Free DIY Basket Pattern you can Knit up in a Flash
This cute DIY basket can be knitted in about an hour even if you’re a slow knitter. Since this project uses jumbo yarn (size 7), it does not require a lot of stitches.
There are no complicated stitches in this project either if you can knit stitch and single crochet, you’ll be able to create this knitted basket.
I am always amazed at how fast jumbo and chunky yarns knit up. It’s perfect for someone as impatient as I am, plus I like the look of the big knit projects.
The basket is 10 inches across and 6 inches high and only uses a single skein of jumbo yarn (with a bit left over). I am a very loose knitter. If you are a tight knitter, your baskets may only be 8 inches wide. The gauge of knitting will play a role in how wide your baskets will be when you finish. I knitted 3 of these baskets. One was 10, one was 9 3/4 and one was 9. A friend of mine knitted hers and she ended up with an 8.25-inch wide basket. Your mileage here will vary depending on how tightly you knit.
This is a perfect project for someone who knows how to knit and single crochet but wants to create something a bit more exciting than a scarf.
A quick note about knitting in the round
When you knit in the round, your knit pattern becomes a stockinette stitch. It’s the magic of knitting in the round.
stockinette stitch is what I consider a true knit look. It’s basic, and easy, but creates a very pretty punctuated pattern with jumbo yarn.
Stockinette stitch does have a downside. It creates a top that will want to naturally curl in on itself. This is why this knit basket has a simple crochet top in cotton cording. The cording is stiff and opens the basket up, stopping that curl from happening altogether.
Materials and Tools to knit One DIY Basket
I completely winged this project because I could not find simple instructions on how to create a flat bottom. Eventually, I figured it out but no lies, it took a few tries.
I’ve knitted up this pattern several times now, and I know there are no issues or snags. It’s super easy, doesn’t require a lot of fussing, and uses only the simplest of stitches.
~This post may contain affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. I only ever recommend what tools or materials I use for my projects. I also test all my projects before publishing and if something doesn’t work, I don’t share it! ~
Materials
One skein Red Heart Grande Yarn, Oatmeal
Macrame Cord Natural Cotton 3mm
I have a full blog post dedicated to jumbo yarns. It’s a good reference if you don’t like the recommended yarn for this project. A nice alternative would be Bernat Mega Bulky Yarn 
.
Tools
Circular 24-inch (60cm) Knitting Needles; Size US 19 (15.0mm) 
You can also use 16-inch circular knitting needles, your stitches will be a bit crowded, but it does work and may work better for some of you.
Important: I’ve had a few comments about 24 inch needles being too long.
The recommended yarn has a gauge of 4 inches per 6 stitches – with 32 stitches this would create a circumference of 21.5. This can be knitted on 24-inch circular needles.
I knit loose and my gauge for this yarn was 4.5 inches (give or take) per 6 stitches making a 24-inch circular needle a really good fit. I had no problem at all joining in the round or knitting up my baskets on 24-inch needles. It actually felt a bit crowded for me until I got to the reduction rounds.
I never considered my knitting gauge when I took the measurements of the baskets.
BUT…If your knitting gauge usually runs lower because you are a tighter knitter you may actually find the 24-inch needles too long.
Your knitting gauge will also determine the width of these baskets. I had folks report anything from 8 inches to 11 inches – knitting gauge apparently is wildly variant.
If you use any other yarn with any other gauge, I cannot tell you how these will knit up. Even if you use a different jumbo yarn there is no guarantee because gauge on those jumbo yarns varies as wildly as well.
Step 1
Cast on 32 stitches on your size 19 knitting needles.
Step 2
Knit 13 rows in the round. I use a simple safety pin to mark the start of my round and move it to the next round each time.
Step 3
At row 14 stitch two together for the full round. You will have 16 stitches remaining on your needles.
Step 4
At row 15 stitch two together for the rest of the round. It gets a bit tight here; your needles will take a bit of pushing and pulling because your stitches are now very close together. This will leave eight stitches on your knitting needles.
Step 5
Gently remove your knitting needles, keeping your last eight stitches loops intact.
Weave your tail through the last eight stitches and give a gentle pull, your bottom should like the photo below.
Step 6.
The top of your DIY basket will be a bit curly; it won’t stand up straight. We rectify this by crocheting a simple trim around the top.
Single crochet into the single top stitch with your 3mm cording and a 7mm crochet hook (as shown in the photo below), go two full rounds and tie off.
Don’t crochet too tightly, leave your crochet stitches loose enough to bridge between your knit stitches.
