Crochet Basketball Scrubbies – Free Pattern for Boys

Want to crochet a basketball for boys? This free pattern gives you instructions for making your own crochet basketball scrubbie that will hopefully get your little boy excited about washing his face! 😉

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Crocheting for boys can be HARD. That’s why I don’t usually design many patterns for them…

However, when I decided to host a crochet along for Operation Christmas Child, I knew I had no choice but to design some boys crochet patterns!

This basketball scrubbie can go in a boy’s shoebox of any age. It particularly matches well with the Basketball Backpack from last week!

(By the way, click here to see all the patterns for boys!)

Note: the crochet-along is now over, but you can still use any of the boy’s crochet patterns to pack in your shoeboxes or use as gifts. 🙂

Purchase & Print this Crochet Pattern Right Here!

How to Crochet a Basketball

Now, before we get into the details of this pattern, let’s talk about how this crochet basketball will be worked up.

Since this is a scrubbie, we will be making a flat crocheted basketball. Of course, there are ways to make them round like a real ball, but that wouldn’t work too well as a face scrubbie.

Instead, we will work in the round to make a flat circle. After finishing the circle, we will sew on black lines that transform the circle into a basketball!

Getting a Perfectly Round Crochet Circle

One thing that can always be tricky when crocheting a flat circle is getting it perfectly round!

You may have noticed that when you increase to make a flat circle, it ends up turning out more like a hexagon.

Well, here’s the key to getting your circle round…increase placement!

When you crochet a flat circle, you have to change up the increase placement. If the increases are stacked on top of each other, they will inevitably create a hexagon.

Don’t worry, this pattern is written in a way that will make your scrubbie out perfectly round!

So…are you ready to get started?

Crochet Basketball Scrubbie Pattern

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Materials:

● Worsted Weight Cotton yarn in basketball colors
● I used Lily Sugar and Cream
● H/5mm crochet hook
● Yarn needle

Notes:

1. Ch 1 at beginning of rounds does NOT count as a sc
2. Scrubbie is worked in the round with orange. Black lines are sewn on afterward.

Measurements

Approximately 3.5″ in diameter

Abbreviations/Stitches Used (U.S.)

• Chain – ch
• Single crochet – sc
• Repeat – rep
• Round(s) – rnd(s)
• Skip – sk
• Space(s) – sp(s)
• Chain space(s) – ch-sp(s)
• Stitch(es) – st(s)
• Beginning – beg

Instructions:

Make a magic ring. 

Rnd 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in ring. Pull tight, and sl st to first sc to join.

Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around. Join with sl st to first sc. (12 sc)

Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in first sc, 2 sc in next sc. *Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to first sc. (18 sc)

Rnd 4: Ch 1, *sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to first sc. (24 sc) 

Rnd 5: Ch 1, *sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to first sc. (30 sc)

Rnd 6: Ch 1, 2 sc in first sc. Sc next 4 sc.  *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 4 sc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to first sc. (36 sc). Note: Changing up the increase placement will help your scrubbie turn out round instead of hexagonal.

Fasten off orange.

Rnd 7: Go back to beginning of rnd 6. Skip 2 sc. Join black with a sc in next sc. Sc in same sc, sc in next 5 sc. *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 5 sc. Rep from * around. Join with sl st to first sc. (42 sc)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. 

Finishing

Using a yarn needle and leftover black yarn (or ends) backstitch the basketball lines according to the pattern pictures.

Weave in all ends, and make sure to add a bar of soap in your shoebox to go along with your scrubbie! 😉

I hope you have enjoyed this pattern! I certainly enjoyed designing it.

Have a great day and make sure to look out for the next OCC pattern next Tuesday!

More Scrubbie Patterns:

• Womens face scrubbie
• Dish scrubbie pattern
• Easy striped washcloth