This grocery bag holder hangs from a wall hook and keeps plastic bags handy for reuse. It has a solid peach base, an open cream diamond mesh body, a solid peach top band, and a sturdy peach strap. Three white daisies with yellow centers are sewn to the front.
You stuff bags in through the top and pull them out one at a time through an oval opening near the bottom. Firm single crochet gives the base and rim their structure, and the light mesh stretches to hold a full load.
All terms are US crochet terms. The finished holder is about 10 in (25.4 cm) wide and 13.5 in (34.3 cm) tall, plus a strap loop of about 5 in (12.7 cm).
You work it in the round from the bottom up. Start with an oval base, then build peach walls with a dispenser opening worked in turned rows. Switch to a cream mesh that widens and then narrows, and finish with a peach band. The strap is worked from the rim, and the daisies are made separately and sewn on.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 10 × 13.5 in (25.4 × 34.3 cm), plus a 5 in (12.7 cm) strap loop
- Skill level: Easy-intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: 5 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 1 bag body with the strap worked on, plus 3 daisy appliqués
- Layout: Single piece, no joining
- Piece size: Base oval 7.75 × 3 in (19.7 × 7.6 cm); top band 6.75 in (17.1 cm) wide when flat
- Size before border: Same as finished size, because the edgings add no width
- Border depth: 1 round of sc around the opening, about 0.25 in (0.6 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth worsted-weight cotton. Cotton holds the base shape and won’t stretch out under the weight of the bags. The amounts below assume about 170 m per 100 g (1.7 m per gram).
- Peach: 60 g, 102 m
- Cream: 40 g, 68 m
- White: 6 g, 10 m
- Yellow: 3 g, 5 m
These amounts include a margin of about 20 percent.
Tools: 5 mm (H-8) hook, 4 locking stitch markers, tapestry needle, scissors, tape measure, pins, spray bottle.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sc: single crochet
- dc: double crochet
- sl st: slip stitch
- st(s): stitch(es)
- sp: space
- BLO: back loop only
- RS: right side
- inc: 2 sc in the same st
- sc2tog over 2 sps: Insert the hook in the next ch-sp, yarn over and pull up a loop. Insert the hook in the following ch-sp, yarn over and pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops.
Standing sc: Start with a slip knot on the hook. Insert the hook in the st, yarn over and pull up a loop, then yarn over and pull through both loops.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 16 sc and 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm), worked in sc with the 5 mm hook.
The base doubles as your gauge swatch, so measure it after Rnd 6 before going on.
- After Rnd 6: The base is 7.75 × 3 in (19.7 × 7.6 cm), measures 18 in (45.7 cm) around, and lies flat.
- After Rnd 18: The walls are 2.75 in (7.0 cm) tall, and the opening is 4 × 1.5 in (10.2 × 3.8 cm).
- After Rnd 25: The holder is about 10 in (25.4 cm) wide when flattened.
- After Rnd 31: The mesh is about 9.5 in (24.1 cm) tall when hanging.
- After Rnd 37: The band is 6.75 in (17.1 cm) wide when flat and 1.1 in (2.8 cm) tall.
If the base is too big, go down half a hook size. If it’s too small, go up half a size. A difference of 0.25 in (0.6 cm) or less is fine.
Pattern
Join each round with a sl st to the first st unless the pattern says otherwise. The ch 1 at the start of a round does not count as a stitch.
Base (Peach)
Ch 21.
