Lilac Popcorn Berry Votive Basket Crochet Free Pattern

Lilac Popcorn Berry Votive Basket: A Beginner-Friendly Crochet Cozy

If you have never held a crochet hook before, this is the perfect first project to fall in love with. The Lilac Popcorn Berry Votive Basket is a tiny, shallow cozy that slips over a standard glass votive candle and turns it into a charming little berry basket. Worked in a soft lilac linen-blend yarn, it has a flat circular base, a nubby popcorn-stitch body that puffs out like tiny berries, a neat crab-stitch top edge, and a small upright handle loop. It measures only about 2.75 inches (7 cm) across and 2.25 inches (5.5 cm) tall, so it works up in an evening and uses just 55 yards of yarn. The finished piece feels matte and slightly rustic, with a Parisian-chic look that makes a plain candle feel like a gift.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: DK-weight linen-blend yarn (approx. 50% linen / 50% cotton), about 55 yds (50 m) of lilac. A small extra amount of the same yarn is used for the handle loop.
• Crochet hook: 3.5 mm (US E/4), or the size you need to match the gauge below.
• Stitch marker: 1 removable marker (or a scrap of contrasting yarn) to mark the first stitch of each spiral round.
• Tapestry needle: a blunt-tipped yarn needle for weaving in ends and sewing on the handle.
• Scissors: any small sharp pair for cutting yarn.
• Finished size: Cozy measures approx. 2.75 in (7 cm) diameter x 2.25 in (5.5 cm) tall, with a 1.5 in (4 cm) handle loop. It fits a standard glass votive approx. 2.5 in (6.5 cm) diameter x 2.75 in (7 cm) tall.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

• ch – chain: wrap the yarn over the hook (yarn over) and pull it through the loop already on your hook. This makes one chain stitch.
• sc – single crochet: insert your hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over again, pull through both loops. One loop remains.
• dc – double crochet: yarn over, insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through 2 loops, yarn over and pull through the last 2 loops.
• sl st – slip stitch: insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, and pull the yarn straight through both the stitch and the loop on your hook. It joins without adding height.
• pc – popcorn: a puffy cluster made of 5 double crochets worked into one stitch, then closed at the top (full instructions in the Special Stitch section below).
• st(s) – stitch(es): one completed loop or unit of crochet.
• rnd – round: one complete circle of crochet worked around the piece.
• sp – space: the gap between stitches.
• yo – yarn over: wrap the working yarn over your hook from back to front.
• magic ring – an adjustable loop of yarn that you crochet into, then pull tight so the center closes with no hole.
• back loop only – each sc has two top loops (front and back). Working only into the back loop leaves a ridge that helps the base fold crisply.
• reverse sc (crab stitch) – single crochet worked from left to right instead of right to left, creating a raised, rope-like edge.
• turn – flip your work over so you can crochet back along the row you just made.
• fasten off – cut the yarn and pull the tail through the last loop to lock it.

Gauge

Gauge: 16 sc x 18 rounds = 4 in (10 cm) in single crochet. One popcorn measures approx. 0.5 in (1.3 cm) across.

Gauge matters because it tells you whether your cozy will actually fit the glass votive. If your stitches are too big, the cozy will be baggy; too small, and it will not slide over the glass. To check: crochet a small flat swatch of single crochet about 3 in (7.5 cm) square, then measure 4 in (10 cm) across the middle and count the stitches. If you have more than 16 stitches in 4 in, your stitches are tight — try a larger hook. If you have fewer, try a smaller hook. Because this project is small, you can also simply work the base and check that Rnd 5 measures about 2.75 in (7 cm) across before continuing.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use a stitch marker. The base is worked in a spiral with no join, so it is easy to lose your place. Place the marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go.
• Do not pull the yarn too tight. Linen-blend yarn has little stretch. Keep your loops relaxed so the popcorn stitches can puff forward and the cozy can stretch over the glass.
• Count every round. The stitch counts in parentheses are your safety net. If a round ends with the wrong number, undo it — small mistakes show up fast on a tiny project.
• Work the popcorn firmly, then close it. After the 5 double crochets, pull the closing chain snug so the berry stays puffed out on the front of the work.
• Keep the base flat. If the base starts to cup upward, your stitches are too tight; if it ripples, they are too loose. Adjust your tension or hook size.
• Steam, don't soak. Linen-blend yarn relaxes beautifully with a light steam, but heavy soaking can stretch the shape.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Special Stitch — Popcorn (pc)

Work 5 dc into the same stitch. Remove your hook from the working loop, insert it front-to-back into the top of the first dc of that 5-dc group, pick up the dropped loop, and pull it through the first dc. Ch 1 to close. The popcorn puffs to the front of the work.

