This grocery bag holder is a tall, open-ended tube in soft light blue single crochet. It has royal blue bands at the top and bottom and a royal blue hanging strap. Three spikes of small royal blue flowers wrap around the tube, each sitting on an embroidered green stem with pointed leaves. The look is cottage-garden simple and tidy enough for a kitchen or pantry door.
You stuff used plastic bags in through the top opening and pull them out one at a time from the bottom. The bottom band holds its shape, so bags come out cleanly without the whole bundle dropping through.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished holder is 14 in (35.6 cm) tall and 17 in (43.2 cm) around, which is 8.5 in (21.6 cm) wide when laid flat. The strap adds a loop about 6 in (15.2 cm) tall above the rim.
Construction is simple. You work the light blue body in joined rounds from a chain ring, add royal blue border bands to the top and bottom edges, and then work the strap directly onto the top band. Last, you crochet 21 small flower appliqués, sew them on in three spikes, and embroider the stems and leaves.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 14 in (35.6 cm) tall x 17 in (43.2 cm) circumference; 8.5 in (21.6 cm) flat width
- Skill level: Easy / advanced beginner
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (medium #4), cotton or cotton blend
- Hooks: 5.0 mm (H-8) for the body, bands, and strap; 4.0 mm (G-6) for the flowers
- Number of pieces: 1 main piece (tube with bands and strap worked on), plus 21 small sewn-on flower appliqués
- Layout: 3 flower spikes, evenly spaced around the tube
- Body size (before border): 12 in (30.5 cm) tall x 17 in (43.2 cm) around
- Border depth: 1 in (2.5 cm) band at the top and 1 in (2.5 cm) band at the bottom
- Flower size: 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across; buds 0.6 in (1.5 cm) across
Materials
Choose a smooth cotton or cotton blend worsted yarn. Cotton holds the tube shape, does not stretch much under the weight of bags, and washes well. The amounts below assume a yarn with about 180 m per 100 g.
- Color A, light blue (body): 75 g / 135 m
- Color B, royal blue (bands, strap, flowers): 50 g / 90 m
- Color C, leaf green (stems and leaves): 10 g / 18 m
- Color D, cream (flower centers): 5 g / 9 m
All quantities include a safety margin of roughly 20 percent.
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- 4.0 mm (G-6) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch markers (at least 4)
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Rustproof pins
- A cylinder for blocking, such as a rolled towel about 5.4 in (13.7 cm) across
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- dc: double crochet
- st(s): stitch(es)
- rnd(s): round(s)
- MR: magic ring
Special stitch – Petal: (sl st, ch 2, 2 dc, ch 2, sl st) all in the same stitch.
Special technique – Surface slip stitch: Hold the yarn behind the fabric, insert the hook from the front between two stitches, pull up a loop, then pull it through the loop on your hook. Repeat to draw a chain line on the surface.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc x 16 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm) in joined rounds with the 5.0 mm hook.
Make a test piece before you start. Chain 20, work sc rows for 20 rows, and measure the center 4 in (10.2 cm). Gauge in the round can be a little tighter than in rows, so check the real tube again at the first checkpoint below.
Checkpoints:
- After body Rnd 1: the ring lies flat at 8.5 in (21.6 cm) wide.
- After body Rnd 16: the body is 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
- After body Rnd 32: the body is 8 in (20.3 cm) tall.
- After body Rnd 48: the body is 12 in (30.5 cm) tall.
- After the top band: total height is 13 in (33.0 cm).
- After the bottom band: total height is 14 in (35.6 cm).
If your piece is too big: go down half a hook size and start again. More than 0.5 in (1.3 cm) too wide flat means the tube will sag when it is full of bags.
If your piece is too small: go up half a hook size. Do not add stitches to fix width. The stitch count of 68 matters for the strap position and the flower layout.
If only the height is off: keep the stitch gauge and adjust the body round count. Add or remove 1 rnd for each 0.25 in (0.6 cm).
