This holder makes a plain paper towel roll look festive. Cream straps hang from a wooden ring, carry a paper towel roll on the top dowel and a hand towel on the lower dowel, and have four small Fair Isle–style baubles sewn along them. A larger matching bauble decorates the towel.
The colors are cranberry red, warm cream, and soft gold. Each bauble has a red body, a band of cream snowflake stars between two thin cream stripes, and a ridged gold cap with a loop. The look is cozy, Scandinavian-inspired, and simple.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. Each small bauble measures about 2.2 in (5.6 cm) across, and the large bauble about 3.5 in (8.9 cm). Each upper strap is 18 in (45.7 cm) long and each lower strap is 8 in (20.3 cm). Everything is single crochet worked in rows, so the edges stay neat and easy to sew.
You will crochet the baubles flat in rows, add a red edging round, crochet the gold caps, and embroider the stars. Then you crochet four straps, sew the baubles onto the upper straps, and attach the straps to the ring and dowels.
Finished Size and Construction
- Large bauble: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) wide x 3.6 in (9.1 cm) tall, not counting the cap
- Small bauble: 2.2 in (5.6 cm) wide x 2.2 in (5.6 cm) tall, not counting the cap
- Skill level: Advanced beginner
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6)
- Number of pieces: 9 crocheted pieces (1 large bauble, 4 small baubles, 2 upper straps, 2 lower straps)
- Layout: Two baubles on each upper strap; the large bauble goes on the towel
- Large bauble body before edging: 3.1 in (7.9 cm) wide x 3.2 in (8.1 cm) tall
- Small bauble body before edging: 1.8 in (4.6 cm) wide x 1.8 in (4.6 cm) tall
- Edging depth: 1 round of sc, which adds about 0.2 in (0.5 cm) on every side
Materials
Use a smooth, mercerized or matte worsted-weight cotton. Cotton keeps the baubles flat, shows the stars clearly, and holds up in a kitchen.
- Cranberry red: 20 g (about 38 m)
- Cream: 25 g (about 48 m)
- Gold: 8 g (about 15 m)
All quantities include a margin of roughly 30% for swatching and sewing tails.
Tools and hardware:
– 4.0 mm (G-6) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Scissors
– 4 stitch markers
– Wooden ring, 2.5 in (6.4 cm) diameter
– 2 wooden dowels, 0.75 in (1.9 cm) diameter x 14 in (35.6 cm) long
– Beige hand towel
– Sewing pins
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sc – single crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together (insert hook in next st, pull up a loop; insert hook in next st, pull up a loop; yo, pull through all 3 loops)
- BLO – back loop only
- sl st – slip stitch
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- inc – 2 sc in same st
- yo – yarn over
Special technique – star embroidery: Use a tapestry needle and cream yarn. Make straight stitches that all cross through one center point to form a snowflake star.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 18 sc x 20 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm), which works out to 4.5 sc per in and 5 rows per in.
Make one small bauble before anything else. It is a quick test piece.
- After Row 3 of the small bauble: 8 sts measure 1.8 in (4.6 cm).
- After Row 9: the body is 1.8 in (4.6 cm) tall.
- After the edging: the bauble is 2.2 in (5.6 cm) across.
If the bauble is too big, go down to a 3.75 mm hook. If it is too small, go up to a 4.5 mm hook. Correct size matters most for the straps, because they must fit around the dowels.
Pattern Notes
- Ch 1 at the start of each row does not count as a stitch.
- Turn at the end of every row.
- To change color, work the last yo of the old color’s final stitch with the new color.
- Carry red up the side under the edging; cut cream after each stripe.
Large Bauble (Make 1)
With red, ch 7.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (6 sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, inc, sc 4, inc. (8 sts)
Row 3: Ch 1, inc, sc 6, inc. (10 sts)
Row 4: Ch 1, inc, sc 8, inc. (12 sts)
Row 5: Ch 1, inc, sc 10, inc. (14 sts)
Row 6: Ch 1, sc 14. Change to cream. (14 sts)
Row 7 (cream): Ch 1, sc 14. Change to red. (14 sts)
Rows 8–10 (red): Ch 1, sc 14. At the end of Row 10, change to cream. (14 sts each row)
Row 11 (cream): Ch 1, sc 14. Change to red. (14 sts)
Row 12: Ch 1, sc 14. (14 sts)
Row 13: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc 10, sc2tog. (12 sts)
Row 14: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc 8, sc2tog. (10 sts)
Row 15: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc 6, sc2tog. (8 sts)
Row 16: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc 4, sc2tog. (6 sts) Do not fasten off.
