This plastic bag holder is a tall, soft tube that hangs from a wooden ring inside a cabinet door or on a kitchen hook. You stuff used grocery bags in through the open top and pull them out one at a time through an oval opening near the bottom.
The sample has a buttery yellow lace body made of staggered shells, a solid cream base band, and a cream scalloped rim. Three cream daisies with yellow centers and green leaves are sewn on the front. A sage green version is made the same way: just swap the yellow body yarn for sage.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished body is 14 in (35.6 cm) tall with a 15 in (38.1 cm) circumference, or about 4.75 in (12.1 cm) across. With the tab and a 3 in (7.6 cm) ring, it hangs about 18 in (45.7 cm) long.
You crochet one seamless tube from the bottom up in this order: a flat round base, a cream band, a short yellow band with the opening, the shell lace body, and a cream scalloped rim. Then you make a hanging tab and the flower and leaf appliqués, and sew them on.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 14 in (35.6 cm) tall body, 15 in (38.1 cm) circumference, about 4.75 in (12.1 cm) diameter
- Skill level: Easy-intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6)
- Number of pieces: 1 main body (a single tube), 1 hanging tab, 3 flowers, 4 leaves
- Layout: Single vertical tube. The opening is at the front, and the tab is directly opposite at the back.
- Piece size: Body 60 sts around. Tab 2 in x 3.5 in (5.1 cm x 8.9 cm). Flowers 1.75 in (4.4 cm) across. Leaves 1.5 in (3.8 cm) long.
- Size before border: 12.75 in (32.4 cm) tall after the last lace round
- Border depth: The cream top band is 1.25 in (3.2 cm). The opening edging is 1 round of sc.
Materials
Choose a smooth worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds its shape and won’t stretch out under the weight of the bags. Acrylic works too, but the tube will be softer.
- Cream (Color A): 50 g / 85 m, for the base, base band, top band, tab, and flower petals
- Yellow (Color B): 70 g / 119 m, for the lace body, opening band, and flower centers
- Green (Color C): 5 g / 9 m, for the leaves
For the sage version, use 70 g / 119 m of sage green as Color B. Keep a small amount of yellow for the flower centers.
Tools:
- 4.0 mm (G-6) hook
- 3 in (7.6 cm) wooden ring
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch marker
- Measuring tape
- Spray bottle and a hand towel for blocking
All quantities include a margin of about 15 percent for swatching and differences in tension.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- BLO: back loop only
- st(s): stitch(es)
- rnd: round
- RS / WS: right side / wrong side
Shell: 5 dc worked into the same stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc and 18 sc rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm). In the lace, 1 shell repeat (6 sts) is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide, and 4 shell rnds are 2 in (5.1 cm) tall.
Use the base as your test piece. Work Rnds 1–10, then lay the base flat and measure it before you go any further.
Checkpoints:
- After Rnd 5 (30 sts): The base is about 2.4 in (6.1 cm) across.
- After Rnd 10 (60 sts): The base is about 4.75 in (12.1 cm) across.
- After Rnd 19: The cream wall is 2 in (5.1 cm) tall above the base edge.
- After Rnd 25: The tube is 3.75 in (9.5 cm) tall.
- After Rnd 43: The tube is 12.75 in (32.4 cm) tall.
- After Rnd 48: The tube is 14 in (35.6 cm) tall.
If it’s too big, go down to a 3.75 mm (F-5) hook. If it’s too small, go up to a 4.5 mm (7) hook. Don’t change the stitch counts, because every section depends on having 60 sts around.
Main Pattern: Body
Work in joined rounds with the RS facing. The exception is Rows 21–24, which are worked back and forth to make the opening. A ch 1 at the start of a round doesn’t count as a stitch.
Base (Cream)
Rnd 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 1, work 6 sc in the ring, and sl st to the first sc to join. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, join. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, *sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around, join. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, *sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around, join. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, *sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around, join. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: Ch 1, *sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around, join. (36 sts)
Rnd 7: Ch 1, *sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around, join. (42 sts)
Rnd 8: Ch 1, *sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around, join. (48 sts)
Rnd 9: Ch 1, *sc in next 7 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around, join. (54 sts)
Rnd 10: Ch 1, *sc in next 8 sts, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around, join. (60 sts)
Cream Base Band
Rnd 11: Ch 1, sc BLO in each st around, join. (60 sts) Working in the back loops turns the edge sharply upward and leaves a neat ridge around the base.
