This hanging holder moves a paper towel roll and a hand towel off the counter and onto the wall. Two cream cords hang from a wooden ring, hold two wooden dowels, and carry small puff flowers and leaf sprigs.
The colors are warm and soft: burnt orange and mustard flowers, olive green leaves, and cream flowers and cords that blend into a white wall. The style is boho and cottage, and it works in a kitchen or a bathroom.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished hanger measures about 14 in (35.6 cm) wide and 31 in (78.7 cm) tall, including the ring. Each flower is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across, and each leaf sprig is 2.75 in (7.0 cm) wide.
Construction is simple. You make 9 flowers, 4 leaf sprigs, and 2 long Romanian cords. The cords wrap the ring and both dowels. The motifs are sewn flat onto the cords, and a cream flower hides each dowel wrap.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: about 14 in (35.6 cm) wide x 31 in (78.7 cm) tall
- Skill level: Easy
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: worsted (#4), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6)
- Number of pieces: 15 on the hanger (2 cords, 9 flowers, 4 leaf sprigs), plus 1 optional flower and 1 optional sprig for the towel
- Layout: an upside-down V from the ring to the top dowel, then two vertical legs down to the bottom dowel
- Piece size: flower 1.5 in (3.8 cm); leaf 1.75 in (4.4 cm) long; sprig 2.75 in (7.0 cm) wide; cord 37.5 in (95.3 cm) long and 0.4 in (1.0 cm) thick
- Size before border: no separate border is added; the cords and dowels form the frame, with 12 in (30.5 cm) between the cords
- Border depth: the cord itself, 0.4 in (1.0 cm)
Materials
Choose a smooth, firm cotton. It shows puff stitches clearly, holds its shape in a damp bathroom, and does not stretch much under the weight of a roll.
- Cream: 30 g / 51 m (cords and 4 flowers)
- Burnt orange: 10 g / 17 m (3 flowers)
- Mustard yellow: 10 g / 17 m (3 flowers)
- Olive green: 10 g / 17 m (5 leaf sprigs)
All quantities include a margin of about 20 percent for gauge differences and sewing tails.
Tools and hardware:
- 4.0 mm (G-6) crochet hook
- Wooden ring, 2 in (5.1 cm) diameter
- 2 wooden dowels, 14 in (35.6 cm) long and 0.75 in (1.9 cm) thick
- Tapestry needle
- 4 locking stitch markers
- Scissors and a tape measure
- Optional: clear fabric glue
Sand the dowel ends smooth so they do not snag the cords or the towel. A coat of oil or wax helps protect them from bathroom moisture.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch = chain
- sl st = slip stitch
- sc = single crochet
- hdc = half double crochet
- dc = double crochet
- MR = magic ring
- sp = space
- st(s) = stitch(es)
Puff stitch (puff): (Yarn over, insert hook in the stitch, pull up a loop to about 0.5 in or 1.3 cm) 3 times, yarn over, pull through all 7 loops on hook.
Romanian cord: Ch 2, sc in 2nd ch from hook. Turn the work clockwise, like turning a page to the left. Insert hook under the single loop now on the left side and sc. For every row after that, turn clockwise, insert hook under the 2 loops on the left side, and sc. Each sc counts as 1 row. The result is a round cord that looks braided.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make one flower and 12 rows of cord before anything else.
- Flower, after Round 1: 0.6 in (1.5 cm) across
- Flower, finished: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across, lying flat
- Leaf: 1.75 in (4.4 cm) long, 0.9 in (2.3 cm) wide
- Cord gauge: 4 rows = 1 in (2.5 cm), slightly stretched
If your flower is bigger than 1.6 in (4.1 cm), go down to a 3.75 mm hook or pull the puff loops shorter. If it is smaller than 1.4 in (3.6 cm), go up to a 4.5 mm hook.
Cord gauge matters most. If your 12 rows measure more than 3 in (7.6 cm), you need fewer rows. If they measure less, you need more. Divide each target length by your own length per row, and move the markers to match.
