Stash Basket in Red Heart Sweet Home - LW6407 - Downloadable PDF

Stash Basket Crochet Pattern in Red Heart Sweet Home – LW6407 by Kristi Simpson

The Stash Basket (LW6407) is a free, downloadable PDF crochet pattern designed by Kristi Simpson and published by Red Heart. This beginner-friendly project produces a sturdy, stylish storage basket measuring 6 x 11 inches (15 x 28 cm) and standing 7 inches (18 cm) high — a practical and decorative container perfect for organizing yarn, crafting supplies, toys, or household essentials. Because it is rated as a beginner difficulty project, it is an excellent choice for crocheters who are just moving beyond the basics and want to create something both functional and impressive.

Materials and Yarn

This pattern is specifically designed to be worked in Red Heart Sweet Home, a super chunky (weight 6) yarn. Super chunky yarn is ideal for basket construction because it creates a thick, dense fabric that holds its shape well without the need for stiffening agents or internal frames. The generous weight of the yarn also means the project works up quickly, making it especially satisfying for beginners. The pattern calls for a crochet hook appropriate to the super chunky weight yarn, as specified in the downloadable PDF.

Construction Overview

The Stash Basket is constructed in three distinct sections: the base, the body, and the brim. Each section uses different stitches and techniques, giving the finished basket its characteristic shape, structure, and decorative detail. Working the basket in sections allows even a beginner crocheter to follow along step by step, building skills as the project progresses.

The Base

The base of the basket is worked flat in rows, rather than in the round. The crocheter begins by chaining 16 and then works single crochet stitches back and forth across rows to create a rectangular foundation panel. Specifically:

• Row 1: Single crochet (sc) is worked in the 2nd chain from the hook and in each chain to the end, producing 15 single crochet stitches.
• Rows 2–23: Each row continues with chain 1 and single crochet in each stitch across, building a firm, flat rectangle.

Working the base flat in single crochet creates a dense, stable foundation that supports the upright walls of the basket. This flat-panel base technique is common in structured crochet containers and helps the finished basket sit evenly on a surface.

The Body

Once the base is complete, the body of the basket is worked in the round, building upward from the edges of the rectangular base. The body incorporates double crochet (dc) stitches as the primary stitch, creating a taller fabric more quickly than single crochet would allow. A key structural and decorative feature of the body is the use of the special stitch dc3tog (double crochet 3 together), which is worked at the corners of the basket to shape it neatly.

The dc3tog stitch is defined in the pattern as follows: [Yarn over, pull up a loop in the next stitch, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook] 3 times, yarn over and draw through all 4 loops on hook. This decrease stitch pulls three double crochet stitches together into one, creating a smooth, mitered corner effect that gives the basket its clean rectangular silhouette.

A key round in the body is the decrease round (Round 7), which shapes the basket walls by strategically placing dc3tog decreases at each corner. The round is worked over a combination of double crochet stitches and dc3tog clusters worked over sets of (dc, hdc, dc) groupings at the corners, ultimately resulting in 74 stitches at the end of the round. This shaping ensures the basket walls angle correctly and maintain a structured, upright form.

The Transition Round

Following the decrease round, Round 8 introduces half double crochet (hdc) stitches worked in each stitch around, joined with a slip stitch and turned. This round creates a smooth transition between the double crochet body and the single crochet brim, softening the top edge of the basket before the decorative finishing is applied.