Knit Slouchy Hanging Baskets
Looking for the crochet Slouchy Hanging Baskets? Click here!
After a crazy amount of requests for these babies, I am thrilled to unveil my latest collab with Lion Brand - the KNIT Slouchy Hanging Baskets! I have to admit I didn't think these would be possible, or at least not as good as the original crochet baskets, but dare I say I may even like them more! So glad I listened to you guys and gave it a shot. Read on for more info on my design process and for the free pattern, or click here to purchase the ad-free, printer-friendly PDF. Ready to make them? Grab the kit from Lion Brand here and choose from the gorgeous palette of 18 colors!
If you've been following me for a while, you know that I design in both knitting and crochet and often get requests for a pattern written in one craft to be "translated" to the other. I wish it was as easy as copying and pasting the pattern into google translate, but sadly that is not the case! The two crafts require a completely different set of instructions with unique math, techniques, and lots of hours of testing and stitching. Sometimes I can take something in one craft and know exactly how to make it look similar in the other (albeit a totally different pattern and process), sometimes it's simply impossible because knitting and crochet just don't perform the same, and occasionally there is a challenging project that requires a lot of tinkering before it can go from one to the other, but if it works then the result it so satisfying - this is definitely one of those scenarios!
Crochet baskets are kind of a no brainer. The dense, less stretchy fabric that crochet produces makes for a sturdy finished piece with integrity. The ability to crochet in the round makes the process simple and easy. Creating a flat crochet circle is a basic formula that works every time and makes it a breeze to make a base of any size and then simply build up the sides one stitch at a time with a single hook. Now apply knitting to basket making and you pretty much get the opposite result of each of those statements, haha.
Knit fabric is stretchy and much less dense, so it collapses and loses its shape almost immediately. And when it comes to hanging baskets, placing anything in them would cause serious stretch and distortion, making them essentially useless. Creating a flat knit circle requires head-scratching math and multiple fiddly double pointed needles. All that being said, I do love a challenge and I knew there were so many of you out there asking for a knit version that I had to give this a try.
Just like the crochet Slouchy Hanging Baskets, I decided to go with Lion Brand Re-Tweed for these as well. It comes in so many beautiful colors so it's perfect for mixing and matching a set of baskets, and it has almost no stretch on its own so it was a good option for that reason as well. It's a bit of a stiffer yarn, so I knew it would give the baskets more integrity than anything smoother like an acrylic yarn. To minimize the stretch of the finished baskets even more, I knew I would have to knit extremely tight (not something I find particularly enjoyable, tbh) and choose a stitch that had very little give.
After what felt like endless swatching I finally landed on the linen stitch with the yarn held doubled. The linen stitch uses slipped stitches to create a woven look, and these "floats" also prevent the stitches from stretching, just like woven fabric doesn't stretch! Holding the yarn doubled makes the fabric thicker so it holds its shape a lot better and has a more similar look to the fabric of the crochet baskets.
After I had locked in my yarn and stitch choices, I hunkered down on working out the construction. While the crochet baskets are worked from the base up in a spiral that easily allows you to keep expanding until you reach your desired diameter, then simply go around and around until it reaches your desired height, I knew the shaping on the bottom of the knit baskets would be complicated and involved, especially in a stitch pattern. I wanted the shaping to look professional, clean, and symmetric, so I had to work out a way to do even decreases (for two separate sizes!) while maintaining the linen stitch pattern.
I decided it would be easier to work these baskets the reverse way, starting at the top with the hanging loop, then working in the round to create a tube, then finally shaping the bottom into a flat circle. This is similar to the way a knit hat is worked. I also find it's easier to use double pointed needles when you have lots of fabric to grip rather than casting on stitches to them and trying to keep them all even and untwisted, and since you need to use them for this project to create the base, I wanted to end with that part.
