This cheerful owl turns a pile of loose grocery bags into a tidy kitchen helper. The body is an open, honeycomb-style mesh tube in deep burgundy. Solid single crochet bands finish the top and bottom openings, and a slim strap loops over a wall hook. You push bags in at the top and pull them out one at a time through the bottom.
The face is what makes it. It has two cream circle eyes with sleepy, smiling closed lids embroidered in black, a mustard yellow triangle beak, and a small green bow tie. The burgundy, cream, mustard and green colors look cozy and a little festive. That suits a holiday kitchen, but the holder works all year.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished holder is 16 in (40.6 cm) tall and 16 in (40.6 cm) around, so it is 8 in (20.3 cm) wide when laid flat. The strap rises about 5.75 in (14.6 cm) above the rim when hung.
Construction is simple. You chain a ring, work the mesh body in joined rounds, then add solid bands to both ends as the border. The eyes, beak and bow tie are small separate appliqués sewn onto the front of the mesh.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 16 in (40.6 cm) tall x 16 in (40.6 cm) circumference; 8 in (20.3 cm) wide flat; about 5 in (12.7 cm) across when filled
- Skill level: Easy (advanced beginner)
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted weight (#4), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 1 body tube, plus 4 small appliqués (2 eyes, 1 beak, 1 bow tie) sewn on
- Layout: Single vertical tube, open at both ends, face centered on the front, strap at the top
- Piece size: Eyes 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across; beak 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide x 1 in (2.5 cm) tall; bow tie 2 in (5.1 cm) x 1 in (2.5 cm)
- Size before border: Mesh tube 14 in (35.6 cm) tall x 16 in (40.6 cm) circumference
- Border depth: 1 in (2.5 cm) solid band at each end
Materials
Choose a smooth worsted cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds the mesh shape, resists stretching under the weight of bags and washes well. Avoid very soft acrylic, which lets the holder sag lengthwise.
- Burgundy (main color): 75 g / 120 m
- Cream (eyes): 5 g / 8 m
- Mustard yellow (beak): 3 g / 5 m
- Green (bow tie): 4 g / 6 m
- Black (eye embroidery): 1 m of worsted yarn or 6-strand embroidery floss
These quantities include a margin of roughly 20 percent over what the sample used.
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch marker
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Rust-proof pins and a towel or blocking mat
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- sc3tog – single crochet 3 together
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rnd(s) – round(s)
- beg – beginning
Special stitch – V-stitch (V): (dc, ch 1, dc) in the same stitch or space.
Beginning V: Ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1), dc in the same stitch or space.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Single crochet gauge: 16 sc and 20 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Mesh gauge: 4 V-repeats (V plus ch 2) = 4 in (10.2 cm) wide, and 3 mesh rnds = 2 in (5.1 cm) tall, measured lightly relaxed.
Test first. Chain 16, join into a ring and work 3 mesh rnds (4 repeats per rnd). Lay it flat. The doubled tube should measure 2 in (5.1 cm) wide by 2 in (5.1 cm) tall, because the 4 in (10.2 cm) circumference folds in half.
Checkpoints:
- After Mesh Rnd 3: 2 in (5.1 cm) tall
- After Mesh Rnd 12: 8 in (20.3 cm) tall
- After Mesh Rnd 21: 14 in (35.6 cm) tall, 8 in (20.3 cm) wide flat
- After both borders: 16 in (40.6 cm) tall
Too big? Go down to a 4.5 mm (7) hook. Too small? Go up to a 5.5 mm (I-9) hook. Keep the stitch counts the same and change only the hook. If only the height is off, add or remove mesh rounds in pairs. Each pair changes the height by about 1.33 in (3.4 cm).
Body: Mesh Tube
Work the body in joined rounds with the right side facing you the whole time. Each rnd has 16 V-stitches and 16 ch-2 spaces. Every new V sits in a ch-2 space of the round below, so the V-stitches stagger and leave rounded, honeycomb-style holes between them.
