This holder has three round baskets stacked on a long lavender back panel. A natural wooden ring at the top hangs it from a hook, and a lavender tassel finishes the bottom. Each basket holds one standard roll, and the top of the roll sits slightly above the rim so it is easy to pull out.
The baskets are worked in medium lavender cotton and have an openwork fan band around the middle. The pale lilac fans sit between cream rounds, and a thick, corded cream rim finishes the top. The fans are open, so the lavender inside of the basket shows through the gaps. The look is soft, simple, and suited to a bathroom.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished back panel is 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide and 16.5 in (41.9 cm) long. With the ring and tassel, the holder hangs about 24 in (61.0 cm) long. Each basket is about 6.2 in (15.7 cm) across at its widest and 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall.
You make three baskets in joined rounds, each starting from a flat circle. Next you work the back panel in rows and shape the top into a narrow tab. Then you sew the baskets to the panel, add a one-round border, wrap the tab around the ring, and attach the tassel.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: panel 4.5 in x 16.5 in (11.4 cm x 41.9 cm); about 24 in (61.0 cm) overall with ring and tassel
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: 4.0 mm (G-6)
- Number of pieces: 5 (3 baskets, 1 back panel, 1 tassel), plus 1 wooden ring
- Layout: 1 vertical column of 3 baskets
- Basket size: 6.2 in (15.7 cm) across at widest, 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall
- Panel size before border: 4 in x 16.25 in (10.2 cm x 41.3 cm), not counting the tab
- Border depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm), 1 round of sc
Materials
Use a smooth worsted weight cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds the basket shape well and washes easily. Avoid fuzzy or very soft yarn, because the fan gaps will blur and the baskets will sag.
- Color A, lavender: 125 g, about 210 m (baskets, back panel, tassel)
- Color B, cream: 50 g, about 80 m (basket bands and rims)
- Color C, pale lilac: 25 g, about 40 m (fan rounds)
All quantities include a margin of roughly 20 percent.
Tools:
- 4.0 mm (G-6) crochet hook
- 1 wooden ring, 3 in (7.6 cm) outside diameter
- Tapestry needle
- 8 stitch markers
- Stiff card 5 in (12.7 cm) long, for the tassel
- Scissors and tape measure
- Pins and a blocking mat
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- BLO – back loop only
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rev sc – reverse single crochet (crab stitch)
Shell: in the same stitch, work (dc, ch 1) 4 times, then dc. One shell has 5 dc and 4 ch-1 spaces, and makes one fan that spreads up from a single point.
Reverse sc: working from left to right, insert the hook in the next stitch to the right, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, and pull through both loops. This makes a raised, corded edge.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc and 16 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in sc worked in rows.
The gauge needs to be square. The panel border uses 1 sc per row end, and that only lies flat when a row is as tall as a stitch is wide.
Make one full basket and check it before you start the others.
- Base, after Rnd 6 (36 sts): about 2.9 in (7.4 cm) across.
- Base, after Rnd 12 (72 sts): about 5.75 in (14.6 cm) across and lying flat.
- Wall, after Rnd 18: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall, measured from the BLO ridge.
- Finished basket: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall, with a rim about 5.75 in (14.6 cm) across. That leaves room for a 4.5 in (11.4 cm) roll.
- Panel, after Row 16: 4 in (10.2 cm) wide and 4 in (10.2 cm) long.
If your pieces are too big, go down one hook size. If they are too small, go up one. If the base ruffles, your tension is too loose; if it cups, your tension is too tight.
Basket (Make 3)
Work in joined rounds. Join each round with a sl st to the first st. Unless noted otherwise, begin each round with ch 1, which does not count as a stitch.
Base
With Color A, make a magic ring.
Rnd 1: 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)
Rnd 12: [sc 10, inc] 6 times. (72 sts)
Lower Wall
Rnd 13: sc in BLO of each st around. (72 sts) The unused front loops make a ridge, and the wall turns upward here.
Rnd 14: sc in each st around. (72 sts)
Rnd 15: [sc 11, inc] 6 times. (78 sts) This round gives the basket its rounded bowl shape.
Rnds 16–17: sc in each st around. (78 sts)
Rnd 18: change to Color B, sc in each st around. (78 sts) Fasten off Color A.
