T-shirt Yarn Basket Pattern with Square Base

T-SHIRT YARN BASKET PATTERN

T-shirt yarn baskets are practical, quick, and highly decorative projects. This pattern will teach you how to crochet a basket with a square base, ideal for organizing the bathroom, storing your craft projects, toys, or sofa blankets. A timeless basic!

 

Materials for this pattern

• 2 balls of T-shirt yarn (gray and white in the example)
• 10–12 mm crochet hook
• Tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Finished measurements

• Base: approx. 20 × 20 cm
• Height: 15 cm

Step-by-step pattern

The Base

Round 1.—Using gray yarn, chain 3 (A) and close with a slip stitch to form a circle (B).
Chain 1 to raise and make 8 single crochets by inserting the hook into the center of the hole (C) we formed (not into the chains). Remember to place the marker in your first stitch. After crocheting the 8 stitches, join with a slip stitch to the first stitch, closing the circle (D).

 

 

Round 2.—Chain 1 to raise and make 8 increases, that is: 16 stitches. Each increase consists of crocheting two stitches in the same stitch space from the previous round. Close the round with a slip stitch into the first stitch.

 

 

Round 3.—Chain 1 to raise and crochet this sequence throughout the round:
1 single crochet, 1 increase. You should have 24 stitches at the end of the round. Close with a slip stitch into the first stitch.

 

 

Round 4.—Chain 1 to raise. In this round, we will begin forming the square shape. To do this, make 3 stitches together in each corner (in the same space as the stitch from the previous round). Crochet:
Corner (3-in-1), 5 single crochets, Corner (3-in-1), 5 single crochets, Corner (3-in-1), 5 single crochets, Corner (3-in-1), 5 single crochets, and close the round with a slip stitch. (Total: 32 stitches).

 

 

Round 5.—Chain 1 to raise and crochet:
[Corner (3-in-1), 7 single crochets] and repeat the sequence three more times.
Finish with a slip stitch. Total: 40 stitches.

 

 

Round 6.— Chain 1 to turn and work:
[Corner (3-in-1), 9 single crochets] and repeat the sequence three more times.
Join with a slip stitch.
Total: 48 stitches.

 

 

Turn

We have finished the base, so we will no longer increase. All our next rounds will have 48 stitches. We will make the turn so that the piece begins to rise upward.

 

Round 7.— Chain 1 to turn and work 48 single crochets, inserting the hook only into the back loop of the stitch from the previous round. Join with a slip stitch, changing to white (finish the slip stitch by picking up the loop of the new color).

 

 

Sides
Round 8.— In white, chain 1 to turn and work 48 single crochets. Join the round with a slip stitch.

 

 

Rounds 9, 10, 11, and 12.— Repeat the steps from Round 8.
 

Round 13.— Chain 1 to turn, and now we will work in tapestry crochet: we will carry both colors of yarn at the same time. When working with one color, carry the other color hidden along the back of the stitch. Work 1 white stitch, 1 gray stitch… and continue like this around. To change color, finish the stitch with the next color. Join the round with a slip stitch.

 

 

Round 14.— Chain 1 to turn and work 48 single crochets in tapestry crochet, alternating as in the previous round but starting with gray: 1 gray stitch, 1 white stitch… Join the round with a slip stitch. You can cut the white yarn now.
 

Round 15.— In gray, chain 1 to turn and work 48 single crochets. Join with a slip stitch.
 

Round 16.— In gray, work 48 slip stitches.
 

We finish off the ends by sewing them between the stitches so they do not show.

 

💡 Tips

• You can vary the size of the base by adding rounds with corners in the same pattern.
• Make the basket taller by repeating more plain rounds on the sides.
• The tapestry technique lets you play with colorful designs and stripes.