The body has 16 rows and should measure 3.1 in (7.9 cm) wide x 3.2 in (8.1 cm) tall. Work the edging next (see Border).
Small Bauble (Make 4)
With red, ch 5.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (4 sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, inc, sc 2, inc. (6 sts)
Row 3: Ch 1, inc, sc 4, inc. Change to cream. (8 sts)
Row 4 (cream): Ch 1, sc 8. Change to red. (8 sts)
Rows 5–6 (red): Ch 1, sc 8. At the end of Row 6, change to cream. (8 sts each row)
Row 7 (cream): Ch 1, sc 8. Change to red. (8 sts)
Row 8: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc 4, sc2tog. (6 sts)
Row 9: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc 2, sc2tog. (4 sts) Do not fasten off.
The body has 9 rows and should measure 1.8 in (4.6 cm) square.
Border (Bauble Edging)
Border gauge: The edging uses the same 4.5 sc per in. Work 1 sc in each stitch along the top and bottom, and 1 sc in each row-end along the sides. A circle has no corners, so do not add any corner increases. Each count below is that side’s complete total.
Large bauble edging round (red): Continue from Row 16 without turning.
– Top: 1 sc in each of the 6 sts. (6)
– Left side: 1 sc in each of the 16 row-ends. (16)
– Bottom: 1 sc in each of the 6 foundation ch. (6)
– Right side: 1 sc in each of the 16 row-ends. (16)
Sl st to the first sc. (44 sts) Fasten off.
Small bauble edging round (red):
– Top: 1 sc in each of the 4 sts. (4)
– Left side: 1 sc in each of the 9 row-ends. (9)
– Bottom: 1 sc in each of the 4 foundation ch. (4)
– Right side: 1 sc in each of the 9 row-ends. (9)
Sl st to the first sc. (26 sts) Fasten off.
Why the math works: A sc row is 0.2 in (0.5 cm) tall, and a sc stitch is about 0.22 in (0.6 cm) wide. That makes one sc per row-end a near-perfect match, so the sides do not ruffle or pucker. The large body’s outline is about 9.8 in (24.9 cm) around, and 44 sc at 4.5 per in also covers 9.8 in (24.9 cm). The small body’s outline is about 5.7 in (14.5 cm) around, and 26 sc covers 5.8 in (14.7 cm). Both edgings lie flat.
Gold Caps
Large cap: On the top edge, skip the first edging st and join gold in the 2nd st.
– Row 1: Ch 1, sc in BLO of the next 4 sts. (4 sts)
– Rows 2–3: Ch 1, turn, sc in BLO 4. (4 sts each row)
– Loop: Ch 6, sl st in the first st of Row 3. Fasten off.
The cap measures 0.9 in (2.3 cm) wide x 0.6 in (1.5 cm) tall.
Small cap: Skip the first top edging st and join gold in the 2nd st.
– Row 1: Ch 1, sc in BLO of the next 2 sts. (2 sts)
– Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc in BLO 2. (2 sts)
– Loop: Ch 4, sl st in the first st of Row 2. Fasten off.
The cap measures 0.4 in (1.0 cm) tall.
The BLO rows make the horizontal ridges you see on the caps.
Snowflake Stars
Large bauble: Embroider 3 stars across Rows 8–10. Center them on Row 9: one over st 3, one between sts 7 and 8, and one over st 12. For each star, make 3 straight stitches 0.6 in (1.5 cm) long, all crossing at the center: one vertical and two diagonal.
Small bauble: Embroider 3 stars across Rows 5–6. Center them over st 2, between sts 4 and 5, and over st 7. Each star is 3 crossing straight stitches 0.4 in (1.0 cm) long.
Straps
All straps are worked lengthwise in cream.
Upper strap (make 2): Ch 82.
– Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (81 sts)
– Rows 2–3: Ch 1, turn, sc in BLO across. (81 sts each row)
Fasten off. Each upper strap measures 18 in (45.7 cm) x 0.6 in (1.5 cm).
