Yip Yips Crochet Hanging Storage Basket Showcase

A character that earns its wall space

Some crochet projects are useful; others make everyone in the room smile. Carissa Browning’s Yip Yips (crochet) design does both. The broad mouth becomes an easy-access pocket, the upper loop hangs from a peg, and the eyes and lower tentacles turn ordinary storage into a wonderfully animated character.

The source suggests using the finished container for toy storage, children’s laundry, holiday stockings, or other lightweight household items. It is especially charming in a craft room, playroom, or reading corner where the contents can become part of the expression.

This HookElla article is a showcase and planning guide, not a replacement for the pattern. The design and technical specifications belong to Carissa Browning. Download the free original Yip Yips crochet pattern on Ravelry for the complete written instructions and photo tutorial.

Official project specifications

The original listing gives these finished details:

• Circumference: approximately 25 in (63.5 cm)
• Body height: approximately 14 in (35.5 cm)
• Height excludes the lower tentacles and hanging loop
• Yardage: approximately 175 yd (160 m)
• Gauge: 8 sc × 8 rows = 4 in (10 cm)
• Hook: 8.0 mm (L)
• Terminology: US crochet terms

The design is described as bottom-up, three-dimensional, largely seamless, and worked through a combination of in-the-round and flat construction. Matching the single-crochet gauge matters because it controls both the finished size and the firmness of the storage body.

Materials listed by the designer

The original pattern calls for:

• Approximately 175 yd (160 m) super-bulky yarn
• Bernat Blanket, Bernat Blanket Brights, or Bernat Baby Blanket are the suggested yarn lines
• 8.0 mm (L) crochet hook
• Stitch marker
• Tapestry needle
• Two ping pong balls
• Black paint pen or permanent marker
• Two 12-inch pipe cleaners
• An awl, ice pick, or similar tool for making holes in the eye forms
• A piece of black flannel approximately 16 × 24 in (41 × 61 cm)
• Scissors
• Sewing needle and black thread

The yarns named in the source are super-bulky polyester chenille. Their thickness helps the project grow quickly and gives the body a soft but substantial surface. A smooth super-bulky substitute can work, but it will look different and may need a changed hook to meet gauge.

The dusty teal HookElla interpretation

Dusty teal-blue gives this playful shape a calm, contemporary look. It works particularly well with the black mouth lining and white eyes, while the dense single-crochet texture keeps the color from feeling overly bright.

Other appealing palettes include:

• Apple green with cream eyes and a black mouth
• Warm coral or raspberry for cheerful nursery decor
• Golden mustard for a retro look
• Violet or cobalt for a stronger character color
• Soft grey, oatmeal, or sage for a quieter living space

The official design is easy to personalize through color, but keep enough contrast between the body, white eye forms, dark pupils, and black mouth so the expression reads clearly from across the room.

Construction overview

1. Begin at the bottom

The container starts from a small circular base and grows outward with increases. Working bottom-up gives the finished character a rounded lower body rather than a separate flat basket base.

Use a stitch marker consistently when the pattern moves through continuous rounds. Super-bulky chenille can hide the first stitch, so frequent counting prevents an accidental spiral shift.

2. Build the main body

After the lower shaping is established, the body continues in dense single crochet. The official 8 stitches and 8 rows per 4 inches produces a compact surface that can support lightweight contents without large gaps.

Do not judge the final proportions too early. The character’s recognizable silhouette develops when the mouth shaping, upper section, eye stalks, loop, and tentacles are all present.

3. Shape the large mouth

The wide opening is the functional heart of the project. The source combines circular and flat work to shape the body and opening; follow the PDF’s exact turning points and stitch counts rather than estimating from a finished photograph.

A black flannel lining creates the dark interior and helps prevent small items from catching in crochet stitches. Cut and sew the lining only after checking it against the actual crocheted opening, since gauge differences can change the required fabric shape.

4. Add the eye stalks

Two flexible eye stalks rise from the upper body. The listed pipe cleaners provide internal support, while ping pong balls form the large eye shapes and black marker or paint creates the pupils.

Use the designer’s placement and assembly instructions carefully. Any holes made in the eye forms should be smooth, and all wire ends must be completely enclosed so nothing sharp can work through the crochet.