Flowers (Make 9, plus 1 optional)
Round 1: Make a MR. Ch 1, work 10 sc in the ring. Pull the ring closed, leaving a hole about 0.125 in (0.3 cm) wide. Sl st in first sc to join. (10 sc)
Checkpoint: 0.6 in (1.5 cm) across.
Round 2: Ch 2, (puff, ch 1, puff) in next sc, ch 2, sl st in next sc; repeat from * 4 more times. The last sl st goes into the 10th sc. (5 petals)*
Each petal uses 2 sc from Round 1: one holds the pair of puffs and the next holds the sl st. Five petals x 2 sc = 10 sc, which matches Round 1 exactly.
Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail for sewing. Weave the starting tail into the back.
Colors: 4 cream, 3 mustard, and 2 orange for the hanger, plus 1 orange for the towel.
Leaf Sprigs (Make 4, plus 1 optional)
Each sprig is two pointed leaves joined at the base in a V. Use olive green.
Leaf 1: Ch 9. The chain nearest the hook becomes the base, and the slip-knot end becomes the tip.
- Side A: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in next 3 ch, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch. (7 sts)
- Tip: (Sc, ch 2, sc) in last ch. (2 sts + 1 ch-2 sp)
- Side B: Rotate and work along the other side of the chain: sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in next 3 ch, hdc in next ch, sc in last ch. (7 sts)
- Sl st in first sc of Side A. (16 sts + 1 ch-2 sp)
The ch-2 sp makes the pointed tip. The two sc that share the first chain make a narrow base.
Leaf 2: Ch 9 and work exactly as for Leaf 1. After you join Leaf 2, sl st into the first sc of Leaf 1 to close the V.
Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail.
Checkpoint: each leaf is 1.75 in (4.4 cm) long, and the sprig is 2.75 in (7.0 cm) from tip to tip.
Cords (Make 2)
Use cream. Work Romanian cord for a total of 150 rows, placing markers as you go:
- Row 12: marker A (end of ring wrap): 3 in (7.6 cm)
- Row 88: marker B (start of top-dowel wrap): 22 in (55.9 cm)
- Row 100: marker C (end of top-dowel wrap): 25 in (63.5 cm)
- Row 138: marker D (start of bottom-dowel wrap): 34.5 in (87.6 cm)
- Row 150: fasten off: 37.5 in (95.3 cm)
Segment counts: 12 (ring wrap) + 76 (upper leg) + 12 (top wrap) + 38 (lower leg) + 12 (bottom wrap) = 150 rows.
Leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail at both ends for sewing the wraps.
Make All Pieces
Totals:
- Cream: 2 cords, 4 flowers
- Mustard: 3 flowers
- Burnt orange: 2 flowers (plus 1 optional)
- Olive: 4 sprigs (plus 1 optional)
Placement layout (front view):
[ring]
(mustard)
/ \
(orange) {leaf}
/ \
{leaf} (orange)
/ \
(mustard) {leaf}
/ \
==(cream)====[paper towel]====(cream)==
| |
{leaf} (mustard)
| |
==(cream)=====[hand towel]=====(cream)==
From the top down, the left upper leg carries orange, leaf, mustard. The right upper leg carries leaf, orange, leaf. Each lower leg has one motif at its midpoint.
Joining
Mount the cords. Fold the first 12 rows of one cord over the ring from front to back, so marker A meets row 1. Sew row 1 to row 12 with 4 small stitches through both layers. Repeat with the second cord right beside the first.
Top dowel. Slide the paper towel roll onto the top dowel. Measure 1 in (2.5 cm) in from each end. At that point, wrap the cord once around the dowel from front to back, using the rows between markers B and C. Sew row 88 to row 100 behind the dowel. Repeat on the other side.
Bottom dowel. Wrap the last 12 rows (rows 138 to 150) around the bottom dowel at the same 1 in (2.5 cm) mark, and sew row 150 to row 138. Hang the towel over this dowel.
Sew the motifs. Work stitch to stitch: catch one loop on the back of the motif, then one loop on the side edge of the cord, so the stitches stay hidden. Sew each flower with 5 stitches, one behind the base of each petal. Sew each sprig with 3 stitches at the base and 1 behind the center of each leaf.
Center a cream flower over each dowel wrap and the mustard flower over the joint at the ring. Space the other motifs evenly along each leg, following the layout above.
