The Sage Trellis Hanging Toilet Paper Holder stores three spare rolls in a soft column on the wall. Each basket has an open diamond lattice, so the white rolls show through. The solid base and rim keep the shape firm and tidy.
The pattern uses one sage green cotton yarn and a natural wooden ring. The style is calm and a little Scandinavian, and it suits most bathrooms. All instructions use US crochet terms.
The finished holder is about 21 in (53.3 cm) long, including the ring, and about 6 in (15.2 cm) wide at the baskets. Each basket is about 5 in (12.7 cm) across and has a wall about 4 in (10.2 cm) tall. That fits a standard roll about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide and 4.25 in (10.8 cm) tall.
To make it, you work three baskets in the round from the base up. Next you make two straps lengthwise in rows and sew them to the sides of the baskets. Last, you fold the strap ends over the wooden ring and wrap them with single crochet.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: about 21 in (53.3 cm) long × 6 in (15.2 cm) wide
- Skill level: Easy / Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Bulky (#5) cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 5 (3 baskets and 2 straps), plus a ring wrap worked directly on the ring
- Layout: 3 baskets stacked in 1 vertical column
- Piece size: basket about 5 in (12.7 cm) across × 4 in (10.2 cm) wall height; strap 20 in (50.8 cm) × about 0.9 in (2.3 cm)
- Basket wall before rim (border): about 3.2 in (8.1 cm)
- Rim (border) depth: about 0.8 in (2.0 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth, firm cotton so the baskets keep their shape and the lattice reads clearly. Acrylic is softer and works too, but the baskets will sag more when full.
- Sage green, bulky cotton: 160 g (about 192 m / 210 yd)
- 1 wooden ring, 2.75 in (7.0 cm) outer diameter
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- 6 locking stitch markers
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- 3 toilet rolls for blocking and testing
The yarn amount includes about a 15% margin for your test swatch and joining.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- sk – skip
- BLO – back loop only
- MR – magic ring
- inc – 2 sc in the same st
Special stitch: dc join. To close a mesh round, ch 2 and then dc in the first sc of the round. The ch 2 plus the dc are about as long as a ch-5 loop. This puts your hook in the middle of the last loop, ready to start the next round.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 12 sc and 13 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm) in sc worked in the round.
Mesh gauge: 5 mesh rounds = about 2.25 in (5.7 cm) tall when lightly stretched over a roll.
Make one complete basket before you start the others. It is your real gauge test.
Checkpoints:
- After Round 8, the base measures about 5 in (12.7 cm) across. Anything from 4.75 to 5.25 in (12.1–13.3 cm) is fine.
- After Round 11, the solid wall is about 0.9 in (2.3 cm) tall.
- After Round 16, the wall is about 3.2 in (8.1 cm) tall.
- After Round 19, the wall is about 4 in (10.2 cm) tall and a roll slides in easily.
If the base is too big, the basket will flare. Go down to a 4.5 mm hook. If it is too small, the roll will not fit. Go up to a 5.5 mm hook. Do not change the stitch counts. The whole design depends on the 48-stitch circle.
Basket (make 3)
Base
Round 1: In a MR, work 6 sc. Do not join; work in a spiral and place a marker in the first st. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc 6 times. (18 sts)
Round 4: Sc 2, inc 6 times. (24 sts)
Round 5: Sc 3, inc 6 times. (30 sts)
Round 6: Sc 4, inc 6 times. (36 sts)
Round 7: Sc 5, inc 6 times. (42 sts)
Round 8: Sc 6, inc 6 times. (48 sts)
Sl st to the next st to even out the spiral. The base measures about 5 in (12.7 cm). From here on, join each round with a sl st.
Solid Wall Band
Round 9: Ch 1, sc in BLO of each st around, sl st to first sc. (48 sts)
The front loops left unworked make a crisp ridge that turns the base into the wall.
Rounds 10–11: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to first sc. (48 sts)
This solid band is about 0.9 in (2.3 cm) tall.
Lattice Wall
Round 12 (set-up mesh): Ch 1, sc in the first st, ch 5, sk 3 sts, sc in the next st 11 times, ch 2, sk the last 3 sts, dc in the first sc. (12 loops)
There are 12 anchor sc, one every 4 sts, and 12 loops. The dc join counts as the 12th loop.
Round 13: Ch 1, sc around the post of the dc join, ch 5, sc in the next ch-5 loop 11 times, ch 2, dc in the first sc. (12 loops)
Each new sc sits in the middle of a loop from the round below. This offset is what makes the diamonds.
Rounds 14–16: Repeat Round 13. (12 loops each round)
The wall should now be about 3.2 in (8.1 cm) tall. Slip a roll inside to check that the lattice stretches into neat diamonds.
Rim (Border)
The rim is the border for each basket. It turns the open loops back into solid stitches, so the top edge is firm.
Border gauge: 12 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm) around the rim, the same as the base.
Round 17 (conversion): Ch 1, work 2 sc around the post of the dc join, 4 sc in each of the next 11 ch-5 loops, 2 sc around the dc post again, sl st to first sc. (48 sts = 12 loops × 4 sc. You work 0 sts 1-per-existing-stitch here, because every st goes into a loop. There are 0 extra sts compared with the 48-st base.)
Round 18: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to first sc. (48 sts)
Mark the sides: Place a marker in st 1 and another in st 25. Each half has 24 sts: the front half is sts 1–24 and the back half is sts 25–48. Each half is 8 in (20.3 cm) around the curve. The straps will be sewn at these two markers.
