This hanging toilet paper holder has three pockets, one above the other, and each holds a standard roll. The pockets have flat oval bottoms and solid lower walls. A band of openwork lattice runs around the top of each pocket, and a corded rim finishes the edge. A semicircular sunburst fan on the front of each pocket gives the design its name.
The whole piece is made in one warm peach cotton. The single color keeps the look soft and fits a boho or farmhouse bathroom, and the texture comes from the fan and the lattice. This pattern uses US crochet terms throughout.
The finished holder is 5.75 in (14.6 cm) wide. It hangs 19.75 in (50.2 cm) from the bottom of the ring to the bottom of the lowest pocket, or about 22.5 in (57.2 cm) including the 2.75 in (7.0 cm) wooden ring.
For construction, you work each pocket in the round from an oval base and then straight up the walls. Each fan is a small flat semicircle worked in rows and sewn to the front. Two long single crochet straps are sewn to the sides of all three pockets and then wrapped around the ring.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 5.75 in (14.6 cm) wide; 19.75 in (50.2 cm) long below the ring; about 22.5 in (57.2 cm) overall
- Skill level: Easy-intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 8 crocheted pieces (3 pockets, 3 fans, 2 straps), plus 1 wooden ring
- Layout: 1 column of 3 pockets with 1 in (2.5 cm) gaps between them
- Pocket size: base 5.75 x 3.75 in (14.6 x 9.5 cm); wall height 4.25 in (10.8 cm)
- Size before border: wall height 3.75 in (9.5 cm)
- Border depth: 0.5 in (1.3 cm), 2 rounds
Materials
Yarn: Use a smooth worsted-weight cotton. It holds its shape, shows the stitch definition clearly, and copes with bathroom humidity. Avoid fuzzy or very stretchy acrylics, because the pockets will sag under the weight of the rolls.
- Peach/coral: 200 g, about 340 m (372 yd)
These quantities include a margin of about 50 g over the measured use. The pockets use about 38 g each, the fans about 5 g each, and the straps about 9 g each, for a total of about 147 g.
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- Wooden ring, 2.75 in (7.0 cm) across
- 4 locking stitch markers
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Rustproof pins
- Measuring tape
- Wall hook rated for at least 2 lb (0.9 kg)
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- BLO – back loop only
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- tch – turning chain
- rev sc – reverse single crochet (crab stitch)
Special stitch – rev sc: Work from left to right (right-handed). Insert the hook into the next stitch to the right, yarn over, pull up a loop, then yarn over and pull through both loops. This makes the twisted, corded rim.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc and 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). In dc, 16 sts and 8 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Make one complete pocket before you start the others. The checkpoints:
- After base Round 8: the oval measures 5.75 x 3.75 in (14.6 x 9.5 cm) and lies flat.
- After Round 18: the solid wall is 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall, measured from the base ridge.
- After Round 21: the wall is 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall.
- After the border: the wall is 4.25 in (10.8 cm) tall.
- Fan: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across the straight edge and 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall.
- Strap: 21.25 in (54.0 cm) long.
If the base is too big, or the roll slides around loosely, go down to a 4.5 mm hook. If it is too small, or the roll won’t fit, go up to a 5.5 mm hook. A standard roll, about 4 in (10.2 cm) across, should drop in with light pressure. If the base ruffles, your tension is too loose; if it cups, it is too tight. Re-check the base before you go on to the walls.
Pocket (Make 3)
Work in joined rounds. At the end of each round, sl st to the first st. Start each round with ch 1, which does not count as a st, unless the instructions say otherwise.
Base
Foundation: Ch 11.
Round 1: 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 8 ch, 3 sc in last ch. Rotate and work along the other side of the chain: sc in next 8 ch. (22 sts)
Place markers on the middle st of each 3-sc end. These two ends are the pocket sides, where the straps will go.
Round 2: [Inc in each of next 3 sts, sc in next 8] twice. (28 sts)
Round 3: [(Sc in next, inc) 3 times, sc in next 8] twice. (34 sts)
Round 4: [(Sc in next 2, inc) 3 times, sc in next 8] twice. (40 sts)
Round 5: [(Sc in next 3, inc) 3 times, sc in next 8] twice. (46 sts)
Round 6: [(Sc in next 4, inc) 3 times, sc in next 8] twice. (52 sts)
Round 7: [(Sc in next 5, inc) 3 times, sc in next 8] twice. (58 sts)
Round 8: [(Sc in next 6, inc) 3 times, sc in next 8] twice. (64 sts)
At the end of Round 8, each curved end has 24 sts and each straight side has 8 sts. Move the markers up as you go so they stay at the center of each curved end.
