Sunny Meadow Sunflower Paper Towel Hanger Crochet Pattern

This wall hanger holds a paper towel roll and a kitchen towel. Two chunky cream cords hang from a wooden ring, spread out into an A-shape and run down to two wooden dowels. Small golden sunflowers with chocolate-brown centers and olive-green leaves are sewn along both cords, and one more sunflower and leaf go on the hanging towel.

The colors are warm farmhouse colors: cream, golden yellow, dark brown and olive green. The style is cottage kitchen. It’s cheerful but still neat on the wall, and it works well as a summer or early-autumn decoration.

The pattern uses US crochet terms. The hanger is about 16 in (40.6 cm) wide at the dowels and about 25 in (63.5 cm) tall from the top of the ring to the lower dowel. Each sunflower is 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across, and each leaf is 2.25 in (5.7 cm) long.

You’ll make two slip-stitch cords, eight sunflowers and six leaves. You loop the cords through the ring, wrap them around the dowels and stitch them in place, then sew the flowers and leaves to the cords and the towel.

Finished Size and Construction

• Finished size: about 16 in (40.6 cm) wide × 25 in (63.5 cm) tall
• Skill level: Easy / advanced beginner
• Terminology: US
• Yarn weight: worsted (#4) for the flowers and leaves; bulky (#5), held double, for the cords
• Hooks: 4.0 mm (G-6) and 8.0 mm (L-11)
• Number of pieces: 16 crocheted pieces (2 cords, 8 sunflowers, 6 leaves)
• Layout: A-shape, with 2 cords running from 1 ring down to 2 dowels
• Piece sizes: cord 30 in (76.2 cm) long × 0.5 in (1.3 cm) wide; sunflower 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across; leaf 2.25 in × 1.25 in (5.7 cm × 3.2 cm)
• Size before border: leaf after Rnd 1 is 2 in × 1 in (5.1 cm × 2.5 cm)
• Border depth: a 1-round sc edging on each leaf, about 0.125 in (0.3 cm) per side. The hanger as a whole has no border.

Materials

Use smooth acrylic or cotton-acrylic yarn. It holds its shape near a kitchen sink and stands up to washing. Bulky cream yarn held double gives the cords a soft, rope-like look; a roving-style or plump single-ply yarn works best. For the flowers, pick a worsted yarn with good stitch definition so the puff petals stay rounded.

• Cream, bulky (#5): 50 g, about 70 m (cords, held double)
• Golden yellow, worsted (#4): 40 g, about 80 m (petals)
• Dark brown, worsted (#4): 20 g, about 40 m (flower centers)
• Olive green, worsted (#4): 20 g, about 40 m (leaves)

All quantities include a margin for a test piece and long sewing tails.

Tools and hardware:
– 4.0 mm and 8.0 mm crochet hooks
– 1 wooden ring, 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across
– 2 wooden dowels, 0.75 in (1.9 cm) thick × 16 in (40.6 cm) long
– Tapestry needle
– Sewing pins and 4 locking stitch markers
– Scissors and a measuring tape
– Optional: a paper towel roll and a tea towel

Abbreviations (US Terms)

• ch: chain
• sl st: slip stitch
• sc: single crochet
• hdc: half double crochet
• dc: double crochet
• st(s): stitch(es)
• sp: space
• MR: magic ring
• Rnd: round

Special stitch – tall puff: (Yarn over, insert the hook in the stitch, pull up a loop to 0.75 in (1.9 cm)) 5 times in the same stitch. That leaves 11 loops on the hook. Yarn over, pull through all 11 loops, then ch 1 to close.

Gauge and Checkpoints

Before you start the full set, make one sunflower, one leaf and a short test cord.

• Cord: 10 ch = 4 in (10.2 cm) with doubled bulky yarn and the 8.0 mm hook
• Sunflower center after Rnd 2: 1 in (2.5 cm) across
• Sunflower after Rnd 3: 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across
• Leaf after Rnd 1: 2 in × 1 in (5.1 cm × 2.5 cm)
• Leaf after Rnd 2: 2.25 in × 1.25 in (5.7 cm × 3.2 cm)

If your sunflower is wider than 2.75 in (7.0 cm), go down to a 3.75 mm hook. If it’s narrower than 2.25 in (5.7 cm), go up to a 4.5 mm hook. Small differences are fine on decorative pieces, as long as all eight flowers match each other.

Cord length matters more, because it sets the shape of the hanger. If 10 ch measure more than 4 in (10.2 cm), go down one hook size. If they measure less, go up one size, or add chains until you reach the target length.

Pattern: Cord (Make 2)

Use the 8.0 mm hook with the cream yarn held double.

Foundation: Ch 76.

Row 1: Sl st in the back bump of the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (75 sl st)

Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail at each end.

