This hanging toilet paper holder has three soft lavender pockets stacked on two slim straps. Each pocket holds one spare roll on its side. A raised puff-stitch texture covers every wall, and a cream-and-purple pansy with two green leaves sits on each front.
The palette is lavender, cream, deep purple, moss green and a touch of yellow. The style is cottage-garden and practical: the pockets are firm enough to keep their shape but still look soft and handmade.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished holder is 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide and 22.5 in (57.2 cm) long from the top of the hanging loop to the end of the straps. Each pocket is 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide, 4.5 in (11.4 cm) deep and 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall.
Here is how it comes together. First you make a flat single crochet base for each pocket. Then you work the walls in joined rounds, adding the puff texture as you go, and finish with a rim border. Next you make two single crochet straps, the pansies and the leaves. Last, you sew everything together.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide x 22.5 in (57.2 cm) long, hanging
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 3 pockets, 2 straps, 3 front flowers, 3 back petal pieces, 6 leaves
- Layout: 3 pockets stacked vertically, 3 in (7.6 cm) apart
- Pocket size: 5.5 x 4.5 x 3.5 in (14.0 x 11.4 x 8.9 cm)
- Pocket height before border: 3 in (7.6 cm)
- Border depth: 0.5 in (1.3 cm), in 2 rounds
Materials
Use a smooth worsted-weight yarn. Cotton or a cotton blend gives the crispest puffs and the firmest walls. Acrylic is fine but makes slightly softer pockets.
- Lavender (main color): 170 g, about 340 m
- Cream (petals): 15 g, about 30 m
- Deep purple (flower centers and streaks): 10 g, about 20 m
- Moss green (leaves): 10 g, about 20 m
- Yellow (flower center): 2 g, about 4 m
All quantities include a margin of about 10–15% for your swatch and for differences in tension.
Tools:
– 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Stitch markers
– Scissors
– Measuring tape
– Rust-proof pins
– Optional: wooden dowel, 12 in (30.5 cm) long and 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across, with wall hooks
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
- MR – magic ring
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rev sc – reverse single crochet (crab stitch): sc worked from left to right
Special stitch – Puff: (yarn over, insert hook in st, pull up a loop to the height of a hdc) 3 times. You now have 7 loops on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all 7 loops. Each puff counts as 1 st.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc and 16 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm), which is 4 sts and 4 rows per inch. In the puff pattern, 8 rounds = 2 in (5.1 cm).
Make one complete pocket before you start the other two. It is your real gauge test.
Checkpoints:
– Base after Row 18: 5.5 x 4.5 in (14.0 x 11.4 cm)
– After Rnd 3: the walls stand up 0.5 in (1.3 cm) above the base ridge
– After Rnd 13: walls are 3 in (7.6 cm) tall
– After Rnd 15: walls are 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall
If your base comes out bigger, go down a hook size. If it comes out smaller, go up a hook size. Puffs that look flat usually mean your loops are too short, so pull each one up to hdc height.
Pocket (make 3)
Base
Use lavender.
Row 1: Ch 23. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (22 sts)
Rows 2–18: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (22 sts)
Checkpoint: 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide x 4.5 in (11.4 cm) deep.
Walls
Work in joined rounds and do not turn. The right side stays on the outside.
Rnd 1: Ch 1 and rotate the base. Along the first short side, work 18 sc, one in each row end. Along the foundation chain, work 22 sc. Along the second short side, work 18 sc in the row ends. Across Row 18, work 22 sc. Sl st to the first sc to join. (80 sts: 22 + 18 + 22 + 18)
Each side’s count already includes its corner stitches. There are no extra corner stitches because the walls rise straight up.
Rnd 2: Ch 1. Sc BLO in each st around, then join. (80 sts) This round creates the sharp turning ridge.
Rnd 3: Ch 1. Sc in each st around, then join. (80 sts)
Rnd 4 (Puff A): Ch 1. Puff in next st, sc in next st. Repeat from * around, then join. (80 sts: 40 puffs + 40 sc)
Rnd 5: Ch 1. Sc in each st around, then join. (80 sts)
Rnd 6 (Puff B): Ch 1. Sc in next st, puff in next st. Repeat from * around, then join. (80 sts: 40 sc + 40 puffs) In this round the puffs are staggered between the puffs of Rnd 4.
Rnd 7: Repeat Rnd 5. (80 sts)
Rnds 8–11: Repeat Rnds 4–7. (80 sts each round)
Rnd 12: Repeat Rnd 4. (80 sts)
Rnd 13: Repeat Rnd 5. (80 sts)
The walls now have 5 puff rounds. Checkpoint: walls are 3 in (7.6 cm) tall above the ridge. Do not fasten off; the border comes next.
Make All Pieces
Lavender:
– 3 pockets
– 2 straps
Strap (make 2): Ch 103. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (102 sts) Ch 1, turn, and sc in each st across. (102 sts) Fasten off.
The strap is 25.5 in (64.8 cm) long and about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) wide.
Cream, purple and yellow – Front Flower (make 3):
Rnd 1: With yellow, MR, 6 sc in the ring. Join. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Change to purple. Ch 1, work 2 sc in each st, then join. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1. Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st. Repeat from * around, then join. (18 sts) Fasten off purple.
Rnd 4: Join cream. Sc in next st, hdc in next st, 3 dc in next st, 3 dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st. Repeat from * 3 times. (30 sts: 3 petals of 10 sts each)
Rnd 5: Sl st loosely in each st around for a slightly ruffled edge. (30 sts)
The front flower measures about 2.75 in (7.0 cm) across.
