This hanging holder looks like a little row of gingerbread houses stacked on top of each other. Each of the three round, chocolate-brown pockets holds one spare roll. Every pocket has a cream “frosting” band with scallops along the rim, plus an arched window and two small hearts on the front. Two brown straps run down the sides and loop over a natural wooden ring.
The brown fabric is worked in waistcoat stitch, so it looks almost knitted but stays firm enough to keep its shape. The cream details are simple: a few rounds of single crochet, one scallop round, surface slip-stitch lines for the window, and tiny sewn-on hearts.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. Each pocket measures 5.25 in (13.3 cm) across and 4.4 in (11.2 cm) tall. The assembled holder is about 21.2 in (53.8 cm) long, measured from the top of the ring to the base of the bottom pocket.
Construction is straightforward. You work each pocket from the bottom up in continuous rounds: a flat base, a turning round, waistcoat-stitch sides, then the cream rim and scallops. After that you add the window and hearts, crochet two flat straps, and sew everything to the ring.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 21.2 in (53.8 cm) long overall, 5.25 in (13.3 cm) wide
- Skill level: Easy-intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 3 pockets, 2 straps, 6 heart appliqués, plus 1 wooden ring
- Layout: 1 column of 3 pockets stacked vertically
- Pocket size: 5.25 in (13.3 cm) diameter x 4.4 in (11.2 cm) tall
- Pocket size before rim trim: 5.25 in (13.3 cm) diameter x 3.8 in (9.7 cm) tall
- Rim depth: 3 cream rounds totaling 0.7 in (1.8 cm), plus scallops that hang 0.5 in (1.3 cm) over the brown
Materials
Choose a smooth worsted-weight yarn with clear stitch definition. Cotton or a cotton blend holds its shape best in a bathroom, and soft acrylic also works well. The quantities below assume about 200 m per 100 g.
- Brown (main color): 150 g, about 300 m
- Cream (contrast): 35 g, about 70 m
Both amounts include a margin of roughly 20 percent, so you have room for a test pocket and a little frogging.
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- 3 in (7.6 cm) wooden ring (macramé ring)
- Tapestry needle
- 2 locking stitch markers
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Pins or clips
- Spray bottle for blocking
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- rev sc – reverse single crochet (crab stitch)
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- BLO – back loop only
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- Rnd – round
Special stitch – Waistcoat stitch (ws): Look at the “V” of the sc below. Instead of going under the top loops, insert your hook from front to back through the center of the V, between its two legs and below the top loops. Yarn over, pull up a loop, then yarn over and pull through both loops. Each ws counts as 1 st and creates the knit-look columns.
Special technique – Surface slip stitch: Hold the cream yarn behind the work. Insert the hook from front to back through the fabric and pull up a loop. Then insert the hook one stitch or one round further along, and pull a loop through both the fabric and the loop on the hook.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sts and 18 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm) in waistcoat stitch worked in the round.
Make one whole pocket first and use it as your gauge swatch. Waistcoat stitch is much denser than plain sc, so a flat sc swatch won’t tell you much.
Checkpoints:
- After Rnd 11 (base): a flat circle of 66 sts, about 5 in (12.7 cm) across
- After Rnd 20: the sides measure 16.5 in (41.9 cm) around, which makes a tube 5.25 in (13.3 cm) across
- After Rnd 28 (brown done): the sides are 3.8 in (9.7 cm) tall, measured from the base
- After Rnd 31 (rim done): the total pocket height is 4.4 in (11.2 cm)
If your pocket is too big, go down one hook size (4.5 mm). If it is too small, go up one size (5.5 mm). Waistcoat stitch tends to tighten as you work, so keep a relaxed hand. A standard roll is about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across, so the inside of the pocket has to be at least that wide.
Pocket (make 3)
Work in continuous spiral rounds with the right side always facing you. Place a marker in the first st of each round and move it up as you go.
Base – brown:
- Rnd 1: Magic ring, 6 sc in ring. (6 sts)
- Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
- Rnd 3: [sc 1, inc] 6 times. (18 sts)
- Rnd 4: [sc 2, inc] 6 times. (24 sts)
- Rnd 5: [sc 3, inc] 6 times. (30 sts)
- Rnd 6: [sc 4, inc] 6 times. (36 sts)
- Rnd 7: [sc 5, inc] 6 times. (42 sts)
- Rnd 8: [sc 6, inc] 6 times. (48 sts)
- Rnd 9: [sc 7, inc] 6 times. (54 sts)
- Rnd 10: [sc 8, inc] 6 times. (60 sts)
- Rnd 11: [sc 9, inc] 6 times. (66 sts)
The base should lie flat and measure about 5 in (12.7 cm) across.