Body
Use Color A and the 5.0 mm hook. Work in joined rounds. The ch 1 at the start of a round does not count as a stitch. Place a marker in the first sc of each round.
Foundation: Ch 68. Without twisting the chain, sl st into the first ch to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in each ch around, sl st to the first sc. (68 sc)
Lay the ring flat and check that it is 8.5 in (21.6 cm) wide.
Rnds 2–48: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to the first sc. (68 sc in each round)
You have 48 rounds and a straight tube 12 in (30.5 cm) tall. Do not fasten off Color A. On the last sl st of Rnd 48, pull Color B through instead to change color cleanly. Cut Color A, leaving a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail.
The joining seam runs up one side of the tube. Call the first stitch of each round st 1. The seam marks the left side of the holder, and st 35 marks the right side. The front of the holder is centered on st 18.
Border
The border is two royal blue bands, one at each open end. Both bands use the same gauge as the body, 16 sc x 16 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm). Four rounds give a 1 in (2.5 cm) band.
Top Band
Continue with Color B from Rnd 48.
Rnds 1–4: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to the first sc. (68 sc in each round: 34 across the front half, 34 across the back half)
Fasten off and weave in the end. The total height is now 13 in (33.0 cm).
Bottom Band
Turn the tube upside down. The free loops of the foundation chain are now at the top.
Rnd 1: Join Color B with a sl st in the free loop at the base of st 1. Ch 1, sc in each free loop around, sl st to the first sc. (68 sc: 34 front, 34 back)
Rnds 2–4: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to the first sc. (68 sc in each round)
Fasten off and weave in the end. The total height is now 14 in (35.6 cm).
Why the Math Works
The foundation chain has 68 loops, so the bottom band picks up exactly one sc in each loop for 68 stitches. The top band works one sc into each of the 68 stitches from Rnd 48. Neither band adds stitches, so both ends stay the same width as the body and the tube hangs straight. Bags slide out evenly with no flare and no narrowing. Since 68 divides evenly by 2, the strap can attach at two exactly opposite points.
Hanging Strap
Use Color B and the 5.0 mm hook. Work into the stitches of Rnd 4 of the top band.
Row 1: Join with a sl st in st 1 (at the seam). Ch 50. Sl st in st 35, the stitch directly opposite. Sl st in st 36.
The strap anchors at st 1 and st 35. That leaves 33 band stitches on each side between them (sts 2–34 and sts 36–68).
Row 2: Working back along the chain, sc in each of the 50 ch. (50 sc) Sl st in st 68, the band stitch next to st 1 on the same side as st 36.
Fasten off. Weave the ends down into the band so the anchors are reinforced. The strap is 12.5 in (31.8 cm) long and 0.5 in (1.3 cm) wide. When the holder hangs on a peg, it forms a loop about 6 in (15.2 cm) tall above the rim.
Flower Appliqués
Use Color B and the 4.0 mm hook. The smaller hook keeps the petals firm and crisp.
Flower (make 18)
Rnd 1: MR, ch 1, 5 sc in the ring, pull the ring closed, sl st to the first sc. (5 sc)
Rnd 2: Work 1 Petal in each sc around. (5 petals; 10 dc total)
Join with a sl st to the first sl st. Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail for sewing. The flower is 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across.
Bud (make 3)
Rnd 1: MR, ch 1, 5 sc in the ring, pull the ring closed, sl st to the first sc. (5 sc)
Rnd 2: (Sl st, ch 2, sl st) in each sc around. (5 small points)
Fasten off, leaving an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail. The bud is 0.6 in (1.5 cm) across.
Centers
Thread Color D on the tapestry needle. Make a French knot with 2 wraps in the center of each flower and bud, and tie the ends together on the back. You need 21 knots in total.
Assembly: Stems, Leaves, and Flowers
Each spike has its own vertical center line. Count stitches in body Rnd 24:
- Front spike: centered on st 18
- Back-right spike: centered on st 41
- Back-left spike: centered on st 63
The spikes are 23, 23, and 22 stitches apart, which is about one third of the circumference each.
