The Denim Bloom Hexagon Bag Holder is a hanging dispenser for plastic grocery bags. It is made from four hexagon motifs, each with a raised eight-petal puff-stitch flower. You stuff bags in through the wide top rim and pull them out one at a time through the small ring at the bottom.
The sample uses one color, a soft denim blue, which shows the puff texture well and suits a farmhouse or coastal kitchen. Two hexagons sit on top of each other on the front and two match them on the back. Because each hexagon has a point on the left and right, the holder pinches in at the seam between them and looks like a soft hourglass.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished holder is 5.8 in (14.7 cm) wide laid flat and 12.5 in (31.8 cm) tall without the handle. It hangs about 15.5 in (39.4 cm) from hook to bottom ring.
Construction is simple. You make four identical hexagons and sew them into a front pair and a back pair. Then you whipstitch front to back along the lower sides, crochet a hdc rim around the top opening and a short sc ring around the bottom opening, and work a strap straight off the rim.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 5.8 in (14.7 cm) wide x 12.5 in (31.8 cm) tall, plus an 8 in (20.3 cm) strap
- Skill level: Easy-Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 4 hexagons (strap is worked onto the rim)
- Layout: 1 column x 2 hexagons on the front, the same on the back
- Piece size: 5 in (12.7 cm) flat side to flat side, 5.8 in (14.7 cm) point to point, 2.9 in (7.4 cm) per edge
- Size before border: 10 in (25.4 cm) tall x 5.8 in (14.7 cm) wide
- Border depth: top rim 1.75 in (4.4 cm), bottom ring 0.75 in (1.9 cm)
Materials
Pick a smooth worsted yarn that shows stitch definition. Cotton or a cotton blend holds its shape best when the holder is full of bags. Acrylic also works, but it stretches a little more over time, especially in the strap.
- Denim Blue: 100 g, about 200 m (219 yd)
Quantities include a margin of about 30 percent. Puff stitches use more yarn than you might expect, so don’t cut it close.
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- 8 locking stitch markers
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Blocking mat and rust-proof pins
- Spray bottle
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- hdc – half double crochet
- hdc2tog – half double crochet 2 together
- dc – double crochet
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rep – repeat
- MR – magic ring
Puff stitch (puff): *Yarn over, insert hook in the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop to about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) tall; rep from * 3 more times (9 loops on hook). Yarn over, pull through all 9 loops, then ch 1 to close the puff. The closing ch 1 does not count as a stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Make one full hexagon before you start the rest. Gauge matters here because the edges must match for joining, and the top opening must be big enough for a hand.
- After Round 3: circle measures 2.4 in (6.1 cm) across.
- After Round 4: 3.75 in (9.5 cm) flat side to flat side.
- After Round 5: 4.4 in (11.2 cm) flat side to flat side.
- After Round 6: 5 in (12.7 cm) flat side to flat side, with 9 sc on each edge measuring 2.9 in (7.4 cm).
Allow a difference of 0.2 in (0.5 cm). If your hexagon is too big, go down to a 4.5 mm hook. If it is too small, go up to a 5.5 mm hook. Check that the puffs are all the same height. Uneven puffs cause a wavy Round 3.
Hexagon Motif (Make 4)
Begin with a magic ring. Do not turn at the end of any round.
Round 1: Ch 1, 8 sc in MR. Join with sl st to first sc. Pull the ring closed. (8 sc)
Round 2: Pull up a loop to puff height, puff in same st, ch 2, puff in next sc, ch 2; rep from * 6 more times. Join with sl st to top of first puff. (8 puffs, 8 ch-2 sps)*
Round 3: Ch 1, sc in top of same puff, 2 sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in top of next puff, 2 sc in next ch-2 sp; rep from * 6 more times. Join to first sc. (24 sc)*
This round frames each petal with a ring of sc. Check that the 24 sc sit flat and that each puff stands up.
Round 4 (conversion round to a hexagon): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in next 2 sts, (dc, ch 2, dc) in next st, dc in next 3 sts; rep from * 4 more times, (dc, ch 2, dc) in last st. Join to top of ch-3.
