Tea Bags Basket: Pattern #3

Tea Bags Basket: Pattern #3 by knitvana

Project Overview

This downloadable knitting pattern creates a functional tea bags basket suitable for organizing and storing tea bags. Designed by knitvana as an intermediate-level project, the basket features a two-part construction with a bottom section and a top section, each with integrated sides. The pattern uses a combination of knit and purl stitches to build structure and visual interest in this practical container.

What Is Being Made

The Tea Bags Basket is a small decorative and functional container designed to hold and organize tea bags. The basket consists of two main components: a bottom and sides section, and a top and sides section that work together to create a complete, lidded storage vessel. This intermediate project is ideal for knitters looking to expand beyond basic garments into practical home goods.

Basket Bottom and Two Sides Construction

The bottom section begins with casting on 17 stitches and spans 45 rows total. The construction employs a strategic color-blocking technique with two contrasting yarns to create visual definition between sections.

• Initial rows (1-3): Worked entirely in knit stitch to establish the foundation
• Textural variation (rows 4-14): Alternating knit and purl rows create a ribbed texture, with yarn color changes at rows 5 and 9 to introduce contrast
• Extended stockinette section (rows 15-31): Alternating knit on odd rows and purl on even rows builds the main body of the basket
• Second color block (rows 32-45): Another yarn color change at row 37 with additional knit and purl alternation creates a second visual band before casting off

Basket Top and Two Sides Construction

The top section begins with 13 stitches cast on and incorporates shaping through decreases to form the lid structure. This section demonstrates more advanced stitch work including purl two together decreases and alternating knit-purl patterns.

• Foundation rows (1-6): Knit and purl rows establish the base of the top section with yarn color changes at rows 7 and 11
• Textured pattern rows (13-16): Alternating knit and purl stitches create a reversible texture, with purl two together decreases at row 15 reducing stitches from 13 to 11, and again at row 16 reducing to 9 stitches
• Final shaping (rows 17-53): Continued alternating purl and knit stitches maintain the textured pattern while the reduced stitch count creates the tapered top

Stitches and Techniques Used

• Knit stitch: The primary stitch creating smooth, vertical columns of fabric
• Purl stitch: Creates the reverse texture and is used strategically to build ribbed and textured sections
• Stockinette stitch: Formed by alternating knit rows (right side) and purl rows (wrong side), creating the smooth body sections
• Ribbed texture: Alternating knit and purl stitches in the same row create vertical ridges that add elasticity and visual interest
• Purl two together (P2tog): A decrease technique used in the top section to shape the lid by reducing stitch count
• Color blocking: Yarn changes at strategic points create distinct horizontal bands of contrasting colors
• Casting on and casting off: Standard techniques to begin and finish the knitted pieces

Materials Required

This pattern requires two contrasting yarns (referred to as Yarn 1 and Yarn 2 throughout the instructions) to create the color-blocked effect. Knitting needles appropriate to the yarn weight are needed to achieve the correct gauge. The specific yarn weights and needle sizes are not detailed in the provided pattern excerpt, so knitters should refer to the complete pattern document for these specifications.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate, this pattern assumes knitters are comfortable with basic stitches and can follow row-by-row instructions. The inclusion of decreases, yarn color changes, and the need to construct and assemble two separate pieces with matching sides makes this suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle simple shaping and multi-part projects.