Chunky Tidy Up Basket

Chunky Tidy Up Basket by Veronika Cromwell

What Is Being Made

The Chunky Tidy Up Basket is a large, functional crochet storage container designed for organizing household items. This project creates a sturdy basket measuring 17 centimeters in height with a 33.5 centimeter bottom circle diameter, making it ideal for storing textiles, toys, or craft supplies. The basket features leather handles or repurposed belt straps for easy carrying and transport.

Craft and Technique Overview

This is a crochet project worked primarily in the round, beginning with a flat circular base and building upward to form the basket's cylindrical body. The construction method uses linked double crochet stitches worked through the back loop only, a technique that creates a dense, structured fabric suitable for a functional storage container. The pattern includes specific guidance on tension and finished measurements to ensure consistent results.

Stitches Used

• Chain stitch (ch) – Used to establish the foundation of the circular base
• Double crochet (dc) – The primary stitch for building the basket structure
• Linked double crochet worked through back loop only (linked dc blo) – Creates the textured, sturdy fabric of the basket body and contributes to its dimensional appearance
• Slip stitch (sl st) – Used to join rounds and finish transitions

Materials and Tools

Yarn: Tek Tek T-shirt yarn in super chunky weight, specifically in mustard yellow. One ball is required, with yardage of 100–120 meters per 700–1000 grams. T-shirt yarn, made from recycled or new cotton jersey knit, provides excellent structure and a modern aesthetic suitable for home storage.

Tools and Hardware: A 12 millimeter crochet hook, a yarn needle for weaving in ends, scissors, and either leather handles or an old belt repurposed as handles for the finished basket.

Difficulty Level and Customization

This project is rated as beginner-friendly, making it accessible to crocheters new to basket construction. The pattern includes straightforward size adjustment options: additional rounds can be added to or removed from the bottom circle to increase or decrease the basket's width, and the height can be modified by adjusting the number of body rounds worked.

Finished Measurements and Tension

The completed basket measures 17 centimeters in height with a circular base diameter of 33.5 centimeters. Tension is specified as 6 stitches by 3 rows equaling 10 by 10 centimeters when measured over linked double crochet. The bottom circle after completing round 2 should measure 13.5 centimeters across, serving as a checkpoint for proper gauge.