Meadow Mallow Bunny Basket Free Pattern – A Whimsical Crochet Easter Basket

Spring is in the air, and what better way to celebrate than with a charming, handmade crochet project? The Meadow Mallow Bunny Basket is the perfect blend of cozy texture and whimsical design—a soft, marshmallow-like bunny basket that's ideal for holding tiny treats, Easter eggs, or simply serving as adorable spring décor. This pattern is beginner-friendly, worked in continuous spirals, and uses basic stitches to create a sturdy, plush basket that will bring a smile to anyone's face. Let's dive in and create this delightful piece together!

Materials Needed

Before you begin, gather the following supplies. The gauge is not critical for this project, so don't worry too much about perfection—just enjoy the process!

• Yarn: Worsted weight cotton or acrylic yarn in three colors:
  • Cream (main basket body)
  • Blush pink (ear insides, cheeks, nose)
  • Sage green (optional bow accent)
• Hook: 4.0 mm crochet hook (US G/6)
• Stitch marker (to track rounds)
• Yarn needle (for sewing and embroidery)
• Scissors
• Dark brown or black yarn (for embroidering eyes)

Step-by-Step Instructions

This pattern is worked in continuous spirals unless otherwise noted. Always use a stitch marker to keep track of your rounds. Let's start with the basket body!

Basket Body (Make 1)

The basket is worked from the bottom up, starting with a magic ring and increasing to create a flat circle, then working even to form the walls, and finally decreasing to shape the top rim.

1. R1: Magic ring, 6 sc in ring. (6)
2. R2: Inc in each st around. (12)
3. R3: (Sc in next st, inc) repeat around. (18)
4. R4: (Sc in next 2 sts, inc) repeat around. (24)
5. R5: (Sc in next 3 sts, inc) repeat around. (30)
6. R6: (Sc in next 4 sts, inc) repeat around. (36)
7. R7: (Sc in next 5 sts, inc) repeat around. (42)
8. R8: (Sc in next 6 sts, inc) repeat around. (48)
9. R9: (Sc in next 7 sts, inc) repeat around. (54)
10. R10: (Sc in next 8 sts, inc) repeat around. (60)
11. R11-R20: Sc in each st around. (60) – This forms the basket walls. Work even for 10 rounds. Tip: Place a stitch marker at the beginning of R11 to easily count your even rounds.
12. R21: (Sc in next 8 sts, dec) repeat around. (54)
13. R22: (Sc in next 7 sts, dec) repeat around. (48)
14. R23: (Sc in next 6 sts, dec) repeat around. (42)
15. R24: (Sc in next 5 sts, dec) repeat around. (36)
16. R25: (Sc in next 4 sts, dec) repeat around. (30)
17. R26: (Sc in next 3 sts, dec) repeat around. (24)
18. R27: (Sc in next 2 sts, dec) repeat around. (18)
19. Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Thread the tail through a yarn needle, weave through the front loops of the remaining stitches, and pull tight to close the bottom. Weave in the end securely.

Bunny Ears (Make 2)

These floppy ears are simple tubes that are flattened and sewn shut at the bottom, creating a lovely leaf-like shape. The inside of each ear will be blush pink, and the outside cream—so you'll work the ear in cream, then add a pink liner (or simply embroider the inside with pink yarn if you prefer a simpler approach). For this pattern, we'll create the ears in cream and then sew a pink inner ear piece.

1. R1: Magic ring, 6 sc in ring. (6)
2. R2: (Sc in next st, inc) repeat around. (9)
3. R3-R8: Sc in each st around. (9) – Work even for 6 rounds.
4. R9: (Sc in next st, dec) repeat around. (6)
5. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Flatten each ear and sew the bottom edge together to create a leaf-like shape.

Pink Inner Ear (Make 2): Using blush pink yarn, repeat R1-R2 of the ear pattern, then work R3-R6 even (9 sts). Fasten off, leaving a tail. Sew this pink piece onto the inside of each cream ear, aligning the bottom edges. This gives the ear a beautiful two-tone effect.

Bunny Face (Embroidered)

Now for the fun part—bringing your bunny to life! The face is embroidered directly onto the front of the basket.

1. Cheeks: Using blush pink yarn, embroider two small oval cheeks on the front of the basket, about 4 rounds above the bottom edge and 3 stitches apart. Use a satin stitch or simple back-and-forth stitches to fill in the ovals.
2. Eyes: Using dark brown or black yarn, embroider two small eyes (French knots or straight stitches) above the cheeks. Position them about 2 rounds above the cheeks and 4 stitches apart.
3. Nose and Mouth: Embroider a small 'Y' shaped nose and mouth below the eyes using blush pink yarn. The nose is a small triangle or vertical line, and the mouth is a small 'V' or 'Y' shape extending downward.

Assembly

1. Attach the Ears: Sew the ears onto the top edge of the basket, positioning them on either side of the center front, about 2 inches apart. Angle them slightly outward for a floppy, adorable look. Use the long tails from the ears to sew them securely to the inside or outside of the rim.
2. Weave in All Ends: Ensure all yarn tails are woven in securely to prevent unraveling.

Optional Handle

If you'd like to carry your basket around, add a simple handle!

1. Make a chain of 40 stitches.
2. Sc in each chain across. (39 sc)
3. Fasten off, leaving long tails on both ends.
4. Sew each end to the inside of the basket rim, opposite each other, to create a handle. Make sure it's centered and secure.

Finishing Touches

Add a little extra charm with a sage green bow at the base of one ear.

1. Make the Bow: Chain 10, sc in 2nd ch from hook and across. (9 sc) Fasten off.
2. Cinch the Center: Wrap a small piece of sage green yarn around the center of the strip to cinch it into a bow shape. Tie a knot on the back.
3. Attach: Sew the bow to the basket at the base of one ear, or simply tie it around the ear itself.

Your Meadow Mallow Bunny Basket is complete! Fill it with chocolate eggs, spring flowers, or tiny gifts, and enjoy the whimsical charm it brings to your home. This pattern is perfect for beginners and makes a wonderful handmade gift. Happy crocheting!