Crochet Hanging Basket Pattern: Teardrop Wall Storage PDF

If you’ve been searching for a functional home décor project that doubles as a stunning wall feature, this crochet hanging basket pattern is exactly what you need. The teardrop shape gives it a graceful, organic silhouette that looks gorgeous in boho-style bedrooms, nurseries, entryways, and living spaces. Best of all, this is a project that works up relatively quickly, produces a sturdy and practical storage solution, and results in something that genuinely looks like it came from a boutique home goods shop.

This post will walk you through everything: the materials you’ll need, the stitches involved, shaping tips for getting that signature teardrop form, and finishing techniques to help you hang your basket beautifully on the wall. Whether you’re a confident beginner or an intermediate crocheter looking for a satisfying weekend project, you’ll find plenty of detail here to guide you from start to finish.

Why a Teardrop Shape?

Most crochet baskets are round, rectangular, or square. The teardrop hanging basket stands apart because of its pointed bottom and gently widening body that tapers back in as it reaches the opening. This profile allows the basket to rest flat against a wall while still holding its three-dimensional depth toward the front, giving you a real pocket of storage space without the basket sticking far out from the surface.

The shape also has an undeniable visual appeal. When hung on a bare wall, it reads like a piece of art. Fill it with rolled hand towels in a bathroom, a trailing pothos in a bedroom, children’s toys in a nursery, or rolled knitting projects in a craft room and it becomes both beautiful and useful simultaneously.

Materials You’ll Need

Before you start crocheting, gather everything so the process stays smooth and uninterrupted.

Yarn: Choose a sturdy cotton yarn in a worsted or bulky weight. Cotton is ideal for baskets because it holds its shape, washes well, and lacks the stretch that can make acrylic yarns sag over time. A chunky macramé-style cotton rope or a 5mm cotton yarn both work beautifully. For a classic natural look, try undyed or ecru cotton. For something with more personality, dusty terracotta, sage green, and slate blue are all popular choices for this style of décor.

You’ll need approximately 300–400 yards of worsted weight cotton for a medium-sized basket (roughly 14 inches tall and 9 inches at the widest point). Go up to 500–600 yards if you prefer a larger version that can hold bulkier items.

Hook: A 5.5mm or 6mm crochet hook pairs well with worsted weight cotton. If you’re using a chunkier rope-style yarn, step up to a 7mm or 8mm hook. Always check your tension against the gauge swatch described below before committing to a full project.

Notions: You’ll also want a yarn needle for weaving in ends, scissors, stitch markers (at least two or three), a ruler or measuring tape, and a wooden dowel or decorative branch for hanging (approximately 12–14 inches wide). Optional extras include wooden beads for decoration, a small metal ring for the hanging loop, and a spray bottle of water plus blocking mat if you want to wet-block your finished piece for a crisp, professional look.

Gauge

Getting gauge matters more than people expect for a shaped project like this. If your stitches are looser or tighter than the pattern intends, the teardrop proportions can end up distorted — either too short and squat or too long and narrow.

Work a swatch in single crochet:

Target gauge: 13 stitches and 15 rows = 4 inches using 5.5mm hook and worsted weight cotton.

Adjust your hook size up or down accordingly. A relaxed, fluid tension is better for baskets than an overly tight tension, which can make the fabric stiff and unpleasant to work.

Understanding the Construction

The teardrop hanging basket is worked in continuous rounds from the bottom point upward. Because we’re creating that pointed base, the project actually starts with a magic ring and builds using slow, controlled increases over the first several rounds to form the narrow lower section. Increases then accelerate in the middle rounds to create the basket’s widest point, before decreasing gently near the top to bring the opening back to a comfortable size that still allows easy access.

The flat back panel is what allows this basket to hang flush against a wall. You achieve this by working in a modified flat-back technique during certain rounds, skipping increases on the back arc and focusing them all on the front half. This is easier to execute than it sounds, and the stitch markers will guide you through it clearly.

The hanging portion is created with a simple braided or chained cord attached to both ends of a wooden dowel threaded through the top loops of the basket. The dowel sits inside the last few rows, anchored by the crocheted fabric itself.