Base (worked in a flat spiral — do not join)

Rnd 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 1 (does not count as a st). Work 8 sc into the ring. Pull the ring closed. Place a marker in the first sc. (8 sc)

Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc around. (16 sc)

Rnd 3: [2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc] around. (24 sc)

Rnd 4: [2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 2 sc] around. (32 sc)

Rnd 5: [2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 3 sc] around. (40 sc)

Rnd 6: Sc in each sc around, working in the back loop only. (40 sc) This creates a crisp fold edge for the base.

The base should measure approx. 2.75 in (7 cm) across. Do not fasten off.

Body (popcorn texture, worked in joined rounds)

Rnd 7: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, join with sl st to first sc. (40 sc)

Rnd 8: Ch 1, sc in first sc, [pc in next sc, sc in next sc] 19 times, pc in last sc, join with sl st to first sc. (20 pc, 20 sc)

Rnd 9: Ch 1, sc in each st around (work into the sc and into the closing ch of each popcorn), join with sl st to first sc. (40 sc)

Rnd 10: Ch 1, sc in first sc, sc in next sc, [pc in next sc, sc in next sc] 18 times, pc in next sc, sc in last sc, join with sl st to first sc. (19 pc, 21 sc)

Rnd 11: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st to first sc. (40 sc)

Rnds 12–13: Repeat Rnds 8–9 once more. (20 pc, 20 sc on Rnd 12; 40 sc on Rnd 13)

Rnd 14: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, join with sl st to first sc. (40 sc)

The body should measure approx. 2.25 in (5.5 cm) from the base fold. Do not fasten off.

Top Edging

Rnd 15: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, join with sl st to first sc. (40 sc)

Rnd 16: Ch 1, reverse sc (crab stitch) in each sc around, join with sl st to first sc. (40 sts) Fasten off and weave in ends.

Handle Loop

Join yarn with sl st at the top edge, approx. 5 sts to the left of the center front.

Row 1: Ch 1, sc in same st and in each of next 3 sts. (4 sc) Turn.

Rows 2–9: Ch 1, sc in each sc across. (4 sc) Turn.

Fasten off, leaving a 6 in (15 cm) tail. Fold the strip into a loop and whipstitch the free end to the top edge, 4 sts to the right of the starting point, so the loop stands upright. Weave in ends.

Assembly and Finishing

Seaming the handle: Thread the 6 in (15 cm) tail onto your tapestry needle. Fold the short strip upward into a loop and hold it against the top edge so the free end meets the rim 4 stitches to the right of where you began. Whipstitch means passing the needle over the edge of both layers again and again in small, even stitches — go through the end of the strip and the top edge together, about 4–5 times, then pass the needle to the inside and weave the tail in.

Weaving in ends: Turn the cozy inside out. Thread each tail on the tapestry needle and run it through the backs of 4–5 stitches, then reverse direction and run it back through 2–3 stitches to lock it. Trim close to the fabric.

Blocking: Gently steam-block the base flat and the popcorn texture open, holding the iron an inch above the fabric and never pressing it down. Avoid steaming the handle loop so it keeps its upright shape. Let the cozy dry completely before slipping it over a glass votive; the base should sit snugly and the handle loop should rise above the rim.

Safety: Never leave a burning candle unattended.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the color: Work the base and top edging in a cream or ecru and the popcorn body in lilac for a two-tone basket, or make a set in soft autumn shades.
• Adjust the size: For a slightly larger jar, add one more increase round to the base (Rnd 6: [2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in each of next 4 sc] around = 48 sc) and work the body rounds over 48 sts, adding one extra popcorn round.
• Substitute yarn: Any DK-weight cotton or cotton-blend works well; avoid fuzzy or hairy yarns, which hide the popcorn texture. Always re-check your gauge with a new yarn.
• Make it a gift set: Crochet three cozies in coordinating lilac tones and tie them together with a ribbon — they make a lovely handmade present.