This hanging organizer holds three spare toilet paper rolls, one in each of three small Christmas stockings. The stockings hang from a wooden dowel, and an ivory cord runs from the dowel up to a wooden ring.
The design uses two colors. Cranberry red is used for the sole, toe, straps and every other granny stripe. Warm ivory is used for the heel patch, the other stripes, the scalloped cuff and the hanging cord. The staggered granny clusters give the leg a soft zigzag look, and two rows of shells make a fluffy cuff.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. Each stocking is about 6½ in (16.5 cm) tall and 6½ in (16.5 cm) from heel to toe. The finished organizer is about 18 in (45.7 cm) wide and about 18 in (45.7 cm) tall from the ring down to the toes.
Each stocking is one piece worked from the bottom up:
- an oval sole
- foot walls with an ivory heel patch
- toe decreases
- a granny-stripe leg in joined rounds
- a shell cuff
After that you make three straps and one cord, then put everything together on the dowel.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished organizer: about 18 in (45.7 cm) wide × 18 in (45.7 cm) tall, including the ring
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 7 crocheted pieces (3 stockings, 3 straps, 1 cord), plus a dowel and a ring
- Layout: 3 stockings in one row, 5 in (12.7 cm) apart center to center
- Piece size: each stocking is 6½ in (16.5 cm) tall × 6½ in (16.5 cm) heel to toe, with a leg circumference of 13¾ in (34.9 cm)
- Size before border (cuff): 5¼ in (13.3 cm) tall
- Border (cuff) depth: 1¼ in (3.2 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth worsted acrylic or cotton blend with about 190 m per 100 g. Very fuzzy yarn hides the granny clusters.
- Cranberry: 125 g (238 m)
- Ivory: 110 g (209 m)
These amounts include a margin of about 15% for swatching and differences in tension.
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- 4 locking stitch markers
- Scissors and measuring tape
- Wooden dowel, 18 in (45.7 cm) long and ¾ in (1.9 cm) thick, with end knobs
- Wooden ring, 2 in (5.1 cm) in diameter
- One toilet paper roll, for fitting and blocking
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- sp – space
- sk – skip
- BLO – back loop only
Special stitches:
- Granny cluster: 3 dc worked in the same stitch or space.
- Shell: 5 dc worked in the same stitch.
- Color change: Work the last yarn-over of the stitch before the change with the new color. Carry the unused color along the inside and crochet over it.
Gauge and Checkpoints
- Single crochet: 14 sts × 16 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm)
- Granny stripe: 14 dc (about 4⅔ clusters) × 7 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm)
Make one complete stocking before you start the others. It works as your gauge swatch, and you can test the fit with a real roll.
Checkpoints:
- Sole after Rnd 6: about 6½ in × 3 in (16.5 × 7.6 cm) when laid flat.
- Foot after Rnd 13: the walls are 1¾ in (4.4 cm) tall, and the opening is 48 sts and 13¾ in (34.9 cm) around.
- Leg after Rnd 19: the granny section is about 3½ in (8.9 cm) tall, and the stocking is 5¼ in (13.3 cm) tall.
- Cuff after Rnd 22: the cuff adds 1¼ in (3.2 cm), so the stocking is 6½ in (16.5 cm) tall.
Too big? Use a 4.5 mm hook. A loose leg lets the roll slip down into the foot.
Too small? Use a 5.5 mm hook. A standard roll is about 4¼ in (10.8 cm) wide, and the leg needs a little ease around it.
Stocking (make 3)
All rounds are joined. At the end of each round, sl st in the first st. Then ch 1 unless the instructions say otherwise; this ch 1 does not count as a stitch.
Sole
With cranberry, ch 15.
Rnd 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in the next 12 ch. Work 3 sc in the last ch. Turn the work to crochet along the underside of the chain: sc in the next 12 ch, then 2 sc in the first ch (it already holds 1 sc). Join. (30 sts)
You now have two straight sides of 12 sts and two curved ends of 3 sts. The end where the round starts is the heel. The other end is the toe.
Rnd 2: Inc, sc 12, inc 3 times, sc 12, inc 2 times. Join. (36 sts)
Rnd 3: Sc 1, inc, sc 12, (sc 1, inc) 3 times, sc 12, (sc 1, inc) 2 times. Join. (42 sts)
Rnd 4: Sc 2, inc, sc 12, (sc 2, inc) 3 times, sc 12, (sc 2, inc) 2 times. Join. (48 sts)
Rnd 5: Sc 3, inc, sc 12, (sc 3, inc) 3 times, sc 12, (sc 3, inc) 2 times. Join. (54 sts)
Rnd 6: Sc 4, inc, sc 12, (sc 4, inc) 3 times, sc 12, (sc 4, inc) 2 times. Join. (60 sts)
Stitch map for Rnd 6:
- Sts 1–6: heel
- Sts 7–18: side
- Sts 19–36: toe
- Sts 37–48: side
- Sts 49–60: heel
So the heel is 18 sts in total: sts 49–60 plus sts 1–6. Place markers in sts 6, 19, 36 and 49.
