Plastic grocery bags tend to pile up in a drawer. This holder keeps them in one tidy tube that hangs on the wall, and you pull one bag at a time out of the opening at the bottom. The body is a lacy column of cornflower-blue shells on top of a cream base, with a solid blue band at the top and two cream tabs for hanging.
The look is a soft farmhouse kitchen style. The shells stack in offset rows like fish scales, so the sides are open enough to see how many bags are left but still hold them securely. The cream base and tabs frame the blue lace.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. Laid flat, the finished holder is about 7.5 in (19.1 cm) wide and 12 in (30.5 cm) tall. The tabs add 2.75 in (7.0 cm) above the rim, for a total hanging length of about 14.75 in (37.5 cm).
Construction is simple. You crochet a flat cream ring around a chain loop, then turn the edge upward into a short wall. Next you work blue shell rounds in a spiral-free joined tube, convert the scallops into a level single-crochet band, and sew on two small tabs.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size (flat): 7.5 in (19.1 cm) wide x 12 in (30.5 cm) tall
- Circumference: 15 in (38.1 cm)
- Bottom opening: about 3.2 in (8.1 cm) across
- Skill level: Easy-intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 3 (1 body, 2 tabs)
- Layout: Tabs sewn inside the back of the top band, 15 stitches apart
- Tab size: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide x 4 in (10.2 cm) long
- Size before top band: 10.75 in (27.3 cm) tall
- Top band depth: 1.25 in (3.2 cm)
Materials
Use a worsted-weight 100% cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds the shell shapes crisply and doesn’t stretch out under the weight of a full load of bags. Acrylic works too, but the holder will sag more.
- Cornflower blue (Color A): 110 g / 170 m
- Cream (Color B): 30 g / 46 m
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- 4 stitch markers
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- A rolled towel or tall bottle for blocking
The yarn quantities include a margin of about 15% for your gauge swatch and tension differences.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- BLO – back loop only
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- sk – skip
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- sp – space
Special stitch – Shell: 5 dc in the same stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
- Single crochet gauge: 16 sc x 16 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm)
- Shell gauge: 4 shell repeats (24 sts) = 6 in (15.2 cm); 8 shell rounds = 5 in (12.7 cm)
Make one tab first as a gauge test. It is small and uses the same single crochet as the base and band. A finished tab should measure 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide and 4 in (10.2 cm) long.
Measurement checkpoints:
- After Rnd 3, the flat base ring measures about 4.8 in (12.2 cm) across.
- After Rnd 6, the cream wall stands 0.75 in (1.9 cm) tall from the base fold.
- After Rnd 22, the body measures 10.75 in (27.3 cm) from the base fold, and 7.5 in (19.1 cm) wide when flattened.
- After Rnd 27, the body measures 12 in (30.5 cm) tall.
If your piece comes out too big, go down half a hook size. If it comes out too small, go up half a size. Check the width carefully: a 0.5 in (1.3 cm) error in flat width changes the circumference by 1 in (2.5 cm).
Body
Base (Color B)
Ch 40 and join with a sl st to the first ch to form a ring. Don’t twist the chain. This ring becomes the bottom opening.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in each ch around, join with a sl st to the first sc. (40 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in next 3 sts, inc in next st 10 times, join. (50 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in next 4 sts, inc in next st 10 times, join. (60 sts)
Check that the ring lies flat with a round center hole about 3.2 in (8.1 cm) across.
Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc BLO in each st around, join. (60 sts) The unused front loops form a ridge, and the edge begins to turn upward.
Rnds 5–6: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (60 sts)
Fasten off Color B. The cream base is now a shallow bowl with an open center.
Shell Section (Color A)
The shell rounds alternate between two types. Each 6-stitch repeat uses one shell and one sc, so every round has 10 shells and 10 sc.
Rnd 7 (Type A): Join Color A in any st. Ch 1, sc in the same st, sk 2 sts, shell in next st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st around. On the last repeat, omit the final sc and join to the first sc. (10 shells + 10 sc = 60 sts)
Rnd 8 (Type B): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in the same sc. Sk 2 dc, sc in center dc of next shell, sk 2 dc, shell in next sc around. End with sc in the center dc of the last shell, then 2 dc in the first sc (the base of the beginning ch-3). Join to the top of the ch-3. (10 shells, one split across the join, + 10 sc = 60 sts)
Rnd 9 (Type A): Ch 1, sc in the top of the beginning ch-3 (the center of the split shell). Sk 2 dc, shell in next sc, sk 2 dc, sc in center dc of next shell around. Omit the final sc and join to the first sc. (60 sts)
Rnds 10–22: Repeat Rnds 8 and 9 alternately, ending with a Type B round (Rnd 22). (60 sts each round; 16 shell rounds total)
Checkpoint: the body should measure 10.75 in (27.3 cm) from the base fold. Laid flat, you should see five shells across the front.
Make All Pieces
This holder has three pieces: one body and two tabs.
- Color A: body shell section and top band
- Color B: body base, plus 2 tabs
Tabs (make 2, Color B)
Ch 7.
Row 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across, turn. (6 sts)
Rows 2–12: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (6 sts)
Row 13 (buttonhole): Ch 1, sc in next 2 sts, ch 2, sk 2 sts, sc in next 2 sts, turn. (4 sc + 1 ch-2 sp)
Row 14: Ch 1, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in ch-2 sp, sc in next 2 sts, turn. (6 sts)
Row 15: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog, turn. (4 sts)
Row 16: Ch 1, sc2tog twice. (2 sts)
Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail for sewing. Each tab measures 1.5 in (3.8 cm) x 4 in (10.2 cm) and has a rounded top.
