This hanging holder stacks three round baskets in a single column, and each basket is sized to hold a standard toilet roll. A pale yellow star with a sage green edge sits on the front of every basket, and its top point sticks up just above the rim. One continuous strap runs up both sides and forms the hanging loop, so you can hang the whole piece from a towel bar, hook, or door knob.
The colors are soft and calm: sage green for the baskets, star edging, and strap, and pale yellow for the stars. The basket walls use a staggered cluster stitch with a dotted, bumpy texture, and the rim has a rope-like reverse single crochet edge. The look is cozy without being loud, so it suits a bathroom all year.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished holder measures about 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide across the straps and about 19.75 in (50.2 cm) long from the top of the loop to the bottom basket. Each basket is 5 in (12.7 cm) across and 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall.
Construction is simple. You crochet three baskets from the base up, make three star appliqués, and work one long strap. You sew the stars to the basket fronts, then sew the strap to the sides of all three baskets, leaving a loop at the top.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: about 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide x 19.75 in (50.2 cm) long, including the loop
- Skill level: Easy+ (basic stitches, one cluster stitch, reverse single crochet)
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: #4 worsted, cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 7 (3 baskets, 3 stars, 1 strap)
- Layout: 1 column x 3 baskets, stacked vertically
- Piece size: each basket 5 in (12.7 cm) across x 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall; each star about 4.25 in (10.8 cm) across
- Size before border: basket wall 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall above the base
- Border depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm), one round of reverse single crochet
- Gap between baskets: 1 in (2.5 cm)
Materials
Choose a firm cotton or cotton blend in worsted weight. Cotton holds the basket shape, stands up to bathroom humidity, and washes well. Acrylic also works, but the walls will be softer.
- Sage green (Color A): 175 g, about 280 m
- Pale yellow (Color B): 25 g, about 40 m
These amounts assume a yarn of about 80 m per 50 g. They include a margin of about 15 percent to cover your test basket and normal differences in tension.
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- 4 locking stitch markers
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Rustproof pins and a blocking surface
- One toilet roll, for test fitting
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- BLO – back loop only
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rev sc – reverse single crochet (crab stitch), worked from left to right if you crochet right-handed
- rep – repeat
Special stitch – cluster (cl): Yarn over, insert your hook in the stated st or sp, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops. Yarn over, insert your hook in the same st or sp, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops. Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on the hook.
Gauge and Checkpoints
- Single crochet: 16 sc and 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm)
- Base: Rounds 1–5 = 5 in (12.7 cm) across
- Cluster rounds: 2 rounds = 1 in (2.5 cm)
Make one complete basket before anything else. It works as your real gauge swatch.
Checkpoints:
- After Round 1: about 1 in (2.5 cm) across
- After Round 3: about 3 in (7.6 cm) across
- After Round 5: 5 in (12.7 cm) across, lying flat
- After Round 12: the wall is 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tall above the base
- After Round 14: the wall is 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall, and a toilet roll drops in with a little room to spare
If the base is too big (over 5.25 in / 13.3 cm), switch to a 4.5 mm (7) hook. If it’s too small (under 4.75 in / 12.1 cm) or the roll won’t fit, switch to a 5.5 mm (I-9) hook. A standard roll is about 4.25 in (10.8 cm) across, so the basket needs that width plus some room.
Basket (Make 3)
Use Color A.
Base
Round 1: Make a magic ring, ch 2 (doesn’t count as a st), 12 dc in ring, sl st to first dc to join. (12 sts)
Round 2: Ch 2, 2 dc in each st around, join. (24 sts)
Round 3: Ch 2, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st; rep from * around, join. (36 sts)
Round 4: Ch 2, dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st; rep from * around, join. (48 sts)
Round 5: Ch 2, dc in next 3 sts, 2 dc in next st; rep from * around, join. (60 sts)
Check: the base should lie flat and measure 5 in (12.7 cm) across.
Walls
Round 6: Ch 1, sc in BLO of each st around, join. (60 sts)
This round makes the ridge where the base turns up into the wall. From here on, every round has 60 sts.
