyed, natural state, preserving its earthy, organic feel. The yarn comes in a variety of muted, nature-inspired shades, making it ideal for projects that emphasize eco-friendliness and timeless style. You will need two hanks to complete the project in the size listed.
Other Yarn Options
When substituting yarn for the Owl Basket project, it’s important to consider both the weight of the yarn and its structure. The original pattern calls for bulky weight yarn, with four strands held together, which creates a dense, stiff fabric ideal for a sturdy basket. If you prefer to use a super bulky yarn, you can simply hold two strands together to achieve a similar result, ensuring that the basket remains firm enough to hold its shape. For a smaller version, you could switch to a worsted weight yarn, though keep in mind that the overall basket size will be smaller.
Regardless of the yarn you choose, you’ll want to adjust your hook size to achieve tight stitches, similar to the tension used in amigurumi projects. This tightness ensures the basket has the stiffness needed to hold its structure. Wool yarn is ideal for this project because of its natural stiffness and ability to hold shape, but if you’re substituting, opt for a yarn with good structure. Avoid yarns described as “soft,” as they tend to be more drapey and flexible, which may cause the basket to lose its shape over time. Stiffer yarns, such as those with some nylon or cotton blends, will work better for maintaining the basket’s form.
Below are some other options that are a great substitute for the Cascade Yarn, which come in different price ranges.
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If you’re looking for the perfect super bulky yarn for quick crochet and knitting projects, look no further than Lion Brand Thick & Quick! This yarn has a good structure and pretty colors to personalize your basket.
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Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool is a classic, 100% natural wool yarn known for its durability and warmth. This worsted-weight yarn is lightly processed, retaining its lanolin for added water resistance, making it ideal for sturdy, long-lasting projects. With its firm structure and worsted weight, Fisherman’s Wool is a great choice for making a smaller basket.
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If you are looking for a bright wool yarn, Kelbourne Woolens Germantown Bulky is a perfect choice. Made with 100% US grown wool, this is a super sturdy wool that will show great stitch definition.
Crochet Hook Used For Pattern
You’ll need a 10mm hook if you’re using bulky weight yarn. When it comes to larger hook sizes, I’m quite particular—I find that most brands that are metal have shafts that are too short for comfortable use. Most plastic hooks have ridges that make them uncomfortable to hold and lack the smoothness needed for the yarn to glide effortlessly.
After testing numerous brands, I’ve narrowed down my favorites. Below, you’ll find my top picks, ranked from least to most expensive. Note, different brands may label their hooks with varying US sizes, so it’s best to focus on choosing one that specifically states 10mm.
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In the video tutorial, I’m using this Clover Soft Touch Amour hook. I love how smoothly the yarn glides over the long plastic shaft. I rated this choice $$ because, like my other favorite plastic hook, it’s priced similarly—not a bargain, but absolutely worth it for the quality and comfort.
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Another favorite plastic hook is the Prym Crochet Hooks. They too, have great long shafts and slick plastic. Both this choice and the Clover Amour would be perfect to make the basket with.
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Furls Crochet Hooks are beautifully crafted and made to be ergonomic. They come in a range of materials and colors so you can get wood, metal, or resin depending on your preference. They have nice large shafts and yarn glides wonderfully over every material.
Additional Supplies Needed
The pattern is worked in spirals so you will need a stitch marker to keep track of your rounds. I love the split ring ones below as they come in various sizes (and you’ll need a big one for this project) and the open end is fast to put on and take off as you come to each round.
The only other thing you will need is a yarn needle to weave in ends and sew the owl eyes and nose to the basket. Be sure to choose a large eye to accommodate the four strands of yarn. I like metal needles like the Susan Bates option below.
Gauge For Pattern
To achieve the same size as listed below, you will need the following gauge: 4”= 8 HDCs and 6 rows in
pattern. For this project, achieving an exact gauge isn’t critical, but keeping your stitches tight is essential to ensure your basket holds its shape.
Note: If you’re using the same yarn as the pattern, be sure to stay close to gauge, as the project uses nearly all of it—straying too much could leave you short.
Video Tutorial
The video tutorial will walk you through the entire pattern so all levels of crocheters can make this cute home decor basket.
Pin For Later
If you’re not ready to start the project yet, pin this page to head back quickly.
Finished Measurements
If following gauge, you can expect the basket to measure 28″ at the top circumference and be 12″ tall.
Construction
The basket is worked in the round from bottom to top with a little shaping in the middle of the basket. The eyes are then worked separately and sewn on once complete.
Special Stitches Used In The Pattern
You will need to perform the following special stitches in this pattern (that might not be that familiar to you). I’ve linked to my super fast stitch refresher videos in case you need the extra help:
- Picot: CH 3, SL ST in first CH made.
