This cheerful orange cat wraps over a standard toilet paper roll and hangs from the holder arm. The paper feeds out of the open bottom, right under a smiling cream muzzle. Pointed ears with cream linings stand up along the top, two shiny black eyes sit above a tiny pink nose, and black whiskers fan out to each side.
The colors are a warm burnt orange for the body, cream for the muzzle and inner ears, soft pink for the nose, and black for the whiskers and smile. The fabric is plain, dense single crochet. It has a tidy texture and enough body to hold its curve around the roll.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. Laid flat, the finished cover measures 5.5 in x 12.5 in (14.0 cm x 31.8 cm). It fits a standard roll about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide and 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across.
You work one rectangular panel flat in rows and add a two-round edging. Then you make the small appliqué pieces and sew them on. Two sew-on snaps at one end form a loop that goes over the holder arm.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 5.5 in x 12.5 in (14.0 cm x 31.8 cm) flat
- Skill level: Easy
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (Category 4) cotton
- Hook: 4.5 mm (US 7)
- Number of pieces: 1 main panel plus 7 appliqué pieces (2 ear backs, 2 ear linings, 2 muzzle circles, 1 nose)
- Layout: single panel worked flat in rows; no joined motifs
- Panel size before border: 5 in x 12 in (12.7 cm x 30.5 cm), 20 sts x 54 rows
- Border depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm) per side, 2 rounds
Materials
Choose a smooth worsted cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds its shape, copes well with a humid bathroom, and shows the stitch texture clearly. Avoid very stretchy acrylic, which lets the cover sag.
- Orange (main color): 60 g, about 105 m
- Cream: 10 g, about 17 m
- Pink: 2 g, about 4 m
- Black: 2 g, about 4 m (worsted yarn or 6-strand embroidery floss)
All quantities include a margin of about 20 percent for checking gauge and for sewing tails.
Tools:
- 4.5 mm (US 7) crochet hook
- 2 black safety eyes, 12 mm
- 2 silver sew-on snaps, about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) across
- Tapestry needle
- Sewing needle and orange thread
- Scissors, stitch markers, straight pins
- Tape measure
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sc – single crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- inc – 2 sc in the same st
- MR – magic ring
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together: (insert hook in next st, yarn over, pull up a loop) twice, yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on the hook
- sc3tog – single crochet 3 together: the same move worked across 3 sts, then pull through all 4 loops
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc and 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Test on the panel itself. Work Rows 1–9, then measure. Check your size at each of these stages:
- After Row 1: 20 sc should measure 5 in (12.7 cm) wide.
- After Row 9: 2 in (5.1 cm) tall.
- After Row 18: 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
- After Row 54: 12 in (30.5 cm) tall and still 5 in (12.7 cm) wide.
- After the border: 5.5 in x 12.5 in (14.0 cm x 31.8 cm).
If the panel is too wide, start again with a 4 mm hook. If it is too narrow, use a 5 mm hook. Width matters most, because the cover has to span the roll without gaping.
If only your row height is off, change the number of rows until the panel is 12 in (30.5 cm) long. Then move the marker positions to match, and recount the border’s long sides as described below.
Main Panel
With orange, ch 21.
Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (20 sc)
Rows 2–54: Ch 1 (does not count as a st), sc in each st across, turn. (20 sc each row)
Do not fasten off. Go straight into the border.
Row 1 is the front edge. It hangs at the bottom front of the roll, and the paper comes out just below it. Row 54 is the tab end, which loops over the holder arm.
Place markers on these rows, counting from Row 1:
- Row 3: bottom of the muzzle
- Row 14: eye row
- Row 24: ear line (top of the roll)
- Row 39: lower snap row
- Row 52: upper snap row
Border
Border gauge: 4 sc per inch (2.54 cm) along every edge, the same as the panel’s stitch gauge.
Round 1: Ch 1 and work across the top of Row 54: 3 sc in the first st, sc in the next 18 sts, 3 sc in the last st.
Work down the long side across the row ends: sc in each of the next 8 row ends, skip 1 row end. Repeat from * to * 5 more times. (48 sc)
Work across the bottom of the foundation chain: 3 sc in the first ch, sc in the next 18 ch, 3 sc in the last ch.
Work up the other long side with the same 48-sc sequence. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (144 sc)
Round 1 count check:
- Row 54 edge: 18 sc between the corner groups
- First long side: 48 sc
- Foundation edge: 18 sc between the corner groups
- Second long side: 48 sc
- Corners: 4 groups x 3 sc = 12 sc
- Total: 18 + 48 + 18 + 48 + 12 = 144 sc
Round 2: Sl st loosely in each sc around and join to the first sl st. (144 sl st) Fasten off and weave in the end.
Why the math works: Each short edge is worked 1 sc per existing stitch (20 sts), plus 2 extra sc at each corner, because each 3-sc corner group stands on a single stitch. That gives 18 + 3 + 3 = 24 sts across the 5 in (12.7 cm) edge, with rounded corners.
Each long edge has 54 row ends. Single crochet rows are shorter than the stitches are wide (4.5 rows per inch against 4 stitches per inch), so you skip 1 of every 9 row ends: 54 − 6 = 48 sc. At 4 sc per inch, 48 sc is 12 in (30.5 cm), which is exactly the panel length. The edges stay flat, with no ruffling and no pulling in.