Rnds 12–19: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (60 sts)
Fasten off the cream. The wall should be 2 in (5.1 cm) tall.
Opening Band (Yellow)
Rnd 20: Join yellow in any st. Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (60 sts) Mark the joining st.
Row 21: Ch 2 (doesn’t count as a stitch). Hdc in the marked st and in each of the next 49 sts, then turn. Leave the last 10 sts unworked. (50 hdc)
Rows 22–24: Ch 2, hdc in each hdc across, turn. (50 hdc)
You now have a gap that is 10 sts wide and 4 rows tall, about 2.5 in x 1.3 in (6.4 cm x 3.3 cm).
Rnd 25 (closing round): At the end of Row 24, don’t turn. Ch 10, then sl st to the top of the first hdc of Row 24 to close the tube over the gap. Ch 1, sc in each of the 50 hdc, then sc in each of the 10 ch, join. (60 sts: 50 sc over hdc + 10 sc over ch)
Shell Lace Body (Yellow)
Rnd 26: Ch 1, sc in first st, *skip 2 sts, shell in next st, skip 2 sts, sc in next st; repeat from * 8 more times, then skip 2 sts, shell in next st, skip 2 sts, join to first sc. (10 shells + 10 sc = 60 sts)
Each repeat uses exactly 6 sts, so 10 repeats x 6 sts = 60 sts.
Rnd 27: Sl st in the next 3 dc to reach the center dc of the first shell. Ch 1, sc in the same dc, *shell in next sc, sc in center dc of next shell; repeat from * 8 more times, then shell in the last sc, join to first sc. (10 shells + 10 sc = 60 sts)
Each new shell sits between two shells of the round below, which creates the staggered fan texture.
Rnds 28–43: Repeat Rnd 27. (10 shells + 10 sc = 60 sts in each round)
That gives you 18 shell rounds, or 9 in (22.9 cm) of lace. Check that the first 8 shell rounds measure 4 in (10.2 cm). Fasten off the yellow.
Border
The border has two parts: the cream top band and one round of edging around the opening.
Border gauge: 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm), and 1 shell repeat = 1.5 in (3.8 cm). When the tube is flattened, each side (front and back) holds 30 sts, or 5 shell repeats.
Top Band (Cream)
Rnd 44 (conversion round): Join cream in the joining sc of Rnd 43. Ch 1, sc in the same sc, *sc in each of the 5 dc of the next shell, sc in next sc; repeat from * around, ending with sc in the last 5 dc, join. (10 sc over sc + 50 sc over dc = 60 sts, or 30 per side)
Rnds 45–46: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (60 sts, or 30 per side)
Rnd 47: Ch 1, sc in first st, *skip 2 sts, shell in next st, skip 2 sts, sc in next st; repeat from * 8 more times, then skip 2 sts, shell in next st, skip 2 sts, join. (10 shells + 10 sc = 60 sts, or 5 shells per side)
Rnd 48 (trim round): Ch 1. Start the first repeat in the sc of the join: *sl st in sc, sc in next 2 dc, 2 sc in center dc, sc in next 2 dc; repeat from * around, join. (60 sts worked 1 per stitch + 10 extra sc = 70 sts, or 35 per side)
Fasten off. The band is 1.25 in (3.2 cm) deep.
Why the math works: 60 divides evenly by 6, so each shell round holds exactly 10 repeats with nothing left over. Rnd 44 puts one sc into each of the 60 existing sts, so the circumference stays the same. The 10 extra sc in Rnd 48 sit only at the shell tips. They round out the scallops without flaring the rim.
Opening Edging (Yellow)
With the RS facing, join yellow at the bottom right corner of the opening. Ch 1 and work sc around the opening as follows:
- Bottom edge: 10 sc into the 10 unworked sts of Rnd 20
- Left side: 8 sc (2 sc in each hdc row end)
- Top edge: 10 sc into the underside of the 10 ch of Rnd 25
- Right side: 8 sc (2 sc in each hdc row end)
Join to the first sc. (36 sts) Fasten off.