Stems: With Color C and the 5.0 mm hook, work a surface slip stitch line up each spike’s center column. Start at body Rnd 2 and end at body Rnd 22, for 20 surface sl sts. Each stem is 5 in (12.7 cm) tall.
Leaves: Thread Color C on the tapestry needle. Embroider 4 lazy daisy leaves per stem, each 1.25 in (3.2 cm) long. Place one pair at body Rnd 8 and one pair at body Rnd 14. Angle each leaf up and out from the stem at about 45 degrees.
Flower placement (per spike, from the bottom up):
- Body Rnd 24: 2 flowers, centered 3 sts left and 3 sts right of the center line
- Body Rnd 29: 1 flower on the center line
- Body Rnd 34: 2 flowers, 3 sts left and 3 sts right of the center line
- Body Rnd 39: 1 flower on the center line
- Body Rnd 44: 1 bud on the center line
That is 6 flowers and 1 bud per spike, so 18 flowers and 3 buds in total. The paired flowers are 1.5 in (3.8 cm) apart center to center, which leaves a small gap between petals. Pin all 21 pieces in place before sewing. Use the tails to whipstitch around each flower’s Rnd 1 and tack down the tip of every petal. Keep your hand inside the tube so you never sew through both layers.
Final Blocking
- Weave in any remaining ends along stitches of the same color.
- Slide the tube over a rolled towel about 5.4 in (13.7 cm) across.
- Pull it straight so the bands sit level and the columns of stitches run vertically.
- Mist the body and bands lightly with water. Do not soak the appliqués.
- Pin the bottom band so it measures 8.5 in (21.6 cm) flat across.
- Check that the height is 14 in (35.6 cm).
- Shape each flower with your fingers so the petals lie open.
- Let it dry completely on the form, then hang the holder by its strap.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Every body and band round has 68 sc.
- The body is 12 in (30.5 cm) tall and the finished holder is 14 in (35.6 cm).
- The flat width is 8.5 in (21.6 cm) at the top, middle, and bottom.
- The strap is anchored at sts 1 and 35, and both anchors are woven in firmly.
- There are 3 spikes, each with 6 flowers, 1 bud, 1 stem, and 4 leaves.
- All 21 centers have a cream French knot.
- No stitches pass through to the opposite side of the tube.
- All ends are woven in and trimmed.
Troubleshooting
The tube spirals or leans. You may be joining into the ch 1 instead of the first sc. Use a marker in the first sc of every round.
The bottom band flares out. Your foundation chain is looser than your sc. Redo the bottom band with a half-size-smaller hook.
The strap stretches too much. Add a third row of sl sts along the strap, or make the chain with a smaller hook.
The flowers curl. Rnd 2 is too tight. Ease the ch 2 loops, then steam the flower lightly before sewing.
The stem looks wavy. Keep the surface slip stitches inside one stitch column and pull each loop to the same height.
Bags fall straight through. Your bottom band may be loose. Add one more sc round in Color B with a smaller hook, working 1 sc in each st (68 sc).
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap and lay flat to dry, then reshape over the rolled towel. Do not tumble dry, because the flowers can felt or lose their shape.
Final Notes
The measurement chain for this holder is short and dependable. The gauge is 16 sc x 16 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm). A 68-stitch ring gives a flat width of 8.5 in (21.6 cm) and a circumference of 17 in (43.2 cm). Forty-eight body rounds make 12 in (30.5 cm), and two 4-round bands add 1 in (2.5 cm) each for a total height of 14 in (35.6 cm). The strap is 50 stitches, or 12.5 in (31.8 cm), anchored at opposite stitches 1 and 35. Three spikes of 7 appliqués each finish the design. If every checkpoint matches, the holder will hang straight and dispense bags neatly for years.
Happy crocheting!