This butterfly bag holder keeps plastic grocery bags tidy and looks good doing it. You stuff bags in at the open top and pull them out one at a time through the smaller hole at the bottom. Two airy filet wings sit behind the tube body, so it looks like a butterfly resting on the wall.
The sample uses a magenta body, light pink mesh wings with purple solid-block stripes, and a purple scalloped edge. A navy body with light blue wings and a turquoise border works just as well. Choose one strong body color and two wing colors that contrast clearly.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished body is about 10 in (25.4 cm) tall and 3.4 in (8.6 cm) across when filled. The wingspan is about 12.2 in (31.0 cm).
Construction is simple. You work the body in a spiral from the bottom opening up to the rim. Each wing is worked flat in filet rows, then edged with a scallop border. The antennae and loop are quick chain-based pieces. Everything is then sewn together.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished body: 10 in (25.4 cm) tall, 3.4 in (8.6 cm) diameter filled, 5.3 in (13.5 cm) wide flat
- Wingspan: about 12.2 in (31.0 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: 4.0 mm (US G-6)
- Number of pieces: 6 (1 body, 2 wings, 2 antennae, 1 hanging loop)
- Layout: wings sewn vertically to the back of the body, antennae and loop at the back rim
- Wing size before border: 4.7 × 8 in (11.9 × 20.3 cm)
- Wing size after border: 5.7 × 9 in (14.5 × 22.9 cm)
- Border depth: 0.5 in (1.3 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend, about 190 m (208 yd) per 100 g. Cotton holds its shape when the body is full of bags, and it shows the filet mesh clearly.
- Magenta (body, antennae, loop): 60 g / 114 m
- Light pink (wing mesh): 25 g / 48 m
- Purple (wing blocks and border): 20 g / 38 m
All quantities include a margin of about 15%.
Tools:
– 4.0 mm (US G-6) hook
– Stitch marker
– Tapestry needle
– Three small bobbins or yarn cards
– Scissors, pins and a tape measure
– A little fiberfill or scrap yarn for the antenna tips
– Blocking mat and spray bottle
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- dc: double crochet
- dtr: double treble crochet (yo 3 times, then [yo, pull through 2] 4 times)
- inc: 2 sc in the same stitch
- sc2tog: single crochet 2 together
- rev sc: reverse single crochet (crab stitch), worked left to right
- sk: skip
- sp: space
- st(s): stitch(es)
- rnd: round
Filet blocks:
– O (open mesh): ch 2, sk next 2 sts or ch-2 sp, dc in next dc.
– S (solid pink block): with pink, dc in next 2 sts (or 2 dc in ch-2 sp), dc in next dc.
– P (purple block): same as S but worked in purple. Carry the pink strand inside these stitches.
– Row start: if the first block is O, ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2), then complete the block. If it is S, ch 3 (counts as dc), then complete the block.
– Beginning increase: ch 8, dc in first dc. This makes one new open mesh. On the next row, the last dc goes into the 6th ch of this ch-8.
– End increase: after the last dc, ch 2, dtr in the same st as the last dc. This makes one new open mesh.
– Beginning decrease: turn, sl st in first 4 sts, then start the row from that dc.
– End decrease: leave the last block of the row unworked and turn.
Gauge and Checkpoints
- Single crochet: 18 sts and 20 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm)
- Filet: 3 blocks = 2 in (5.1 cm) wide, and 4 rows = 2 in (5.1 cm) tall
Test one piece first. Work body Rnds 1–25 and measure, then make one full wing before starting the second.
Checkpoints:
– After body Rnd 4, the bottom opening measures about 1.7 in (4.3 cm) across.
– After body Rnd 25, the wall is 4.2 in (10.7 cm) tall above Rnd 4.
– After wing Row 5, the lower lobe is 4 in (10.2 cm) wide.
– After wing Row 16, the wing is 4.7 × 8 in (11.9 × 20.3 cm).
If your pieces are too big, go down 0.5 mm in hook size. If they are too small, go up 0.5 mm. Change the hook rather than the stitch counts, because the wing and body measurements are matched to each other.
Body
Work in a continuous spiral. Place a marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go.
Foundation: With magenta, ch 24 and join with a sl st to the first ch to form a ring. Don’t twist the chain.