Count: 24 sts worked 1-per-stitch + 6 extra corner dc = 30 dc, 6 ch-2 corner sps (5 dc per side)*
Round 5: Ch 2 (does not count), hdc in same st and next 3 sts, (hdc, ch 2, hdc) in next ch-2 sp, hdc in next 5 dc; rep from * 4 more times, (hdc, ch 2, hdc) in last ch-2 sp, hdc in last dc. Join to first hdc.
Count: 30 hdc worked 1-per-stitch + 12 corner hdc = 42 hdc, 6 ch-2 sps (7 hdc per side)*
Round 6: Ch 1, sc in same st and next 4 sts, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch-2 sp, sc in next 7 sts; rep from * 4 more times, (sc, ch 2, sc) in last ch-2 sp, sc in last 2 sts. Join to first sc.
Count: 42 sc worked 1-per-stitch + 12 corner sc = 54 sc, 6 ch-2 sps (9 sc per side)*
Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail on two of the hexagons for sewing. Weave in the ends on the other two.
Per-side definition: Each edge has 9 sc. That count includes the sc on each side of the 2 corner ch-2 sps at its ends. The ch-2 sps are not counted as stitches.
Make All Pieces
Make 4 hexagons in Denim Blue. Lay them out with a flat edge at the top and bottom, so each hexagon has a point on the left and a point on the right:
FRONT BACK
[ A1 ] [ B1 ] top hexagons
[ A2 ] [ B2 ] bottom hexagons
Block all four lightly to 5 in (12.7 cm) flat side to flat side before you join them. They are much easier to line up when they are the same size.
Joining
All seams are whipstitched with the tapestry needle through the inside loops only. This keeps the outside loops lying flat as a neat outline around each hexagon.
Step 1 – Front and back waist seams. Lay A1 above A2 with right sides up. Match the bottom edge of A1 to the top edge of A2. Begin in the corner ch-2 sps, whipstitch through the 9 matching sc pairs, and end in the opposite corner ch-2 sps. (9 stitch pairs) Join B1 to B2 the same way.
Each panel should now measure 10 in (25.4 cm) tall and 5.8 in (14.7 cm) wide.
Step 2 – Side seams. Hold the front and back panels with wrong sides together and the edges lined up. On the left side, begin at the side point of A1/B1 and whipstitch:
- lower-left edge of the top hexagons: 9 pairs
- upper-left edge of the bottom hexagons: 9 pairs
- lower-left edge of the bottom hexagons: 9 pairs
That makes 27 stitch pairs on each side. Work through both ch-2 corner sps where 4 corners meet at the waist so no hole forms. Repeat on the right side.
Leave these edges open:
- Top opening: the upper-left, top and upper-right edges of A1 and B1
- Bottom opening: the bottom edges of A2 and B2
Tension: Pull each whipstitch snug but not tight. If the seam puckers, the side of the holder will curve inward. If it is loose, you will see small gaps once the holder is full.
Checkpoint: Flattened, the body measures 10 in (25.4 cm) tall and 5.8 in (14.7 cm) at the widest points.
Border: Top Rim, Bottom Ring and Strap
Border gauge: 9 sc = 2.9 in (7.4 cm), about 3.1 sc per inch, matching the hexagon edges.
Top Rim
Round 1: With right side out, join yarn in the first sc after the left seam on A1. Sc in each sc around the opening and skip the corner ch-2 sps.
Per side: front = 3 edges x 9 sc = 27, back = 3 edges x 9 sc = 27. Join. (54 sc)
Skipping the corner sps gathers each corner slightly, so the opening starts to round off into a tube. The opening now measures 17.4 in (44.2 cm) around.
Round 2: Ch 2 (does not count), hdc in each st around. Join. (54 hdc)
Round 3: Ch 2, hdc in next 7 sts, hdc2tog; rep from * 5 more times. Join.
