This bag holder gives your pile of plastic grocery bags a neat home on the pantry door. Small six-petal flowers are joined into a slim tube with open lattice gaps between them. Firm cream bands finish the top and bottom.
The colors are soft and neutral: cream and warm taupe. Some flowers have cream petals with taupe centers, and others reverse the colors. The bands and hanging strap are solid cream, so the flowers stand out.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished holder measures about 18.7 in (47.5 cm) tall, 12.5 in (31.8 cm) around and 6.25 in (15.9 cm) wide when laid flat. The strap loop adds about 3.25 in (8.3 cm) above the rim.
Here is the construction. You make 35 flower motifs of two rounds each and join them as you go into a tube of 7 staggered tiers, with 5 flowers in each tier. Then you work a top band and a bottom band directly into the free petal tips, and sew on a strap.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 18.7 in (47.5 cm) tall x 12.5 in (31.8 cm) around; 6.25 in (15.9 cm) wide flat
- Skill level: Intermediate (join-as-you-go in the round)
- Terminology: US terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 35 flower motifs + 1 strap
- Layout: 7 tiers x 5 flowers, joined into a tube, with each tier shifted by half a flower
- Piece size: each flower is 2.5 in (6.4 cm) from tip to tip
- Size before border: flower tube is 15.2 in (38.6 cm) tall x 12.5 in (31.8 cm) around
- Border depth: top band 2 in (5.1 cm); bottom band 1.5 in (3.8 cm)
Materials
Choose a smooth worsted cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds the petal shape well and keeps the bands firm, so the holder doesn’t sag when it’s full. Avoid fuzzy or very stretchy yarns. They blur the petal tips and let the lattice stretch longer over time.
- Color A, Cream: 130 g / 260 m (petals of Flower A, centers of Flower B, both bands, strap)
- Color B, Taupe: 60 g / 120 m (centers of Flower A, petals of Flower B)
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch markers (at least 2)
- Scissors
- Ruler or tape measure
- Rust-proof pins and a rolled towel or tube for blocking
These amounts include about 20% extra to allow for gauge differences and a test flower.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- dtr – double treble crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rnd(s) – round(s)
Special stitches:
- dtr (double treble crochet): Yarn over 3 times, insert hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (5 loops on hook), then [yarn over, pull through 2 loops] 4 times.
- Joined tip (JT): Use this in place of the ch 2 at a petal tip. Ch 1, then remove your hook. Insert it from front to back into the ch-2 tip of the neighboring flower, pick up the dropped loop and pull it through. Ch 1. This links the two petal tips.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc and 18 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm) in sc worked in the round.
Make one test flower before you start the full set, and block it lightly.
- After Rnd 1: the center measures about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across.
- After Rnd 2: the flower measures 2.5 in (6.4 cm) from one petal tip to the opposite tip.
If your flower is larger than 2.5 in (6.4 cm), go down half a hook size. If it’s smaller, go up half a size. Small errors add up: just 0.1 in (0.3 cm) extra per flower adds 0.5 in (1.3 cm) to the circumference and about 0.7 in (1.8 cm) to the height.
Also work a small swatch of sc in the round for the bands. The bands need 50 sc to measure 12.5 in (31.8 cm), so they match the width of 5 flowers.
Flower Motif
Each flower has 6 petals. Hold the flower so one petal points left and one points right. Two petals then point up (upper-left and upper-right) and two point down (lower-left and lower-right). This orientation matters when you join.
Flower A: taupe center, cream petals. Make 21.
Flower B: cream center, taupe petals. Make 14.
Rnd 1 (center color): Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as dc), work 11 dc in the ring. Pull the ring closed. Sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3. Fasten off. (12 dc)
Rnd 2 (petal color): Join the petal color with a sl st in any dc. *Sl st in next st, (hdc, 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc, hdc) in next st; repeat from * 5 more times. On the last repeat, the final sl st goes in the joining st. Fasten off. (6 petals: 36 petal sts, 6 sl sts, 6 ch-2 tips)
Each petal uses 2 center stitches, so 12 dc ÷ 2 = 6 petals. The ch-2 at each tip is a joining point.
