Two turquoise crocheted elephant toys with pink ears and gold accents, smiling expressions, displayed on wood against a neutral background.

Bubbles the Elephant Bag Holder Crochet Pattern

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Bubbles is a cheerful elephant plastic bag holder that hangs on a kitchen peg. The stuffed head lifts up like a lid. The diamond-mesh belly shows the bags inside, and you pull bags out one at a time through a ruffled opening at the bottom.

The main color is bright turquoise teal. The ears have soft pink centers framed in teal. The face has pink cheeks, a pink tongue, cream tusks, white-and-black cartoon eyes and a curled trunk. A tuft of corkscrew curls finishes the playful amigurumi look.

This pattern uses US crochet terms. The holder is about 14.5 in (36.8 cm) tall from the top of the head to the ruffle, plus a 3 in (7.6 cm) hanging loop. The ears span 14 in (35.6 cm), and the filled belly is about 9 in (22.9 cm) wide.

You work the body top-down in rounds. The head is a stuffed dome with a flat base. After that you make the small parts and sew everything together. The head is sewn only to the back of the rim, so it opens like a hinged lid.

Finished Size and Construction

  • Finished size: 14.5 in (36.8 cm) tall plus 3 in (7.6 cm) loop; 14 in (35.6 cm) across the ears
  • Skill level: Intermediate
  • Terminology: US
  • Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
  • Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6)
  • Number of pieces: One finished item made from 25 sewn components (head dome, head base, body, 2 ears, trunk, 2 arms, 2 legs, 2 eye whites, 2 pupils, 2 cheeks, 2 tusks, tongue, 5 curls, hanging loop)
  • Layout: Single hanging figure; no motif grid
  • Head size: 6.5 in (16.5 cm) wide when stuffed
  • Ear size before border: 4.0 in (10.2 cm) diameter
  • Ear border depth: 3 rounds, about 0.7 in (1.8 cm); finished ear 5.3 in (13.5 cm)

Materials

Use a smooth combed or mercerized worsted-weight cotton. Cotton keeps its shape on a busy kitchen wall and washes well. Acrylic also works, but the mesh will stretch more.

  • Teal (main): 200 g, about 340 m
  • Pink: 50 g, about 85 m
  • Cream: 20 g, about 34 m
  • White: 10 g, about 17 m
  • Black: 10 g, about 17 m

These quantities include a margin of about 15 percent.

Tools:

  • 4.0 mm (G-6) hook
  • Tapestry needle
  • Stitch markers
  • Polyester fiberfill, about 50 g
  • Straight pins
  • Scissors

Abbreviations (US Terms)

  • ch: chain
  • sl st: slip stitch
  • sc: single crochet
  • hdc: half double crochet
  • dc: double crochet
  • inc: 2 sc in the same stitch
  • sc2tog: single crochet 2 together
  • BLO: back loop only
  • MR: magic ring
  • sp: space
  • st(s): stitch(es)

Special stitch: mesh loop. Chain the stated number, then sc in the next ch-sp. Each loop forms one diamond of the net.

Gauge and Checkpoints

Gauge: 16 sc and 18 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm) with a 4.0 mm hook.

Make one piece first: the head base doubles as your gauge swatch.

Checkpoints:

  • Head base after Rnd 13: 5.8 in (14.7 cm) across.
  • Body rim band after Rnd 4, laid flat: 9.75 in (24.8 cm) wide. That is half of the 19.5 in (49.5 cm) circumference.
  • Pink ear center after Rnd 9: 4.0 in (10.2 cm).
  • Finished ear after Rnd 12: 5.3 in (13.5 cm).

If your piece is too big, go down one hook size. If it is too small, go up one size. Never change the counts: the head and body rim must both have 78 sts so the lid sits squarely.

A turquoise crocheted owl toy with large white-and-black eyes, pink mouth and cheeks, and dense yarn texture visible throughout.

Head

Head Base (make 1, teal)

Work in continuous rounds and mark the first stitch of each round.

  • Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6)
  • Rnd 2: inc in each st. (12)
  • Rnd 3: (sc 1, inc) 6 times. (18)
  • Rnd 4: (sc 2, inc) 6 times. (24)
  • Rnds 5–13: Increase 6 sts every round, working 1 more sc before each inc than in the previous round. Counts: Rnd 5 = 30, Rnd 6 = 36, Rnd 7 = 42, Rnd 8 = 48, Rnd 9 = 54, Rnd 10 = 60, Rnd 11 = 66, Rnd 12 = 72.
  • Rnd 13: (sc 11, inc) 6 times. (78)

Fasten off and check gauge.