Round 7: Ch 2, cl in first st, ch 1, skip next st, cl in next st, ch 1, skip next st; rep from * around, join to top of first cl. (30 cl + 30 ch-1 sps = 60 sts)
Round 8: Sl st into next ch-1 sp, ch 2, cl in same sp, ch 1, cl in next ch-1 sp, ch 1; rep from * around, join to top of first cl. (30 cl + 30 ch-1 sps = 60 sts)
Each cluster now sits between two clusters of the round below, which makes the staggered dotted texture.
Rounds 9–12: Rep Round 8. (60 sts each round)
Check: you have 6 cluster rounds, and the wall is 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tall above the base, counting the ridge.
Round 13: Ch 1, sc in each cl and in each ch-1 sp around, join. (30 sc in clusters + 30 sc in spaces = 60 sts)
Place markers: Mark the st directly above the start of the round as st 1. This is the front center. Then mark st 16 (left side), st 31 (back center), and st 46 (right side). Each marker is 15 sts from the next one.
Don’t fasten off. Go straight to the Border section for this basket.
Star Appliqué (Make 3)
Round 1: With Color B, make a magic ring, ch 2 (doesn’t count as a st), 10 hdc in ring, join. (10 sts)
Round 2: Ch 2, 2 dc in each st around, join. (20 sts)
Check: the center measures about 2 in (5.1 cm) across.
Round 3 (points): Ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, tr in next ch, skip next 3 sts of Round 2, sl st in next st; rep from * 4 more times. The last sl st goes in the same st as the starting join. Fasten off. (5 points; each point uses 4 sts of Round 2, and 5 x 4 = 20)
Each point is about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) long.
Round 4 (edging): Join Color A in any sl st between points. Sc in the sl st, 4 sc spaced evenly up one side of the point along the free loops of the ch, (sc, ch 2, sc) in the tip, 4 sc spaced evenly down the other side along the stitch posts; rep from * around, join. Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail for sewing. (11 sc per point: 1 + 4 + 2 + 4 = 11; 5 x 11 = 55 sc + 5 ch-2 tips)
The finished star measures about 4.25 in (10.8 cm) across at its widest points.
Strap (Make 1)
Use Color A.
Foundation: Ch 171.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (170 sts)
Rows 2–3: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (170 sts)
Fasten off and weave in the ends. The strap measures 42.5 in (108.0 cm) long and about 0.7 in (1.8 cm) wide.
Counting from one end, mark the strap at these stitch positions:
- Sts 1–15: bottom basket, left side
- Sts 16–19: gap
- Sts 20–34: middle basket, left side
- Sts 35–38: gap
- Sts 39–53: top basket, left side
- Sts 54–117: hanging loop (64 sts = 16 in / 40.6 cm)
- Sts 118–132: top basket, right side
- Sts 133–136: gap
- Sts 137–151: middle basket, right side
- Sts 152–155: gap
- Sts 156–170: bottom basket, right side
Check: 15 + 4 + 15 + 4 + 15 = 53 per side, and 53 + 64 + 53 = 170.
Make All Pieces
- Color A: 3 baskets, 1 strap, 3 star edgings
- Color B: 3 star centers
Layout (front view):
+--------+ <- hanging loop (strap sts 54-117)
| |
[ Basket 3 * ] <- top
| 1 in |
[ Basket 2 * ] <- middle
| 1 in |
[ Basket 1 * ] <- bottom
Center each star on st 1 (front center). The strap runs over st 16 on the left side and st 46 on the right side.
Joining
Stars to baskets: Center each star over st 1 of its basket, about 2 in (5.1 cm) above the ridge, with one point straight up. The top point will rise about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) above the rim, and the two lower points will sit just above the ridge. Pin it in place. Then whipstitch through the outer loops of the green edging and into the cluster wall. Keep your stitches small and snug so the points don’t curl.