Hanging Tab, Flowers, and Leaves
Hanging Tab (Cream)
Row 1: Ch 9, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (8 sts)
Rows 2–16: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (8 sts)
The tab measures 2 in x 3.5 in (5.1 cm x 8.9 cm). Leave a 20 in (50.8 cm) tail for sewing.
Flower (Make 3)
Rnd 1 (Yellow): Make a magic ring. Ch 1, work 10 sc in the ring, join. (10 sts) Fasten off.
Rnd 2 (Cream): Join cream in any sc. *Sc in that same st, then work (hdc, 3 dc, hdc) in the next st. Move to the next st and repeat from * 4 more times, join. (5 sc + 5 petals of 5 sts = 30 sts)
Each flower should be 1.75 in (4.4 cm) across.
Leaf (Make 4, Green)
Ch 7. Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, work sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, sc, one st in each ch. (6 sts) Ch 1 and rotate the piece. Working along the other side of the foundation ch, work sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, sc. (6 sts) Sl st to the first sc. (12 sts)
Each leaf should be 1.5 in (3.8 cm) long.
Assembly
- Flatten the tube with the opening centered on the front. The back center is directly opposite the opening.
- Sew one end of the tab to the WS of Rnds 44–46 at the back center, across all 8 tab sts.
- Pass the free end of the tab through the ring and fold it down inside the tube. Sew it over the first end. The ring should sit about 1 in (2.5 cm) above the rim.
- Sew Flower 1 to the upper left of the front, 2.5 in (6.4 cm) below the top band. Tuck 2 leaves under it.
- Sew Flower 2 to the right of center, 5.5 in (14.0 cm) below Flower 1, with 1 leaf.
- Sew Flower 3 between the other two flowers, slightly left of center, with 1 leaf.
- Stitch only through the centers and the petal tips so the petals stay raised.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends through the solid sc areas, not through the lace.
- Roll a towel into a cylinder about 4.75 in (12.1 cm) across and slide it into the tube.
- Check that the opening is centered on the front and the tab is at the back.
- Mist the piece until it is evenly damp, not soaked.
- Use your fingers to open each shell evenly and pinch the scallops into shape.
- Press the flowers flat with the petals spread.
- Stand the tube upright and let it dry completely, about 24 hours.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- [ ] The base lies flat, measures 4.75 in (12.1 cm) across, and has a visible BLO ridge.
- [ ] Rnds 10–47 each have 60 sts.
- [ ] Rnd 48 has 70 sts and 10 even scallops.
- [ ] The opening is 2.5 in x 1.3 in (6.4 cm x 3.3 cm) and has 36 edging sc.
- [ ] Each lace round is offset from the round below it.
- [ ] The body is 14 in (35.6 cm) tall.
- [ ] The tab is secure, and the ring sits 1 in (2.5 cm) above the rim.
- [ ] All 3 flowers and 4 leaves are firmly attached.
Troubleshooting
The base cups: Your tension is too tight. Go up half a hook size.
The base ruffles: Your tension is too loose. Go down half a hook size.
The shell count drifts: Recount each round. Make sure Rnd 27 begins with exactly 3 sl sts.
The opening puckers: Keep the ch-10 in Rnd 25 relaxed, and work exactly 2 sc per row end in the edging.
The rim flares: Work Rnd 48 more firmly, or use 1 sc instead of 2 sc in each center dc.
The tab stretches: Sew it down through all three cream rounds.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap. While it is still damp, reshape the tube over a rolled towel and let it dry.
Final Notes
Here is the measurement chain from bottom to top:
- The 60-st base sets the circumference at 15 in (38.1 cm).
- The cream wall rises 2 in (5.1 cm).
- The opening band brings the tube to 3.75 in (9.5 cm).
- 18 shell rounds bring it to 12.75 in (32.4 cm).
- The top band finishes the body at 14 in (35.6 cm).
If your base matches its checkpoint, the rest will follow. Keep the count at 60 sts, measure at each stage, and your holder will hang straight and hand out bags neatly.
Happy crocheting!