Foundation: With burgundy, ch 64 loosely. Join with sl st in the first ch to form a ring, making sure the chain is not twisted. Total: 64 ch.
If your chains run tight, make the foundation with a 5.5 mm (I-9) hook and switch back to 5.0 mm (H-8) for Rnd 1. You’ll work the bottom border into this chain later, so it must not pull in.
Mesh Rnd 1: Beg V in the same ch as the join, ch 2, sk 3 ch, *V in next ch, ch 2, sk 3 ch; repeat from * 14 more times. Join with sl st in the 3rd ch of beg ch-4. (16 V, 16 ch-2 sps)
Check: each repeat uses 4 chains (1 for the V plus 3 skipped), and 16 x 4 = 64.
Mesh Rnd 2: Sl st in the next ch-1 sp, sl st in the next dc, sl st in the next ch-2 sp. Beg V in the same ch-2 sp, ch 2, *V in next ch-2 sp, ch 2; repeat from * 14 more times. Join with sl st in the 3rd ch of beg ch-4. (16 V, 16 ch-2 sps)
The ch 2 between new V-stitches bridges over the top of each V below. This bridge and the ch-2 under it form the top and bottom of each hole.
Mesh Rnds 3–21: Repeat Mesh Rnd 2. (16 V, 16 ch-2 sps in every rnd)
If you lose track, place a marker in the first V of each rnd. The joins drift slightly to the right. This is normal, and they will sit at the back.
At the end of Rnd 21, fasten off. The tube measures 14 in (35.6 cm) tall and 8 in (20.3 cm) wide flat.
Eyes (Make 2)
With cream, make a magic ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, 6 sc in the ring. Join with sl st to first sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around. Join. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, *sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * 5 more times. Join. (18 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail for sewing. Each eye measures 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across.
Embroidery: With black, backstitch a curve across the center of each eye, bowing downward like a closed, smiling eye. Make the curve about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) wide. Add one short straight stitch at the outer end of each curve as an eyelash, so the two eyes mirror each other.
Beak
With mustard yellow, ch 6.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (5 sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (5 sts)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc in next st, sc2tog. (3 sts)
Row 4: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (3 sts)
Row 5: Ch 1, turn, sc3tog. (1 st)
Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail. Row 1 is the top edge and the single stitch is the point. The beak measures 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide by 1 in (2.5 cm) tall.
Bow Tie
With green, ch 9.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (8 sts)
Rows 2–5: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (8 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a 16 in (40.6 cm) tail. The rectangle measures 2 in (5.1 cm) by 1 in (2.5 cm).
Wrap the tail tightly around the center of the rectangle 6 to 8 times to cinch it into a bow shape. Secure it with a few stitches through the back and keep the remaining tail for sewing.
Attach the Face
Sew the face onto the mesh before adding the borders. Use the side opposite the round joins as the front.
- Eyes: Place the eyes side by side, edges touching, centered on the front. Their top edges sit 1.5 in (3.8 cm) below the top mesh round, which ends up 2.5 in (6.4 cm) below the finished rim.
- Beak: Place the beak point-down and centered, with its top edge overlapping the lower inner edges of both eyes by about 0.25 in (0.6 cm).
- Bow tie: Center it 0.5 in (1.3 cm) below the beak point.
Pin everything, then whipstitch around each edge. Catch the V-stitches and ch-2 bridges of the mesh rather than stitching across open holes. Sew through only one layer of the tube.
Border: Top and Bottom Bands
Border gauge: 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm) and 5 rnds = 1 in (2.5 cm). Each band is 64 sc around: 32 sc on the front and 32 sc on the back when the tube is laid flat.
Bottom Band
Hold the tube upside down so the foundation chain is on top.
Rnd 1: Join burgundy with sl st in the free loop of the foundation ch at the base of any V. Ch 1, sc in each free loop around. Join with sl st to first sc. (64 sc: 32 front, 32 back)
This round is 1 sc per existing chain with nothing added, so 64 chains give 64 sc.