Head Dome (make 1, teal)

  • Rnds 1–13: Work as for the head base. (78)
  • Rnds 14–22: sc in each st. (78 each round; 9 rounds, about 2 in / 5.1 cm of wall)

Pause here and attach the face (Assembly, step 1) while the inside is easy to reach.

Closing round: Hold the base against the dome, wrong sides together. Working through both layers, sc in each st around, stuffing lightly as you go. (78) The head is about 6.5 in (16.5 cm) wide and 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tall.

Body

Work in joined rounds with teal.

Rim Band

  • Ch 78 and sl st to the first ch to form a ring. Don’t let the chain twist.
  • Rnd 1: ch 1, sc in each ch, sl st to first sc. (78)
  • Rnds 2–4: ch 1, sc in each st, sl st to first sc. (78)

Checkpoint: 9.75 in (24.8 cm) wide laid flat and 0.9 in (2.3 cm) tall.

Mesh

  • Rnd 5 (setup): ch 1, sc in first st, (ch 5, sk 2, sc in next st) 25 times, ch 5, sk last 2, sl st to first sc. 78 ÷ 3 = 26 repeats. (26 ch-5 sps)
  • Rnd 6: sl st in next 3 ch to reach the center of the first sp. Ch 1, sc in same sp, (ch 5, sc in next sp) 25 times, ch 5, sl st to first sc. (26 ch-5 sps)
  • Rnds 7–8: As Rnd 6 with ch-6 loops. (26 sps)
  • Rnds 9–11: As Rnd 6 with ch-7 loops. (26 sps)
  • Rnds 12–13: As Rnd 6 with ch-6 loops. (26 sps)
  • Rnd 14: ch-5 loops. (26 sps)
  • Rnd 15: ch-4 loops. (26 sps)
  • Rnd 16: ch-3 loops. (26 sps)

The loop count never changes. The belly bulges because the loops get longer, then tapers as they shorten. Relaxed, Rnds 5–16 measure about 7.9 in (20.1 cm).

Bottom Band

  • Rnd 17: sl st into first sp, ch 1, 2 sc in each ch-3 sp, sl st to first sc. 26 sps × 2 = 52. (52)
  • Rnd 18: ch 1, sc2tog around, sl st to first st. (26)
  • Rnd 19: ch 1, sc in each st, sl st to first sc. (26)

These 26 sts form the dispenser opening. It is 6.5 in (16.5 cm) around, or about 2 in (5.1 cm) across at rest. The ruffle is worked in the Border section.

Small Parts

Ears (make 2, pink): Work Rnds 1–9 as for the head base. (54) The center is 4.0 in (10.2 cm) across. Add the teal edging in the Border section.

Trunk (make 1, teal), starting at the tip:

  • Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6)
  • Rnd 2: inc in each st. (12)
  • Rnd 3: BLO sc around. (12) This flattens the tip.
  • Rnds 4–8: sc around. (12)
  • Rnd 9: (sc 5, inc) twice. (14)
  • Rnds 10–13: sc around. (14)
  • Rnd 14: (sc 6, inc) twice. (16)
  • Rnds 15–20: sc around. (16)
  • Rnd 21: (sc 3, inc) 4 times. (20)
  • Rnds 22–24: sc around. (20)

The trunk is about 5.3 in (13.5 cm) long. Stuff only the wider half. Roll the tip up toward the forehead and tack the curl with 3–4 stitches.

Arms (make 2):

  • Rnds 1–3 (cream): 6 sc in MR (6), inc around (12), sc around (12).
  • Rnds 4–8 (teal): sc around. (12)

Stuff lightly, flatten and close with 6 sc through both layers. Embroider 3 teal toe lines on the cream pad.

Legs (make 2):

  • Rnds 1–3 (cream): 6 sc in MR (6), inc around (12), (sc 1, inc) 6 times (18).
  • Rnd 4 (teal): BLO sc around. (18)
  • Rnd 5: (sc 1, sc2tog) 6 times. (12)
  • Rnds 6–8: sc around. (12)

Stuff, flatten and close with 6 sc. Add toe lines as for the arms.

Eye whites (make 2, white): 6 sc in MR (6), inc around (12), (sc 1, inc) 6 times (18). They are 1.4 in (3.6 cm) across.

Pupils (make 2, black): 6 sc in MR (6), inc around (12). Embroider a white highlight on each.

Cheeks (make 2, pink): 6 sc in MR (6), inc around (12).

Tusks (make 2, cream): 4 sc in MR (4), (sc 1, inc) twice (6), then sc around for 2 rounds (6). Don’t stuff.

Tongue (pink): Ch 4, 2 hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, 2 hdc in last ch. (5)

Curls (make 5, teal): Ch 8, 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (14) The strip twists into a corkscrew.

