Crochet Teardrop Basket or Plant Hanger Pattern: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

There is something deeply satisfying about making something functional and beautiful at the same time. A crochet teardrop basket or plant hanger sits right at that intersection — it is elegant enough to display prominently in your home, practical enough to hold your favorite trailing plant, and versatile enough to work as a hanging storage basket for keys, mail, or small trinkets near your entryway. Whether you are an intermediate crocheter looking for a fresh project or a beginner who has mastered the basics and wants to level up, this pattern is for you.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know: the materials, the stitches, the shaping technique that creates that distinctive teardrop silhouette, and tips for customizing the finished piece to suit your personal style. By the end, you will have a beautiful handmade piece ready to hang in your home or gift to someone you love.

What Is a Teardrop Basket?

Before we dive into the pattern itself, it helps to understand what makes a teardrop basket different from a standard hanging planter or flat-bottomed crochet bowl. The teardrop shape — wide at the top and tapering to a rounded point at the bottom — creates a dramatic, modern silhouette that looks stunning when suspended from a ceiling hook or curtain rod bracket. The design draws the eye downward and makes plants look like they are spilling dramatically from a sculptural vessel.

This shape is achieved by starting at the bottom point and working upward in expanding rounds, then increasing more aggressively in the middle section before tapering the top edge inward slightly to create a rim. It sounds complex, but once you understand the logic of the shaping, each row flows naturally from the one before it.

The same basic structure can function as a purely decorative basket — for holding dried flowers, a candle, or a collection of small objects — or as a true plant hanger if you add drainage accommodations and use an appropriate pot liner. We will cover both applications.

Materials You Will Need

Getting your materials together before you begin saves a lot of interruption mid-project. Here is a full list of what you will need for a finished basket that measures approximately 8 inches tall and 7 inches wide at its widest point.

Yarn: Approximately 200–250 yards of worsted weight cotton yarn (size 4). Cotton is strongly recommended over acrylic for this project because it holds its structure better, especially if you plan to use the basket as a plant hanger where it may experience occasional moisture. Natural, undyed cotton gives a beautiful organic look, but any solid color or subtle tone-on-tone works beautifully with the teardrop shape. Avoid heavily textured or fuzzy yarn for your first attempt — smooth yarn makes it easier to see your stitches and count rounds.

Hook: A 5.0 mm (H/8) crochet hook. This pairs well with standard worsted weight cotton. If you tend to crochet tightly, go up to a 5.5 mm hook to keep your tension relaxed and the fabric pliable.

Notions: A yarn needle for weaving in ends, scissors, stitch markers (at least 3), a measuring tape, and a ring or piece of sturdy driftwood or dowel for the hanging mechanism at the top (optional but recommended for a finished look).

Extras for plant hanger use: A small plastic or glazed ceramic pot that fits snugly at the widest point of the basket, and approximately 2 yards of macramé cord or jute twine for the hanging element if you prefer a cord hanger over a ring.

Gauge and Sizing

Gauge: 14 stitches and 16 rows = 4 inches in single crochet with worsted weight cotton and a 5.0 mm hook.

Gauge matters more than usual for this project because the teardrop shape depends on precise shaping. If your gauge is off significantly, the basket may end up too floppy or too stiff, and the proportions of the shape will shift. Take five minutes to crochet a small swatch before beginning and adjust your hook size if needed.

The finished dimensions given throughout this pattern are based on this gauge. If you want a larger planter — for a 6-inch pot, for example — you can increase your starting chain or scale the pattern by adding increases earlier and more frequently.

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

Throughout this pattern, the following abbreviations apply:

ch = chain, sl st = slip stitch, sc = single crochet, hdc = half double crochet, dc = double crochet, inc = increase (two single crochets in the same stitch), dec = invisible decrease (single crochet two stitches together through the front loops), MR = magic ring, BLO = back loop only, st(s) = stitch(es), rnd = round.

Pattern Instructions

Part One: The Bottom Point

The teardrop shape begins at its narrowest point — the bottom. You will start with a magic ring and a small number of stitches, then expand slowly over the first several rounds.

