This hanging toilet paper holder is three small baskets stacked in a column, each with a bow on the front. Lavender straps join the baskets, and the top straps meet at a wooden ring. The whole piece hangs from one hook and holds three spare rolls.
The colors are soft lavender and warm cream. Each basket has lavender walls, a band of cream granny clusters, and a crisp cream rim. The bow has a cream eyelet center and lavender lobes, and a ridged cream knot pinches it at the middle.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. Each basket is 5.25 in (13.3 cm) wide, 4.5 in (11.4 cm) deep, and 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall. The assembled holder is 17.75 in (45.1 cm) long.
You start each basket with an oval base worked in rounds, then work the walls straight up from it. The bow panel is worked in rounds around a chain, cinched with a knot strip, and sewn on. Short straps join everything to the ring.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size (assembled): 5.25 in (13.3 cm) wide x 17.75 in (45.1 cm) long
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: 4.5 mm (US 7)
- Number of pieces: 16 (3 baskets, 3 bow panels, 3 knot strips, 6 straps, 1 ring tab)
- Layout: 1 column of 3 baskets, ring at the top
- Basket size: 5.25 in x 4.5 in x 3.5 in (13.3 cm x 11.4 cm x 8.9 cm)
- Bow panel size: 7.25 in x 3.5 in (18.4 cm x 8.9 cm), 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall at the pinch
- Size before border: walls 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tall; bow 6.75 in x 3 in (17.1 cm x 7.6 cm)
- Border depth: 1 round of sc, 0.25 in (0.6 cm)
Materials
Choose a smooth worsted cotton or cotton blend. It holds its shape in a humid bathroom and shows off the clusters. Very soft acrylic may sag under a roll.
- Lavender: 150 g, about 275 m
- Cream: 75 g, about 140 m
These quantities include a margin of about 15 percent for swatching and sewing tails.
Tools:
- 4.5 mm (US 7) crochet hook
- Wooden ring, 2.75 in (7.0 cm) diameter
- Tapestry needle
- 6 locking stitch markers
- Scissors and measuring tape
- Spray bottle and rust-proof pins
- 1 toilet paper roll for shaping
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- BLO – back loop only
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rnd – round
sc3tog (single crochet 3 together): [Insert hook in next st, yarn over, pull up a loop] 3 times, yarn over, pull through all 4 loops on hook. It uses 3 sts and makes 1 st, which deepens the pinch of the bow.
Cluster: 3 dc worked into the same st or sp.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc x 16 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm) in sc worked in the round. Each sc round is 0.25 in (0.6 cm) tall. Each cluster round is 0.5 in (1.3 cm) tall.
Make one complete basket and test it with a real roll before you make the rest. Measure at these points:
- After base Rnd 9: 5.25 in x 4.5 in (13.3 cm x 11.4 cm), lying flat
- After wall Rnd 13: walls 1 in (2.5 cm) tall
- After wall Rnd 16: walls 2.5 in (6.4 cm) tall
- After wall Rnd 19: walls 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tall
- After bow Rnd 2: 5.75 in x 2 in (14.6 cm x 5.1 cm)
- After bow Rnd 4: 6.75 in x 3 in (17.1 cm x 7.6 cm)
If your piece is too big, go down 0.5 mm in hook size. If it is too small, go up 0.5 mm. Change the hook, not the stitch counts.
Basket (Make 3)
Join each round with a sl st to the first st. Begin each sc round with ch 1, which does not count as a stitch.
Oval Base
With lavender, ch 6.
Rnd 1: 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 3 ch, 3 sc in last ch. Rotate and work along the other side: sc in next 3 ch. Join. (12 sts)
Rnd 2: [2 sc in each of next 3 sts, sc in next 3 sts] 2 times. (18 sts)
Rnd 3: [(sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 3 sts] 2 times. (24 sts)
Rnd 4: [(sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 3 sts] 2 times. (30 sts)
Rnds 5–8: Continue the same way. Work 1 more sc before each increase in each round, and keep the 3 straight sc on each long side. Rnd 5: 36 sts. Rnd 6: 42 sts. Rnd 7: 48 sts. Rnd 8: 54 sts.
Rnd 9: [(sc in next 7 sts, 2 sc in next st) 3 times, sc in next 3 sts] 2 times. (60 sts)
Each round adds 6 sts, 3 at each curved end. The base measures 5.25 in x 4.5 in (13.3 cm x 11.4 cm).