Cream – Back Petals (make 3):
Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc in the ring. Join. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, work 2 sc in each st, then join. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Sc in next st, dc in next st, 3 tr in next st, 3 tr in next st, dc in next st, sc in next st. Repeat from * twice. (20 sts: 2 petals of 10 sts each) Fasten off.
The back petal piece spans about 3 in (7.6 cm).
Green – Leaf (make 6): Ch 8. Working into the chain, starting in the 2nd ch from the hook: sl st, sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, sc. (7 sts) Ch 1 and rotate the leaf. Working along the other side of the chain: sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, sc, sl st. (7 sts) Sl st to the tip. Each leaf has 14 sts and is about 2 in (5.1 cm) long.
Assemble each pansy:
1. With purple, embroider 3 straight-stitch streaks from the center into each front petal.
2. Place the front flower over the back petals so the two large back petals stand up behind the top of the flower. Sew the layers together around the purple center.
3. Tuck one leaf behind each side so the leaves point outward. Sew them in place.
The full appliqué is about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide.
Layout (front view, top to bottom):
||====dowel====|| loop 3 in (7.6 cm)
| | free strap 2 in (5.1 cm)
[ POCKET 1 + pansy ] 3.5 in (8.9 cm)
| | gap 3 in (7.6 cm)
[ POCKET 2 + pansy ] 3.5 in (8.9 cm)
| | gap 3 in (7.6 cm)
[ POCKET 3 + pansy ] 3.5 in (8.9 cm)
| | tail 1 in (2.5 cm)
Border (each pocket)
Border gauge: 4 sts per inch, the same as the walls. The border adds 2 rounds and 0.5 in (1.3 cm) of height.
Rnd 14: Ch 1. Sc in each st around, then join. (80 sts: 22 on each long side and 18 on each short side)
Rnd 15: Ch 1. Rev sc in each st around, then join. (80 sts: 22 / 18 / 22 / 18) Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Why the math works: The rim follows the base perimeter. The pocket is 5.5 + 4.5 + 5.5 + 4.5 = 20 in (50.8 cm) around, and 20 in x 4 sts per inch = 80 sts. The walls and rim are straight, so there are no increases, and each side keeps the count it started with in Rnd 1.
Checkpoint: the pocket is 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall.
Joining
Method: Use lavender yarn and a tapestry needle to whipstitch the straps onto the pockets.
Stitch-to-stitch logic:
1. Number the strap stitches from the top.
2. Fold sts 1–24 in half so that st 1 meets st 24, and sew them together. This makes a 3 in (7.6 cm) loop.
3. Sts 25–32 hang free (2 in / 5.1 cm).
4. Sts 33–46 attach to Pocket 1.
5. Sts 47–58 are a gap (3 in / 7.6 cm).
6. Sts 59–72 attach to Pocket 2.
7. Sts 73–84 are a gap.
8. Sts 85–98 attach to Pocket 3.
9. Sts 99–102 form the tail (1 in / 2.5 cm).
Check the total: 24 + 8 + 14 + 12 + 14 + 12 + 14 + 4 = 102 sts.
Each wall is 14 rounds tall (Rnds 2–15), so you sew 1 strap stitch to each wall round. Center the strap on a short side wall over wall sts 9–10. Line up its lowest pocket stitch with the Rnd 2 ridge, then whipstitch both long edges of the strap to the wall. Repeat with the second strap on the opposite short side.
Tension: Pull each stitch snug but not tight. The wall should not pucker, and the strap should lie flat.
Size checkpoint: The holder is 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide and 22.5 in (57.2 cm) long. The gaps between pockets measure exactly 3 in (7.6 cm).
Sew one pansy onto the center of each pocket’s long front wall, between Rnds 3 and 13.
Final Blocking
- Lightly mist each pocket with water.
- Stuff each pocket with a toilet roll or a folded towel so it squares up.
- Pin the straps flat and straight, checking that the gaps are 3 in (7.6 cm).
- Pin the pansy petals open and the leaf tips outward.
- Let everything dry completely.
- Remove the pins and hang the holder from the dowel.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Every pocket measures 5.5 x 4.5 x 3.5 in (14.0 x 11.4 x 8.9 cm)
- Every round has 80 sts
- The puffs are staggered on every puff round
- The base ridge is crisp all the way around
- The two straps are the same length, and the loops match
- The pockets hang level, with 3 in (7.6 cm) gaps
- Each pansy is centered, and its leaves are symmetrical
- All ends are woven in securely
Troubleshooting
- Walls flare out: Your stitches are too loose. Go down one hook size for the wall rounds.
- Walls lean in: You may have skipped stitches at the corners. Recount to 80 sts.
- Puffs are flat: Pull up longer loops, and keep the puffs on the outside.
- The rim ripples: Work the rev sc more firmly.
- Pockets tilt: The strap isn’t centered. Re-sew it over wall sts 9–10.
- The pansy cups: Block it flat, or loosen Rnd 5.
Care
Hand wash in cool water and lay flat to dry, reshaping each pocket around a roll. Do not tumble dry, because the puffs will lose their shape.
Final Notes
Here is the measurement chain in short. A gauge of 4 sts per inch gives a 22 x 18 st base that measures 5.5 x 4.5 in (14.0 x 11.4 cm). That base gives an 80-st perimeter. The walls reach 3 in (7.6 cm) after Rnd 13, and the 2-round border brings them to 3.5 in (8.9 cm). Each 102-st strap gives a 3 in (7.6 cm) loop, three 14-st pocket sections, two 3 in (7.6 cm) gaps and a 1 in (2.5 cm) tail, for a finished length of 22.5 in (57.2 cm). If you check your measurements at each step, the finished holder will hang straight.
Happy crocheting!