Magic Ring: Make a magic ring. If you are not comfortable with the magic ring technique, you can chain 2 and work your first round of stitches into the second chain from the hook instead, then pull the tail to close.

Round 1: Work 6 sc into the magic ring. Pull the ring closed. Place a stitch marker in the last stitch of the round and move it up with each completed round. (6 sts)

Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)

Round 3: Sc 1, inc — repeat from to around. (18 sts)

Round 4: Sc 2, inc — repeat from to around. (24 sts)

Round 5: Sc 3, inc — repeat from to around. (30 sts)

Round 6: Sc 4, inc — repeat from to around. (36 sts)

At the end of Round 6, you should have a small, flat circle with 36 stitches. Lay it on a flat surface — it should lie completely flat without any buckling or cupping. If it is cupping upward, your tension is too tight; if it is ruffling at the edges, your tension is too loose.

Part Two: Building the Sides

Now you will begin working into the back loops only, which creates a defined edge between the flat base and the rising sides of the basket. This is one of the most important steps for achieving a clean structure.

Round 7: Working in BLO, sc in each st around. (36 sts)

From this point forward, you will work in both loops unless otherwise instructed.

Rounds 8–10: Sc in each st around. (36 sts each round)

These three plain rounds build up the bottom of the basket before the shaping begins to flare outward.

Part Three: Creating the Teardrop Flare

This is where the basket starts to take on its distinctive shape. You will increase gradually over several rounds to create the wide middle section.

Round 11: Sc 5, inc — repeat around. (42 sts)

Round 12: Sc in each st around. (42 sts)

Round 13: Sc 6, inc — repeat around. (48 sts)

Round 14: Sc in each st around. (48 sts)

Round 15: Sc 7, inc — repeat around. (54 sts)

Round 16: Sc in each st around. (54 sts)

Round 17: Sc 8, inc — repeat around. (60 sts)

Round 18: Sc in each st around. (60 sts)

Round 19: Sc 9, inc — repeat around. (66 sts)

Round 20: Sc in each st around. (66 sts)

Round 21: Sc 10, inc — repeat around. (72 sts)

At this point, your basket should be noticeably wider than it was at the base, with a smooth outward curve. The widest section is approaching.

Part Four: The Widest Point

Rounds 22–26: Sc in each st around, no increases. (72 sts each round)

These five plain rounds create the wide middle section of the teardrop. You should now be able to see the shape quite clearly — a rounded bottom tapering into a wider middle. From here, the top will taper inward only slightly, creating the distinctive wide-mouthed opening that makes this basket so beautiful.

Part Five: The Top Taper and Rim

Round 27: Sc 10, dec — repeat around. (66 sts)

Round 28: Sc in each st around. (66 sts)

Round 29: Sc 9, dec — repeat around. (60 sts)

Round 30: Sc in each st around. (60 sts)

Round 31: Sc 8, dec — repeat around. (54 sts)

Round 32: Sc in each st around. (54 sts)

Round 33: Working in BLO, sc in each st around. This creates a second defined ridge that marks the transition to the rim. (54 sts)

Round 34: Sc in each st around. (54 sts)

Round 35: Sl st in each st around. Fasten off and weave in the end.

The slip stitch round at the top creates a neat, slightly inward-rolling edge that keeps the rim tidy and reinforces the opening.

Creating the Hanger Cord or Ring Attachment

Now that the basket body is complete, it is time to create the hanging element. There are two main approaches depending on the look you want.

Option A: Ring or Dowel Hanger

Cut four lengths of macramé cord or jute twine, each approximately 18 inches long. Fold each piece in half and attach it to the rim of the basket using a lark’s head knot, spacing the four attachment points evenly around the top opening. Gather all eight cord ends together above the basket, and knot them securely around a wooden ring, driftwood piece, or a short wooden dowel. Trim the ends to a uniform length or leave them slightly uneven for a natural, organic look. Hang from a ceiling hook using an additional length of cord threaded through the ring.