Ears (make 2)
Ear Back (orange)
Ch 9.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (8 sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog, turn. (6 sc)
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (6 sc)
Row 4: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog, turn. (4 sc)
Row 5: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (4 sc)
Row 6: Ch 1, sc2tog twice, turn. (2 sc)
Row 7: Ch 1, sc2tog. (1 sc) Fasten off.
Edging: Rejoin orange at one base corner. Work 7 sc evenly up the slanted side, 3 sc in the tip stitch, then 7 sc evenly down the other slanted side. (17 sc) Leave the base without edging so you can sew it down. Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail.
Each ear back measures about 2 in (5.1 cm) across the base and 1.75 in (4.4 cm) tall.
Ear Lining (cream)
Ch 6.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (5 sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (5 sc)
Row 3: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next st, sc2tog, turn. (3 sc)
Row 4: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (3 sc)
Row 5: Ch 1, sc3tog. (1 sc) Fasten off and leave a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail.
Each lining measures about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across the base.
Stack the ears: Center a cream lining on the RS of each orange ear back, with the bottom edges lined up. About 0.25 in (0.6 cm) of orange should show along each slanted side and at the tip, framing the cream. Whipstitch the lining’s slanted edges in place with the cream tail.
Muzzle (cream, make 2 circles)
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc in ring, join with sl st to first sc. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, inc in each st around, join. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in next st, inc; repeat from * 5 more times, join. (18 sc)
Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail. Each circle measures about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across.
Place the two circles side by side, overlapping by about 0.25 in (0.6 cm), and tack them together on the WS. The finished muzzle is about 2.75 in (7.0 cm) wide and 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall.
Nose (pink)
Ch 4.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (3 sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc3tog. (1 sc)
Fasten off and leave an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail. The nose is a small triangle about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) wide. Sew it on with the point facing down.
Assembly
Lay the panel RS up with Row 1 nearest you.
- Eyes: On Row 14, insert one safety eye between sts 6 and 7 and the other between sts 14 and 15. This puts them about 2 in (5.1 cm) apart. Press the backs on firmly from the WS.
- Muzzle: Center the muzzle with its lower edge on Row 3. Whipstitch it on all the way around.
- Nose: Place the nose just above the dip where the two circles meet, with the point down. Whipstitch it in place.
- Mouth: With black, backstitch a small “w” below the nose, with one curve on each circle.
- Whiskers: With black, make 3 straight stitches on each side, each about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) long. Start them at the edge of the muzzle and fan them out: one angled up, one level and one angled down.
- Ears: Sew one ear base across sts 1–8 on Row 24 and the other across sts 13–20. This leaves a 4-st (1 in, 2.5 cm) gap between them. Point the linings toward the front edge, then tack the back of each ear to the panel so the ears stand up.
- Snaps: With sewing thread, sew one half of each snap to the RS on Row 52, about 1 in (2.5 cm) in from each long edge. Sew the matching halves to the RS on Row 39 at the same positions, about 3 in (7.6 cm) away.
To fit the cover: Lay the panel over the roll so the face hangs down the front and Row 1 sits at the bottom. Bring the tab up behind the holder arm, fold it back over the arm and snap Row 52 onto Row 39. The bottom stays open, so the paper pulls out freely.
Final Blocking
- Block the cover before you sew on the snaps.
- Lightly mist it with water.
- Pin it flat to 5.5 in x 12.5 in (14.0 cm x 31.8 cm), keeping the edges straight.
- Hover steam over the ears without touching them, then pinch the points into shape.
- Let the cover dry completely, then unpin it and add the snaps.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Panel measured 5 in x 12 in (12.7 cm x 30.5 cm) before the border
- Border Round 1 has exactly 144 sc
- Finished cover measures 5.5 in x 12.5 in (14.0 cm x 31.8 cm)
- Long edges lie flat without waves
- Eyes are level and locked on firmly
- Muzzle is centered with its lower edge on Row 3
- Whiskers match on both sides
- Ears stand upright on Row 24 with a 1 in (2.5 cm) gap
- Snaps close without twisting the tab
- All ends are woven in on the WS
Troubleshooting
Panel is wider than 5 in (12.7 cm): Your tension is loose. Restart with a 4 mm hook.
Long edges ripple: You worked too many sc into the row ends. Recheck the “8 sc, skip 1” repeat.
Long edges pull in: You skipped too many row ends. Rework Round 1 and count 48 sc per side.
Ears flop: Tack them higher on the back or add a second line of stitching along the base.
Muzzle circles cup: Your increases are tight. Steam them flat, or remake them with a 5 mm hook.
Cover slips off: Move the Row 39 snap halves to Row 37 to make the loop tighter.
Care
Unsnap the cover and hand wash it in cool water with mild soap. Roll it in a towel to remove water, then dry it flat and reshape the ears while they are still damp.
Final Notes
The fit depends on one measurement chain. Twenty sc at 4 sts per inch gives a width of 5 in (12.7 cm). Fifty-four rows at 4.5 rows per inch gives a length of 12 in (30.5 cm). The border adds 18 sc on each short edge, 48 sc on each long side and 12 corner stitches, for 144 sc in total, which brings the cover to 5.5 in x 12.5 in (14.0 cm x 31.8 cm). Check your width after Row 1 and your height at Rows 9 and 18, and count the border before the last round. If those numbers are right, the cat will fit a standard roll neatly.
Happy crocheting!