Checkpoint: 5.75 x 3.75 in (14.6 x 9.5 cm).
Walls
Round 9: Sc in BLO of each st around. (64 sts) This makes the ridge where the base turns into the wall.
Rounds 10–18: Sc in each st around. (64 sts each round)
Checkpoint: The solid wall is 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall.
Round 19 (lattice): Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), sk next st, [dc in next st, ch 1, sk next st] around. Sl st to 3rd ch of ch-4. (32 dc + 32 ch-1 sps = 64)
Rounds 20–21: Sl st into first ch-1 sp, ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), [dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1] around. Sl st to 3rd ch of ch-4. (32 dc + 32 ch-1 sps = 64 each round) Working each dc into a space offsets it from the round below, which gives the lattice its look.
Checkpoint: The wall is 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall. Fasten off, leaving the last round live or ready for the border.
Sunburst Fan (Make 3)
The fan is worked flat in rows. Turn at the end of each row.
Row 1: Into a magic ring: ch 3 (counts as dc), 6 dc. Pull the ring closed, leaving a small center hole. (7 dc)
Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), [dc in next dc, ch 1] 5 times, dc in top of tch. (7 dc + 6 ch-1 sps) These are the 7 rays.
Row 3: Ch 3, dc in same st, [ch 1, 2 dc in next dc] 6 times, working the last 2 dc into the 3rd ch of the tch. (14 dc + 6 ch-1 sps)
Row 4: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next dc, [ch 1, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc] 6 times. The last dc goes into the top of the tch. (21 dc + 6 ch-1 sps) Each ray is now 3 dc wide.
Row 5 (arc edge): Ch 1, sc in each dc and each ch-1 sp across. (21 + 6 = 27 sc)
Fasten off, leaving a 16 in (40.6 cm) tail for sewing.
Checkpoint: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across the straight edge and 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall.
Attaching the fan: Choose one straight side of the pocket as the front. Pin the fan there with the straight edge on the Round 9 ridge, the center hole at the middle of the 8 straight sts, and the rays pointing upward. Whipstitch along the curve and the straight edge. The top of the arc reaches just past Round 18, onto the first lattice round.
Strap (Make 2)
Foundation: Ch 86.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (85 sts)
Rows 2–3: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (85 sts each row)
Fasten off. The strap is 21.25 in (54.0 cm) long and about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) wide.
Strap stitch map (counting from the bottom):
- Sts 1–17: bottom pocket
- Sts 18–21: gap
- Sts 22–38: middle pocket
- Sts 39–42: gap
- Sts 43–59: top pocket
- Sts 60–79: free hanging section
- Sts 80–85: wrap around the ring
Total: 17 + 4 + 17 + 4 + 17 + 20 + 6 = 85 sts.
Make All Pieces
All 8 pieces are peach:
- 3 pockets (about 38 g each)
- 3 fans (about 5 g each)
- 2 straps (about 9 g each)
Layout (front view):
( ring )
/ \
strap strap
| [ POCKET 1 ] |
| 1 in gap |
| [ POCKET 2 ] |
| 1 in gap |
| [ POCKET 3 ] |
Joining
Method: Whipstitch with the yarn tail and a tapestry needle, through both loops.
Stitch-to-stitch logic: Each strap lies flat against one side of the pockets, centered on the side marker, and runs straight up the wall. One wall needs 17 strap sts:
- Strap sts 1–9 go along Rounds 9–18. That is 10 sc rounds, or 2.25 in (5.7 cm).
- Strap sts 10–15 go along Rounds 19–21. That is 3 dc rounds, 2 strap sts per round, or 1.5 in (3.8 cm).
- Strap sts 16–17 will sit beside the border rounds, 0.5 in (1.3 cm), and are tacked down after the border is worked.
Check the total: 9 + 6 + 2 = 17 sts, which is 4.25 in (10.8 cm) and matches the finished wall height.
