The Lavender Trio is a three-tier hanging toilet paper holder made of three round baskets stacked one above the other. It hangs from a wooden ring. Each basket holds one standard roll, so the spares stay off the floor and within reach.
The colors are soft lavender and cream. Each basket has a solid lavender base. The side walls have offset rounds of cream and lavender cluster groups, and the top is finished with a cream rope-twist rim. The look is calm and a little vintage, which suits a neutral bathroom.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished organizer measures about 6 in (15.2 cm) wide and 20.25 in (51.4 cm) long from the top fold of the hanger loop to the bottom of the lowest basket. The wooden ring adds length above that.
To make it, you crochet three identical baskets from the base up, four short straps, and one hanger tab. You sew the straps to the backs of the baskets, add the tab and ring, then work the crab-stitch rim on each basket last so that it covers the strap ends.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 6 in (15.2 cm) wide × 20.25 in (51.4 cm) long, not counting the ring
- Skill level: Easy-intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 5 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 8 (3 baskets, 4 straps, 1 hanger tab), plus 1 wooden ring
- Layout: One vertical column of 3 baskets with a 2.5 in (6.4 cm) strap gap between baskets
- Piece size (one basket): 6 in (15.2 cm) diameter × 4 in (10.2 cm) tall
- Basket size before border: 6 in (15.2 cm) × 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall
- Border depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm), one round of crab stitch
Materials
Cotton is the best choice here. It holds its shape, doesn’t stretch much under weight, and handles bathroom humidity. Choose a smooth, tightly plied yarn so the cluster groups look crisp.
- Lavender (Color A): 100 g, about 155 m (170 yd)
- Cream (Color B): 75 g, about 116 m (127 yd)
These amounts assume a yarn of about 155 m per 100 g. Both quantities include a margin of about 30–40% for gauge swatches and weaving in ends.
Tools:
– 5 mm (H-8) crochet hook
– One 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wooden ring
– Tapestry needle
– 6 locking stitch markers
– Scissors
– Measuring tape
– Pins and a blocking mat
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- BLO – back loop only
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rnd – round
- rep – repeat
Special stitches:
– 3-dc group: Work 3 dc in the same stitch or space.
– Crab stitch (reverse sc): Working from left to right (right-handers), insert the hook into the next stitch to the right, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, and pull through both loops on the hook.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 14 sc × 16 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm). Each cluster round is about 0.625 in (1.6 cm) tall.
Make one complete basket before you start the others. If that basket measures correctly, the other two will match it.
Checkpoints:
– After Rnd 11: The base is flat and measures 6 in (15.2 cm) across, with 66 sts and a circumference of about 18.9 in (48.0 cm).
– After Rnd 14: The side wall is 0.75 in (1.9 cm) tall.
– After Rnd 18: The side wall is 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tall.
– After Rnd 20: The side wall is 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall.
– After Rnd 21: The side wall is 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
If the base is larger than 6 in (15.2 cm), go down to a 4.5 mm hook. If it’s smaller, go up to a 5.5 mm hook. If the base ruffles, your tension is loose. If it cups, your tension is tight. Fix this before you start the side wall. A standard roll is about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across and needs about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) of clearance in total.
Basket (Make 3)
Base
Work in joined rounds with Color A. Join each round with a sl st to the first sc, then ch 1. The ch 1 does not count as a stitch.
Rnd 1: Make a magic ring and work 6 sc into it. (6)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st. (12)
Rnd 3: Sc 1, inc; rep around. (18)
Rnd 4: Sc 1, inc, sc 1; rep around. (24)
Rnd 5: Sc 3, inc; rep around. (30)
Rnd 6: Sc 2, inc, sc 2; rep around. (36)
Rnd 7: Sc 5, inc; rep around. (42)
Rnd 8: Sc 3, inc, sc 3; rep around. (48)
Rnd 9: Sc 7, inc; rep around. (54)
Rnd 10: Sc 4, inc, sc 4; rep around. (60)
Rnd 11: Sc 9, inc; rep around. (66)
The staggered increases keep the base round rather than hexagonal. Check that the base measures 6 in (15.2 cm).