Layout grid (back of the band, flattened, 30 sts):
| 7 sts | TAB (6) | 4 sts | ... | 4 sts | TAB (6) | 3 sts |
sts 8–13 sts 23–28
Joining
After you finish the top band, sew the tabs on with whipstitch.
- Flatten the holder with the beginning-of-round join at one side fold. The back half is 30 sts.
- Count from the fold. Tab 1 covers sts 8–13 and Tab 2 covers sts 23–28. Mark both positions.
- Slip the bottom 1.25 in (3.2 cm) of each tab inside the band so it overlaps all 5 band rounds. The buttonhole end points up.
- Whipstitch every edge stitch of the tab’s bottom row to one band stitch (6 tab sts to 6 band sts). Then whipstitch the two long sides, one tab row to one band round.
- Keep your tension firm but not puckering. The outside of the band should stay smooth, and your stitches should go through only the inner loops if possible.
Size checkpoint: each tab stands 2.75 in (7.0 cm) above the rim, and the total hanging length is 14.75 in (37.5 cm).
Border: Top Band (Color A)
The top band works as this holder’s border. It levels the scallops into a firm rim that holds its shape on the hooks.
Border gauge: 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm). At that gauge, 60 sts = 15 in (38.1 cm) around and 7.5 in (19.1 cm) flat.
Starting count per side: 30 front + 30 back. That’s 5 shell repeats x 6 sts per side, with no stitches added at the side folds.
Rnd 23 (conversion round): Ch 1, sc in the same st (top of the beginning ch-3), sc in next 2 dc. Dc in next sc (the valley between shells), sc in next 5 dc around, ending with dc in the last sc and sc in the last 2 dc. Join.
Count: 60 sts worked one per existing stitch + 0 added = 60 sts (50 sc + 10 dc). That’s 30 sts on each flattened side.
Rnds 24–27: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (60 sts; 30 per side)
Fasten off and weave in the ends. Then sew on the tabs as described in Joining.
Why the math works: Every shell round holds exactly 60 stitches, which is 10 repeats of 6. The conversion round takes one stitch from each existing stitch, with dc in the valleys and sc on the shell tops. That brings the scallop peaks and dips to the same height without changing the count. Because the band has the same 60 sts as Rnd 3 of the base, the sides hang straight with no flare or pull-in. The five band rounds (Rnds 23–27) at 0.25 in (0.6 cm) each give the 1.25 in (3.2 cm) depth.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends along stitch paths inside the holder.
- Fill the holder with a rolled towel or slide it over a tall bottle about 4.8 in (12.2 cm) in diameter.
- Spray it lightly with water, or hover a steam iron over it without touching the yarn.
- Use your fingers to open each shell into an even fan, and line the shell centers up in straight vertical columns.
- Flatten the top band and the cream base edge so they stay level.
- Lay the tabs flat and press them lightly so they stand straight.
- Let everything dry completely. Then check the flat width of 7.5 in (19.1 cm) and the height of 12 in (30.5 cm).
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Rnd 3 has 60 sts and the base lies flat.
- The bottom opening is about 3.2 in (8.1 cm) across and round, not puckered.
- Every shell round has 10 shells and 10 sc.
- The shells alternate offset rows with centers lined up vertically.
- Rnd 23 counts 50 sc + 10 dc = 60.
- The band measures 1.25 in (3.2 cm) deep and the rim is level.
- Both tabs are 4 in (10.2 cm) long with open buttonholes.
- The tabs are sewn at matching heights, 15 sts apart.
- The flat body measures 7.5 in x 12 in (19.1 cm x 30.5 cm).
Troubleshooting
The base ruffles: You may have increased too often or worked too loosely. Recount Rnds 2–3, or use a smaller hook for the base only.
The base cups too early: Your stitches are too tight. Relax your tension, or work Rnd 1 with a hook half a size larger.
The shells lean to one side: You may have placed the sc in the wrong dc. Always land on the third (center) dc of each shell.
You have 11 shells, or 9: You skipped the wrong number of stitches. Each repeat must cover exactly 6 sts, and you should count after every round.
The band flares: Work Rnd 23 with a hook half a size smaller.
The tabs twist on the hooks: Sew down both long sides of each tab, not just the bottom edge.
Bags fall out of the bottom: The opening is too large. Rework the base with ch 36 and a Rnd 2 of sc 2, inc to reach 48, then a Rnd 3 of sc 3, inc to reach 60.
Care
Hand wash in cool water, reshape, and dry flat over a rolled towel. Don’t machine dry, because the shells can lose their shape.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is simple to follow. A 40-st ring makes a 3.2 in (8.1 cm) opening. The base grows to 60 sts, which is 15 in (38.1 cm) around and 7.5 in (19.1 cm) flat. A 0.75 in (1.9 cm) cream wall supports 16 shell rounds that reach 10.75 in (27.3 cm). The 60-st band adds 1.25 in (3.2 cm) for a 12 in (30.5 cm) body. Finally, two 4 in (10.2 cm) tabs bring the hanging length to 14.75 in (37.5 cm). Check each number as you go, and the holder will hang straight and dispense bags neatly.
Happy crocheting!