- Rnd 1: sc in each ch around. (24 sts)
- Rnd 2: sc in next 2 sts, inc 8 times. (32 sts)
- Rnd 3: sc in next 3 sts, inc 8 times. (40 sts)
- Rnd 4: sc in next 4 sts, inc 8 times. (48 sts)
The base will cup slightly. This is intentional, because it gives the rounded bottom.
- Rnds 5–51: sc in each st around. (48 sts per round)
- Rnd 52: rev sc in each st around. (48 sts) Sl st to the first st and fasten off.
The circumference is 48 sts, or 10.7 in (27.2 cm). The wall above the base is 48 rounds, or 9.6 in (24.4 cm). Including the cupped base, the body is 10 in (25.4 cm) tall.
Bottom edging: Join magenta to a free loop of the foundation chain. Sl st loosely in each of the 24 free loops, then join and fasten off. (24 sl st) This stops the bag opening from stretching.
Wings (make 2)
The rows below are written in working order. Odd rows start at the inner (straight) edge and end at the outer edge. Even rows start at the outer edge.
Wind three purple bobbins of about 2 m (2.2 yd) each:
– A: lower patch
– B: first upper stripe
– C: second upper stripe
Never carry purple across an open mesh.
Row 1: With pink, ch 15. Dc in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across. (13 sts: 4 blocks, S S S S) Mark the end where this row finishes as the outer edge.
- Row 2: beginning increase, O 4 times. (16 sts, 5 blocks)
- Row 3: O, P, P (bobbin A), O, O, end increase. (19 sts, 6 blocks)
- Row 4: O, O, P, P, P (A), O. (19 sts, 6 blocks)
- Row 5: O, O, P, P (A), O, O. (19 sts, 6 blocks) Fasten off bobbin A.
- Row 6: beginning decrease, O 5 times. (16 sts, 5 blocks)
- Row 7: O 5 times. (16 sts, 5 blocks) This is the waist between the two lobes.
- Row 8: beginning increase, O 5 times. (19 sts, 6 blocks)
- Row 9: O, O, P (B), O, O, O, end increase. (22 sts, 7 blocks)
- Row 10: O, O, O, P, P (B), O, O. (22 sts, 7 blocks)
- Row 11: O, O, O, P, P (B), O, O. (22 sts, 7 blocks)
- Row 12: O, P, P (B), O, O, P (C), O. (22 sts, 7 blocks)
- Row 13: O, P, P (C), O, O, P (B), O. (22 sts, 7 blocks) Fasten off bobbin B.
- Row 14: beginning decrease, O, O, P, P (C), O, O. (19 sts, 6 blocks) Fasten off bobbin C.
- Row 15: O 5 times, end decrease. (16 sts, 5 blocks)
- Row 16: beginning decrease, S 4 times. (13 sts, 4 blocks) Fasten off.
Each wing has 20 purple blocks. A purple patch fills the lower lobe, and two diagonal stripes run up and outward across the upper lobe.
Make the second wing the same way. When you assemble, turn it over with the other side facing. That mirrors the shape, and filet looks the same on both sides.
Antennae (make 2)
With magenta, start with a magic ring.
- Rnd 1: 6 sc in the ring. (6 sts)
- Rnd 2: inc in each st. (12 sts)
- Rnd 3: sc in each st. (12 sts)
- Rnd 4: sc2tog 6 times. (6 sts) Stuff the tip firmly with fiberfill or scrap yarn.
Stem: Without fastening off, ch 15. Sl st in the back bump of the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (14 sl st) Fasten off and leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail.
The ball is about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across, and the stem is about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) long.
Hanging Loop
With magenta, ch 81. Sl st in the back bump of the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (80 sl st) The cord should measure 16 in (40.6 cm). Add or remove chains to reach that length. Fasten off and leave a long tail.
Make All Pieces
This is one item, so there is no repeated grid. Before assembly, check that you have:
– Magenta: 1 body, 2 antennae, 1 loop
– Pink with purple: 2 wings, each with the Border complete (see Border below)
Assembly layout (back view):
loop
ant. || ant.
[====== rim ======]
WING | body | WING
WING | body | WING
[==== bag hole ===]
Joining
Complete the Border on both wings before you sew anything.
Put the round-start column of the body at the center back. Baste a contrasting thread up the column 4 sts to the right of center and another 4 sts to the left. These lines are 8 sts, or 1.8 in (4.6 cm), apart.
