Three sage green crocheted pouches with wooden ring handles on a wooden surface, styled with yarn and eucalyptus.

Sage Fan Lace Triple-Pod Toilet Paper Holder Crochet Pattern

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This hanging holder stores three spare toilet rolls in a soft, sage green column. Three round lace pods sit one above the other on a solid back strap, and the strap tapers into a tab that loops over a wooden ring. It fills an empty strip of bathroom wall, and the rolls stay easy to reach.

Each pod has a cup-shaped base, two rounds of fans separated by diamond mesh, and a firm single crochet rim that keeps its shape. The strap is plain half double crochet, which gives a calm, solid contrast to the lace.

The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished holder is about 19 in (48.3 cm) long below the ring and about 5.75 in (14.6 cm) wide at the pods. Each pod holds a standard roll about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide.

You’ll make three pods in the round, starting from a flat double crochet base. Then you’ll work the strap in rows, add a single crochet border around it, and sew the pods on. Finally, you’ll fold the top tab over the ring.

Finished Size and Construction

  • Finished size: about 19 in (48.3 cm) long, plus the ring; 5.75 in (14.6 cm) wide at the pods
  • Skill level: Intermediate
  • Terminology: US
  • Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
  • Hook: 4.5 mm (US 7)
  • Number of pieces: 4 (3 pods and 1 strap)
  • Layout: 3 pods stacked vertically on 1 strap
  • Pod size: 5.75 in (14.6 cm) widest, about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tall, rim 5.1 in (13.0 cm) across
  • Strap size before border: 3.2 in (8.1 cm) wide, 20.7 in (52.6 cm) long unfolded
  • Border depth: 1 round of sc, about 0.25 in (0.6 cm)

Materials

Use a smooth, firm worsted cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds the lace shape well and won’t stretch much under the weight of three rolls. Avoid pure acrylic or very soft blends, because they let the strap sag over time.

  • Sage green: 180 g / 324 m (354 yd), based on about 180 m per 100 g. Each pod uses about 40 g (72 m / 79 yd). The strap and border use about 30 g (54 m / 59 yd).

These quantities include roughly a 20% margin for swatching and sewing.

Tools:
– 4.5 mm (US 7) crochet hook
– 3 in (7.6 cm) unfinished wooden ring
– Tapestry needle
– 4 stitch markers
– Rustproof pins
– Measuring tape
– Scissors

Abbreviations (US Terms)

  • ch – chain
  • sl st – slip stitch
  • sc – single crochet
  • hdc – half double crochet
  • dc – double crochet
  • hdc2tog – half double crochet 2 together
  • sk – skip
  • st(s) – stitch(es)
  • loop – a ch-space made in the previous round

Special stitches:
– Fan: 7 dc (small fan) or 9 dc (large fan) worked into the same ch-loop.
– Center dc: the middle dc of a fan. This is the 4th dc of a small fan and the 5th dc of a large fan.

Gauge and Checkpoints

Gauge: 16 sc and 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm); 15 hdc and 11 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm).

Make one complete pod first and check it before you make the strap. The checkpoints are:

  • After Round 4: the flat base measures 4 in (10.2 cm) across.
  • After Round 9: the widest circumference is about 18 in (45.7 cm).
  • After Round 15: the rim circumference is 16 in (40.6 cm), the rim is about 5.1 in (13.0 cm) across, and the pod is about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) tall.

If the base is bigger than 4.25 in (10.8 cm), go down 0.5 mm. If it’s smaller than 3.75 in, go up 0.5 mm. Test the rim with a real roll: it should slide in easily but not fall loose. If the rim is loose, work Rounds 12–15 with a hook 0.5 mm smaller.

Close-up of sage green crocheted basket with open-work lacework pattern and rope-like handles.

Pod (Make 3)

Work in joined rounds with the right side facing you. Don’t turn.

Round 1: Make a magic ring. Ch 3 (counts as dc), work 11 dc in the ring, then sl st to the top of the ch-3. (12 dc)

Round 2: Ch 3, dc in the same st, then 2 dc in each st around. Sl st to the top of the ch-3. (24 dc)

Round 3: Ch 3, 2 dc in the next st, dc in the next st, 2 dc in the next st 11 times. Sl st to the top of the ch-3. (36 dc)

Round 4: Ch 3, dc in the next st, 2 dc in the next st, dc in each of the next 2 sts, 2 dc in the next st 11 times. Sl st to the top of the ch-3. (48 dc)

Checkpoint: the base lies flat and measures 4 in (10.2 cm) across.

