This plastic bag holder looks like a tall, leafy lantern. Eight columns of stacked leaves run from a small cinched base up to a solid band at the top, and a short loop at the back lets you hang it on a cabinet knob or hook. You stuff bags in at the top and pull them out one at a time through the bottom.
The sample is olive green, which looks fresh and earthy in a kitchen. A mustard gold version works just as well. A smooth, solid-color yarn shows the leaf clusters best.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished holder is about 16 in (40.6 cm) tall without the loop and 7 in (17.8 cm) wide when flat at its widest point. The top band is 5 in (12.7 cm) wide flat.
You work the holder as one piece from the bottom up in joined rounds. First you make an sc base ring and an eyelet round. Next come 22 leaf-lace rounds that widen and then narrow, followed by a 5-round top band. You work the hanging strap straight off the band. A chain drawstring with a ball at each end closes the bottom.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 16 in (40.6 cm) tall × 7 in (17.8 cm) wide flat at the widest point
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 1 body, plus 1 drawstring cord with 2 small balls
- Layout: Seamless tube with 8 leaf columns
- Piece size: 16 in (40.6 cm) tall
- Size before border (after Rnd 24): 14.5 in (36.8 cm) tall, about 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide flat at the top
- Border depth: Top band is 1.5 in (3.8 cm). The hanging loop stands about 3.5 in (8.9 cm) above the rim.
Materials
Choose a smooth worsted cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds the leaf shapes crisply and doesn’t stretch much under a full load of bags. Acrylic also works, but the holder will relax a little more over time.
- Olive green (main color): 100 g, about 170 m (186 yd)
- Optional mustard gold version: another 100 g, about 170 m (186 yd), for a second holder
Tools:
– 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– 1 stitch marker
– Scissors
– Measuring tape
– Rust-proof pins and a rolled towel for blocking
The yarn amounts include a margin of about 15% for your gauge swatch and weaving in ends.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- sc2tog: single crochet 2 together
- sp: space
- sk: skip
- st(s): stitch(es)
- MR: magic ring
- Rnd: round
Special stitches:
- Cluster (cl): Yarn over, insert hook in the stitch or space, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through 2 loops. Repeat from * 2 more times in the same place (4 loops on hook), then yarn over and pull through all 4 loops. Each cluster counts as 1 stitch and forms one leaf.
- Beginning cluster (beg-cl): Ch 2, then work a cluster with only 2 dc parts in the same place. It counts as 1 cl.
Gauge and Checkpoints
- Single crochet: 16 sc and 16 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm)
- Half double crochet: 3 hdc rounds = 1 in (2.5 cm)
- Lace: 4 pattern rounds = 2.5 in (6.4 cm). One repeat at full width (12 sts, with ch-5 between columns) = 1.75 in (4.4 cm)
Your first 7 rounds work as your gauge test, so check them before you go any further.
Checkpoints:
– After Rnd 1: the ring measures 6 in (15.2 cm) around, or 3 in (7.6 cm) flat.
– After Rnd 2: the base is 0.75 in (1.9 cm) tall.
– After Rnd 7: the piece is 7 in (17.8 cm) wide flat and 3.875 in (9.8 cm) tall.
– After Rnd 20: the piece is 12 in (30.5 cm) tall.
– After Rnd 24: the piece is 14.5 in (36.8 cm) tall and about 5.5 in (14.0 cm) wide flat.
– After Rnd 29: the piece is 16 in (40.6 cm) tall and the band is 5 in (12.7 cm) wide flat.
If your piece is too big: go down to a 4.5 mm hook. Also check that your chains aren’t loose, because the long chains between columns stretch easily.
If your piece is too small: go up to a 5.5 mm hook. If only the height is short, pull each cluster’s loops up a little taller.
Pattern
Base Ring and Eyelets
Rnd 1: Ch 24 and join with a sl st to the first ch to form a ring, taking care not to twist it. Ch 1, then sc in each ch around. Join to the first sc. (24 sc)
Rnd 2 (eyelet round): Ch 3 (counts as dc), ch 1, sk 1, dc in next st. Dc in next st, ch 1, sk 1, dc in next st. Repeat from * 7 times. Join to the top of the ch-3. (16 dc + 8 ch-1 sps = 24 sts)
The 8 ch-1 spaces are the eyelets for the drawstring. Each one also becomes the base of a leaf column.
Leaf Lace Body
Every lace round has 8 repeats. Each repeat has 7 stitches: cl, ch 2, dc (the spine), ch 2, cl. After each repeat you work ch X between columns, so each round totals 8 × (7 + X).
Rnd 3: Sl st into the first ch-1 sp. Work [beg-cl, ch 2, dc, ch 2, cl] all in that space, then ch 1. Work [cl, ch 2, dc, ch 2, cl] in the next ch-1 sp, ch 1. Repeat from * 7 times. Join to the top of the beg-cl. (64 sts)
Rnd 4: Sl st into the next ch-2 sp. Beg-cl in that sp, ch 2, dc in the next dc, ch 2, cl in the next ch-2 sp, ch 2. Cl in the next ch-2 sp, ch 2, dc in the next dc, ch 2, cl in the next ch-2 sp, ch 2. Repeat from * 7 times. Join. (72 sts)
Each new cl sits in a ch-2 space beside the spine and leans outward, which builds the V-shaped leaf pairs.