Checkpoint: The sole lies flat and measures about 6½ × 3 in (16.5 × 7.6 cm).
Foot and Ivory Heel
Rnd 7: Working in BLO: with ivory, sc 6; with cranberry, sc 42; with ivory, sc 12. Join with ivory. (60 sts)
Working this round in the back loops turns the edge of the sole up into a wall.
Rnds 8–10: Working in both loops: with ivory, sc 6; with cranberry, sc 42; with ivory, sc 12. Join. (60 sts each round)
Cut the ivory after Rnd 10. The heel patch is 18 sts wide and 4 rounds tall, and it wraps around the back curve of the foot.
Rnd 11 (cranberry): Sc 18, (sc 2, sc2tog) 4 times, sc 26. Join. (56 sts)
Rnd 12: Sc 19, (sc2tog, sc 1) 4 times, sc 25. Join. (52 sts)
Rnd 13: Sc 20, sc2tog 4 times, sc 24. Join. (48 sts)
All 12 decreases are worked over the toe. They pull the toe up into a rounded instep while the heel stays full. Remove the markers.
Checkpoint: The walls are 1¾ in (4.4 cm) tall, and the opening is 48 sts and 13¾ in (34.9 cm) around.
Leg (Granny Stripes)
Fasten off the cranberry. From here on, change color every round. You can carry the unused color up the inside of the stocking because the roll will hide it.
Rnd 14 (ivory): Join ivory in the first st. Ch 3 (counts as a dc) and work 2 dc in the same st. Sk 2 sts, 3 dc in the next st; repeat from * 14 more times. Sk the last 2 sts and join to the top of the ch-3. (16 clusters, 48 sts)
Rnd 15 (cranberry): Join cranberry in the space between the last and first clusters. Ch 3, work 2 dc in the same sp, then 3 dc in each of the next 15 spaces between clusters. Join. (16 clusters, 48 sts)
Rnds 16–19: Repeat Rnd 15 in ivory, cranberry, ivory, cranberry. (16 clusters, 48 sts each round)
Each round sits in the gaps of the round below, which staggers the clusters into zigzag stripes.
Checkpoint: The leg is about 3½ in (8.9 cm) tall, and the stocking is 5¼ in (13.3 cm) tall. A roll should slide in with light pressure and stand upright.
Border: Scalloped Cuff
Work the cuff on each stocking right after Rnd 19. Each stocking has its own cuff; nothing is shared between stockings.
Border gauge: 48 sc = 13¾ in (34.9 cm), the same as the leg. One shell repeat uses 4 sts, which is about 1⅛ in (2.9 cm).
Rnd 20 (ivory): Join ivory in the top of the ch-3. Ch 1, then sc in the same st and in each dc around. Join. (48 sts: 24 on the front half, 24 on the back half)
Rnd 21: Ch 1, sc in the first st. Sk 1, shell in the next st, sk 1, sc in the next st; repeat from * 10 more times. Then sk 1, shell in the next st, sk 1, and join to the first sc. (12 shells + 12 sc = 72 sts; 6 shells on each half)
Rnd 22: Sl st in the next 2 dc to reach the center dc of the first shell. Ch 1 and sc in that dc. Shell in the next sc, sc in the center dc of the next shell; repeat from * 10 more times. Shell in the last sc and join. (12 shells + 12 sc = 72 sts; 6 shells on each half)
Fasten off and weave in all ends on the inside.
Why the math works:
- The leg is 16 clusters × 3 dc = 48 sts.
- Rnd 20 places 1 sc on each dc, so it adds nothing and stays at 48.
- Each shell repeat uses exactly 4 sts. 48 ÷ 4 = 12 shells with no leftover gap.
- Rnd 22 puts its shells into the sc between the Rnd 21 shells, so it also has 12 shells and the two scallop rows are staggered.
Straps (make 3)
With cranberry, ch 5.
Row 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. Ch 1, turn. (4 sts)
Rows 2–28: Sc across. Ch 1, turn. (4 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail. The strap measures 1⅛ in (2.9 cm) wide × 7 in (17.8 cm) long.
