This hanging toilet paper holder is a soft, practical piece for a bathroom. It is a tall filet cylinder in a single butter-yellow cotton. Solid blocks run in diagonal lines across the open mesh and cross to form a diamond lattice, and a row of rounded shell scallops finishes the top edge.
The holder has a flat single crochet base, a crisp turned-up bottom band, a filet mesh wall and a narrow top band. A plain single crochet strap lets it hang from a towel hook or door hook. It holds two standard rolls stacked on top of each other, and the top roll sits slightly above the scallops so it’s easy to grab.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished holder is about 5.1 in (13.0 cm) across, 16 in (40.6 cm) around and 10 in (25.4 cm) tall including the scallops. The strap adds a loop about 18 in (45.7 cm) long.
You’ll work the base, wall and top band as one piece in joined rounds, without turning. Next you’ll make the strap in rows, sew its ends inside the rim, and finish with one round of scallops.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 5.1 in (13.0 cm) diameter × 10 in (25.4 cm) tall
- Skill level: Intermediate (filet mesh in the round)
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK / light worsted (#3) cotton
- Hook: 3.5 mm (US E-4)
- Number of pieces: 2 (1 body, 1 strap)
- Layout: strap ends sewn inside the rim on opposite sides
- Body size before border: 5.1 in (13.0 cm) diameter × 9.4 in (23.9 cm) tall
- Strap size: 1.1 in (2.8 cm) wide × 20 in (50.8 cm) long
- Border depth: 0.6 in (1.5 cm) scallop round
Materials
Yarn: Use a smooth, mercerized or combed DK cotton. Cotton shows clear stitch definition, keeps the mesh square, and won’t stretch much when the holder is full. Avoid fuzzy or very stretchy acrylic, because it blurs the filet blocks and lets the strap sag.
- Butter Yellow: 120 g, about 300 m (328 yd)
That quantity includes a safety margin. The body uses about 85 g and the strap about 15 g, so the margin is about 20 g.
Tools:
– 3.5 mm (US E-4) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– 4 stitch markers
– Scissors
– Measuring tape
– Rust-proof pins
– Spray bottle with clean water
– A 5 in (12.7 cm) wide jar, or 2 stacked rolls wrapped in a plastic bag, for blocking
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- BLO – back loop only
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- sp – space
- sk – skip
- rnd – round
Special stitches (filet mesh): Each mesh is 2 stitches wide. Every mesh starts with a dc in its first stitch, called the “post.”
- Space (S): dc in the next st, ch 1, sk the next st or ch-1 sp.
- Block (B): dc in the next st, dc in the next st or ch-1 sp.
At the start of a round, ch 3 counts as the first dc of the first mesh. Every mesh round has 36 meshes, which is 72 sts, counting each ch-1 as one stitch.
Shell: 7 dc in the same stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
- Single crochet: 18 sts and 20 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm)
- Filet mesh: 18 sts (9 meshes) and 9 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm)
At this gauge, each mesh is about 0.44 in (1.1 cm) square and one 6-mesh diamond repeat is about 2.67 in (6.8 cm) wide and tall.
Treat the base as your swatch. If it’s the wrong size after Rnd 6, change your hook before you go any further.
Checkpoints:
– After Rnd 6: base is 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across.
– After Rnd 12: base is 5.1 in (13.0 cm) across.
– After Rnd 16: wall is 0.8 in (2.0 cm) tall and 16 in (40.6 cm) around.
– After Rnd 22: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall from the fold.
– After Rnd 28: 6.1 in (15.5 cm) tall.
– After Rnd 34: 8.8 in (22.4 cm) tall.
– After Rnd 37: 9.4 in (23.9 cm) tall.
A difference of up to 0.25 in (0.6 cm) is fine. If the base is too big, go down 0.25 mm in hook size. If it’s too small, go up 0.25 mm. If only the mesh rounds are too tall, pull the yarn snug as you finish each dc instead of changing hooks.
Body
All rounds are joined with a sl st and worked without turning. Place a marker in the first stitch of every round so the seam stays in a straight line. This seam is the center back of the holder.
Base
Rnd 1: Make a magic ring, ch 1, 6 sc in the ring, sl st to the first sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, inc in each st around, sl st to the first sc. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, [sc in the next st, inc] 6 times, sl st to the first sc. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, [sc in the next 2 sts, inc] 6 times, sl st. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, [sc in the next 3 sts, inc] 6 times, sl st. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: Ch 1, [sc in the next 4 sts, inc] 6 times, sl st. (36 sts)
Rnds 7–12: Keep adding one more sc before each inc in every round. Rnd 7 has 42 sts, Rnd 8 has 48, Rnd 9 has 54, Rnd 10 has 60, Rnd 11 has 66, and Rnd 12 is [sc in the next 10 sts, inc] 6 times. (72 sts)
The base should lie completely flat. To keep it round instead of hexagonal, put the increases in a different place every other round.
Bottom Band
Rnd 13: Ch 1, sc in the BLO of each st around, sl st. (72 sts) The unused front loops make a clean ridge, and the wall turns up at this line.
Rnds 14–16: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st. (72 sts each)
Filet Lattice Wall
Each round has 6 repeats of 6 meshes, and each repeat is 12 sts wide. Read every row below left to right, and work it 6 times per round:
Row A: B S S S S B
Row B: S B S S B S
Row C: S S B B S S
Row D: S S B B S S
Row E: S B S S B S
Row F: B S S S S B
Every row has 2 blocks and 4 spaces per repeat, so every round has 12 blocks and 24 spaces. That works out to 48 dc plus 24 ch-1, for 72 sts. The blocks move one mesh in from each side per round and meet in Rows C–D. They meet again at the F/A boundary, where block 6 of one repeat sits beside block 1 of the next. This forms the diamond lattice.