Sides – brown:
- Rnd 12 (turning round): Sc in BLO of each st around. (66 sts) This leaves a crisp ridge and turns the work upward.
- Rnds 13–28: Ws in each st around. (66 sts per round)
That gives you 17 side rounds, measuring 3.8 in (9.7 cm). Sl st in the next st and fasten off the brown.
Stitch map: Count the sts of the last round starting from your marker. St 1 is the left side, st 17 is front center, st 34 is the right side, and st 50 is back center. Mark st 1 and st 34 with locking markers so you can find them when you attach the straps.
Frosting Rim
The rim works as the border of each pocket. You work it onto the top of Rnd 28 in two parts: a 3-round cream band that rises above the brown, and a scallop round that hangs down over the brown.
Rim gauge: One scallop repeat uses 6 sts and spans 1.5 in (3.8 cm).
Cream band:
- Rnd 29: Join cream in BLO of any st at the back. Ch 1, sc in BLO of each st around. Join with sl st to first sc. (66 sts)
- Rnd 30: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (66 sts)
- Rnd 31: Ch 1, rev sc in each st around, join. (66 sts) Fasten off.
The band is 0.7 in (1.8 cm) deep. Every round has 66 sts, so the rim matches the pocket’s circumference exactly and neither flares nor pulls in.
Scallop drip round:
The front loops of Rnd 28 are still unused, just below the cream band.
- Rnd 32: Join cream with a sc in the free front loop of st 2. Skip 2 front loops, 5 dc in the next front loop, skip 2, sc in the next front loop. Repeat from * 9 more times. Then skip 2, work 5 dc in the next loop, skip 2, and sl st to the first sc. (11 scallops: 55 dc + 11 sc = 66 sts)
Why the math works: Each repeat uses exactly 6 front loops (1 sc, 2 skipped, 1 dc group, 2 skipped). Since 66 ÷ 6 = 11, you get 11 scallops with nothing left over. Eleven scallops x 1.5 in (3.8 cm) = 16.5 in (41.9 cm), which matches the circumference.
Fasten off and weave in the ends. The scallops fold down and hang 0.5 in (1.3 cm) over the brown, like dripping icing.
Window and Hearts
Window (surface slip stitch, cream): Work this on the front, centered on st 17.
- Start at Rnd 15, st 14. Work surface sl sts straight up the column of st 14 to Rnd 21 (7 rounds).
- Curve across Rnds 22–23 over to the column of st 20 to form a rounded arch.
- Work down the column of st 20 to Rnd 15, then across Rnd 15 back to st 14. Fasten off.
- Vertical bar: Surface sl st up the column of st 17 from Rnd 15 to Rnd 23.
- Horizontal bar: Surface sl st across Rnd 19 from st 14 to st 20.
The finished window is 7 sts wide and 9 rounds tall, or 1.75 in (4.4 cm) x 2 in (5.1 cm). For a puffier window, work a second line of surface slip stitch right beside the first.
Heart (make 6, cream):
Magic ring, ch 2, 2 dc, 2 hdc, ch 1, dc, ch 1, 2 hdc, 2 dc, ch 2, sl st in ring. (9 sts plus chains) Pull the ring tight to form the dip at the top; the single dc between the ch-1s becomes the point. Each heart is about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) wide. Leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail for sewing.
Sew 2 hearts onto each pocket, centered on st 9 and st 25 across Rnds 16–19, with the points facing down.
Straps (make 2)
Brown: Ch 86.
- Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (85 sts)
- Rows 2–4: Ch 1, turn, sc in BLO of each st across. (85 sts)
Fasten off. Each strap is 21.25 in (54.0 cm) long and 0.9 in (2.3 cm) wide. Working in BLO gives a ribbed texture that matches the waistcoat-stitch columns.