Side Wall: Lavender Band
Rnd 12: Sc BLO in each st. (66)
Working in the back loop makes a crisp fold, so the wall stands upright.
Rnds 13–14: Sc in each st. (66)
Fasten off Color A. Place a marker at the join and call this the center back. Keep every later join within a few stitches of this marker.
Side Wall: Cluster Rounds
The number 66 divides evenly into 22 groups of 3. Each 3-dc group sits over 3 sts.
Rnd 15 (Color B): Join in the marked st. Ch 3 (counts as dc), work 2 dc in the same st. Skip 2 sts, work a 3-dc group in the next st; rep from * 20 more times. Skip the last 2 sts and join to the top of the ch-3. You now have 22 groups. (66 dc) Fasten off.
Rnd 16 (Color A): Join in the space between the last group and the first group. Ch 3, work 2 dc in the same sp. Work a 3-dc group in each space between groups around, then join. You now have 22 groups. (66 dc) Fasten off.
Each group sits between two groups of the round below. This half-group shift makes the staggered fan pattern.
Rnd 17 (Color B): Work as for Rnd 16. (22 groups, 66 dc) Fasten off.
Rnd 18 (Color A): Work as for Rnd 16. (22 groups, 66 dc) Fasten off.
Check that the wall is now 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tall.
Cream Top Band
Rnd 19 (Color B, conversion round): Join in any dc near center back. Work 1 sc in each dc and skip the spaces between groups. That gives 66 sc worked 1 per existing dc, plus 0 added sts. (66)
Rnd 20: Sc in each st. (66) Do not fasten off. Pull up a long loop and put a marker in it.
Hold the basket with the joins at the back. Mark the stitch at the Rnd 20 join as st 1. Count clockwise as seen from above, so the sts run from st 1 to st 66.
Check that the wall is 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall. Leave the crab-stitch rim (Rnd 21) until after joining.
Straps (Make 4)
Use Color A.
Row 1: Ch 4. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in the next 2 ch. (3)
Rows 2–16: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st. (3)
Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail for sewing. Each strap measures 0.9 in (2.3 cm) × 4 in (10.2 cm).
Hanger Tab (Make 1)
Tab
Use Color B.
Row 1: Ch 13. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and across. (12)
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (12)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc 8, sc2tog. (10)
Row 4: Sc across. (10)
Row 5: Sc2tog, sc 6, sc2tog. (8)
Row 6: Sc across. (8)
Row 7: Sc2tog, sc 4, sc2tog. (6)
Rows 8–12: Sc across. (6)
Fasten off Color B. The tab measures 3 in (7.6 cm) tall, 3.4 in (8.6 cm) wide at the bottom, and 1.7 in (4.3 cm) wide at the top.
Loop
Join Color A in the first st of Row 12.
Loop Rows 1–10: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (6)
Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail. The loop measures 2.5 in (6.4 cm).
Side Edging
Join Color A at the bottom corner of one slanted side. Work 12 sc up the side, 1 sc per row end, and fasten off. Repeat on the other side, working from top to bottom. You now have 12 sc on each side.
Make All Pieces
| Piece | Qty | Colors |
|---|---|---|
| Basket | 3 | A: Rnds 1–14, 16, 18. B: Rnds 15, 17, 19–21 |
| Strap | 4 | A |
| Hanger tab | 1 | B tab, A loop and edging |
Layout (seen from the front):
[ ring ]
[ loop ]
[ tab ]
[ Basket 1 (top) ]
| strap strap |
[ Basket 2 ]
| strap strap |
[ Basket 3 (bottom) ]
Joining
Use mattress-style whipstitch with Color A tails. Sew through both loops of the basket stitches and through the edge stitches of each strap.
Strap positions: On every basket, the left strap sits over sts 57–59 and the right strap sits over sts 9–11. That leaves 15 sts between the straps: sts 60–66 (7), st 1, and sts 2–8 (7). The straps span 21 sts, about 6 in (15.2 cm) along the curve. Because each strap is 3 sts wide, it lines up stitch for stitch with its 3 basket sts.