Order:
- Sew strap sts 1–15 to the bottom pocket.
- Leave sts 18–21 free.
- Sew sts 22–36 to the middle pocket.
- Leave sts 39–42 free.
- Sew sts 43–57 to the top pocket.
- Repeat on the other side with the second strap, at the same heights.
Sew both long edges of the strap down.
Tension: Keep your stitches snug but not puckered. The strap should lie flat with no rippling. If it ripples, take the stitches out and sew again with the strap eased evenly.
Checkpoint: With the straps hanging straight, the gaps between the pockets measure 1 in (2.5 cm).
Border
The border is the rim around the top of each pocket. It is worked at the same gauge as the base, 4 sc per inch (2.54 cm).
Treat the front and back of each pocket as 2 sides of 32 sts each, with the side markers dividing them. The lattice round has 32 dc and 32 ch-1 sps; each half of the pocket has 16 dc and 16 sps.
Border Round 1: Join at the right side marker. Ch 1, sc in each dc and each ch-1 sp around, working in front of the strap where it is sewn on. Sl st to the first sc. (32 front + 32 back = 64 sc)
Border Round 2: Ch 1, rev sc in each st around. Sl st to the first st. (32 front + 32 back = 64 rev sc) Fasten off.
Why the math works: Every one of the 64 positions in the lattice gets exactly one sc, so the rim circumference stays at 64 sts, or 16 in (40.6 cm), the same as the walls. The rim stays flat with no flare and no pulling in.
Finishing the straps: Tack strap sts 16–17, 37–38, and 58–59 to the outside of each rim with 2 whipstitches.
Attaching the ring: Bring both straps up to the ring, making sure neither is twisted. Wrap sts 80–85 of each strap over the ring to the back. Whipstitch the strap end to the back of sts 74–79. Put the two straps side by side on the ring.
Final Blocking
- Fill each pocket loosely with a folded towel, roughly the size of a roll.
- Spritz the whole piece with water until it is damp but not soaked.
- Lay the holder flat on a towel. Pin the straps straight so they measure 21.25 in (54.0 cm) before the ring wrap.
- Shape each fan flat and open the rays evenly.
- Ease each rim into a smooth oval.
- Let it dry completely, usually 12–24 hours.
- Take out the towels and hang the holder to check that it hangs straight.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each base is 5.75 x 3.75 in (14.6 x 9.5 cm) and lies flat.
- Each wall is 4.25 in (10.8 cm) tall with 64 sts in the rim.
- All 3 fans are centered with their straight edges on the base ridge.
- The gaps between pockets are 1 in (2.5 cm) and match on both sides.
- The straps are untwisted and sewn on both long edges.
- The ring is secure, and both straps carry the weight evenly.
- All ends are woven in at least 2 in (5.1 cm).
- The total length below the ring is 19.75 in (50.2 cm).
Troubleshooting
- Base cups or ruffles: Count the stitches each round. Round 8 must have 64. Then adjust your hook size.
- Lattice slants: Make sure each dc goes into a ch-1 sp, not into a dc.
- Pocket leans forward: The straps are attached off-center. Re-sew them on the side markers.
- Fan puckers: You whipstitched too tightly. Loosen the stitches or block the fan before sewing it on.
- Pockets sag apart: Re-check the strap stitch map and resew the gaps at exactly 4 sts.
- Rev sc twists unevenly: Keep the loops a consistent size and work the round slowly.
Care
Hand wash in cool water, press out the excess water in a towel, and dry flat with the pockets reshaped. Avoid tumble drying, which can stretch the straps.
Final Notes
The measurement chain runs like this:
- Each base is 64 sts, 5.75 x 3.75 in (14.6 x 9.5 cm).
- Each wall keeps those 64 sts up to 3.75 in (9.5 cm). The 2-round border brings it to 4.25 in (10.8 cm).
- Each pocket uses 17 strap sts.
- Three pockets (51 sts) plus two 4-st gaps, a 20-st hanging section, and a 6-st ring wrap make 85 sts. That is 21.25 in (54.0 cm) of strap.
- Once assembled, the holder hangs 19.75 in (50.2 cm) below the ring.
If each stage matches its checkpoint, the finished holder will hang straight and hold three rolls neatly.
Happy crocheting!