After I got a few inches into the first basket, I could tell that the fabric was going to be nice and strong and have a similar density to the crochet baskets. Working the linen stitch for the majority of the baskets is actually very meditative as you're just toggling between two stitches the whole time and it's easy to lose yourself in a movie or audio book without having to pay too much attention. And now that I've worked out all of the math for you, the base isn't too bad either ;)
I am a HUGE fan of mirrored, symmetric decreases (see: Mariner's Cap and Voyager Cap) so I worked out a "spoked" shaping for the base that produces such a professional, satisfying look! The double pointed needles stay put nicely on the tightly knit fabric, so they're a lot easier to use for this project than for something else you may have used them for in the past. With only two stitches, it's a simple knit that I'm sure all of you could tackle! I love these Slouchy Hanging Baskets so much and I think they would look lovely in any home whether they are worked up in knit or crochet! Handmade items as decor are so special, and when they look this good it’s even better. Check out this article from Redfin that I recently contributed to that speaks to how and why you should display your makes in your home.
This is an easy level knitting pattern and the techniques involved are the knit stitch, slip stitch, S2KP double decrease, and working in the round on circular and double pointed needles.
MATERIALS:
4 skeins Lion Brand Yarn Re-Tweed in Fudge (253-126) or approx. 808yds/740m of another worsted weight (cat. 4) yarn for larger basket
2 skeins Lion Brand Yarn Re-Tweed in Grapefruit (253-104) or approx. 404yds/370m of another worsted weight (cat. 4) yarn for smaller basket
Size US 11 (8mm) circular knitting needles, 24”/60cm long for larger basket
Size US 11 (8mm) circular knitting needles, 16”/40cm long for smaller basket
Size US 11 (8mm) double pointed needles
Removable stitch markers
Shop the hooks I used to hang these baskets here!
FINISHED SIZE:
A (diameter) 8.5”/21.5cm (small), 13.75”/35cm (large)
B (circumference) 27”/68.5cm (small), 43”/109cm (large)
C (depth) 8”/20cm (small), 12”/30.5cm (large)
GAUGE:
13 sts + 25 rounds = 4”/10cm in linen stitch in the round with yarn held doubled
ABBREVIATIONS:
*All Two of Wands patterns are written in standard US terms
CO – cast on
Dec – decrease
K – knit
Rep – repeat
S2KP – slip 2 together knitwise, knit 1, pass sl sts over
Sl – slip
St(s) – stitch(es)
Wyif – with yarn in front
Notes: Baskets are worked from the top down, first on circular needles and then on double pointed needles as the number of stitches decreases to shape the bottom. All sts are slipped purlwise with yarn in front. Yarn is held double throughout – to do so, pull the inner end out of the center of the skein and hold it together with the outer end. Pattern is written for two sizes: small (large).
With two strands held together, CO 101 (149) sts. Being careful not to twist sts, join to work in the round and place marker for beginning of round.
Round 1: Bind off 16 sts, *sl 1 wyif, K 1, rep from * around, CO 4 sts. (89 (137) sts)
Round 2: Sl 1 wyif, *K 1, sl 1 wyif, rep from * around.
Round 3: K 1, *sl 1 wyif, K 1, rep from * around.
Rep rounds 2 and 3 (linen st) until work measures 8”/20cm (12”/30.5cm).
Shape the bottom of the basket (change to double pointed needles when necessary):
Place removable markers on the following sts for each size:
Small – 7th, 18th, 29th, 40th, 51st, 62nd, 73rd, and 84th
Large – 10th, 27th, 44th, 61st, 78th, 95th, 112th, and 129th
Next round (dec): *Work in linen st pattern to 1 st before next marked st, remove marker, S2KP, replace marker on new st just created, rep from * until no marked sts remain in round, work in linen st pattern to end of round. (73 (121) sts)
Next 3 rounds: Moving markers up as you reach them, work in linen st pattern around, but K the marked st regardless of whether it would technically be a K or sl st in the pattern repeat. This will result in 4 places per round where there are 3 K sts in a row, but it will keep the decrease lines straight and clean.
Rep last 4 rounds three (six) more times. (25 sts)
Final round: Work 1 st in linen st pattern, then S2KP around. (9 sts)
Do not bind off. Cut a tail and thread onto a tapestry needle. Draw through all remaining sts and pull like a drawstring to close hole.
Secure and weave in all ends.
Purchase the printable, ad-free pattern here.
Purchase the kit from Lion Brand Yarn here.
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