This hanging holder stacks three star-shaped baskets on a wall, and each one holds a single roll of toilet paper. The baskets have firm, upright walls, a crown-shaped top edge that peaks above every star point, and a raised rope rim that keeps the edge crisp. Short straps at the back join the baskets, and a wide tab at the top loops over a wooden ring.
The sample uses one teal cotton, which looks clean and fresh in a bathroom. Cotton is the right fiber for this project because it holds its shape, doesn’t stretch much under the weight of a roll, and washes well.
All terms are US crochet terms. The finished holder is about 17 in (43.2 cm) long, not counting the ring. Each basket measures about 6 in (15.2 cm) across and 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall at the points.
You work each basket in the round from the center out. The flat base is worked in half double crochet, a shaping round forms the five star points, and the walls rise in single crochet from a back-loop turning ridge. A peak round shapes the crown, then a border adds the rope rim. The straps and tab are simple flat strips that you sew on at the end.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: about 17 in (43.2 cm) long, 6 in (15.2 cm) wide
- Skill level: Easy-Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: #4 medium (worsted/aran) cotton
- Hook: 4.5 mm (US 7)
- Number of pieces: 8 (3 baskets, 4 connector straps, 1 hanging tab)
- Layout: 3 baskets in a vertical stack
- Basket size: 6 in (15.2 cm) across; 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall at the points, 3.25 in (8.3 cm) at the valleys
- Basket size before border: 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tall at the points, 2.75 in (7.0 cm) at the valleys
- Border depth: about 0.5 in (1.3 cm)
Materials
Yarn: Use a smooth, tightly plied #4 cotton or cotton blend. Avoid acrylic and very soft or loosely spun cotton, because the walls will sag.
- Teal: 170 g, about 290 m (317 yd)
These amounts include a margin of roughly 25% for your gauge swatch, small differences in tension, and seaming. The finished holder uses about 135 g.
Tools:
- 4.5 mm (US 7) crochet hook
- 1 wooden ring, 2 in (5.1 cm) across
- 6 locking stitch markers
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- 1 standard toilet roll for blocking
- Spray starch (optional)
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
- BLO – back loop only
- MR – magic ring
- rep – repeat
Special stitches:
- sc2tog (single crochet 2 together): Insert hook in next st, yarn over, pull up a loop. Insert hook in following st, yarn over, pull up a loop. Yarn over, draw through all 3 loops on hook.
- rev sc (reverse single crochet / crab stitch): Working from left to right (right-handed), insert hook in next st to the right, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, draw through both loops. This makes a twisted, rope-like edge.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 14 sc and 16 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm) in sc worked in the round. One round of sc is about 1/4 in (0.6 cm) tall.
The fabric should feel firm, almost stiff. If it feels soft, go down a hook size.
Make one complete basket first and check it against these measurements before you make the other two:
- After Round 5: the hdc circle measures 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across and lies flat.
- After Round 7: the star measures about 6 in (15.2 cm) across at its widest, and its outer edge is about 18.5 in (47.0 cm) around.
- After Round 18: the wall is 2.75 in (7.0 cm) tall above the turning ridge.
- After Round 21: the basket is 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall at the points and 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tall at the valleys.
If your circle is too big (more than 4.75 in / 12.1 cm), or a roll sits loosely, go down 0.5 mm. If it is too small (under 4.25 in / 10.8 cm), or a roll won’t fit, go up 0.5 mm. If the base ruffles, your hdc is too short; loosen the yarn-over slightly. If it cups, your tension is too loose.
Star Basket (make 3)
Base
Round 1: Make a MR, ch 2 (does not count as a st), 10 hdc in ring. Pull the ring closed and join with sl st to first hdc. (10 sts)
Round 2 (growth): Ch 2, 2 hdc in each st around, join. (20 sts)
Round 3 (growth): Ch 2, hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st; rep from * 9 more times, join. (30 sts)*
Round 4 (growth): Ch 2, hdc in next 2 sts, 2 hdc in next st; rep from * 9 more times, join. (40 sts)*
Round 5 (growth): Ch 2, hdc in next 3 sts, 2 hdc in next st; rep from * 9 more times, join. (50 sts)*
Checkpoint: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across.