Rnds 2–5: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (64 sc: 32 front, 32 back)
Fasten off. The band is 1 in (2.5 cm) deep.
Top Band
Rnd 1 (conversion): Join burgundy with sl st in the first dc of any V on Mesh Rnd 21. Ch 1, *sc in the dc, sc in the ch-1 sp, sc in the next dc, sc in the next ch-2 sp; repeat from * around. Join. (64 sc: 32 front, 32 back)
The count is (3 sc over each V x 16 = 48) + (1 sc in each ch-2 sp x 16 = 16) = 64.
Rnds 2–5: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (64 sc: 32 front, 32 back)
Do not fasten off. Flatten the tube so the face is centered on the front. The join should sit at one side fold. If it doesn’t, sl st along the round until you reach the side fold.
Strap
Row 1: Ch 50. Count the stitch you are in as st 1, sk the next 31 sts and sl st in st 33, which is directly opposite at the other side fold. (50 ch)
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc in each ch back across. Sl st in the starting stitch to anchor the strap. (50 sc)
Fasten off and weave in all ends. The strap loop is about 12.5 in (31.8 cm) long and rises about 5.75 in (14.6 cm) above the rim when hung from a hook.
Why the Math Works
Every key edge equals 64 stitches. The foundation has 64 chains, the mesh holds 16 repeats of 4 chains, and both bands hold 64 sc. At 16 sc per 4 in (10.2 cm), 64 sc measure exactly 16 in (40.6 cm). That matches the mesh at 4 repeats per 4 in (10.2 cm), so the bands neither flare nor pull in. The strap starts at st 1 and ends at st 33, which splits the rim into two halves of 32 stitches, so it sits exactly at both side folds.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends securely, especially at the strap anchors.
- Soak the holder in cool water and gently squeeze out the excess. Do not wring.
- Roll it in a towel and press to remove more water.
- Stuff the tube loosely with a rolled towel, about 5 in (12.7 cm) across, to give it a round shape.
- Gently tug the mesh lengthwise to 14 in (35.6 cm) between the bands and open the holes evenly.
- Smooth the face pieces flat with your fingers and pin the eyes round.
- Let it dry completely, then check that the full height is 16 in (40.6 cm).
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Every mesh round has 16 V-stitches and 16 ch-2 spaces
- Both bands have 64 sc and lie flat without ruffling
- Height is 16 in (40.6 cm); width flat is 8 in (20.3 cm)
- Eyes are level and touching; lashes point outward on both sides
- Beak is centered and points down
- Bow tie is centered and firmly cinched
- Appliqués are sewn through the front layer only
- The strap is anchored at both side folds and holds firmly when tugged
- All ends are woven in
Troubleshooting
The bottom band ruffles or pulls in. The foundation chain was too loose or too tight. Rework the band with a hook one size smaller or larger, keeping 64 sc.
The mesh twists in a spiral. Always start each round in the first ch-2 space after the slip stitches, and never skip or double a space.
The holes look like slits. Tug the mesh gently during blocking. Also check that you are working 2 chains between V-stitches, not 1.
Bags fall out of the bottom. Work 1 to 2 extra bottom band rounds with evenly spaced sc2tog to narrow the opening slightly.
The strap stretches. Work a row of sl st along the strap to firm it up.
Appliqués curl. Steam them lightly and pin them flat before sewing.
Care
Hand wash, or machine wash on a gentle cool cycle in a mesh bag, then reshape and lay flat to dry. Avoid hot tumble drying, which can shrink cotton and distort the mesh.
Final Notes
Here is how the measurements build. 64 foundation chains make 16 mesh repeats at 1 in (2.5 cm) each, for a 16 in (40.6 cm) circumference. Twenty-one mesh rounds at 3 rounds per 2 in (5.1 cm) give 14 in (35.6 cm) of body. Two 5-round bands of 64 sc add 1 in (2.5 cm) each, for a finished height of 16 in (40.6 cm). Check your gauge early and the owl will come out the right size.
Happy crocheting!