Rnd 17 (Row A): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the next st to finish the first block. Work the rest of Row A, then work Row A 5 more times. Sl st to the top of the ch-3. (36 meshes, 72 sts)
The first mesh round is worked into the sc band: the post is the first sc and the second stitch is the next sc.
Rnds 18–22: Work Rows B, C, D, E and F in order. (72 sts each)
When a round starts with a space, begin with ch 4, which counts as dc + ch 1, and sk the next st. When a round starts with a block, begin with ch 3 and work dc in the next st or ch-1 sp. Always place each post dc into the post dc of the round below so the mesh lines stay vertical.
Rnds 23–28: Work Rows A–F again. (72 sts each)
Rnds 29–34: Work Rows A–F again. (72 sts each)
This gives three full lattice repeats over 18 mesh rounds, or 8 in (20.3 cm).
Top Band
Rnd 35: Ch 1, sc in each dc and each ch-1 sp around, sl st. (48 dc worked 1-per-stitch + 24 ch-1 sps worked 1-per-space + 0 extra = 72 sts)
Rnds 36–37: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st. (72 sts each)
Don’t fasten off. Pull up a long loop and put a marker in it to hold it. You’ll come back to this loop for the border.
Strap
Foundation: Ch 6.
Row 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across, turn. (5 sts)
Rows 2–100: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (5 sts each)
Checkpoint: after Row 25, the strap should be 5 in (12.7 cm) long and 1.1 in (2.8 cm) wide. The finished strap is 20 in (50.8 cm). Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail. Add a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail at the starting end as well.
Make All Pieces
- Body: 1 in Butter Yellow
- Strap: 1 in Butter Yellow
Layout, viewed from above:
[strap end 1]
|
back seam — O — body opening
|
[strap end 2]
Joining the Strap
Count 72 sts around Rnd 37, with the back seam as stitch 1. Center the first strap end on sts 17–21 and the second on sts 53–57. The two centers, st 19 and st 55, are exactly 36 sts apart, so they sit directly opposite each other.
Lay each strap end on the inside of the wall with a 1 in (2.5 cm) overlap, which is 5 strap rows. This overlap covers Rnds 35–37 and the top half of Rnd 34. Keep the strap end just below the top loops of Rnd 37 so those loops are still free for the scallops.
Using the tail, whipstitch around all edges of the overlap. Catch only the back bars of the stitches so the stitches don’t show on the outside. Make the stitches firm but not tight, because tight stitches will pucker the mesh. Check that the strap isn’t twisted before you sew the second end.
Size checkpoint: the free loop of the strap should measure 18 in (45.7 cm).
Border: Shell Scallops
Border gauge: one scallop uses 6 sts, which is 1.33 in (3.4 cm). Twelve scallops × 1.33 in = 16 in (40.6 cm), which matches the rim exactly.
Put the held loop back on your hook.
Rnd 38: Ch 1, sc in the first st, [sk 2 sts, shell in the next st, sk 2 sts, sc in the next st] 11 times. To finish, sk 2 sts, shell in the next st, sk 2 sts, and sl st to the first sc. Fasten off.
Count: 12 shells × 7 dc = 84 dc, plus 12 sc, for 96 sts.
Why the math works: The round uses up 1 + (11 × 6) + 5 = 72 sts, which is exactly the Rnd 37 count. Each half of the holder (36 sts) has 6 scallops. The sc valleys fall on sts 1, 7, 13, 19, 25 and so on, so they land on st 19 and st 55. That means the strap centers sit in a valley between two scallops, just like in the finished piece.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends along the sc bands, where they won’t show.
- Spray the whole holder until it’s damp but not soaked.
- Slide it over a 5 in (12.7 cm) jar or the bagged rolls.
- Pat the meshes square and straighten the vertical lines of post stitches.
- Press the base fold sharp with your fingers.
- Pin each scallop into an even arc.
- Lay the strap flat and straight beside the holder.
- Leave everything to dry completely before you hang it.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The base lies flat and measures 5.1 in (13.0 cm).
- The wall measures 16 in (40.6 cm) around.
- Every mesh round has 36 meshes.
- The lattice lines cross cleanly in Rows C–D and at the F/A boundaries.
- The seam runs straight up the center back.
- There are exactly 12 scallops of the same size.
- The strap ends sit directly opposite each other and the strap isn’t twisted.
- The holder is 10 in (25.4 cm) tall.
Troubleshooting
- The base cups upward: your stitches are too tight. Go up a hook size for the base.
- The base ruffles: you have extra increases. Recount each round against its stitch count.
- The mesh slants: you missed the post dc. Always work each post dc into the post dc below it.
- The meshes are rectangles: shorten your dc by pulling the yarn snug.
- The scallops flare: try 6 dc per shell instead of 7, or use a smaller hook.
- The strap stretches: add a sl st edging along both long edges.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press out the water in a towel, and dry flat. Reshape it over a jar while it’s damp.
Final Notes
Each part of the holder is sized from the one before it. The base ends at 72 sts and 5.1 in (13.0 cm) across. The wall keeps those 72 sts all the way up through 18 mesh rounds, and the body is 9.4 in (23.9 cm) tall before the border. The 12 scallops fit the 72-stitch rim exactly and bring the height to 10 in (25.4 cm). The strap ends sit 36 sts apart, so it hangs evenly. If you check your measurements at each checkpoint, the finished holder will come out the right size.
Happy crocheting!