- Double Treble Crochet: YO 3 times, insert hook into next ST, YO, pull up loop, [YO, pull loop through the first two loops on hook] 4 times.
Abbreviations Used
- CH– chain
- SC– single crochet
- HDC– half double crochet
- HDC2TOG– half double crochet 2 together
- DC– double crochet
- TR– treble crochet
- DTR– double treble crochet
- RND– round
- SL ST– slip stitch
- ST(S)– stitch(es)
COPYRIGHT
The pattern and all related content are the exclusive property of Knit and Crochet Ever After, protected under copyright and intellectual property laws. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or transmission in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, screenshots, printing, or other electronic or mechanical methods, is strictly prohibited without prior written consent from me.
This free crochet pattern is intended for personal use only on the blog. By accessing this pattern, you agree to comply with these copyright terms and conditions. Unauthorized sharing or reproduction may result in legal consequences.
Thank you for respecting my hard work and intellectual property!
Owl Basket
Get the ad-free version of the Owl Basket pattern from my Etsy or Ravelry shops. Enjoy a clean, easy-to-read format without distractions. Click the links below to support my work and allow me to make more patterns for you to enjoy!
Special Instructions For The Pattern
- Read through the whole pattern before beginning.
- The basket will be worked with 4 strands of yarn held together. An easy way to do this with only two skeins of yarn is to make a center-pull ball and use both ends on both balls to get the four strands.
- The owl eyes will be worked with 2 strands of yarn held together.
- The basket and owl eyes will both be worked in spirals. There will be no joining of rounds.
- You can substitute different weights of yarn and different numbers of strands to make different-sized baskets. Be sure to change your hook size accordingly to achieve super-tight stitches.
- The tight stitches will make your basket stand up on its own. Using the smallest hook possible with your yarn will make the tightest stitches to ensure a stiff basket.
Basket Instructions
RND 1: With 4 strands of yarn held together, HDC 8 times into a magic adjustable loop. 8 STS
RND 2: [HDC 2 times in each ST] 8 times. 16 STS
RND 3: [HDC 2 times in next ST, HDC] 8 times. 24 STS
RND 4: [HDC 2 times in next ST, HDC in next 2 STS] 8 times. 32 STS
RND 5: [HDC 2 times in next ST, HDC in next 3 STS] 8 times. 40 STS
RND 6: [HDC 2 times in next ST, HDC in next 4 STS] 8 times. 48 STS
RND 7: [HDC 2 times in next ST, HDC in next 5 STS] 8 times. 56 STS
RND 8: [HDC 2 times in next ST, HDC in next 6 STS] 8 times. 64 STS
RND 9-17: HDC in each ST around. 64 STS
RND 18: [HDC2TOG, HDC in next 6 STS] 8 times. 56 STS
RND 19: [HDC2TOG, HDC in next 5 STS] 8 times. 48 STS
RND 20: [HDC 2 times in next ST, HDC in next 5 STS] 8 times. 56 STS
RND 21-26: HDC in each ST around. 56 STS
Finishing
SC in the next ST, SL ST in the next ST to finish off. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Owl Eyes
Leave long tails for sewing eyes to the basket.
First Eye
RND 1: With 2 strands of yarn held together, SC 6 times into a magic adjustable loop. 6 STS
RND 2: [SC 2 times in each ST] 6 times. 12 STS
RND 3: [DC 2 times in each ST] 12 times. 24 STS
RND 4: [DC 2 times in next ST, DC] 6 times, TR, DTR, picot, CH 5, SL ST back in the bottom of the DTR.
Fasten off.
Second Eye
RND 1-3: Repeat First Eye instructions.
RND 4: SC, CH 5, picot, DTR, TR, [DC, DC 2 times in next ST] 6 times, HDC, SC, SL ST to finish off eye.
Fasten off.
Attach Eyes
Using the long tails, attach the eyes at the top of the basket approximately 2 STS apart (from inside of the eye).
Line up the top of the eye with the top of the basket, using a few stitches with the outer tail. Then use the center tail to sew the middle of the eye on.
See pictures for help.
After attaching the center of the eye, continue with the outside tail and sew the outside of the eye to the basket.
Leave the eye flairs unsown. Weave in ends.
Make Nose
Using 2 strands of yarn held together, sew a triangle in between the eyes to make the nose. Begin with a triangle outline, then fill it in with long stitches.
Weave in ends.
I hope you enjoy this pattern and would love to see what you make with it. Be sure to tag me on Insta or Facebook with @knitandcrocheteverafter, I love seeing what you guys come up with!