Hanging loop (teal):

  • Ch 31.
  • Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (30)
  • Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc across. (30)

The strip is 7.5 in (19.1 cm) long.

Assembly

  1. Face: The dome’s MR is the top of the head.
  2. Pin the eye whites over Rnds 9–14 with 4 sts between them, and center the pupils on them.
  3. Sew the trunk base below and between the eyes over Rnds 13–19.
  4. Sew the tongue under the trunk at Rnd 20 and embroider a black smile around it.
  5. Add a tusk at each corner of the smile, with the cheeks just outside the tusks.
  6. Embroider black brows above the eyes.
  7. Ears: Fold 2 in (5.1 cm) of each ear’s edge into a soft pleat for a D shape. Sew it to the side of the head over Rnds 14–20, pink side forward.
  8. Loop and curls: Fold the loop strip in half and sew the ends flat to the top of the head so the loop stands 3 in (7.6 cm) high. Sew the 5 curls around its base.
  9. Hinge: Sew the back 20 sts of the head’s closing round to the back 20 sts of rim Rnd 4. The front 58 sts stay free so the head lifts as a lid.
  10. Limbs: Sew the arms to Rnd 4 at the sides. Sew the legs to Rnds 17–19, toes forward.

Border: Ear Edging and Bottom Ruffle

The border gauge is the same as the main gauge: 16 sc and 18 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm).

Ear Edging (each ear, teal)

Join teal in any st of pink Rnd 9. (54)

  • Rnd 10: (sc 8, inc) 6 times. (60)
  • Rnd 11: (sc 9, inc) 6 times. (66)
  • Rnd 12: sc in each st. (66)

Why the math works: Each ear is a circle, so there are no sides or corners. Six increases per round is the rate that keeps an sc circle flat, so Rnds 10–11 continue the pink center smoothly. Rnd 12 has no increases, which pulls the edge in slightly and cups the ear forward. The finished ear is 5.3 in (13.5 cm).

Bottom Ruffle (teal)

Work into body Rnd 19. (26)

  • Rnd 20: ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in same st, 3 dc in each remaining st, sl st to top of ch-3. 26 × 3 = 78. (78)
  • Rnd 21: ch 1, sc in each dc, sl st to first sc. 78 worked 1 per existing st + 0 added = 78.

Why the math works: Tripling the stitch count makes the edge flare, and 78 matches the rim band so top and bottom echo each other. The ruffle is about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) deep.

Final Blocking

  1. Weave in all ends.
  2. Mist the ears until damp, not soaked.
  3. Pin each ear to 5.3 in (13.5 cm), easing the teal edge so it cups evenly.
  4. Fill the belly with a rolled towel to 9 in (22.9 cm) wide and mist it so the diamonds even out.
  5. Finger-press the ruffle flutes evenly.
  6. Let everything dry for about 12 hours before hanging.

Final Quality-Control Checklist

  • Head and rim each have 78 sts
  • Every mesh round from Rnd 5 to Rnd 16 has 26 loops
  • The opening is 26 sts, about 2 in (5.1 cm) across
  • Both ears are 5.3 in (13.5 cm) and placed symmetrically
  • Eyes, cheeks and tusks are level and mirrored
  • The lid lifts freely and closes squarely
  • The hanging loop is sewn through several layers
  • All ends are secured

Troubleshooting

  • Mesh spirals: Always start each round in the first sp of the previous round.
  • Wrong loop count: Count the sps after Rnd 5. You need 26 before you continue.
  • Lid gapes: The head is wider than the rim. Remake the dome with a smaller hook.
  • Ears ruffle: Work Rnds 10–12 with a smaller hook.
  • Bags drop out: Rnd 19 is too loose. Rework Rnds 18–19 one hook size smaller.
  • Trunk droops: Add stuffing near the base and tack the curl higher.

Care

Remove the bags and hand wash in cool water with mild soap. Reshape and dry flat, and don’t tumble dry.

Turquoise crocheted owl with pink accents hanging from a wooden rod in a bright, plant-filled kitchen.

Final Notes

The measurement chain is:

  1. A gauge of 16 sc and 18 rounds per 4 in (10.2 cm) gives a 5.8 in (14.7 cm) head base and a 19.5 in (49.5 cm) rim, both on 78 sts.
  2. Those 78 sts become 26 mesh loops that lengthen and shorten to shape the belly.
  3. The loops return to 26 sts at the opening and flare back to 78 in the ruffle.
  4. The ears grow from 4.0 in (10.2 cm) to 5.3 in (13.5 cm) with three teal rounds.

Check each stage and Bubbles will hang straight and hold plenty of bags. For a pink version, swap the teal and pink.

Happy crocheting!

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