If you crochet too tightly it will create a top that is too narrow, so watch your stitches.
Finishing up your DIY Basket
This DIY basket is soft and collapsible. You can fold your DIY baskets down and tuck them away, or stand them up somewhere on display. They stand up on their own just fine, but they are not stiff.
If you want a stiffer basket I recommend using Bernat Maker Big Yarn, it’s a T-shirt yarn but knits up stiff and tight and will give these DIY baskets rigid sides.
You can also weave a cord, or ribbon through the top knitted loops to create drawstrings.
I initially made one DIY basket, and I liked it so much I knitted a set for my new office. They are a cute way to sort small office supplies.
A chunky knit pillow cover for a 14x14 inch pillow form. This big knit pillow is perfect for a beginner, has no difficult sites or seams, and comes together in less than an hour. Want More Knitting Projects?
How to Make a Chunky Knit Pillow Cover in Under an Hour
Free DIY Basket Pattern you can Knit up in a Flash
An easy beginner knitting project that only uses a single skein of jumbo yarn. They only take an hour to knit and use the easiest of stitches.
Materials
- One skein Red Heart Grande Yarn, Oatmeal
- Macrame Cord Natural Cotton 3mm
Tools
- Circular 24-inch (60cm) Knitting Needles; Size US 19 (15.0mm)
- Crochet Hook, 7mm
Instructions
- Cast on 32 stitches on your size 19 knitting needles.
- Knit 13 rows in the round. I use a simple safety pin to mark the start of my round and move it to the next round each time.
- At row 14 stitch two together for the full round. You will have 16 stitches remaining on your needles.
- At row 15 stitch two together for the rest of the round. It gets a bit tight here; your needles will take a bit of pushing and pulling because your stitches are now very close together. This will leave eight stitches on your knitting needles.
- Gently remove your knitting needles, keeping your last eight stitches loops intact.
- Weave your tail through the last eight stitches and give a gentle pull to close off the bottom.
- Single crochet into the single top stitch with your 3mm cording and a size seven crochet hook, go two full rounds and tie off.
- Weave your ends in and clean up any errant threads.
Notes
Don't crochet the top rim too tightly, leave your crochet stitches loose enough to bridge between your knit stitches.
These are soft sided baskets that are collapsable. If you want your side to stand stiff I recommend using a T-shirt yarn like Bernat Maker Big.
We also made a cute set of hanger tabs and product wraps for all your handmade gifts. They and a sweet personal touch to all your handcrafted goods. You can grab that set below by signing up to our mailing list.
Thank you for the pattern! I just worked one up with tshirt yarn in soft pink, 12mm needles, and 3mm natural macrame cord. Thrilled with this as a gift basket – sustainable and I can make them in colours I know the recipient can use! Thanks again.
So glad you liked the pattern Jemma, and sorry for the late reply, we took a week off to recharge and enjoy the holidays! Hope you enjoyed yours. Cheers!
I have started knitting the basket but I am having a hard time finding 3mm cording at my local craft stores (and trying to avoid ordering online). Would you recommend sizing down to 2mm or up to 4mm?
And thank you for this awesome idea!! I enjoy knitting but fell off because I donāt care to make āwearableā items. This is much more my style! THANK YOU!!
Hi Shannon, I would go up to 4mm – I think it would pair better with the thicker wool base. Hope that helps!
Hi!
If I don’t crochet, can I knit two rows of garter stitch at the top instead of stockinette? (I see you told someone else to knit two more rows.)
Thank you!
Hey Kelly, yes that will work perfectly. I had a reader send me an email a while back telling me that’s exactly what she did and it worked out very well for her. Cheers!
Hello, how can I finish the top if I dont crochet?
Hi Carolyn, you can knit two more rows, and then cast off. It won’t look the same, but it will finish the top. Cheers!
What a cute basket! I would like to make some with Bulky (#5) Size Yarn. Have you ever knitted any baskets with smaller size yarns? I have a lot of worsened and bulky in my stash.
Hi Gina, I haven’t knitted up a basket with #5 size yarn. The stitches, rows, and reductions will all be different but I do have a suggestion. If you have lots of #5 yarn, you could triple your yarn and stitch these baskets up and get a similar look. Not all #5 yarns are created equally, or bulky, so without seeing the yarn to compare, I am simply guessing 3 strands should do the trick, but it might require 4. Hope that helps!