Strap length budget: ring wrap 3 in (7.6 cm) + hanging section 3 in (7.6 cm) + 3 pockets of 4.4 in (11.2 cm) + 2 gaps of 1 in (2.5 cm) = 21.2 in (53.8 cm). The extra 0.05 in disappears into the seam at the base of the bottom pocket.
Make All Pieces
- Brown: 3 pockets (base and sides), 2 straps
- Cream: 3 rims with scallops, 3 windows, 6 hearts
Layout grid (vertical, front view):
( RING )
/ \
strap strap
| [ Pocket 1 ] |
| 1 in gap |
| [ Pocket 2 ] |
| 1 in gap |
| [ Pocket 3 ] |
All windows face forward, and all three pockets line up on the same center line.
Joining
Method: Whipstitch with brown yarn and a tapestry needle.
- Ring: Fold the top 3 in (7.6 cm) of each strap over the wooden ring and whipstitch the end to the back of the strap. Place the two straps side by side on the ring.
- Top pocket: Measure 3 in (7.6 cm) down each strap from the ring fold. Pin one strap to the outside of the pocket over marked st 1 and the other over st 34, with the strap edge level with Rnd 31.
- Stitch-to-stitch logic: Each pocket side is 20 rounds tall (Rnds 12–31). The same 4.4 in (11.2 cm) of strap holds about 18 sts. Sew 9 strap sts to every 10 pocket rounds, catching one strap edge stitch and one pocket stitch with each pass. Sew down both long edges of each strap, passing under the scallops rather than through them.
- Remaining pockets: Leave a 1 in (2.5 cm) gap of open strap, then attach Pocket 2 the same way. Repeat for Pocket 3. The end of each strap should sit flush with the base ridge of Rnd 12.
Tension advice: Pull each stitch just snug enough to close the seam. Pulling hard will pucker the pocket and tilt it forward.
Size checkpoint: Lay the holder flat. The stacked pockets plus gaps should measure 15.2 in (38.6 cm). Adding the 3 in (7.6 cm) hanging section and the 3 in (7.6 cm) ring brings the total to 21.2 in (53.8 cm).
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends along a stitch column so they stay hidden.
- Mist the cream rim and scallops lightly with water.
- Put a toilet roll or rolled towel inside each pocket so it holds a round 5.25 in (13.3 cm) shape.
- Ease each scallop downward with your fingers and space them evenly.
- Straighten the window bars and pat the hearts flat.
- Hang the holder from the ring so the straps dry straight, and let it dry completely.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each pocket has 66 sts in every side and rim round.
- Every rim has exactly 11 evenly spaced scallops.
- Pockets measure 5.25 in (13.3 cm) across and 4.4 in (11.2 cm) tall.
- Windows are centered on st 17 and measure 1.75 in x 2 in (4.4 cm x 5.1 cm).
- Hearts sit level on both sides of each window.
- Both straps are 21.25 in (54.0 cm) long, and the pockets hang level.
- The gaps between pockets are 1 in (2.5 cm).
- All ends are woven in securely.
Troubleshooting
- Pocket too small for a roll: Go up a hook size for the sides. Or add one more base round, [sc 10, inc] x 6 = 72 sts, and work 12 scallops instead of 11.
- Base ripples: Your hook is too large for the base. Work Rnds 1–11 with a 4.5 mm hook.
- Base cups upward: Loosen your tension on the increase rounds.
- Waistcoat columns slant: This is normal when working in a spiral. Blocking the pocket over a roll softens the lean.
- Scallops flip up: Mist them and pin them downward, or work the 5 dc a little looser.
- Pocket tips forward: Move the strap seams 1–2 sts toward the back.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap and roll the holder in a towel to press out the water. Dry it flat with a roll inside each pocket, and don’t tumble dry.
Final Notes
The whole design follows a simple measurement chain. A gauge of 16 sts = 4 in (10.2 cm) gives a 66-stitch pocket that is 5.25 in (13.3 cm) across. Seventeen brown side rounds measure 3.8 in (9.7 cm), and the cream band brings each pocket to 4.4 in (11.2 cm). Eleven 6-stitch scallops fit the 66 sts exactly. Three pockets, two 1 in (2.5 cm) gaps, a 3 in (7.6 cm) hanging section and the ring add up to 21.2 in (53.8 cm). Check each measurement as you go, and your gingerbread cottages will hang straight and hold their rolls neatly.
Happy crocheting!