Work Rnd 2 in full on the first flower only. On every other flower, replace the ch-2 with a JT at each tip that joins a neighbor, as described below.
Tip: Before you fasten off Rnd 2, leave a 4 in (10.2 cm) tail and pull it snug. That way the center ring can’t loosen while you join the flowers.
Make All Pieces
You work the flowers one at a time and join them on Rnd 2. If you like, make all the Rnd 1 centers first: 21 taupe and 14 cream. That way you can batch the color changes.
Colors in each tier, left to right, are A, B, A, B, A. Tier 2 and every even tier sit half a flower over.
Tier 1 (top): A B A B A
Tier 2: A B A B A
Tier 3: A B A B A
Tier 4: A B A B A
Tier 5: A B A B A
Tier 6: A B A B A
Tier 7 (bottom):A B A B A
Totals: 7 tiers x 3 Flower A = 21; 7 tiers x 2 Flower B = 14; 35 flowers in all. Each tier closes into a ring, so the last flower sits next to the first. The two A flowers meet at the back, which becomes the back of the holder.
Joining
All joining happens on Rnd 2 with JT. Every join is tip to tip: one ch-2 tip meets one ch-2 tip. You don’t add any extra stitches.
Tier 1:
- Flower 1: work Rnd 2 in full.
- Flower 2: work Rnd 2, joining its left tip to the right tip of Flower 1 with a JT.
- Flowers 3 and 4: join the left tip of each to the right tip of the flower before it.
- Flower 5: join its left tip to Flower 4 and its right tip to the left tip of Flower 1. The tier is now a ring.
Check that the ring isn’t twisted. All the centers should face outward.
Tiers 2 to 7: Each new flower sits in the dip below two flowers of the tier above.
- Join its upper-left tip to the lower-right tip of the flower above and to the left.
- Join its upper-right tip to the lower-left tip of the flower above and to the right.
- From the second flower of the tier on, join its left tip to the flower before it in the same tier.
- On the fifth flower of each tier, also join its right tip to the first flower of that tier.
Each flower in Tiers 2-7 makes up to 4 joins. Its lower tips stay free until you add the next tier.
Tension: Keep the ch 1 on each side of a join the same size as a normal chain. Tight joins make the tube pucker, and loose joins let the lattice stretch long. Work the joins at your usual pace and don’t tug the yarn after pulling the loop through.
Size checkpoint: After Tier 7, lay the tube flat. It should measure 6.25 in (15.9 cm) wide and 15.2 in (38.6 cm) from the top tips of Tier 1 to the bottom tips of Tier 7. The tiers sit about 2.2 in (5.6 cm) apart, measured center to center.
Border
The border is two bands worked directly into the free petal tips with Color A.
Border gauge: 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm). Each flower spans 2.5 in (6.4 cm), so it gets 10 sts.
Top Band
Each Tier 1 flower has 2 free upper tips. Between neighboring flowers there’s a dip where their left and right tips are joined.
Rnd 1: Join Color A with a sl st in the upper-left tip of any Tier 1 flower. Ch 1. *Sc in upper-left tip, ch 3, sc in upper-right tip, ch 2, dtr in the JT between this flower and the next, ch 2; repeat from * 4 more times. Sl st to first sc. (Each flower: 3 sts + 7 ch = 10; total 50)
The dtr fills the dip between flowers so the band starts level.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc, ch and dtr around. Sl st to first sc. (50 sc: 50 worked one into each st and ch + 0 added)
Rnds 3–10: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Sl st to first sc. (50 sc each rnd)
Rnd 11: Sl st loosely in each st around. Fasten off. (50 sl sts)
Top band checkpoint: 2 in (5.1 cm) deep from the petal tips and 12.5 in (31.8 cm) around.
Bottom Band
Turn the tube upside down. Each Tier 7 flower has 2 free lower tips.