5. Finish the lower tentacles

The dangling lower details provide movement and complete the recognizable silhouette. The HookElla reference image gives a broad visual overview, but it is not a substitute for the official tentacle instructions. Use the free PDF for the correct quantity, length, attachment, and finishing method.

6. Attach the hanging loop

The upper loop turns the piece into hanging storage. Its attachment points carry the weight of the container and its contents, so follow the source placement, weave the ends securely, and use only a strong wall peg or hook.

This HookElla image is a visual project overview. Carissa Browning’s free source PDF controls the exact crochet, shaping, lining, and assembly instructions.

Gauge and fabric planning

Work a single-crochet swatch in the chosen super-bulky yarn before starting. The target is 8 stitches across and 8 rows high in 4 inches.

• If more than eight stitches fit in four inches, the fabric is too tight and the container will finish smaller.
• If fewer than eight stitches fit, the fabric is too loose and the container will finish larger.
• If the stitches meet gauge but feel floppy, compare yarn structure with the suggested chenille and consider whether the finished basket will hold the intended contents.

Wash or handle the swatch as the finished piece will be treated. Chenille-style polyester may relax after use, and a hanging container carries its weight through the top section and loop.

Mouth lining tips

Black flannel makes the opening read as a deep mouth and creates a smoother storage compartment. Before sewing:

• Remove loose fibers from the cut edge.
• Test the fabric inside the completed crochet body.
• Leave enough ease for the mouth to open without pulling the crochet inward.
• Turn raw edges under or finish them neatly before hand sewing.
• Use small black stitches that do not show on the outer body.

The lining should support the opening without becoming a load-bearing bag of its own. Crochet and fabric need to share the weight evenly.

Hanging and storage safety

This is a decorative household container, not infant equipment. Ping pong balls, wire-based pipe cleaners, sewn fabric, and long dangling pieces make it unsuitable as a baby toy or crib accessory.

• Mount it on hardware appropriate for the wall and expected load.
• Store only lightweight, soft items.
• Keep the eye components and tentacles out of reach of babies and unsupervised young children.
• Inspect the loop, eye stalks, lining, and sewn areas regularly.
• Do not hang it above a crib, bed, changing surface, or play area where a falling item could cause injury.

The HookElla photograph is decorative styling; choose a safer real-world mounting location based on the household and intended use.

Styling and practical uses

The wide mouth makes the finished character useful for:

• Yarn balls and current crochet supplies
• Rolled scarves, mittens, or soft accessories
• Lightweight soft toys
• Dress-up accessories
• Clean reusable cloths
• A playful holiday stocking alternative

Avoid books, bottles, tools, wet items, or anything with sharp edges. Heavy contents may distort the loop and body even when the wall hook remains secure.

For a coordinated storage wall, make several colors and vary the pupil direction so each face has a different expression. Leave enough space between baskets for the eye stalks and hanging details to move freely.

Care and maintenance

The crochet yarn may be washable, but the completed object also contains pipe cleaners, marked ping pong balls, sewn flannel, and thread. Spot cleaning is the safest general approach unless the original pattern and every material used support another method.

Remove dust with a soft cloth or low-suction vacuum attachment. If the body becomes misshapen, empty it and gently reshape it by hand. Do not apply high heat to polyester chenille, plastic eye forms, or internal wire.

Before downloading the pattern

This project suits a crocheter comfortable with single crochet, shaping, working in rounds, turning flat sections, sewing a fabric lining, and assembling non-yarn components. The crochet itself uses an approachable stitch, but accurate placement and finishing are what make the face expressive and the container functional.

Read the entire official PDF before purchasing supplies. Pay special attention to the mouth construction, fabric template or measurements, eye-stalk assembly, tentacle method, and loop placement.

For another playful storage project, explore HookElla’s Chunky Crochet Hanging Basket or the Scrap Yarn Crochet Storage Basket. Browse the Blankets & Home collection for more functional crochet decor.

Carissa Browning’s Yip Yips design is memorable because every feature serves the same joyful idea: a hanging container that looks ready to chatter back. Choose a great color, match the sturdy gauge, and let the original free pattern guide the character-building details.