Rnd 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 18 ch, 3 sc in last ch. Working along the other side of the chain, sc in next 18 ch, 2 sc in last ch. Join. (42 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, inc in first st, sc 18, inc in each of next 3 sts, sc 18, inc in each of last 2 sts. Join. (48 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc 1, inc, sc 18, [sc 1, inc] 3 times, sc 18, [sc 1, inc] 2 times. Join. (54 sts)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc 2, inc, sc 18, [sc 2, inc] 3 times, sc 18, [sc 2, inc] 2 times. Join. (60 sts)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, sc 3, inc, sc 18, [sc 3, inc] 3 times, sc 18, [sc 3, inc] 2 times. Join. (66 sts)
Rnd 6: Ch 1, sc 4, inc, sc 18, [sc 4, inc] 3 times, sc 18, [sc 4, inc] 2 times. Join. (72 sts)
Each long side stays at 18 sts, and all 6 increases in every round fall on the curved ends. In Rnd 6, sts 7–24 form the first long side.
Lower Walls and Dispenser Opening (Peach)
Rnd 7: Ch 1, sc in BLO of each st around. Join. (72 sts) This makes a crisp fold where the base turns up into the walls.
Rnds 8–9: Ch 1, sc around. Join. (72 sts) Fasten off.
Row 10 (RS): Join with a standing sc in st 24. Sc in each st through st 72, then sc in sts 1–7. Turn. (56 sts) Sts 8–23 stay unworked. These 16 sts are the opening, centered on the long side.
Rows 11–15: Ch 1, sc across. Turn. (56 sts)
Rnd 16 (RS, closing round): Ch 1, sc 56, ch 16, then join with a sl st to the first sc of this round. (56 sc + 16 ch = 72 sts)
Rnd 17: Ch 1, sc in each sc and in each ch. Join. (72 sts)
Rnd 18: Ch 1, sc around. Join. (72 sts) Fasten off.
The opening is 16 sts wide and 7 rows tall, or 4 × 1.5 in (10.2 × 3.8 cm).
Mesh Body (Cream)
The teardrop shape comes from the length of the loops. Ch-5 loops match the base at 18 in (45.7 cm) around. Ch-6 loops widen the holder to 20 in (50.8 cm) around. Two decrease rounds then narrow the top.
Rnd 19: Join with a standing sc in any st at the back. Ch 5, skip 2 sts, sc in next st; repeat 22 more times. Ch 2, skip the last 2 sts, dc in first sc. (24 loops) The ch 2 + dc counts as the last loop. Check: 1 + (23 × 3) + 2 = 72 sts.
Rnds 20–21: Ch 1, sc in the sp formed by the dc, ch 5, sc in next sp; repeat 22 more times. Ch 2, dc in first sc. (24 loops)
Rnds 22–25: Ch 1, sc in first sp, ch 6, sc in next sp; repeat 22 more times. Ch 3, dc in first sc. (24 loops)
Rnds 26–27: Work as Rnd 20. (24 loops)
Rnd 28: Ch 1, sc in first sp, [ch 5, sc in next sp] 5 times, ch 5, sc2tog over next 2 sps. [Ch 5, sc in next sp] 6 times, ch 5, sc2tog over next 2 sps; repeat once more. Ch 2, dc in first sc. (21 loops) Check: 1 + 5 + 2 + 16 = 24 sps used.
Rnd 29: Ch 1, sc in first sp, [ch 5, sc in next sp] 4 times, ch 5, sc2tog over next 2 sps. [Ch 5, sc in next sp] 5 times, ch 5, sc2tog over next 2 sps; repeat once more. Ch 2, dc in first sc. (18 loops) Check: 1 + 4 + 2 + 14 = 21 sps used.
Rnd 30: Ch 1, sc in first sp, [ch 5, sc in next sp] 17 times, ch 2, dc in first sc. (18 loops)
Rnd 31: Ch 1, sc in first sp, [ch 5, sc in next sp] 17 times, ch 5, sl st in first sc. (18 ch-5 sps) Fasten off.
Top Band (Peach)
Rnd 32: Join with a standing sc in any ch-5 sp, work 2 more sc in the same sp, then 3 sc in each remaining sp. Join. (54 sts)
Rnds 33–36: Ch 1, sc around. Join. (54 sts)
Rnd 37: Ch 1, sl st snugly in each st around. Join. (54 sts) Fasten off.