I love this pattern! Iāve been knitting for a couple of years, so still a beginner, and I am fascinated that I can actually make a basket now! I knitted this up in an about an hour and a half using Bernat Mega Chunky. The yarn weight is a 6 and I used size 19 needles, and it worked perfectly as a sub for the Grande yarn you used. I want to try the t-shirt yarn (Bernat Home Maker) for this basket but itās a 5 weight. Would I still use the size 19 needles? Thanks for this pattern. It makes novices like me look like real knitters!
Hi Gina, sorry for the late reply, I took some time off during the holidays. I’d use a smaller size knitting needle for the size 5, but before I did go out and get more needles, I’d test those 19 first to see. My thought is with the larger needle, the knit might not be stiff enough to hold upright but it might work just fine too, I never know myself until I test it.
Cheers!
I just learned to knit on circular needles 2 weeks ago. Yesterday, I tried to make this basket. I finished it today! It is beautiful! My first real project. I did the YouTube version of the grandma cast on and that helps, since I don’t yet know how to crochet the top. It makes a former rim.. Thank you! More circular needle projects that are different?
I am so glad you liked the basket Cherrie. As for more circular needle projects, I don’t have anything currently. But I can add it to the to-do list for Spring. With your circular needles, you can make all kinds of fun things. You could knit a hand muff or an infinity scarf or hooded scarf – You could also knit a pillow. Ravelry is a great place to check for free patterns and the site allows you to sort by difficulty. Cheers!
This basket is adorable! I made one for my mother in pink with the trim according to your directions. She is a knitter and she loves it. I turned down the top as a cuff and placed the cord edging on row four. I just saw your cast on method in one of the comments and will try this next. It turned out beautifully. Thank you!
Thanks so much for leaving a comment Kathy and I am absolutely thrilled that your mom loved the basket. Cheers!
Hello, can these be made in all crochet stitch?
I haven’t tried it in all crochet stitch, Trace, so I don’t know how the pattern would work up. Sorry!
Can straight needles be used to make the baskets?
I don’t work with straight needles Kathy, so I can’t say for sure or not if you could use them for this pattern. Maybe one of my (very helpful) readers will chime in.
The basket looks SUPER CUTE!!!! I’d love to make one but, like several others, I don’t know how to crochet at all and I think the crochet top MAKES the look of these little baskets!!! Could we convince you to do a little tutorial with either lots of pictures or a brief video to show how to do the crochet around the top?? I’m sure it’s very simple, but I don’t even know where to start!! Blessings from Missouri1
Hi Robbin,
Yes I can absolutely do that for you, but I will need a few days, it’s crazy town around here right now. When I get that video up, I will drop you a line to let you know it’s live. Thanks for the great idea.
Cheers!
Laura
Hey! I was just reading a few of the comments. Love this pattern! I donāt have the right size circular needles, length. I just use the magic look method, it is so easy. Thanks again for sharing ?ā„ļø
So glad the pattern is working for you, and that’s a great suggestion! Thanks for the comment, Erica. š
Love this! I was thinking of using 3mm leather cord for the crochet part. Do you have any idea how long leather would piece need to be? the macramme cording is 50 yards, I assume we only use a small amount of it.
Hi, Karen. I absolutely love the idea of the leather cording. You won’t need a lot, I don’t want to guess too little, but if I was running out to grab leather coring I would probably grab 2 yarns just to be on the safe side, although I am sure a yard itself might be enough. Let us know how it turns out!
What am I doing wrong? My 24 needles seem to long I am having a hard time joining I. The round!
Hi Jojo, I’m not sure why the 24 inches would be too long to connect. Can you verify for me what size the needles are (not the length, but the width of the needles), and what yarn you’re using? I found when I was making my baskets, the 24-inch needles worked perfectly until I got to the end of the basket and started to reduce stitches. The needles were a bit tight toward the end, but starting out there were no issues at all. Let me know about the needle size and yarn and we’ll troubleshoot your baskets.
This does not work with regular yarn on size 19 needles. The needles in the pictures are not size 19 either. I tried many times. I have 90 stitches on size 9 circular needles, I suspect it is too large to make this basket, is there anything else I can do with this? I have knitted 19 rows in the round.
Jill, the needles I used are indeed size 19. I can take more pictures to show the size of the needle clearly stamped on the needles I used if you require it.
And you are right, regular yarn will not work in this project. The project requires jumbo yarn and specifically the Grande yarn I recommend as not all jumbo yarns are the same thickness. This is a very thick, very chunky yarn.
If you used the correct needles and the correct yarn you wouldn’t be able to get 90 stitches cast on, there is simply not enough room on the needles to cast on that many. I am sorry you are having difficulty with this project, but If you are using size 9 needles with regular yarn it’s simply not going to work. If you look back at the photos you can see with a 1/3 of the stitches you cast on your needles my needles are already almost full.