Star Points
Round 6 (conversion): Ch 1. Starting with the st that holds the join: *skip next st, sc in next 2 sts, hdc in next st, dc in next st, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next st, dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next 2 sts; rep from * 4 more times. Join with sl st to first sc.
Each repeat uses 10 sts. Eight of them get 1 st each, 1 gets 4 dc, and 1 is skipped to form the valley. Count: 40 sts worked 1-per-st + 20 dc in the 5 tip sts = 60 sts and 5 ch-2 sps (12 sts per point).
Round 7 (shaping): Ch 1, *sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts, 3 sc in ch-2 sp, sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog; rep from * 4 more times. Join to top of first sc2tog.
Per point: 1 + 4 + 3 + 4 + 1 = 13. Count: 65 sts. The two sc2togs next to each other sharpen each valley, and the 3-sc group makes each tip.
Checkpoint: about 6 in (15.2 cm) across at the widest.
Walls
Number the 13 sts of each point 1–13. Sts 1 and 13 are the sc2togs on either side of a valley, and st 7 is the center sc of the 3-sc group, which is the tip.
Round 8 (turning ridge): Ch 1, sc in BLO of each st around, join to first sc. (65 sts) Put a marker in each tip st (st 7). Move the markers up every round.
Rounds 9–18: Ch 1, sc in each st around through both loops, join. (65 sts)
The walls go straight up because each round has the same count as the base edge. The BLO ridge sets the star outline at the bottom. Join each round firmly so the seam stays small; the seam will lean slightly, which is normal.
Checkpoint: the wall is 2.75 in (7.0 cm) tall.
Crown Shaping
Round 19 (conversion): Ch 1, *sl st in st 1, sc in sts 2–3, hdc in sts 4–5, dc in st 6, (dc, ch 1, dc) in tip st 7, dc in st 8, hdc in sts 9–10, sc in sts 11–12, sl st in st 13; rep from * 4 more times. Join to first sl st.
Work the sl sts loosely so you can work into them on the next round. Count: 60 sts worked 1-per-st + 10 dc in the 5 tip sts = 70 sts and 5 ch-1 sps (7 sts, ch-1 sp, 7 sts per point).
Each section climbs from sl st to dc, peaks at the tip, and drops back to a sl st at the valley. This creates the crown edge. The tip ends up about 0.6 in (1.5 cm) higher than the valley.
Make All Pieces
Everything is in teal:
- Star baskets: 3, following the pattern above
- Connector straps: 4
- Hanging tab: 1
Connector Strap (make 4)
Row 1: Ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 3 ch. (4 sts)
Rows 2–14: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (4 sts)
Fasten off and leave an 12 in (30.5 cm) tail. Each strap measures 1.1 in (2.8 cm) wide and 3.5 in (8.9 cm) long.
Hanging Tab (make 1)
Row 1: Ch 9, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (8 sts)
Rows 2–28: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (8 sts)
Fasten off and leave a 16 in (40.6 cm) tail. The tab measures 2.25 in (5.7 cm) wide and 7 in (17.8 cm) long.
Layout Grid
[ RING ]
[ TAB ] centered on back valley
[ BASKET 1 (top) ]
|S1| |S2| straps on the two back tips
[ BASKET 2 (mid) ]
|S3| |S4|
[ BASKET 3 (bottom)]
Joining
Method: Whipstitch the pieces together with the yarn tails, working through both loops of each stitch.
Back of each basket: Turn each basket so one tip points straight forward. The back then has a valley at the center with a tip on each side. Line up all three baskets the same way so the seams of the rounds face the back.
Straps, stitch to stitch:
- Lay the top 4 rows of a strap against the outside back of the upper basket, over wall Rounds 8–11. Center the strap’s 4 sts over sts 6–9 of one back tip.
- Whipstitch around the three sides of the overlap: 4 sts across the end and 4 row-ends on each side. Make one stitch per strap st or row-end, going into the matching wall st.
- Lay the bottom 4 rows of the strap against the outside back of the lower basket, over wall Rounds 15–18, at the same tip. Sew it on the same way.
- Repeat with the second strap on the other back tip, then join the middle and bottom baskets with the other two straps.
That leaves 6 free rows, or 1.5 in (3.8 cm), between the bottom of one basket and the rim zone of the next.