Hanging Cord (make 1)
Hold the ivory yarn double. Ch 130, then sl st in the back bump of each ch across. (129 sl sts)
The cord should be about 34 in (86.4 cm) long. Add or remove chains if needed.
Make All Pieces
- Cranberry: 3 straps, plus the sole, toe, foot sides and 3 leg stripes of each stocking
- Ivory: 1 cord, plus the heel patch, 3 leg stripes and the cuff of each stocking
- Total: 3 stockings, 3 straps, 1 cord
Layout, front view (dowel 18 in / 45.7 cm):
( ring )
cord / | cord
|o==================================o| dowel
[S1] [S2] [S3]
4 in 9 in 14 in strap centers, from left end
10.2 cm 22.9 cm 35.6 cm
Turn all three stockings so their toes point the same way.
Joining
The stockings are not sewn to each other. Each one hangs from its own strap, and the cord carries the dowel.
Strap to stocking:
- Find the center of the heel at the top of the leg.
- Count 12 sts toward the toe (a quarter of the 48-st round). This spot will face the wall.
- Fold the strap over the dowel.
- Lay both strap ends together on the inside of the leg at that spot, overlapping the leg by 1½ in (3.8 cm). The strap’s 4 sts line up with 4 leg sts.
- Whipstitch around the overlap. Sew through the strap layers and the inner layer of the leg only, so no stitching shows on the outside.
About 1⅜ in (3.5 cm) of strap will show between the dowel and the cuff.
Cord to dowel:
- Thread the cord through the ring and center the ring.
- Wrap each end twice around the dowel, 1 in (2.5 cm) in from each knob. This puts the two attachment points 16 in (40.6 cm) apart.
- Knot each end and sew the tails into the cord.
Tension: Sew firmly but don’t pull so hard that the leg puckers. The strap carries a roll’s weight, so double-stitch each corner of the overlap.
Size checkpoint: Place the straps at 4, 9 and 14 in (10.2, 22.9 and 35.6 cm) from the left end of the dowel. That puts them 5 in (12.7 cm) apart, with about ½ in (1.3 cm) between stockings. The top of the cord should sit about 7 in (17.8 cm) above the dowel.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends.
- Put a roll in each leg and fill each foot with a rolled washcloth.
- Mist cotton blends lightly with water. For acrylic, hover a steam iron 1 in (2.5 cm) above the fabric and never let it touch.
- Pinch each scallop into an even curve.
- Let the stockings dry completely with the fillings still inside.
- Block the straps flat to 1⅛ × 7 in (2.9 × 17.8 cm).
- Remove the washcloths and hang the organizer.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- [ ] Each sole has 60 sts and measures 6½ × 3 in (16.5 × 7.6 cm)
- [ ] Each heel patch is 18 sts wide and 4 rounds tall
- [ ] Each toe has 12 decreases, leaving a 48-st opening
- [ ] Each leg has 6 granny rounds of 16 clusters
- [ ] Each cuff has 2 staggered rounds of 12 shells
- [ ] All three stockings are 6½ in (16.5 cm) tall
- [ ] The straps are hidden on the inside, face the wall, and are firmly sewn
- [ ] All toes point the same way
- [ ] The cord is knotted 1 in (2.5 cm) in from each knob, and the ring is centered
Troubleshooting
- Sole cups: Your increases are tight. Go up one hook size for Rnds 1–6.
- Sole ruffles: An increase is out of place. Check your work against the Rnd 6 stitch map.
- Gaps between clusters: Keep each cluster snug and don’t chain between clusters.
- Roll is loose: Work Rnds 14–19 with a hook one size smaller.
- Cuff flares: Make sure each repeat skips exactly 1 st on each side of the shell.
- Stockings hang crooked: Check that each strap is 12 sts from the heel center, then re-sew it.
Care
Hand wash in cool water and press out the water in a towel. Dry each stocking over a roll so it keeps its shape.
Final Notes
Every measurement follows from the one before it:
- A gauge of 14 sts = 4 in (10.2 cm) gives a 60-st sole of 6½ × 3 in (16.5 × 7.6 cm).
- The toe decreases bring the sole round down to a 48-st opening of 13¾ in (34.9 cm).
- Sixteen granny clusters keep the leg at 48 sts and 3½ in (8.9 cm) tall.
- Twelve shells fit those 48 sts exactly and add 1¼ in (3.2 cm), for a 6½ in (16.5 cm) stocking.
- Three straps spaced 5 in (12.7 cm) apart on an 18 in (45.7 cm) dowel finish the organizer.
Check each number as you go and your three stockings will match.
Happy crocheting!