Option B: Crocheted Chain Loop

If you prefer an all-crochet finish, attach your yarn to any stitch at the top of the basket and crochet a chain of approximately 60 to 80 stitches (adjust based on your desired hanging length). Slip stitch the end of the chain back to the basket at a point directly across the opening from where you started, creating a single loop. Fasten off and weave in the ends. This creates a simple, clean hanging loop that suits a more minimal aesthetic.

Finishing Touches and Blocking

Even with cotton yarn, a light blocking session makes a noticeable difference in how polished the finished basket looks. Fill a basin with cool water and fully submerge the basket for about 15 minutes. Gently press out the excess water — do not wring. Stuff the basket with plastic bags or a rolled towel to help it hold its shape as it dries, and hang it in a well-ventilated spot. Once dry, the cotton will hold its shape beautifully and the stitch definition will be much crisper.

Customization Ideas

One of the great joys of making something by hand is the ability to make it entirely your own. Here are some ways to personalize this teardrop basket pattern.

Color blocking: Work the bottom section in one color and switch to a coordinating or contrasting color for the upper half. The defined ridge at Round 7 makes this color change look intentional and clean.

Textured stitches: Replace several rounds of plain single crochet in the middle section with rounds of reverse single crochet (also called crab stitch) or a simple shell stitch. These add visual interest without disrupting the shaping.

Fringe: Cut short lengths of yarn and attach them along the slip stitch rim for a boho fringe effect. This looks especially striking in a natural undyed cotton with a few strands of a contrasting earth tone woven in.

Size variations: For a smaller version — perfect for a succulent or air plant — use fingering weight yarn and a 2.5 mm hook, and work through Round 18 before beginning the top taper. For a larger version to accommodate a standard 8-inch nursery pot, use bulky weight cotton cord and a 6.5 mm hook and add two additional rounds of increases between each increase round in the shaping section.

Tips for Success

A few hard-won lessons that will save you time and frustration:

Always count your stitches at the end of every increase or decrease round. It takes about 30 seconds and saves you the heartbreak of discovering an error 10 rounds later. Place a stitch marker every 18 stitches around each round so that counting is fast and accurate.

Keep your tension as consistent as possible throughout. This is more important than making individual stitches perfectly uniform — a basket with slightly imperfect stitches but even tension will look far better than one with technically correct stitches but wildly variable tension.

If you put the project down mid-round, always finish the current round before stopping. Putting down your work in the middle of a round makes it very easy to lose your place in the shaping sequence.

When attaching your hanging cords, use at least four attachment points evenly spaced around the rim. Three points will cause the basket to tilt; four points keep it level and stable.

How to Use Your Finished Basket

As a plant hanger, this basket works best with a pot that sits at the widest point of the basket rather than dropping all the way to the bottom. The rounded bottom will cradle the pot naturally. Use a pot with a drainage hole and place a small saucer inside the basket, or choose a pot without drainage and water carefully to avoid overflow. Trailing plants like pothos, string of pearls, or heartleaf philodendron look especially stunning, since their vines spill over the wide rim and cascade downward in a way that echoes the teardrop shape beautifully.

As a decorative basket, the teardrop shape works well for displaying dried pampas grass, eucalyptus bundles, or a cluster of dried wildflowers. It also makes a charming entryway organizer when hung at a convenient height near a door — perfect for sunglasses, dog leashes, or small mail items.

Final Thoughts

The crochet teardrop basket and plant hanger pattern is one of those projects that rewards patience with a result that looks far more complex than it actually is. Once you understand the logic of the shaping — slow expansion at the bottom, a wide middle, a gentle taper at the top — the whole piece feels intuitive and enjoyable to make. It works up relatively quickly in worsted weight cotton, and the finished piece genuinely earns a place of pride in any home.

Whether you make one for yourself or as a gift, this pattern is a wonderful reminder that functional objects can also be genuinely beautiful, and that making something by hand adds a warmth and intentionality to everyday spaces that no store-bought item can quite replicate. Save this pattern, make notes on your yarn choices and hook size in the margins, and come back to it whenever you want a satisfying, meditative project with a gorgeous result.

Happy crocheting.