Fan Band
Rnd 19: join Color C in any st. Ch 1, sc in same st, skip 2 sts, shell in next st, skip 2 sts, sc in next st; repeat from * around. After the last shell, skip the last 2 sts and join to the first sc. (13 shells and 13 sc. Each repeat uses 6 sts, and 13 x 6 = 78.) Fasten off Color C.
Rnd 20: join Color B in the first sc. Ch 4 (counts as tr), [sc in next dc, sc in next ch-1 sp] 4 times, sc in next dc, tr in next sc; repeat from * around, leaving out the last tr. Join to the top of the ch-4. (13 tr + 117 sc = 130 sts) The tr fill the dips between the fans so the top edge is level.
Rnd 21: ch 1, sc in tr, sc in next sc, [sc2tog] 4 times; repeat from * around. Join. (78 sts) This is a trim round. Each 10-st repeat (1 tr + 9 sc) is worked into 6 sts, and 13 x 6 = 78.
Rim
Rnd 22: [sc 11, sc2tog] 6 times. (72 sts)
Rnd 23: sc in each st around. (72 sts)
Rnd 24: ch 1, rev sc in each st around. Join. (72 sts) Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Checkpoint: the basket is 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall and 6.2 in (15.7 cm) across at the fan band.
Back Panel
With Color A, ch 17.
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (16 sts)
Rows 2–60: ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (16 sts)
Checkpoint: 4 in (10.2 cm) wide and 15 in (38.1 cm) long.
Row 61: ch 1, sc2tog, sc 12, sc2tog. Turn. (14 sts)
Row 62: ch 1, sc2tog, sc 10, sc2tog. Turn. (12 sts)
Row 63: ch 1, sc2tog, sc 8, sc2tog. Turn. (10 sts)
Row 64: ch 1, sc2tog, sc 6, sc2tog. Turn. (8 sts)
Row 65: ch 1, sc2tog, sc 4, sc2tog. Turn. (6 sts)
Rows 66–71 (tab): ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (6 sts) Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail.
Not counting the tab, the panel is 4 in x 16.25 in (10.2 cm x 41.3 cm). The tab is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide and 1.5 in (3.8 cm) long.
Tassel
Wrap Color A 30 times around the 5 in (12.7 cm) card. Slide a 12 in (30.5 cm) strand under the loops at one end and tie it tightly. Cut the loops at the other end. About 0.75 in (1.9 cm) below the top, wrap another strand around the tassel 6 times and knot it. Trim the ends evenly to a 5 in (12.7 cm) tassel.
Make All Pieces
- Color A: 3 bases and lower walls (Rnds 1–17), 1 back panel, 1 tassel
- Color B: Rnds 18 and 20–24 on each of the 3 baskets
- Color C: Rnd 19 on each of the 3 baskets
Layout from the front, showing the panel rows each basket is sewn to:
( ring ) tab, Rows 66-71
[ taper ] Rows 61-65
[ Basket 3 ] Rows 40-50
[ Basket 2 ] Rows 22-32
[ Basket 1 ] Rows 4-14
||
tassel
Joining
Use Color A, a tapestry needle, and whipstitch.
Mark the basket. The back of the basket is where the round joins line up. On Rnd 13 (the ridge), count 14 sts across the back and put markers in the 1st and 14th sts. Put markers in the same 2 columns on Rnd 22.
Mark the panel. Basket 1 spans Rows 4–14. Those 11 rows equal the 2.75 in (7.0 cm) from Rnd 13 to Rnd 22. Basket 2 spans Rows 22–32 and Basket 3 spans Rows 40–50, so the baskets repeat every 18 rows.
Sew stitch to stitch:
- Bottom seam: sew the 14 marked sts of Rnd 13 to sts 2–15 of the bottom row, 1 basket st to 1 panel st.
- Top seam: sew the 14 marked sts of Rnd 22 to sts 2–15 of the top row, 1 to 1.
- Side seams: sew the 2 marked basket columns to panel columns 2 and 15. For Basket 1, match Rnds 13–18 to Rows 4–9 (1 round to 1 row), Rnd 19 to Rows 10–11, Rnd 20 to Row 12, and Rnds 21–22 to Rows 13–14. For Baskets 2 and 3, add 18 or 36 to these row numbers.