Tension. Sew firmly but not tightly. If the cord puckers, the stitch is too short; take it out and sew it again.
Size checkpoint: cords 12 in (30.5 cm) apart at both dowels, upper legs 19 in (48.3 cm) long, lower legs 9.5 in (24.1 cm) long.
Hang the finished piece from a sturdy hook or nail rated for at least 2 lb (0.9 kg), since a full roll and a damp towel add real weight.
Border
This hanger has no added border round. The cream cord forms the edge of the frame on each side, so the cord gauge serves as the border gauge: 4 rows = 1 in (2.5 cm).
Per side (left and right are identical):
- Ring wrap: 12 rows = 3 in (7.6 cm)
- Upper leg: 76 rows = 19 in (48.3 cm)
- Top-dowel wrap: 12 rows = 3 in (7.6 cm)
- Lower leg: 38 rows = 9.5 in (24.1 cm)
- Bottom-dowel wrap: 12 rows = 3 in (7.6 cm)
- Total: 150 rows = 37.5 in (95.3 cm)
Why the math works. Each upper leg runs from the ring to a point 6 in (15.2 cm) from the center of the top dowel. With a 19 in (48.3 cm) leg and a 6 in (15.2 cm) offset, the vertical drop is the square root of (19 x 19 − 6 x 6), which is 18.0 in (45.7 cm). The lower legs hang straight down, so 9.5 in (24.1 cm) is the actual gap between the dowels.
Each wrap uses 3 in (7.6 cm) of cord. A 0.75 in (1.9 cm) dowel is about 2.4 in (6.1 cm) around, which leaves 0.6 in (1.5 cm) of overlap to sew through.
Height check: ring 2 in (5.1 cm) + drop 18 in (45.7 cm) + dowel 0.75 in (1.9 cm) + lower leg 9.5 in (24.1 cm) + dowel 0.75 in (1.9 cm) = 31 in (78.7 cm).
Final Blocking
- Pin each flower flat on a foam mat, with the petals evenly spaced and the center hole open.
- Pin each sprig flat, with the leaves in an even V and the tips pointed.
- Mist with water until damp, not soaked.
- Let everything dry completely, about 4 hours.
- Steam the cords lightly while they hang straight from a hook, with no weight on the ends.
- Do not press the puff stitches flat with an iron, or they will lose their height.
Block the motifs before you sew them on. This is much easier than blocking them on the frame.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each flower has 5 petals, with 2 puffs per petal
- Every flower measures 1.5 in (3.8 cm)
- Each leaf has a pointed tip and 16 sts plus a ch-2 sp
- Both cords have exactly 150 rows
- The cords are 12 in (30.5 cm) apart at both dowels
- Both dowels hang level
- A cream flower hides every dowel wrap
- All tails are woven in on the back
- No sewing stitches show on the front
Troubleshooting
Petals look flat. Pull the puff loops taller, to about 0.5 in (1.3 cm).
Flower cups instead of lying flat. Round 1 is short of stitches, or the MR is pulled too tight. Make sure Round 1 has 10 sc, and leave a small center hole.
Leaf curls. The foundation chain is too tight. Make the chain with a 4.5 mm hook.
Dowels hang crooked. One cord is longer than the other. Count the rows between the markers and sew the wrap again.
Cord twists. This is normal for Romanian cord. Steam it while it hangs straight.
Wrap slides along the dowel. Add a dot of fabric glue under the wrap.
Care
Take the hanger off the dowels and hand wash it in cool water. Lay it flat to dry, then reshape the flowers.
Final Notes
Two numbers set every other measurement: a 1.5 in (3.8 cm) flower and a cord gauge of 4 rows per 1 in (2.5 cm). At that gauge, 150 rows make a 37.5 in (95.3 cm) cord. It divides into a 19 in (48.3 cm) upper leg, a 9.5 in (24.1 cm) lower leg, and three 3 in (7.6 cm) wraps.
Mount the cords 12 in (30.5 cm) apart, and the hanger finishes at 14 in (35.6 cm) wide and 31 in (78.7 cm) tall.
Happy crocheting!