Count: 6 repeats x 8 sts = 48 hdc (24 front, 24 back)*
Rounds 4–5: Ch 2, hdc in each st around. Join. (48 hdc)
Round 6: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (48 sc)
Do not fasten off. The rim measures 15.5 in (39.4 cm) around and 1.75 in (4.4 cm) deep.
Why the math works: Each hexagon edge has exactly 9 sc. The top opening uses 6 edges, so 6 x 9 = 54. Decreasing by 6 brings the rim in to 48, which divides evenly into 24 per side. That puts the left and right seams exactly opposite each other for the strap.
Strap
Mark 5 sts straddling the left seam (sts 47, 48, 1, 2 and 3 of Round 6) and 5 sts straddling the right seam (sts 23 to 27).
Row 1: Sl st to st 47. Ch 1, sc in each of the 5 marked left-side sts. Turn. (5 sc)
Rows 2–36: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (5 sc)
The strap measures 8 in (20.3 cm) long and about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide. Fasten off with a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail. Make sure the strap is not twisted, then whipstitch Row 36 to the 5 marked right-side sts.
Bottom Ring
Round 1: Join yarn in the first sc after the left seam on A2. Sc in each sc around the bottom opening and skip the corner sps.
Per side: front 9 + back 9 = 18 sc. Join.
Rounds 2–3: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (18 sc)
Fasten off. The ring measures 5.8 in (14.7 cm) around, about 1.8 in (4.6 cm) across, and 0.75 in (1.9 cm) deep. It is firm enough to hold the bags in and loose enough to pull one out.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends along seam lines on the inside.
- Mist the whole holder lightly until it is damp but not wet.
- Stuff it loosely with plastic bags or a rolled towel to give it a rounded shape.
- Lay it flat and pin the side points so the body is 5.8 in (14.7 cm) wide.
- Check that it is 10 in (25.4 cm) from the top of the hexagon section to the bottom of it.
- Pinch each puff gently so it stands up.
- Shape the rim into an even round tube and the strap into an arch.
- Leave it to dry completely, at least 12 hours, before removing the stuffing.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- All 4 hexagons measure 5 in (12.7 cm) flat side to flat side.
- Every flower has 8 puffs of the same height.
- Each hexagon edge has exactly 9 sc.
- Each waist seam has 9 stitch pairs and each side seam has 27.
- There are no gaps where the 4 corners meet at the waist.
- Rim Round 1 has 54 sc, and Rounds 3–6 have 48 sts.
- The strap sits over the side seams and is not twisted.
- The bottom ring has 18 sc and stays round.
- All ends are woven in on the inside.
Troubleshooting
Puffs lean or look flat: Pull every loop up to the same height and always close with ch 1.
Hexagon cups: Tension is too tight on Rounds 4–6. Go up a hook size for those rounds only.
Hexagon ruffles: Check that you have 5 dc per side in Round 4 and not 6.
Edges don’t line up for joining: Recount each edge. It must have 9 sc, and the ch-2 sps should line up at the ends.
Hole at the waist: Sew one extra stitch through all four corner sps.
Rim flares: Recheck Round 3. It must decrease to 48.
Bags fall out of the bottom: Add a fourth round to the ring with 1 sc2tog for 17 sts.
Strap stretches over time: Use cotton yarn, or weave a length of yarn through the center of the strap to stiffen it.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press out water in a towel, and dry flat over a rolled towel to keep the shape. Do not tumble dry, because it will flatten the puffs.
Final Notes
The measurements build on each other. One hexagon has 9 sc per edge and measures 5 in (12.7 cm) flat to flat. Two stacked hexagons make a 10 in (25.4 cm) panel. Joining front to back with 27-stitch side seams leaves a 54-st top opening and an 18-st bottom opening. The rim decreases to 48 sts and adds 1.75 in (4.4 cm). The bottom ring adds 0.75 in (1.9 cm), for a total of 12.5 in (31.8 cm). If each checkpoint matches, the finished holder will too.
Happy crocheting!