Rnd 5: Work as Rnd 4 but ch 3 between repeats. (80 sts)
Rnd 6: Work as Rnd 4 but ch 4 between repeats. (88 sts)
Rnd 7: Work as Rnd 4 but ch 5 between repeats. (96 sts)
Check now that the piece is 7 in (17.8 cm) wide flat.
Rnds 8–20: Work as Rnd 7, with ch 5 between repeats. (96 sts in each round) That makes 13 rounds. The piece is now 12 in (30.5 cm) tall.
Rnd 21: Work as Rnd 4 but ch 4 between repeats. (88 sts)
Rnd 22: Ch 3 between repeats. (80 sts)
Rnd 23: Ch 2 between repeats. (72 sts)
Rnd 24: Ch 1 between repeats. (64 sts)
Border: Top Band and Hanging Loop
Band gauge: 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm). That means 40 sts make a 10 in (25.4 cm) circle, which is 5 in (12.7 cm) flat, with 20 sts on the front and 20 on the back.
Rnd 25 (trim round): Ch 1. Sc in the cl, sc in the ch-2 sp, sc in the dc, sc in the ch-2 sp, sc in the cl, then sk the ch-1 sp. Repeat from * 8 times in total. Join. (8 repeats × 5 sc = 40 sc)
You work into 5 of the 8 stitches and spaces in each repeat. This pulls the top in from the lace width to the band width.
Rnds 26–28: Ch 2 (doesn’t count as a st), hdc in each st around. Join. (40 hdc in each round)
Rnd 29: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (40 sc) Don’t fasten off.
The band is now 1.5 in (3.8 cm) deep, and the piece is 16 in (40.6 cm) tall.
Why the math works: 8 columns × 5 sc = 40 sts. Folded flat, that gives 20 sts per side, and 20 sts ÷ 4 sts per in = 5 in (12.7 cm). Because the band is a tube, the folds are not corners and don’t need extra stitches.
Hanging strap:
- Row 1: Ch 1, sc in the same st and in the next 3 sts, then turn. (4 sc)
- Rows 2–32: Ch 1, sc in each st, turn. (4 sc)
The strap is now 8 in (20.3 cm) long. Fasten off, leaving a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail.
Fold the strap back so its end lies against the inside of the band, directly behind Row 1. Sew it down through Rnds 27–29. The finished loop stands about 3.5 in (8.9 cm) above the rim.
Drawstring and balls:
- Ball (make 2):
- Rnd 1: 6 sc in a MR. (6)
- Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12)
- Rnd 3: Sc in each st around. (12)
- Rnd 4: Sc2tog 6 times. (6)
- Tuck the starting tail inside as stuffing, then pull the opening closed.
- Each ball is about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.
- Cord: Ch 80, which gives a cord about 18 in (45.7 cm) long.
Weave the cord in and out through the 8 eyelets of Rnd 2, starting and ending at the front of the holder. Sew a ball to each end of the cord. Pull the cord until the bottom opening is about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across, then tie a bow.
Final Blocking
- Untie the bow and pull the drawstring out.
- Soak the holder in cool water for 10 minutes, then press the water out without wringing.
- Roll it in a towel to remove more water.
- Slip a rolled towel inside to shape the teardrop. Aim for 7 in (17.8 cm) wide flat at the widest point and 16 in (40.6 cm) tall.
- Pin each spine straight and spread each pair of leaves into an even V.
- Lay the strap flat and let everything dry completely.
- Thread the drawstring back in and tie the bow.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- 8 leaf columns, all with straight spines
- The leaf pairs line up in even rows around the holder
- Stitch counts were 96 through Rnds 7–20 and 40 in the band
- 16 in (40.6 cm) tall and 5 in (12.7 cm) band width
- The strap is sewn securely through 3 rounds
- Both balls are firmly attached and the bow holds
- All ends are woven in along a spine
Troubleshooting
- Spines lean or twist: Make sure each spine dc goes into the dc below it and not into a ch-2 space.
- Columns ruffle: Your chains between columns are too long or too loose. Tighten them or go down a hook size.
- The band flares out: In Rnd 25, check that you skipped the ch-1 space in every repeat.
- Bags fall out of the bottom: Pull the drawstring tighter.
- The holder sags when full: Switch to cotton and re-block it.
Care
Hand wash in cool water and lay flat to dry. Reshape the leaves while the holder is damp.
Final Notes
Everything in this pattern builds on the measurement before it. The 24-st ring is 6 in (15.2 cm) around. The lace widens to 96 sts and 7 in (17.8 cm) wide flat, then narrows back to 64 sts. The trim round brings it down to 40 sts, which makes the 5 in (12.7 cm) band. Your final height comes from 0.75 in (1.9 cm) of base, 13.75 in of lace, and 1.5 in (3.8 cm) of band, which adds up to 16 in (40.6 cm). If you check your measurements at each checkpoint, the finished holder will match.
Happy crocheting!