Working into the back bumps keeps the front V’s of the chain on top. Those V’s sit next to the slip-stitch loops and give the cord its braided look.

Checkpoint: Lay the cord flat without stretching it. It should measure 30 in (76.2 cm), give or take 1 in (2.5 cm), so anywhere from 29 in to 31 in (73.7 cm to 78.7 cm). If it’s outside that range, rework it with 5 ch more or fewer for every 2 in (5.1 cm) you’re off.

Marking each cord. Measure from one end and place locking markers at these points:
– 3 in (7.6 cm): the ring fold. The first 3 in (7.6 cm) folds in half through the ring.
– 18 in (45.7 cm): the top of the upper dowel wrap. This leaves 15 in (38.1 cm) between the ring and the dowel.
– 20.5 in (52.1 cm): the end of the upper dowel wrap, which takes 2.5 in (6.4 cm).
– 27.5 in (69.9 cm): the top of the lower dowel wrap. This leaves 7 in (17.8 cm) between the dowels.
– Last 2.5 in (6.4 cm): this wraps the lower dowel.

Check: 3 + 15 + 2.5 + 7 + 2.5 = 30 in (76.2 cm).

Pattern: Sunflower (Make 8)

Use the 4.0 mm hook and dark brown.

Rnd 1: Make an MR and work 10 sc into it. Pull the ring closed and sl st to the first sc. (10 sc)

Rnd 2: Ch 1, then work 2 sc in each st around. Sl st to the first sc. (20 sc)

Fasten off the brown.

Checkpoint: The center should measure 1 in (2.5 cm) across and lie flat.

Rnd 3 (petals): Join golden yellow with a sl st in any st. This is st 1.
– (Ch 2, tall puff, ch 2, sl st) all in the same st as the last sl st, then sl st in each of the next 2 sts.
– Repeat from * 9 more times. On the last repeat, the second sl st goes into the beginning sl st.

(10 petals)

Each petal sits in every other Rnd 2 st, and one sl st sits in each st between petals. That’s 10 petals × 2 sts = 20 sts, so every Rnd 2 st gets used exactly once.

Fasten off and leave a 10 in (25.4 cm) yellow tail for sewing. Weave in the brown tails on the back.

Checkpoint: The flower should be 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across, with 10 evenly spaced, rounded petals about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) long.

Pattern: Leaf (Make 6)

Use the 4.0 mm hook and olive green.

Foundation: Ch 10.

Rnd 1:
– Side A: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, hdc in the next ch, dc in each of the next 4 ch, hdc in the next ch, sc in the next ch. (8 sts)
– Base: Work 3 sc in the last ch. (3 sts)
– Side B: Rotate the piece and work along the other side of the foundation chain: sc in the next ch, hdc in the next ch, dc in each of the next 4 ch, hdc in the next ch, sc in the next ch. (8 sts)
– Tip: Ch 2, then sl st to the first sc.

(19 sts plus 1 ch-2 tip sp)

The taller dc stitches in the middle make the leaf widest there, and the sc at each end bring it down to a point.

Checkpoint: The leaf should measure 2 in × 1 in (5.1 cm × 2.5 cm). Rnd 2, the edging round, is in the Border section below.

Make All Pieces

Totals by color:
– Cream: 2 cords
– Brown + yellow: 8 sunflowers (7 for the hanger, 1 for the towel)
– Green: 6 leaves (5 for the hanger, 1 for the towel)

Placement grid. The ring is at the top. S = sunflower, L = leaf, and positions are measured down each cord from the ring fold.

                 [ RING ]
              LEFT CORD    RIGHT CORD
3 in  (7.6 cm)     S           L
7 in  (17.8 cm)    L           S
11 in (27.9 cm)    S           L
15 in (38.1 cm)    S ==UPPER DOWEL== S
+3.5 in (8.9 cm)   L           L
lower dowel        S ==LOWER DOWEL== S

• Left cord: 4 sunflowers and 2 leaves
• Right cord: 3 sunflowers and 3 leaves
• Towel: 1 sunflower and 1 leaf
• Total: 8 sunflowers and 6 leaves

The two sides alternate in opposite orders. This mirrored pattern is what gives the hanger its scattered, natural look.

Joining

Ring. Slide the first 3 in (7.6 cm) of each cord through the ring and fold it back onto itself to make a 1.5 in (3.8 cm) loop. Using the cord’s own tail, whipstitch the end to the cord, matching st to st across the fold. Place the two cords side by side on the ring.

Upper dowel. Each cord wraps once around the dowel, 1 in (2.5 cm) in from the end, so the cords end up 14 in (35.6 cm) apart. Wrap from the 18 in marker to the 20.5 in marker. Where the cord crosses itself, stitch through both layers, st to st, across 3 sts.