Each wing’s inner edge has 40 border sc along its 8 in (20.3 cm) filet edge. The body has 40 rounds in the same height, so the seam matches one stitch to one round. Pin the top inner corner sc of the wing at Rnd 47 and the bottom inner corner sc at Rnd 8.
Whipstitch with magenta. Take one stitch through each wing sc and the matching body sc on the basted column, from Rnd 47 down to Rnd 8. The inner-edge scallops tuck behind the body.
Keep your tension moderate. The seam should hold the wing flat without puckering the tube. Remove the basting threads.
Antennae: Sew the stem ends inside the back wall, 0.5 in (1.3 cm) below the rim and 1.3 in (3.3 cm) apart. About 2 in (5.1 cm) of each stem shows above the rim.
Loop: Fold the cord in half. Sew both ends to the inside center back, 0.75 in (1.9 cm) below the rim. The loop rises about 7.25 in (18.4 cm) above the rim.
Size checkpoint: Lay the holder face down. The wingspan should measure about 12.2 in (31.0 cm), and each wing’s scalloped top should sit 0.5 in (1.3 cm) below the rim.
Border (Wings)
Border gauge: 9 sc = 2 in (5.1 cm) along the edge. Each scallop spans 4 sc, which is about 0.9 in (2.3 cm).
Rnd 1: With RS facing, join purple at the top inner corner. Work sc evenly around:
– Inner edge: 40 sc (alternate 2 sc and 3 sc per row-end, 16 rows)
– Bottom edge: 12 sc (3 per block, 4 blocks)
– Outer stepped edge: 64 sc (40 sc over 16 row-ends, plus 24 sc over 8 step ledges at 3 sc each)
– Top edge: 12 sc
Don’t add extra corner stitches. Sl st to the first sc. (128 sc)
Rnd 2: Sl st in the first sc. Sk 1 sc, 5 dc in next sc, sk 1 sc, sl st in next sc 32 times. The last sl st lands in the first sl st. Fasten off. (32 scallops)
Why the math works: Each side is a multiple of 4. The inner edge has 10 scallops, the bottom 3, the outer edge 16 and the top 3, for 32 in total. Every scallop starts and ends inside one side, so no scallop is split across a corner. Five sc per two dc rows matches the height of the rows. Three sc per block matches the 3-stitch block width, so the edge lies flat.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends along the stitch columns. Do this before blocking.
- Mist each wing until it is damp.
- Pin each wing to 5.7 × 9 in (14.5 × 22.9 cm). Pin the point of each scallop.
- Pull the mesh square so the open blocks line up in straight columns.
- Fill the body with a rolled towel, 3.4 in (8.6 cm) thick, and mist it lightly.
- Let everything dry completely, then assemble.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The body has 48 sts all round and a 24-st bottom opening.
- The rim is an even rev sc edge.
- Each wing has 16 rows, ending with 4 solid pink blocks.
- There are 20 purple blocks per wing, in the correct positions.
- Each wing has 128 border sc and 32 scallops.
- The wings mirror each other.
- The inner-edge seams run from Rnd 47 to Rnd 8.
- The antennae and loop are sewn securely through the full wall.
Troubleshooting
- The wing edge is wavy: the border sc are too tight or too loose. Check the 2-and-3 row-end rhythm.
- The mesh is skewed: block again and pin the mesh square.
- The bottom hole is too loose: work the sl st edging more tightly, or add a second sl st round.
- Purple shows in the open mesh: you carried the bobbin across an open block. Cut it and rejoin instead.
- The body is too short: add rounds before Rnd 52. Each extra round adds 0.2 in (0.5 cm).
Care
Spot clean, or hand wash in cool water. Reshape the holder and dry it flat with the body filled.
Final Notes
Here is how the measurements fit together:
– Body: 18 sc per 4 in gives 48 sts, or 10.7 in (27.2 cm) around, and 52 rounds give a 10 in (25.4 cm) tall body.
– Wings: filet blocks of 2/3 in wide and 1/2 in tall give a 4.7 × 8 in (11.9 × 20.3 cm) wing. A 0.5 in (1.3 cm) border brings it to 5.7 × 9 in (14.5 × 22.9 cm).
– Seam: 40 border sc meet 40 body rounds.
Check each link in that chain and the butterfly will come out true. Happy crocheting!