The band is 13.5 in (34.3 cm) around. That matches 18 ch-5 loops, so the rim doesn’t pucker.
Strap (Peach)
Flatten the holder with the opening centered at the front. Place a marker at each side fold of the band. The markers should be 27 sts apart.
Row 1: Join with a standing sc in the 3rd st before the right marker, then sc in the next 5 sts. Turn. (6 sts)
Rows 2–63: Ch 1, sc across. Turn. (6 sts)
The strap is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide and 14 in (35.6 cm) long. Make sure it isn’t twisted. Center the last row over the left marker and sl st through both layers. Fasten off.
Daisies (Make 3)
Rnd 1 (Yellow): Make a magic ring, ch 1, work 8 sc in the ring, and join. (8 sts) Fasten off.
Rnd 2 (White): Join in any sc. In the same st work (ch 2, 2 dc, ch 2, sl st), then sl st in the next st; repeat around. (8 petals) Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail for sewing. Each daisy is about 1.75 in (4.4 cm) across.
Border
The border is made of two edgings, both worked at the main gauge of 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Opening edging: With the RS facing, join peach with a standing sc at the lower right corner of the opening.
- Bottom: 1 sc in each of the 16 unworked sts of Rnd 9. (16)
- Left side: 1 sc in each row end of Rows 10–16. (7)
- Top: 1 sc in each of the 16 free loops of the Rnd 16 chain. (16)
- Right side: 1 sc in each row end. (7)
Join. (46 sts) Fasten off. Don’t add any corner increases, so the opening stays a rounded oval.
Strap edging: Sl st in each row end along both long sides. (63 per side)
Why the math works: On the horizontal edges, 1 sc goes into each existing st, so the opening stays 4 in (10.2 cm) wide. On the sides, an sc row is 0.22 in (0.6 cm) tall and an sc is 0.25 in (0.6 cm) wide. That is close enough that 1 sc per row end lies flat over 7 rows. Slip stitches add almost no width, so the strap stays 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends. On the mesh, run them along the chains so they stay hidden.
- Sew one daisy over the lower edge of the band, just right of center front. Sew the other two on the front mesh around Rnds 23–25, one left of center and one right of center. Tack down every petal tip.
- Lightly mist the holder with water.
- Stuff it loosely with a towel so it takes on the teardrop shape.
- Pin the opening into a 4 × 1.5 in (10.2 × 3.8 cm) oval, and press the base flat with your hands.
- Let it dry completely, hanging or standing upright.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The base is 7.75 × 3 in (19.7 × 7.6 cm) and lies flat.
- The opening is centered and measures 4 × 1.5 in (10.2 × 3.8 cm).
- The loop counts are 24, then 21, then 18.
- The widest point is about 10 in (25.4 cm).
- The band has 54 sts and is 6.75 in (17.1 cm) wide when flat.
- The strap is 14 in (35.6 cm) long and untwisted.
- All three daisies are secure.
Troubleshooting
The base cups: Your tension is tight on the curves. Loosen up or go up half a hook size.
The base ruffles: You may have increased on a long side. Each long side should have 18 sts.
The opening is off-center: Rejoin for Row 10 in st 24.
The loop count is off: Start each round in the sp formed by the dc, and recount your sc2togs.
The band puckers: Work exactly 3 sc in each ch-5 sp.
The rim stretches out: Tighten the sl st round, and use cotton yarn.
Care
Hand wash in cool water and reshape while damp. Dry flat or hanging, away from direct heat.
Final Notes
Every measurement comes from one gauge: 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm). That gauge gives a 72-st base that measures 18 in (45.7 cm) around. Ch-5 loops keep the holder at that width, and ch-6 loops widen it to 10 in (25.4 cm) flat. Two decrease rounds bring it down to 18 loops, which fit the 54-st band at 13.5 in (34.3 cm) around. Check each checkpoint as you go and the holder will come out the right size.
Happy crocheting!