Lower dowel. Wrap the last 2.5 in (6.4 cm) of each cord around the lower dowel the same way, again 1 in (2.5 cm) from the end. Stitch the cord end to the back of the cord and weave in the tail.

Tension. Pull the sewing yarn snug but not tight. If a seam puckers, it shortens that cord and the dowels will hang tilted.

Size checkpoint. Hang the piece and check these measurements:
– The cords are 14 in (35.6 cm) apart at both dowels.
– Each slanted section drops about 13.3 in (33.8 cm) straight down.
– The dowels are 7 in (17.8 cm) apart.
– The total height is about 25 in (63.5 cm).
– Both dowels hang level.

Flowers and leaves. Pin them on following the grid. Sew each piece through the back loops of its last round into the top V’s of the cord, using 6 to 8 small stitches. Angle the leaves slightly in different directions so they look natural.

Towel accent. Sew 1 sunflower and 1 leaf about 2 in (5.1 cm) above the bottom hem of the towel, centered.

Border: Leaf Edging

None of the pieces has a separate border. The only edging round in the project is Rnd 2 of each leaf.

Border gauge: 1 sc into each Rnd 1 st along the sides, which adds about 0.125 in (0.3 cm) on every side.

Rnd 2: Ch 1, then:
– Side A: Sc in the same st as the join and in each of the next 7 sts. (8 sc)
– Base: Sc in the first sc of the base trio, 3 sc in the center sc, sc in the third sc. (5 sc)
– Side B: Sc in each of the next 8 sts. (8 sc)
– Tip: (Sc, ch 2, sc) in the ch-2 tip sp. (2 sc)

Sl st to the first sc. (23 sc plus 1 ch-2 sp)

Fasten off and leave an 8 in (20.3 cm) green tail.

Why the math works. Each long side has 8 sts in Rnd 1 and 8 sc in Rnd 2, so the sides stay flat with no ruffling. The only increases are where the edge turns. The base goes from 3 sc to 5 sc (3 worked once each + 2 extra in the center), which rounds the stem end. The tip gets (sc, ch 2, sc), which keeps the point sharp. Total: 8 + 5 + 8 + 2 = 23 sc.

Final Blocking

1. Lightly mist the sunflowers and leaves with water.
2. Pin each sunflower to 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across, spacing the 10 petals evenly around the center.
3. Pin each leaf to 2.25 in × 1.25 in (5.7 cm × 3.2 cm), pulling the tip into a clean point.
4. Let everything dry completely before you sew it on.
5. Steam the cords lightly and let them hang with the dowels in place so they straighten under the weight.
6. Measure again: both ring-to-dowel sections should be 15 in (38.1 cm).

Final Quality-Control Checklist

• Both cords measure 30 in (76.2 cm) before joining.
• Each sunflower has 10 petals and measures 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across.
• Each leaf has 23 sc plus a ch-2 tip.
• The cords are 14 in (35.6 cm) apart at both dowels.
• The dowels hang level and 7 in (17.8 cm) apart.
• Flower and leaf placement matches the grid.
• All tails are woven in on the back.
• A standard paper towel roll, 11 in (27.9 cm) wide, slides on easily between the cords.

Troubleshooting

• Petals look flat: Pull every puff loop up to the full 0.75 in (1.9 cm) before closing the puff.
• Flower cups: The Rnd 3 sl sts are too tight. Loosen them, or use a hook one size larger for Rnd 3 only.
• Leaf curls: Work Rnd 2 more loosely, or pin and block it flat.
• Hanger tilts: The cords are different lengths. Re-sew the ring fold until both ring-to-dowel sections measure 15 in (38.1 cm).
• Cord stretches over time: Crochet with firmer tension, or rework it on a 7.0 mm hook.
• Flowers droop forward: Add 2 more stitches along the top edge of each flower.
• Dowel slips: Add 2 more stitches through both layers of each wrap.

Care

Slide out the dowels, then hand wash the crocheted parts in cool water and lay them flat to dry. Between washes, spot clean kitchen splashes with a damp cloth.

Final Notes

Check measurements in this order:
– The sunflower center is 1 in (2.5 cm), and the finished flower is 2.5 in (6.4 cm).
– The leaf is 2 in (5.1 cm) long after Rnd 1 and 2.25 in (5.7 cm) after the edging.
– Each cord is 30 in (76.2 cm). That breaks down into a 3 in (7.6 cm) ring fold, a 15 in (38.1 cm) drop, a 2.5 in (6.4 cm) upper wrap, a 7 in (17.8 cm) drop and a 2.5 in (6.4 cm) lower wrap.
– With the cords 14 in (35.6 cm) apart on 16 in (40.6 cm) dowels, the hanger ends up about 25 in (63.5 cm) tall.

If each stage matches, the finished hanger will match too.

Happy crocheting!