Search “crochet pumpkin basket” and you’ll find plenty of orange bowls with a stem stuck on top. They’re cute, but they don’t really look like pumpkins. What makes a pumpkin look like a pumpkin is the shape: a belly that swells out, a top that pulls back in, and grooves running from bottom to crown.
So this basket is built around that shape. The sides bulge and taper, ten raised ribs run up the body, and the handle arches over the top the way a real pumpkin’s crown does. The stem, leaf, and a curly little tendril sit right on the handle.
There’s one technique to pick up if you haven’t used it yet, the front post double crochet. It’s just a double crochet worked around the stitch instead of into it. Everything else is single crochet.
Your numbers will shift slightly with your tension.
Confident Beginner. You should be comfortable with magic ring, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, and simple increases and decreases. Front post double crochet is explained in the abbreviations below.
Yarn (Worsted Weight / US 4, 100% cotton):
Yardage is an estimate. Keep a little extra orange on hand, just in case.
Hook: US G-6 / 4.0 mm
Notions:
Why cotton? Acrylic tends to slump. Cotton is heavier and firmer, which is what a basket needs to stand up on its own.
Gauge
In single crochet, worked in continuous rounds: 17 sts and 18 rounds = 4 in / 10 cm.
Amigurumi-style projects are forgiving, but a basket is not. If your fabric feels floppy, go down a hook size. Tight stitches are what keep the sides upright.
The basket is worked in a continuous spiral, so don’t join rounds. Put a marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go. Use your second marker on the first FPdc of the sides, so you can keep the ribs lined up.
Base
With Color A:
This BLO round makes the corner that turns the flat base into upright sides. Don’t skip it.
Sides
Your 60 stitches are now split into 10 ribs. Each rib begins with one FPdc, so that’s the stitch to mark.
Each FPdc goes around the post of the FPdc directly below it. That stacking is what builds the raised columns.
Rim
Sl st in the next stitch and FO, leaving a 6 in tail. Weave in the end.
Handle
With Color A, ch 56.
FO, leaving a long tail at each end. The handle should be about 12 in / 30 cm long and about 1 in / 2.5 cm wide.
Stem
Worked from the top down, with Color B:
FO, leaving a long tail. Stuff lightly. It only needs enough fill to stand up, not enough to look round.
Leaf (make 1)
With Color C, ch 10.
FO, leaving a short tail for sewing. The leaf should be about 2 in / 5 cm long.
Tendril (make 1)
With Color C, ch 21. Work 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, then 2 sc in each ch across (40). FO, leaving a tail at each end.
It will curl up on its own. Let it. Don’t stretch it straight.
Before you sew anything permanently, hold the handle against the rim to check the arch. Then step back. You’ve got a pumpkin with a proper crown.
Want it taller? Add 2 or 3 more even rounds in the middle section (Rnds 14–17). Keep the FPdc ribs going, and everything else stays the same.
Not feeling orange? Cream or pale peach gives a “fairy tale pumpkin” look. Black with an orange stem is great for a spooky table.
Want extra structure? Cut a circle of plastic canvas to fit the base and slip it in. Add a fabric lining if you want to keep small treats from slipping through the gaps.
No handle? Skip it and you have a decorative pumpkin bowl. Move the stem and leaf to the rim.
If your ribs look flat, your hook is probably going into the top of the stitch instead of around the post. If they wander sideways, a stitch was skipped or doubled somewhere. Count the stitches between FPdcs and you’ll find it fast.
If you make one of these, I’d love to see it. Drop a photo in the comments or tag me if you post it. Happy hooking!
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