Round 5 (mesh conversion): Ch 1, sc in the same st, ch 5, sk 2 dc, sc in the next dc 15 times. Ch 2, sk 2 dc, dc in the first sc to close.
(16 sc worked into every 3rd dc + 16 ch-5 loops; the ch-2 and dc form the last loop)

Round 6 (small fans): Ch 1, sc around the post of the closing dc, 7 dc in the next loop, sc in the next loop 7 times, 7 dc in the next loop. Sl st to the first sc.
(8 fans of 7 dc + 8 sc = 64 sts)

Round 7 (mesh A): Sl st in each of the next 4 dc to reach the center dc. Ch 1, sc in the same st, ch 5, sc in the next sc, ch 5, sc in the center dc of the next fan 7 times, ch 5, sc in the next sc, ch 2, dc in the first sc. (16 loops)

Round 8 (mesh B): Ch 1, sc around the post of the closing dc, ch 6, sc in the next loop 15 times, ch 3, dc in the first sc. (16 loops)

Mesh B moves the loop positions over by half a loop. As a result, the next fans sit above the sc of Round 6 instead of above the old fans.

Round 9 (large fans): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 4 dc around the post of the closing dc, sc in the next loop, 9 dc in the next loop 7 times, sc in the next loop, 4 dc in the first loop. Sl st to the top of the ch-3.
(8 fans of 9 dc + 8 sc = 80 sts; the first fan is split as 5 sts + 4 sts)

Checkpoint: the circumference is about 18 in (45.7 cm). This is the widest part of the pod.

Round 10 (mesh A): Sl st in each of the next 4 dc to reach the center dc (the 5th st of the fan). Ch 1, sc in the same st, ch 5, sc in the next sc, ch 5, sc in the center dc of the next fan 7 times, ch 5, sc in the next sc, ch 2, dc in the first sc. (16 loops)

Round 11 (mesh B, narrowing): Ch 1, sc around the post of the closing dc, ch 4, sc in the next loop 15 times, ch 4, sl st to the first sc. (16 ch-4 loops)

Round 12 (rim conversion): Ch 1, work 4 sc in each ch-4 loop around, skipping the sc between loops. Sl st to the first sc.
(0 sts worked into existing sts + 16 loops × 4 sc = 64 sc)

Rounds 13–15: Ch 1, sc in each st around, then sl st to the first sc. (64 sc)

Fasten off and leave a 24 in (61.0 cm) tail for sewing. The 4 rounds of sc form a solid rim band about 0.9 in (2.3 cm) tall.

Final pod check: the rim is 16 in (40.6 cm) around and the widest part is about 18 in (45.7 cm) around.

Strap

Work in rows, turning at the end of each row. The ch-2 at the start of a row does not count as a stitch.

Foundation: Ch 14.

Row 1: Hdc in the 3rd ch from the hook and in each ch across. Turn. (12 hdc)

Rows 2–44: Ch 2, hdc in each st across. Turn. (12 hdc)

Checkpoint: the strap measures 3.2 in (8.1 cm) wide and 16.0 in (40.6 cm) long.

Row 45: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc in the next 8 sts, hdc2tog. Turn. (10 hdc)

Row 46: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc in the next 6 sts, hdc2tog. Turn. (8 hdc)

Row 47: Ch 2, hdc2tog, hdc in the next 4 sts, hdc2tog. Turn. (6 hdc)

Rows 48–57: Ch 2, hdc in each st across. Turn. (6 hdc)

Don’t fasten off. Go straight on to the border.

The unfolded strap measures 20.7 in (52.6 cm). The tab is 1.6 in (4.1 cm) wide.

Make All Pieces

  • Pods: 3, all sage green, about 40 g each
  • Strap: 1, sage green, about 30 g including the border

Layout (from top to bottom):

     [ ring ]
     [ tab  ]   rows 48–57, folded
     [taper ]   rows 45–47
     [POD 3 ]   rim on row 44
     [strap ]
     [POD 2 ]   rim on row 28
     [strap ]
     [POD 1 ]   rim on row 12

Border (Strap Edging)

Border gauge: 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm), so each sc is 0.25 in (0.6 cm) wide.

Round 1: Without turning, ch 1 and work along the first long side, putting 3 sc over every 2 row-ends. Put 2 sc in the last single row-end. That gives 86 sc along the side (28 pairs × 3 + 2).

Along the bottom edge (Row 1, 12 sts), work 3 sc in the first st, sc in the next 10 sts, and 3 sc in the last st. That gives 16 sc, including the corners.

Work the second long side the same way. (86 sc)

Along the top edge (Row 57, 6 sts), work 3 sc in the first st, sc in the next 4 sts, and 3 sc in the last st. That gives 10 sc, including the corners.