Lower strap (make 2): Ch 37.
– Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (36 sts)
– Rows 2–3: Ch 1, turn, sc in BLO across. (36 sts each row)
Fasten off. Each lower strap measures 8 in (20.3 cm) x 0.6 in (1.5 cm).
Strap check: 81 sts divided by 4.5 = 18 in. 36 sts divided by 4.5 = 8 in.
Make All Pieces
- Red: 1 large bauble and 4 small baubles (bodies and edgings)
- Cream: stripes on all 5 baubles, 2 upper straps, 2 lower straps, and all star embroidery
- Gold: 5 caps with loops
Layout:
[ RING ]
/ \
[Small 1] [Small 2] <- 4 in (10.2 cm) from ring
/ \
[Small 3] [Small 4] <- 9 in (22.9 cm) from ring
/ \
=========== TOP DOWEL (paper towel) ===========
| | lower straps, 5 in (12.7 cm)
========== BOTTOM DOWEL (hand towel) ==========
[Large bauble on towel]
Joining
Straps to ring: Pass 2 in (5.1 cm) of one end of each upper strap through the ring. Fold it to the back and whipstitch the flap down, one stitch through each sc along both long edges.
Straps to top dowel: Fold the other end of each upper strap around the top dowel. Sew the last 1.5 in (3.8 cm) to the back of the strap. Leave the loop loose enough to slide easily over the 0.75 in (1.9 cm) dowel. That leaves about 14.5 in (36.8 cm) of upper strap between the ring and the dowel.
Lower straps: Loop 1.5 in (3.8 cm) of each end around a dowel: one end around the top dowel next to the upper strap, the other end around the bottom dowel. Sew each loop the same way. That leaves 5 in (12.7 cm) of lower strap between the dowels.
Baubles to straps: Pin each small bauble so its center sits on the middle of the strap, 4 in (10.2 cm) and 9 in (22.9 cm) below the ring, with the cap pointing toward the ring. Using red, whipstitch through the back loop of every edging sc into the strap behind it. Each small bauble gets 26 stitches, one per edging sc, so the stitch spacing stays even. Do not pull too tight, or the edge will pucker.
Large bauble to towel: Center it on the towel about 3 in (7.6 cm) above the woven border. Whipstitch through the back loop of all 44 edging sc.
Size checkpoint: Both dowels should hang level. The upper straps should match exactly, at 18 in (45.7 cm) each.
Final Blocking
- Before sewing, pin each bauble face down on a blocking mat to its target size: 2.2 in (5.6 cm) or 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
- Mist with water until damp.
- Shape the outline into a smooth circle. Straighten the gold caps.
- Let everything dry completely.
- Steam the straps lightly, lying flat and straight, so they hang without twisting.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Large bauble edging has 44 sts; each small bauble edging has 26.
- The stars sit centered in the band and are evenly spaced.
- All caps are centered and the loops lie flat.
- Upper straps measure 18 in (45.7 cm) and lower straps 8 in (20.3 cm).
- Both dowels hang level and slide out easily.
- All yarn tails are woven in on the back.
Troubleshooting
- Bauble looks oval: Your row gauge differs from your stitch gauge. Block it to a circle, or add or remove one plain red row in the middle.
- Edging ruffles: Use a smaller hook for the edging only.
- Edging cups: Use a larger hook for the edging, or add 1 extra sc at the widest point on each side.
- Strap twists: Steam it flat and check that every row was worked in BLO.
- Stars look crowded: Make the arms 0.1 in (0.3 cm) shorter.
Care
Spot clean the holder with mild soap and let it air dry flat. You can hand wash the towel gently and reshape the bauble while it is damp.
Final Notes
Everything rests on one measurement: 4.5 sc per in. That gauge makes 14 sts into a 3.1 in (7.9 cm) large body and 8 sts into a 1.8 in (4.6 cm) small body. One edging round brings them to 3.5 in (8.9 cm) and 2.2 in (5.6 cm). The same gauge makes 81 sts into 18 in (45.7 cm) upper straps and 36 sts into 8 in (20.3 cm) lower straps. If you check your gauge at each stage, everything will fit together. Happy crocheting!