Round 19 (rope edge): Sl st in BLO of each st around. (48 sl sts) Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Why the math works: The base ends with 48 sts. The mesh has a 4-st repeat, so 48 ÷ 4 = 12 loops. The conversion round puts 4 sc into each of the 12 loops, which brings the count back to exactly 48. The wall therefore rises straight up with no flare or pull-in. Because 48 is even, the two side markers sit exactly opposite each other, 24 sts apart.
Straps (make 2)
Foundation: Ch 61.
Row 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across, turn. (60 sts)
Rows 2–3: Ch 1, sc in BLO of each st across, turn. (60 sts)
Fasten off and leave a 40 in (101.6 cm) tail for sewing.
Each strap is 20 in (50.8 cm) long and about 0.9 in (2.3 cm) wide. At 3 sts per inch, each st along the strap equals ⅓ in (0.8 cm). Working in the BLO gives the strap a ridged, rope-like texture.
Mark these sections on each strap, counting from the end without the tail:
- Sts 1–12: bottom basket
- Sts 13–14: gap
- Sts 15–26: middle basket
- Sts 27–28: gap
- Sts 29–40: top basket
- Sts 41–56: free strap that rises to the ring
- Sts 57–60: fold-back behind the ring
Make All Pieces
- Sage green: 3 baskets and 2 straps, about 38 g per basket, 9 g per strap, plus 4 g for the ring wrap
Layout (front view):
( RING )
\ /
strap \ / strap
| [ BASKET 3 ] | sts 29–40
| gap 2 sts | sts 27–28
| [ BASKET 2 ] | sts 15–26
| gap 2 sts | sts 13–14
| [ BASKET 1 ] | sts 1–12
Joining
Method: Whipstitch with the strap tail through both strap edges and the basket wall.
Stitch-to-stitch logic: Each basket’s side has 12 rows to sew: the last base round (Round 8) plus wall Rounds 9–19. Each basket section of the strap also has 12 sts, so you sew 1 strap st to 1 basket round.
- Lay the baskets in a column, each with its side markers (st 1 and st 25) facing left and right.
- Center strap st 1 on the edge of Round 8 under the left marker of the bottom basket.
- Sew strap sts 2–12 to Rounds 9–19 in order, so strap st 12 lands on the rope edge (Round 19). Sew along both long edges of the strap. Where you reach the lattice, pass the needle around the mesh sc and loops.
- Leave sts 13–14 unsewn. This gap is about 0.7 in (1.8 cm).
- Sew the middle basket to sts 15–26 and the top basket to sts 29–40 the same way.
- Repeat on the right side with the second strap at the st 25 markers.
Tension: Keep the whipstitch snug but flat. If you pull too hard, the strap will pucker and the basket will tilt.
Size checkpoint: The joined stack from the bottom of basket 1 to the rim of basket 3 should be about 13.3 in (33.8 cm). That is 40 sts at ⅓ in each.
Ring and Ring Wrap
- Bring both straps up so they sit side by side. Pass sts 57–60 of each strap over the ring from front to back.
- Fold the ends down behind the straps and sew sts 57–60 flat behind sts 53–56.
- Join yarn on the ring next to the straps. Work 20 sc around the lower half of the ring, covering both folds. Fasten off.
- Gathering wrap: Wrap yarn 8 times tightly around both straps, just below the ring. Secure the wrap with a few stitches through the straps and weave in the ends.
Final Blocking
- Lightly mist each basket with water.
- Put a roll in each basket so the lattice opens into even diamonds.
- Hang the holder from a hook to dry, so the straps relax to their full length.
- Ease each rim into a round shape with your fingers.
- Leave it to dry for 24 hours before using it.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each base has 48 sts and is about 5 in (12.7 cm) across.
- Each lattice has 12 loops in every round, with no twisted diamonds.
- Each rim has 48 sts, with the side markers 24 sts apart.
- Each strap is 60 sts and 20 in (50.8 cm) long.
- Both gaps are 2 sts and the same on the left and right.
- The baskets hang level and do not tip forward.
- The ring wrap covers both folds completely.
- All ends are woven in securely.
Troubleshooting
- Basket flares at the top: Your loops are too loose. Try ch 4 instead of ch 5, or use a smaller hook for the mesh only.
- Lattice slants in a spiral: You missed the dc join. Make sure each round starts in the middle of the last loop.
- Rim ripples: Your sts in Round 17 are too loose. Go down half a hook size for the rim.
- Basket tilts forward: The straps are not opposite each other. Re-sew them at st 1 and st 25.
- Straps are different lengths: Count the sts again. Both straps must have 60 sts.
- Roll is too tight: Add a Round 9 inc (sc 7, inc around) and adjust the mesh to 54 sts with a sk 2 repeat. Or simply use a 5.5 mm hook.
Care
Hand wash in cool water and lay flat or hang to dry. Avoid tumble drying, which can shrink the cotton and warp the baskets.
Final Notes
The measurement chain is simple. The 48-st base measures about 5 in (12.7 cm), so 12 lattice loops of 4 sts fit around it. The rim converts those loops back to 48 sts, so each wall stands straight at 4 in (10.2 cm). Each basket matches 12 strap sts, and the two 2-st gaps keep the stack at 13.3 in (33.8 cm). The 60-st straps reach the ring for a finished length of about 21 in (53.3 cm). Check each link in that chain and the holder will hang straight and level.
Happy crocheting!