Crochet Birch Bark Basket
The Crochet Birch Bark Basket is a charming and rustic addition to any home decor. Crafted with love and care, this unique piece brings a touch of nature indoors with its intricate design resembling natural birch bark. Perfect for storing small trinkets, keys, or displaying fresh flowers, this basket is both practical and beautiful. Its earthy tones and textured look add a cozy feel to any room, making it a delightful conversation starter for guests. Whether you are a crochet enthusiast or simply appreciate handmade treasures, the Crochet Birch Bark Basket is sure to brighten up your space with its warmth and character.
Materials:
- US - I, 5.5mm hook
- 900 - 1000 yds Caron One Pound ("4"; Worsted; UK: 10-12 ply)
- Color A - Lace - 826 yds
Color B - Espresso - 100 yds - Stitch Markers
How to Create the Birch Bark Crochet Stitch Pattern:
This stitch pattern is made using a variation of tapestry crochet.
Color A Held Doubled
The main color (Color A) is held doubled (two strands held and worked as together as if they were one) and worked in single crochet stitches.
Work Over Color B
Each stitch is worked over a single strand of Color B, enclosing and hiding it behind, or in back of the row. Color B might peek out from the back, but shouldn't be visible from the outside of the basket.
Begin a Stripe
Then, when you wish to add a stripe of Color B to the pattern, you pull the strand to the front of your work and let it hang. Continue making sc stitches as before, with Color B hanging loose in front of your work. This could be for just 1 stitch, or it could be for as many as 10 - it's up to you!
End a Stripe
Then when the stripe is done, pull Color B back behind the next stitch and continue as before, enclosing it in each stitch. Be sure to give a tug to Color B once in a while to make sure it doesn't sag - but don't pull so tight that the main color fabric buckles either.
Get Creatively Random
The length of each stripe and its placement is completely up to you. Birchbark trees have random (to our eyes) stripes, and like a tree, your basket should be your own unique work of art! Before starting mine, I looked at pictures of birch trees for inspiration, and then just proceeded to add stripes whenever I thought it was a good time to add them. There's no right or wrong to this, so have fun with it!
Instructions for the Base of the Basket:
Row 1: Holding yarn from both ends of the skein of Color A together, ch 36. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and each remaining ch. Turn. (35 sts)
Row 2 - 40 (or until roughly square): Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (35 sts)
Instructions for the Sides of the Basket:
Round 1: Ch 1, sc in each st across row (place marker in first st and move up with each row), then turning to work into the left edge, sc 36 sts across, then turning again sc in each starting ch, then turning once more, sc 36 sts into other row edges. Join with a sl st to first sc made in this round. (142 sts)
NOTE: Exact st count isn't actually important here so much as using the right number of stitches for the size basket you're making and your own gauge. If it works and looks better to use a different number, then please do!
Round 2: Ch 1, and laying the end of Color B along the inside of the basket, sc evenly all around the basket, holding Color B behind the stitches and working over it to enclose it in each st. Join to first sc of round with a sl st.
Round 3 - 29 (or until the basket is desired height): Ch 1 and sc in each st around, enclosing Color B as before, except when bringing Color B forward to create birch bark pattern (see above for more information on this technique). Join each round with a sl st in the first sc of the round.
NOTE: On Rounds 13 and 26 I joined to the 2nd sc of the round and then in Rounds 14 and 27 I worked a st into the sl st. This technique maintained the st count while pulling the joining line back to the left. This is optional, but if you do not do this you'll need to adjust the placement of the handles from the stitch counts listed below.
Instructions for Making the Handles (optional):
Round 30: Ch 1, sc in the first 12 sts of the round, ch 11, skip the next 11 sts, sc in the next 60 sts, ch 11, skip the next 11 sts, sc in the last 48 sts.
NOTE: These are the stitch counts that worked out for me, if you are making a different size or didn't adjust the joining line as noted above, you will need to move the handles around to suit your project.
Round 31: Ch 1, sc in each st and ch to end. Join with a sl st in first sc.
Round 32: Ch 1, sc evenly around. Join with a sl st in first sc.
Round 33: Ch 1, sl st in 2nd st and each st around. Break yarn and use seamless join to finish off.
Easy, chic, and right on trend in home decor. This crochet basket looks great in a cabin in the woods or in a modern loft - and in a suburban split level in Iowa. The neutral colors and inspired by nature design make it a really neutral piece that still has lots of character.