The seam columns are 13 st widths apart, which is 3.25 in (8.3 cm) on both the basket and the panel. Sts 1 and 16 stay free for the border.
Tension: pull each stitch snug, not tight. If the panel puckers, the seam is too tight. The panel should stay flat behind each basket.
Checkpoint: 7 rows, or 1.75 in (4.4 cm), of panel stay free between baskets, and Rows 51–60 stay free above Basket 3. The panel still measures 4 in x 16.25 in (10.2 cm x 41.3 cm).
Border
Border gauge: same as the main gauge, 4 sc per 1 in (2.5 cm) and 1 sc per row end.
The border runs down one long side, across the bottom, and up the other side. The tab has no border because it wraps around the ring.
Border Rnd: join Color A at the end of Row 65 on the right-hand edge.
- Right side: 65 sc, 1 in each row end from Row 65 down to Row 1.
- Bottom-right corner: 3 sc in the first foundation ch.
- Bottom: 14 sc, 1 in each foundation ch.
- Bottom-left corner: 3 sc in the last foundation ch.
- Left side: 65 sc, 1 in each row end from Row 1 up to Row 65.
Fasten off. (65 + 3 + 14 + 3 + 65 = 150 sts)
Why the math works: counting the center sc of each corner group, the bottom has 16 sts, the same as the panel’s 16 sts. The baskets add no stitches to the border. Each side has 65 sts for 65 rows, and the square gauge keeps the edges flat. The 2 extra sc in each corner let the border turn without pulling.
After the border, the panel measures 4.5 in x 16.5 in (11.4 cm x 41.9 cm).
Ring and tassel: fold the tab over the bottom of the wooden ring to the back, and whipstitch its last row to the back of Row 62. Wrap the tail tightly 6 times around the gathered neck below the ring, then secure it. Tie the tassel to the 2 center sts of the bottom border.
Final Blocking
- Put a toilet roll or rolled towel in each basket to hold its shape.
- Lightly mist the baskets and panel with water.
- Lay the holder face up on a blocking mat.
- Pin the panel straight to 4.5 in x 16.5 in (11.4 cm x 41.9 cm).
- Shape each fan with your fingers so the ch-1 spaces are open.
- Let it dry completely, about 24 hours.
- Remove the pins and hang the holder.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each basket has 13 evenly spaced fans.
- Each rim has 72 sts and a smooth reverse sc edge.
- All three baskets are 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall.
- The panel measures 4.5 in x 16.5 in (11.4 cm x 41.9 cm) and lies flat.
- The border has 150 sts, with 3 sc in each bottom corner.
- No seams show from the front.
- The tab is sewn securely and the ring wrap is tight.
- The tassel is 5 in (12.7 cm) long and trimmed evenly.
- All ends are woven in.
Troubleshooting
- Base ruffles: your tension is loose. Go down a hook size.
- Base cups: your tension is tight. Go up a hook size.
- Fans lean to one side: check that you skipped exactly 2 sts on each side of every shell.
- Rim is wavy: recount Rnd 21. It should have 78 sts.
- Roll doesn’t fit: add a Rnd 13 of [sc 11, inc] 6 times (78 sts) to the base. Then add 6 sts to every wall round, and use 2 fan repeats for each extra 12 sts.
- Panel edge waves: check your row gauge, and work exactly 1 sc in each row end.
- Basket tips forward: add an extra seam across Rnd 17.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap. Lay flat to dry with the baskets stuffed, and don’t tumble dry, because it can shrink the cotton and distort the shape.
Final Notes
Every measurement in this holder comes from the gauge. A square gauge of 16 sc and 16 rows per 4 in (10.2 cm) gives a 72-st base about 5.75 in (14.6 cm) across. Each basket widens to 78 sts at the fan band, goes back to 72 sts at the rim, and finishes 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall. The 16-st panel is 4 in x 16.25 in (10.2 cm x 41.3 cm), and the border brings it to 4.5 in x 16.5 in (11.4 cm x 41.9 cm). If you check each stage as you go, the baskets will line up evenly on the panel.
Happy crocheting!