The Pattern

Foundation: The Pointed Tip

Begin with a magic ring. This is essential — a chain start will leave a visible hole at the very tip of your teardrop, which compromises both appearance and structure.

Round 1: Work 6 single crochet (sc) into the magic ring. Pull the tail to close. Place a stitch marker in the last stitch of the round and move it up each round. (6 sts)

Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around. (12 sts)

Round 3: [Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] repeat around. (18 sts)

Round 4: [Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st] repeat around. (24 sts)

Round 5: Work even — sc in each stitch around. (24 sts)

At this stage you have the base of the teardrop point. The fabric should naturally cup and curve slightly, forming a rounded base.

Building the Body

Now you begin differentiating the front and back of the basket. Place a second stitch marker at the stitch directly opposite your round marker. This marks the center back of your basket.

Round 6: Sc around, but work 2 sc increases only on the front half of the round (between your two markers). On the back half, work even with no increases. Total increases this round: 3. (27 sts)

Round 7: Work even around. (27 sts)

Round 8: Repeat Round 6 pattern — 3 increases spread across the front half only. (30 sts)

Round 9: Work even. (30 sts)

Round 10: Sc around, placing 4 increases evenly across the front half. (34 sts)

Round 11: Work even. (34 sts)

Round 12: 4 increases across front half. (38 sts)

Round 13: Work even. (38 sts)

Round 14: 4 increases across front half, 1 increase at each side edge (the points where your markers divide front from back). (44 sts)

Round 15: Work even. (44 sts)

Round 16: Work even. (44 sts)

You’re now at the widest point of the basket. The front should curve generously outward while the back lies relatively flat.

Narrowing Toward the Opening

Round 17: [Sc in next 10 sts, sc2tog] repeat around, working decreases only on front half. (41 sts)

Round 18: Work even. (41 sts)

Round 19: [Sc in next 9 sts, sc2tog] repeat, front half only. (38 sts)

Round 20: Work even. (38 sts)

Round 21: [Sc in next 8 sts, sc2tog] across front half only. (35 sts)

Round 22: Work even. (35 sts)

Round 23: Work even. (35 sts)

At this point step back and look at your basket. The teardrop profile should be clearly visible — a gently pointed base, a full rounded body, and a slightly narrowed opening beginning to take shape.

The Top Edge and Dowel Channel

The final four rounds create a firmer, reinforced top edge and the channel through which your wooden dowel will slide.

Round 24: Working in back loops only, sc around. (35 sts) — This creates a ridge on the inside that helps define the top of the basket.

Round 25: Sc around in both loops. (35 sts)

Round 26: Sc around. (35 sts)

Round 27: Fold the top edge inward toward the back of the basket and, working through both the current round and the corresponding stitches from Round 23, sc across the back half only, joining the folded edge to form a closed channel on the back. On the front half, sc normally without joining. (35 sts)

The dowel channel is now complete along the back of the basket’s top edge. Slide your dowel through, and the front edge will remain open as the functional opening of your basket.

Fasten off and weave in all ends carefully. Use your yarn needle to tuck tails back into the interior of the basket for a clean finish.

Making the Hanging Cords

Cut six lengths of your yarn, each approximately 36 inches long. Bundle them into two groups of three. At each end of your dowel, loop one bundle of three strands through the end, fold it in half so you have six working strands at that side, and braid them together for about 10–12 inches. Tie an overhand knot to secure. Repeat on the other side.

Bring both braided ends together and tie them in a large overhand knot to create the hanging loop. Adjust the length so your basket hangs at whatever height you prefer. You can also thread both braid ends through a large wooden bead before knotting them together, which adds a lovely handcrafted finishing detail.

Finishing and Blocking

Even if you’re not usually a blocker, this project genuinely benefits from a light wet block. Fill a basin with cool water and submerge the basket, gently pressing out any air bubbles. Let it soak for about 10 minutes, then press out excess water (don’t wring — just press firmly). Shape it on a flat surface, coaxing the teardrop profile into its ideal form with your hands, and pin the edges if needed. Let it dry completely, ideally overnight.

Blocking relaxes the cotton fibers, evens out any tension inconsistencies, and makes the finished basket look polished and intentional rather than homemade in the pejorative sense.

Customization Ideas

One of the best things about a pattern like this is how easily it adapts.