Upper end of each strap: Overlap the strap’s last 3 rows, 0.75 in (1.9 cm), on the outside back of the upper basket’s Rnds 12–14. Sew around all four edges.
Lower end of each strap: Overlap the strap’s first 3 rows on the outside back of the lower basket’s Rnds 18–20. The strap’s top edge should sit flush with the top of Rnd 20. Sew the sides and bottom only. The crab-stitch rim will cover the top edge.
Join Basket 1 to Basket 2, then Basket 2 to Basket 3. Pin both straps before you sew so the baskets hang level.
Tab: Place the tab’s Rows 1–4, 1 in (2.5 cm), inside the back of Basket 1. Row 1 should sit across sts 61–6, which is 12 sts (61–66 plus 1–6). Its top edge should be level with Rnd 20. Sew around the overlapped area.
Ring: Fold the loop over the ring toward the back. Sew Loop Row 10 to the back of Tab Row 12.
Tension: Sew snugly but not tightly. Puckered seams make the baskets tilt.
Size checkpoint: Measure the strap gap between the baskets. It should be 2.5 in (6.4 cm). The column should measure 20 in (50.8 cm) before the rims are added.
Border: Crab-Stitch Rim
Border gauge: 1 crab stitch per sc, 0.25 in (0.6 cm) tall.
Rnd 21 (Color B): On each basket, pick up the live loop from Rnd 20 and ch 1. Work 1 crab stitch in each sc around and join. (66)
That puts 33 crab sts across the front half (sts 34–66) and 33 across the back half (sts 1–33). Work through the Rnd 20 stitches only, so the stitches cover the top edges of the straps on Baskets 2 and 3. On Basket 1, keep the tab folded down toward the inside while you work, then lift it up.
Why the math works: Rnds 19, 20, and 21 each have exactly 66 sts, with no increases or decreases. The rim therefore matches the 18.9 in (48.0 cm) circumference of the base. It won’t flare or pull in, and it adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm), bringing each basket to 4 in (10.2 cm). The stack measures 4 + 2.5 + 4 + 2.5 + 4 = 17 in (43.2 cm). The tab adds 2 in (5.1 cm) above the rim and the loop adds 1.25 in (3.2 cm), for a total of 20.25 in (51.4 cm).
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends inside the baskets, following stitches of the same color.
- Mist each basket lightly with water.
- Stuff each basket firmly with a towel shaped to 6 in (15.2 cm) wide.
- Press the bases flat and smooth the cluster rounds upright.
- Pin the straps straight so the gaps are 2.5 in (6.4 cm).
- Let it dry completely, usually 24 hours.
- Remove the towels and hang the organizer.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each basket has 66 sts in Rnds 11–21.
- Each cluster round has 22 groups.
- The bases measure 6 in (15.2 cm) and lie flat.
- The baskets are 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
- All straps sit over sts 57–59 and 9–11.
- The gaps are 2.5 in (6.4 cm).
- The tab is centered over st 1.
- The total length is 20.25 in (51.4 cm).
- The baskets hang level and hold a roll each.
Troubleshooting
- Base is wavy: Use a smaller hook or redo Rnds 9–11 with tighter tension.
- Base is cupped: Use a larger hook.
- Cluster groups lean: Make sure each round works into the spaces, not the dc tops.
- Group count is off: Recount Rnd 14. It must be 66.
- Basket tilts: Recheck the strap positions so they match on every basket.
- Rim ruffles: Crab stitch is too loose. Go down 0.5 mm for Rnd 21 only.
- Roll won’t fit: The base is too small. Adjust your gauge.
Care
Hand wash in cool water, press out the water in a towel, and reshape. Dry flat over a rolled towel. Remove the wooden ring before washing.
Final Notes
Here’s the measurement chain. The gauge of 14 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm) gives a 66-st base of 6 in (15.2 cm). The 66 sts give 22 cluster groups and a 4 in (10.2 cm) wall. Straps of 16 rows give 2.5 in (6.4 cm) gaps. Three baskets plus the tab and loop give 20.25 in (51.4 cm). If your first basket hits each checkpoint, the finished holder will too.
Happy crocheting!