Tension: Pull each whipstitch snug, but not so tight that the wall puckers. The straps should hang straight and flat, not twist.
Tab: Thread the tab through the ring and fold it in half so both ends meet. Lay both layers over wall Rounds 15–18 on the outside back of the top basket. Center them on the back valley, over sts 10–13 of one point and sts 1–4 of the next (8 sts). Sew through both layers and the wall around all edges of the overlap.
Size checkpoint: Hang the holder up empty. It should measure about 17 in (43.2 cm) from the fold of the tab to the bottom of the lowest basket, with 1.5 in (3.8 cm) gaps between baskets.
Border
Work the border on each basket right after Round 19, before you sew on any straps.
Border gauge: The sc and rev sc rounds use the same gauge as the walls, 14 sts = 4 in (10.2 cm). Together the two rounds add about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) of height.
Round 20 (conversion): Ch 1, *sc in next 7 sts, (sc, ch 1, sc) in ch-1 sp, sc in next 7 sts; rep from * 4 more times, join.
Count: 70 sts worked 1-per-st + 10 sc in the 5 tip sps = 80 sts and 5 ch-1 sps. Each point has 16 sts plus a ch-1 sp: 7 + 2 + 7.
Round 21 (trim): Ch 1. Working from left to right, rev sc in each st and 1 rev sc in each ch-1 sp. Join with sl st and fasten off.
Count: 80 sts worked 1-per-st + 5 rev sc in the ch-1 sps = 85 sts (17 per point).
Why the math works: The crown edge is longer than the straight wall below it, because it climbs up to each tip and back down. Round 19 adds exactly 2 sts per tip, Round 20 adds 2 more, and Round 21 adds 1. All the extra length goes into the tips, which keeps the points sharp. The valleys get nothing extra, so they stay dipped. The edge lies smooth with no ruffles and no pulling.
Weave in all ends from the borders before you join the pieces.
Final Blocking
- Lightly mist each basket with water, or spray it with starch for a firmer hold.
- Put a toilet roll in each basket.
- Pinch each wall tip into a crisp vertical crease from the turning ridge up to the rim.
- Push each valley in gently so it forms a clean inward V.
- Straighten the crown peaks and roll the rev sc rim so the rope sits on top.
- Lay the joined holder flat, or hang it, and straighten the straps and tab.
- Let everything dry completely, about 24 hours, before you hang it for use.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each basket has 65 sts in Rounds 8–18 and 85 sts in Round 21.
- All three baskets measure about 6 in (15.2 cm) across and 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall at the points.
- All five points on each basket are the same size.
- The round seams face the back on all three baskets.
- Straps sit on the back tips, and the tab is centered on the back valley.
- Gaps between baskets are 1.5 in (3.8 cm).
- The holder hangs straight, about 17 in (43.2 cm) long.
- All ends are woven in securely.
Troubleshooting
The base ruffles: Your hdc is too short or the hook is too small. Loosen up a little or go up 0.5 mm.
The base cups: Your tension is too loose. Go down 0.5 mm.
The walls flare out: Count each round. You probably added stitches at the joins, so make sure you skip the ch-1.
The walls lean or spiral: Join each round into the first st, not the ch-1. A slight lean in the seam is normal.
The roll doesn’t fit: Check the 4.5 in (11.4 cm) base checkpoint and adjust your hook.
The crown is flat: Make sure Round 19 uses dc at the tips and sl st at the valleys.
The rim ruffles: Work one rev sc in each ch-1 sp, not more.
The holder tilts: The straps aren’t centered on matching tips. Re-center and re-sew them.
The baskets sag apart: Sew the strap overlaps through both loops all the way around.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press out the water in a towel, and reshape the baskets over rolls to dry flat. Re-starch if you want the points crisp again.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is easy to follow. A 4.5 in (11.4 cm) hdc circle becomes a 6 in (15.2 cm) star with 65 sts. The walls rise 2.75 in (7.0 cm), and the crown and border bring each basket to 3.75 in (9.5 cm) at the points. Three baskets, 1.5 in (3.8 cm) gaps, and the tab add up to about 17 in (43.2 cm). Check each step as you go and all three baskets will match.
Happy crocheting!