The yarn I recommend knits up to 4 inches per every 6 stitches.
Any knitted options for the top? I love these but can’t crochet AT ALL.
Hi Nicole, You could simply knit a top, the same way I show how to crochet, you could do a very loose knit stitch around the top with the cording. It would give a similar lacey open look. I haven’t tried it, but I cannot see why it wouldn’t at least work the same way. Take a look at how I spread that crochet stitch because you will want to make sure that the knit stitch doesn’t pull the basket opening too tight. Keep it nice and loose and it technically should work for you.
I havenāt tried it yet, but I think if you did a purl round followed by a knit round and another purl round before knitting the following rounds, the top would not curl. It would change the yardage needed though. I may give this a try. Cute basket!
Yup, that’s the way to cuff and prevent the curl. For this project I wanted something that was a bit different for the top, that had an intricate look, without a lot of effort so that’s why I opted to do the smaller cording with single crochet. Thanks for the comment!
thank you so much for this pattern. i just started knitting courses and iām glad to realize that i can do this simple but yet so cute little basket……thanks again
You are more than welcome Denise, and I am so glad you like the pattern. It really is a fun and easy little basket to knit up. Let us know how it goes if you make one! Cheers. š
What type of cast on did you use? There are so many to choose from!
Rene’
P.S. Love this!
Hi Rene, I used the single cast on knitting method is also called the thumb cast on, and backward loop cast on. I will update the post to reflect that because you’re 100% right there are many different ways to cast on, some a little bulkier than others. Thanks for pointing that out! Cheers.
I love these baskets! Can these be made larger? If so, how?
Hi Bev! Unfortunately making them larger isn’t as easy as just increasing the number of stitches cast on, the base reduction would change based on how many stitches you started with but I can’t tell you that for sure without knitting one up. It took me several attempts with this particular basket to get the bottom just right, so it’s a trial and error unless you find a pattern, or if you’re willing to test it until you get the bottom right. I do have plans for larger baskets in the next few weeks, but I have to wait for my yarn to arrive.
You are so talented! I just love the details photos of this basket, it really shows the beauty in the knots. I love the yarn colors you selected, too… neutrals are my jam right now! These would make great gifts.
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Hey ya, Carrie! You’re such a sweetie. That yarn was a fluke color for me too because I ordered it without seeing. It looks like a very cool grey online but it leans much warmer. I am not sure where they get color names for this stuff because this yarn bares no resemblance what so ever to “Oatmeal”. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Laura wanted to thank you for sharing the basket pattern with us knitters! I think the look of them is āI want some!!!!!ā ? My ? to you is if you double the yarn to get the thickness needed, is it going to change the looks much, make it more difficult to knit, make a sturdy basket? I have Bernat softee chunky yarn and wonder if that was doubled if it would be a good choice of yarn for basket? Thanks Laura!!!
Hi Pam! Thanks for your kind comment about the baskets. I haven’t knitted with Bernat Soft Chunky so I am unfamiliar with the thickness or how it knits up. I am about to do a “chunky” yarn comparison and I will add that one to my list.
As far as a different look, it will look different, but not too much. I’ve doubled up lots of yarns to bulk them and it often works as intended. It might actually look really good doubled because of the extra texture.
Doubling this yarn should give you a stiffer side – but not knowing the yarn it’s hard to say for sure. I would say since the basket pattern is super fast to knit, I would do a test first, double up your yarn and do a few rows and see if you like how it knits up.
It might get a bit tight toward the end, but I would just keep the stitches a bit loose to compensate. That should do the trick.
Let us know how it goes!
Oh my goodness! These are so adorable and kudos to you for your mad crocheting skills. It’s something my grandmother used to do and I tried to learn but my fingers fumbled the yarn terribly. Good for you!
Hi Jennifer! Um, here is a secret, I actually cannot crochet – well not really. I’m a one trick pony as far as crochet goes.. but shhh don’t tell anyone. Thanks for the sweet comment!
Well, these are just beautiful, and LOVE the colors! Pinned!
Thanks, Julie! You’re the best š
I am NOT AT ALL confident in my knitting abilities but you make me want to start SO BAD. I do love the way the ribs on this knit pattern looks. I also love chunky yarn. Pinning to several boards, thanks!
You should Marissa! Knitting is one of those skills you can collect pretty easy and these little baskets are a great starter project because they use the most basic of knit stitches. Plus I know you already have the chunky yarn. š