Rnd 1: Join Color A in the lower-left tip of any Tier 7 flower. Work as for Rnd 1 of the top band, using the lower tips and the JT between Tier 7 flowers. (50 sts and chs)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc, ch and dtr around. (50 sc: 50 worked one into each st and ch + 0 added)
Rnds 3–4: Sc in each st around. (50 sc each rnd)
Rnd 5: *Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * 9 more times. (40 sc)
Rnd 6: Sc in each st around. (40 sc)
Rnd 7: *Sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog; repeat from * 9 more times. (30 sc)
Rnd 8: Sc in each st around. Sl st to first sc. Fasten off. (30 sc)
Bottom band checkpoint: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) deep. The opening is about 2.4 in (6.1 cm) across. That’s wide enough to pull out one bag while keeping the rest inside.
Why the math works: 5 flowers x 10 sts = 50 sts. At 16 sc per 4 in (10.2 cm), 50 sc measure 12.5 in (31.8 cm), which is exactly the tube’s circumference. Rnd 5 removes 10 sts (50 – 10 = 40) and Rnd 7 removes 10 more (40 – 10 = 30), so the taper is even.
Strap
Row 1: With Color A, ch 4. Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in the next 2 ch. (3 sc)
Rows 2–36: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st. (3 sc)
Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail. The strap measures 8 in (20.3 cm) long.
Fold the strap into a loop. Sew each end to the inside of the top band at the back, with the ends side by side and overlapping 0.75 in (1.9 cm) down from the rim. The loop rises about 3.25 in (8.3 cm) above the rim. Stitch through both layers twice so the strap can carry a full load of bags.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends along the back of the petals, matching the colors.
- Soak the holder in cool water for 10 minutes, then press out the water gently in a towel. Don’t wring it.
- Slide a rolled towel or a tube about 4 in (10.2 cm) across inside the holder.
- Pat each flower flat and nudge the petals into even, rounded shapes.
- Check that the diamond gaps are even and that the tiers run straight around.
- Measure: 18.7 in (47.5 cm) tall and 12.5 in (31.8 cm) around.
- Let it dry completely, then remove the form.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 35 flowers: 21 Flower A and 14 Flower B
- Every flower has 6 petals and 12 center dc
- Every inside tip is joined, with no loose tips inside the tube
- The tiers alternate their offset and the colors follow the grid
- Top band: 50 sts, 2 in (5.1 cm) deep
- Bottom band ends at 30 sts, 1.5 in (3.8 cm) deep
- The strap is secure and centered at the back
- All ends are woven in and trimmed
Troubleshooting
The tube is too wide: Your flowers are over 2.5 in (6.4 cm). Remake them with a smaller hook, or work the bands with a hook half a size smaller to pull them in.
The tube twists into a spiral: A flower was joined to the wrong neighbor. Check that each flower in Tiers 2–7 joins its two upper tips to two different flowers above.
The top band ruffles: You probably have more than 50 sts. Recount Rnd 1 for each flower: 3 sts and 7 chains.
The top band pulls in at the dips: Your dtr is too short for your tension. Work it a little looser, or use a triple treble (yarn over 4 times) in each dip. The count stays at 50.
The petals curl: Block with gentle steam and pin the petal tips flat.
Bags fall out: The opening is too big. Add one more decrease rnd: *sc in next 4, sc2tog; repeat from * 4 more times (25 sc).
Care
Hand wash in cool water, then lay flat or reshape over a tube to dry. You can machine wash cotton on a gentle cycle in a laundry bag, but reshape the flowers while they’re damp.
Final Notes
Every measurement in this holder builds on one flower. One flower is 2.5 in (6.4 cm), five flowers make 12.5 in (31.8 cm) around, and 10 sts per flower give 50 band stitches at the same width. Seven tiers make 15.2 in (38.6 cm) of lattice. The 2 in (5.1 cm) top band and 1.5 in (3.8 cm) bottom band bring the holder to 18.7 in (47.5 cm). If your first flower measures correctly, the rest of the measurements will come out right too.
Happy crocheting!