Strap to baskets: Lay the three baskets in a column with 1 in (2.5 cm) between the rim of one basket and the ridge of the next. Pin strap sts 1–15 upright over the st 16 marker of the bottom basket, with st 1 at the ridge and st 15 at the top of the rim. This lines up because 15 strap sts at 4 sts per inch equal 3.75 in (9.5 cm), which is exactly the wall height from Round 6 to Round 14.
Keep going up: sts 16–19 bridge the 1 in (2.5 cm) gap, sts 20–34 cover the middle basket, sts 35–38 bridge the next gap, and sts 39–53 cover the top basket. Leave sts 54–117 free for the loop. Then work down the right side over the st 46 markers with sts 118–170. Make sure the strap isn’t twisted.
Using Color A, whipstitch both long edges of the strap to each basket wall. Don’t sew the gap sections. Keep your tension even and moderate. If you pull too hard, the wall will pucker under the strap.
Size checkpoint: Hang the holder. The column of baskets should measure 13.25 in (33.7 cm) from the top rim to the bottom of the lowest basket, and the loop should rise about 6.5 in (16.5 cm) above the top rim.
Border
The border is the rim edge of each basket. Work it right after Round 13.
Border gauge: rev sc matches sc gauge, 16 sts = 4 in (10.2 cm), and it adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm) of height.
Round 14: Ch 1, rev sc in each st around, working from left to right, join. Fasten off and weave in the ends. (60 sts)
Per side: the front half (st 46 through st 60, then st 1 through st 15) has 30 sts. The back half (st 16 through st 45) has 30 sts. 30 + 30 = 60.
Why the math works: Round 13 turns 30 clusters and 30 spaces into exactly 60 sc, the same count as the base and every wall round. The border then puts 1 rev sc into each of those 60 sts, so the rim stays the same size as the wall and doesn’t flare out or pull in. The 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wall plus the 0.25 in (0.6 cm) border gives a 3.75 in (9.5 cm) height, which is what the strap math is built on.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all remaining ends before blocking.
- Lightly mist the whole holder with water so it’s damp, not soaked.
- Slide a toilet roll into each basket to shape the walls into neat cylinders.
- Lay the holder flat on a blocking surface with the rolls in place.
- Pin each star point into a sharp tip, and pin the strap straight along both sides.
- Check that each gap between baskets is 1 in (2.5 cm).
- Let it dry completely, then remove the pins and rolls.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each base measures 5 in (12.7 cm) across and lies flat.
- Each basket has 60 sts in every round from Round 5 to Round 14.
- Each wall is 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall, including the border.
- Each star has 5 even points, with 55 sc + 5 ch-2 tips in the edging.
- Each star is centered on st 1, and its top point is about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) above the rim.
- The strap has 170 sts and isn’t twisted.
- Each gap between baskets is 1 in (2.5 cm).
- The finished holder hangs straight and measures about 19.75 in (50.2 cm) long.
Troubleshooting
Base ruffles: Your dc are loose. Go down a hook size or tighten your yarn-overs.
Base cups up before Round 6: Your tension is tight. Go up a hook size for the base only.
Walls flare outward: Count the clusters. Every cluster round needs exactly 30, and an extra one adds width.
Roll won’t fit: Make the basket again with a 5.5 mm (I-9) hook. Before sewing, check the strap length against the new wall height.
Star points curl: Pin each tip when blocking, and check that Round 4 has 4 sc on each side of every point.
Holder tilts when hanging: One side of the strap is sewn higher than the other. Unpick it and pin it again at the marked stitch positions.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap and gently press out the extra water. Dry it flat with rolls inside so it keeps its shape, and don’t tumble dry.
Final Notes
Here’s how the measurements connect. A 60-stitch base at 5 in (12.7 cm) sets the basket width. Rounds 6–14 build a 3.75 in (9.5 cm) wall, which equals 15 strap stitches. Three baskets plus two 1 in (2.5 cm) gaps use 53 strap stitches on each side, and the 64-stitch loop brings the strap to 170 stitches. If your first basket hits its checkpoints, the rest of the holder will fit together.
Happy crocheting!