Size variations are simple to achieve by going up or down in yarn weight and hook size. A fingering weight version in natural linen makes a delicate small basket, perfect for holding jewelry or earbuds on a bedside table. A jumbo version using 10mm rope cord and a 10mm hook creates a dramatic large piece that can hold folded blankets in a living room.

Texture additions can transform the look entirely. Try working the body rounds in a half double crochet for a denser, more structured feel, or alternate rounds of single and slip stitch for a ribbed effect. Adding surface slip stitch lines after the fact creates a decorative geometric pattern on the front face of the basket.

Color and material swaps are straightforward. A striped version using two or three coordinating colors works especially well because you can change colors every two rounds during the body section with minimal weaving in of ends. Jute cord gives a more rustic, earthy aesthetic, while a soft T-shirt yarn creates something with a contemporary, chunky look.

Embellishments are completely optional but can be wonderful. Tie short fringe lengths along the bottom point, add a tassel at the tip, string wooden or ceramic beads onto the hanging cords, or stitch a small embroidered botanical motif onto the front of the basket once it’s finished.

How to Hang It

The flat back of this basket is intentionally designed to rest against a wall surface, so hanging it is simple. A single sturdy nail or screw hook positioned at the correct height is all you need. Loop the hanging knot over the hook and adjust the basket so it hangs level.

For a grouping, try hanging three teardrop baskets at staggered heights on the same wall, varying the sizes slightly. This creates a striking gallery-wall effect that functions as both art and storage. Fill each one with something different — a trailing plant, a bundle of dried flowers, rolled washcloths — to make the grouping feel curated rather than repetitive.

If you’d prefer not to use nails, a sturdy adhesive hook rated for the weight of the filled basket is a practical alternative. A small filled basket typically weighs under one pound, well within the capacity of most heavy-duty adhesive hooks.

Downloadable PDF Pattern

All of the instructions in this post are available as a clean, printable PDF pattern that you can save to your device, print out, or load up on a tablet to reference while you work. The PDF includes all rounds formatted as a quick-reference chart, a materials list, gauge information, a tutorial diagram for the flat-back shaping technique, and finishing notes. It’s formatted for A4 and US Letter paper.

If you prefer a physical copy, the PDF is print-ready and designed to fit cleanly on standard paper without awkward page breaks mid-round.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use acrylic yarn instead of cotton? You can, but the basket will be softer and may not hold its teardrop shape as crisply. If you want to use acrylic, look for a firm, tightly spun version rather than a fluffy or stretchy one. Adding a thin wire armature inside the tip can help maintain the pointed base shape.

My basket isn’t lying flat against the wall. What went wrong? This usually means the flat-back shaping rounds weren’t executed on quite the right stitches. Double-check that your stitch markers were accurately placed at the front-back division point and that you genuinely worked increases or decreases only on the front arc. Even one misplaced stitch can cause the back to cup rather than lie flat.

Can I make this waterproof for outdoor use? Untreated cotton is not ideal for prolonged outdoor or wet exposure. You can treat a finished cotton basket with a fabric stiffener or waterproofing spray for some moisture resistance, but for true outdoor or bathroom shower use, consider a polypropylene or nylon yarn rated for outdoor applications.

What can I store in it? The options are genuinely broad. Dried botanicals, artificial plants, rolled towels, remote controls, toiletry items, children’s small toys, yarn skeins, mail and keys near an entryway, rolled scarves in a wardrobe — anywhere you need a small accessible pocket of wall-mounted storage, this basket works beautifully.

Final Thoughts

The teardrop crochet hanging basket is one of those rare projects that hits a perfect intersection of aesthetic beauty, practical function, and achievable technique. The flat-back construction is a slightly unusual concept if you’ve only ever made freestanding baskets before, but once you understand the logic of it — increase asymmetrically on the front, leave the back flat — the shaping feels entirely natural and intuitive.

Whether you make one for your own home or produce a small batch to sell or gift, this is a pattern you’ll return to again and again. The teardrop shape is timeless, the materials are affordable, and the finished piece genuinely elevates any wall it hangs on.

Download the PDF, gather your cotton yarn and wooden dowel, and make yourself an afternoon of it. The result is worth every stitch.