Sl st to the first sc. Total: 86 + 16 + 86 + 10 = 198 sc. Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Why the math works: 57 hdc rows at 11 rows per 4 in measure 20.7 in (52.6 cm). The 86 sc at 0.25 in each come to 21.5 in. That’s about 3% extra, which covers the longer diagonal edges of the taper rows and keeps the edge from pulling in. On the top and bottom edges, there is 1 sc per stitch, and the 3-sc corners add the turn without any cupping.

After the border, the strap is 3.7 in (9.4 cm) wide and the tab is 2.1 in (5.3 cm) wide.

Joining

Method: whipstitch with the yarn tail, working through the back loops of the pod and both loops of the strap.

  1. Lay the strap flat with the right side up and the tab at the top. Place markers in Rows 12, 28, and 44. These rows sit 4.4 in (11.2 cm), 10.2 in (25.9 cm), and 16.0 in (40.6 cm) from the bottom edge.
  2. On each pod, mark the 12 rim sts centered on the round join (sts 59–64 and 1–6). These become the center back, which hides the join.
  3. Stitch-to-stitch logic: line up the top of the pod rim with the top of the marked strap row. Whipstitch the 12 marked Round 15 sts to the 12 hdc of that row, one to one. Because both sides have 12 sts, the pod lies flat without puckering.
  4. Sew down the rim band to Round 12, keeping the back of the pod flat against the strap.
  5. Tack the center back of the pod at each mesh and fan round, ending at the edge of the Round 4 base. This stops the pod from tipping forward when it’s full.
  6. Sew Pod 1 on Row 12, Pod 2 on Row 28, and Pod 3 on Row 44. The rims are 5.8 in (14.7 cm) apart, which leaves about 1.3 in (3.3 cm) of strap showing between pods.

Tension: pull each stitch snug but not tight. The sewn rim should stay the same width as the strap.

Ring: pass the tab through the ring from front to back. Fold it between Rows 52 and 53 and whipstitch Row 57 to the back of Row 48. The loop is about 1.8 in (4.6 cm) long.

Size checkpoint: the holder measures about 19 in (48.3 cm) from the bottom edge to the top of the fold.

Final Blocking

  1. Soak the finished holder in cool water for 10 minutes.
  2. Press the water out in a towel. Don’t wring it.
  3. Slide a roll wrapped in a plastic bag, or a 4.5 in (11.4 cm) jar, into each pod.
  4. Shape the fans so they open evenly and the diamonds sit straight.
  5. Pin the strap flat at 3.7 in (9.4 cm) wide and check that it is straight.
  6. Let it dry completely, which takes 24–48 hours for cotton.
  7. Remove the forms and hang the holder.

Final Quality-Control Checklist

  • Each pod has 8 small fans and 8 large fans, and the large fans are offset by half a repeat.
  • Each rim is 64 sc and 16 in (40.6 cm) around.
  • The strap is 12 hdc wide through Row 44 and the tab is 6 hdc wide.
  • The border is 198 sc, with 86 per long side.
  • The pod rims are sewn exactly on Rows 12, 28, and 44.
  • The fold over the ring is secure and all ends are woven in.
  • A roll slides into each pod easily.

Troubleshooting

  • The base ruffles: your dc tension is loose. Go down a hook size for Rounds 1–4.
  • The base cups too early: add 1 dc to every 3rd repeat in Round 4 only if the base is under 3.75 in. If you do, keep the total a multiple of 3 so Round 5 still has 16 loops.
  • The fans stack instead of offsetting: you missed Round 8. Every fan round needs two mesh rounds below it.
  • The rim is loose: work Rounds 12–15 with a 4.0 mm hook.
  • The strap stretches: use firmer cotton or a 4.0 mm hook for the strap only.
  • The pods tilt forward: add extra tacks at the base edge.

Care

Hand wash in cool water and lay the holder flat to dry, reshaping the pods over jars. Don’t tumble dry, because cotton can shrink and the lace will distort.

Sage green crocheted toilet paper holder with three white rolls hanging from brass hook in bright bathroom.

Final Notes

The measurement chain is simple to follow. The base is 4 in (10.2 cm) across, the widest round is 18 in (45.7 cm) around, and the rim is 16 in (40.6 cm) around. The strap is 3.2 in (8.1 cm) wide, or 3.7 in (9.4 cm) after the border. The pods are placed 5.8 in (14.7 cm) apart, and the holder hangs about 19 in (48.3 cm) long below its 3 in (7.6 cm) ring. Check each stage and the finished holder will match.

Happy crocheting!

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