Walls
Rnd 10: Sc BLO in each st around. (60 sts) The unused front loops form a fold line, so the walls stand straight up.
Rnds 11–13: Sc in each st around. (60 sts) Fasten off.
Rnd 14: Join cream in any st. Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in same st, sk 2 sts, [3 dc in next st, sk 2 sts] around. Join to top of ch-3. (20 clusters, 60 dc)
Rnd 15: Sl st in next 2 dc to reach the sp between clusters. Ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, then 3 dc in each sp between clusters around. Join. (20 clusters, 60 dc)
Rnd 16: Repeat Rnd 15. Fasten off. (20 clusters, 60 dc)
Rnd 17: Join lavender in any dc. Sc in each dc around. (60 sts)
Rnds 18–19: Sc in each st around. (60 sts) Fasten off.
The walls measure 3.25 in (8.3 cm) tall.
Bow Panel (Make 3)
This panel is worked in rounds around both sides of a chain. Tall stitches at the ends and short stitches at the center make the bow shape.
With cream, ch 18.
Rnd 1: 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook (end A), sc in next 15 ch (side 1), 3 sc in last ch (end B). Rotate and sc in next 15 ch (side 2). Join. (36 sts: 3 per end, 15 per side) Mark the 8th sc of each side.
Rnd 2: Ch 4 (counts as tr), 2 tr in same st, ch 1, then (3 tr, ch 1) in each of next 2 sts. End A has 12 sts, counting each ch-1 as a st.
- Side 1: tr in next 3 sts, dc in next 3 sts, hdc in next st, sc in marked st, hdc in next st, dc in next 3 sts, tr in next 3 sts. (15 sts)
- End B: (3 tr, ch 1) in each of next 3 sts. (12 sts)
- Side 2: work as side 1. (15 sts)
Join to top of ch-4. (54 sts) Fasten off. The ch-1 sps make the eyelets at the lobes. Move the markers up to the center sc of each side.
Rnd 3: Join lavender in the first tr of end A.
- Each end: [sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st] 3 times. (15 sts)
- Each side: sc in next 6 sts, sc3tog centered on the marker, sc in next 6 sts. (13 sts)
Join. (56 sts)
Rnd 4:
- Each end: [sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st] 3 times. (18 sts)
- Each side: sc in next 5 sts, sc3tog, sc in next 5 sts. (11 sts)
Join. (58 sts) Fasten off. The panel measures 6.75 in x 3 in (17.1 cm x 7.6 cm).
Knot Strip (Make 3)
With cream, ch 7.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (6 sts)
Rows 2–20: Ch 1, turn, sc BLO in each st. (6 sts)
The strip measures 1.5 in x 5 in (3.8 cm x 12.7 cm) and has ridges. Leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail.
Straps and Ring Tab
Each strap has 2 rows. Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Row 2: ch 1, turn, sl st in each st. The sl st row keeps the strap from stretching.
- Top straps (make 2, lavender): Ch 17. (16 sts per row) Each is 4 in x 0.5 in (10.2 cm x 1.3 cm).
- Connector straps (make 4, lavender): Ch 9. (8 sts per row) Each is 2 in x 0.5 in (5.1 cm x 1.3 cm).
- Ring tab (make 1, cream): Ch 5, then work 8 rows of sc. (4 sts per row) It is 1 in x 2 in (2.5 cm x 5.1 cm).
Make All Pieces
| Piece | Qty | Color |
|---|---|---|
| Basket | 3 | Lavender, cream cluster band |
| Bow panel | 3 | Cream center, lavender lobes |
| Knot strip | 3 | Cream |
| Top strap | 2 | Lavender |
| Connector strap | 4 | Lavender |
| Ring tab | 1 | Cream |
Layout grid (front view):
[ RING + TAB ]
[top strap] [top strap]
[ BASKET 1 + BOW ]
[conn] [conn]
[ BASKET 2 + BOW ]
[conn] [conn]
[ BASKET 3 + BOW ]
Border
Border gauge: 1 round of sc, 0.25 in (0.6 cm) deep, at 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm). Each piece gets its own border before assembly. The baskets are joined by straps, not edge to edge, so the border never crosses a seam.
Basket Rim (each basket)
Rnd 20: Join cream in any st of Rnd 19. Sc in each st around. Join. (60 sts)
Count the rim as 4 sides of 15 sts each: front, back, and 2 side curves (4 x 15 = 60). Each sc goes into 1 st below, so the rim does not flare or pull in. The walls are now 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall.
Bow Panel Edge (each bow)
Rnd 5: Join cream in the first st of end A.
- Each end: [sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st] 3 times. (18 sts worked 1-per-st + 3 increases = 21 sts)
- Each side: sc in next 4 sts, sc3tog, sc in next 4 sts. (11 sts used, 9 sts made)
Join. (21 + 9 + 21 + 9 = 60 sts) Fasten off, leaving a 24 in (61.0 cm) tail.
Why the math works: Each sc round adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm) all around each lobe. The outer edge of a half circle then grows by 3.14 x 0.25 in = 0.79 in (2.0 cm). At 4 sc per inch, that is 3 sts, so 3 increases per end keep the lobes flat. On each side, the sc3tog removes 2 sts per round (15, 13, 11, 9) and pulls the pinch in to 2.25 in (5.7 cm).
Joining
Method: Whipstitch with matching yarn through both loops of each edge stitch.
1. Cinch the bow. Wrap a knot strip around the pinch with the ridges facing out. Overlap the ends 0.5 in (1.3 cm) at the back, pull snug, and sew.
2. Attach the bow. Center the pinch over front rim sts 7–9 of the 15 front sts, with the bottom edge level with Rnd 10. The 7.25 in (18.4 cm) bow covers almost all of the 7.5 in (19.1 cm) front half of the wall. Sew the lobe edges 1 bow st to 1 wall st. Leave the pinch unsewn so the knot stands out.
3. Connect the baskets. On each side curve, find side rim st 8 of 15. Overlap a connector strap end 0.5 in (1.3 cm) inside the lower basket at that st, and sew its 2 rows over 2 rim sts. Sew the other end 0.5 in (1.3 cm) under the upper basket at base Rnd 9, directly above. This leaves a 1 in (2.5 cm) gap. Repeat for every connector.
4. Hang the top. Sew each top strap 0.5 in (1.3 cm) inside the top basket at side st 8. Loop both straps over the ring and fold each one 1 in (2.5 cm) back down. Wrap the ring tab around all the strap layers below the ring and sew it closed at the back.
Tension: Keep it snug, not tight. Puckers mean you pulled too hard. Gaps mean you sewed too loosely.
Size checkpoint: Hang the holder. It should measure 17.75 in (45.1 cm) from the top of the ring to the bottom of basket 3, and it should hang level.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends inside the baskets, through at least 2 in (5.1 cm) of stitches.
- Mist every piece until it is damp.
- Put a roll in each basket and pad it with a small towel so it fills the 5.25 in x 4.5 in (13.3 cm x 11.4 cm) shape.
- Smooth the lobes flat and shape the knot.
- Pin the rims straight and the straps flat.
- Let everything dry for at least 12 hours.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each rim has 60 sts and is 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall.
- Each base lies flat at 5.25 in x 4.5 in (13.3 cm x 11.4 cm).
- Each cluster band has 20 even clusters.
- Each bow has 60 edge sts and measures 7.25 in x 3.5 in (18.4 cm x 8.9 cm).
- The knots are centered, with their seams at the back.
- All connector gaps are 1 in (2.5 cm).
- No straps are twisted, and no ends show.
Troubleshooting
- Base ruffles: You added extra increases. Each round should add only 6 sts.
- Base cups: Your tension is tight or you missed increases. Go up a hook size.
- Walls lean out: Rnd 10 was not worked in BLO. Rework from Rnd 10.
- Cluster band twists: Each cluster must go in a sp, not into a dc.
- Lobes curl: Check for 3 increases per end in every round, then block.
- Shallow pinch: Center each sc3tog on the marker, and tighten the knot.
- Holder hangs crooked: Make every strap overlap exactly 0.5 in (1.3 cm).
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap. Roll in a towel to remove water, then dry flat with a roll inside each basket. Do not tumble dry.
Final Notes
At 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm), the 60-st base is 5.25 in x 4.5 in (13.3 cm x 11.4 cm). The walls reach 3.25 in (8.3 cm), then 3.5 in (8.9 cm) with the rim. The bow grows from 36 to 60 sts and reaches 7.25 in (18.4 cm) wide, which fits the 7.5 in (19.1 cm) front. Three baskets, two 1 in (2.5 cm) gaps, the straps, and the ring give a holder 17.75 in (45.1 cm) long.
Happy crocheting!