This plastic bag holder turns a messy pile of grocery bags into something you’ll be happy to hang on the wall. It’s a tall, slim tube with an open mesh body, a raised vine of leaves up the front, and a crochet-covered ring for hanging.
The sample is in soft sage green cotton, and it looks just as good in deep plum. The style is calm and botanical: solid bands at the top and bottom, airy mesh in between, and twelve raised leaves that stand out against the open fabric. The pattern uses US crochet terms.
The finished holder is 16 in (40.6 cm) tall, 16 in (40.6 cm) around, and about 5.1 in (13.0 cm) across. With the ring, it hangs about 19 in (48.3 cm) long. The bottom opening is about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across: small enough to hold the bags in, wide enough to pull one out.
You work the body in one piece from the bottom up, in joined rounds: a narrow solid base, an increase section, the mesh body, and a solid top band. Then you cover a ring, add a tab, make a stem cord and twelve leaves, and sew the vine onto the front.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 16 in (40.6 cm) tall x 16 in (40.6 cm) around; 8 in (20.3 cm) wide when pressed flat
- Hanging length with ring: about 19 in (48.3 cm)
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 5 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 1 dispenser (1 body, 1 covered ring with tab, 1 stem cord, 12 leaves, sewn together into one item)
- Layout: Vine centered on the front; ring centered on the back of the rim
- Body height before top band: 14.5 in (36.8 cm)
- Top band (border) depth: about 1.3 in (3.3 cm)
- Leaf size: about 2.25 in (5.7 cm) long x 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide
Materials
Choose a smooth worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds its shape, shows the leaf texture clearly, and stays firm when the tube is full of bags. Avoid fuzzy yarns, which blur the mesh.
- Main color (sage green or plum): 200 g, about 300 m (328 yd)
The whole holder is one color. For two-tone leaves, use about 30 g (45 m / 49 yd) of a second color for the leaves and stem, and cut the main color to 170 g (255 m / 279 yd).
These amounts include about 15% extra to allow for gauge differences and swatching.
Tools:
- 5 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- 1 metal, wooden, or plastic ring, 3 in (7.6 cm) outer diameter
- Stitch marker
- Tapestry needle
- Sewing pins
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rnd(s) – round(s)
- beg – beginning
Special stitch – Mesh rnd start: Ch 4 counts as 1 dc plus ch 1. Close each mesh rnd with a sl st in the 3rd ch of the beg ch-4.
Special technique – Surface sl st: Hold the yarn behind the fabric, insert the hook from front to back, pull up a loop, and draw it through the loop on the hook. Repeat along the line you’re tracing.
Gauge and Checkpoints
- Single crochet: 16 sc and 18 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm)
- Mesh: 8 mesh spaces (16 sts) and 8 rnds = 4 in (10.2 cm), so each mesh rnd is 0.5 in (1.3 cm) tall
Make one leaf first. It should measure 2.25 in (5.7 cm) long. If it does, your hook and yarn are a good match. Then work the body’s first 7 rnds and check again.
Checkpoints:
- After Rnd 4: the top edge measures 16 in (40.6 cm) around.
- After Rnd 7: the solid base is about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall.
- After Rnd 15: the mesh measures 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
- After Rnd 33: the body measures 14.5 in (36.8 cm) tall.
- After the top band and bottom edge: the body measures 16 in (40.6 cm) tall.
If your piece is too big: go down to a 4.5 mm (7) hook. If it’s too small: go up to a 5.5 mm (I-9) hook. Don’t change the stitch counts; the mesh math depends on 64 sts.
Body
Work in joined rnds with the right side facing you. Do not turn.
Narrow Base
Foundation: Ch 32, sl st in first ch to form a ring. Make sure the chain isn’t twisted.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in each ch around, sl st in first sc. (32 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st in first sc. (32 sc)
Rnd 3 (growth): Ch 1, *sc in next st, 2 sc in next st; rep from * around, sl st in first sc. (48 sc)
Rnd 4 (growth): Ch 1, *sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st; rep from * around, sl st in first sc. (64 sc)
Rnds 5–7: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st in first sc. (64 sc)
Place a marker in the last sc of Rnd 7. This marks the back center. The vine goes on the opposite side.
Mesh Body
Rnd 8 (conversion): Ch 4, sk next sc, *dc in next sc, ch 1, sk next sc; rep from * around, sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-4. Count: 32 dc (one in every other sc) + 32 ch-1 sps = 64 sts.
Rnds 9–33: Ch 4, *dc in next dc, ch 1; rep from * around, sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-4. (32 dc + 32 ch-1 sps = 64 sts)
Rnds 8–33 make 26 mesh rnds, or 13 in (33.0 cm) of mesh. With the 1.5 in (3.8 cm) base, the body now measures 14.5 in (36.8 cm).
Keep each dc lined up directly above the dc below. If the columns start to spiral, check that each beg ch-4 sits directly above the previous one.
Stem Cord
Make 1: Ch 56. Sl st in the back bump of the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (55 sl st)
The cord measures about 14 in (35.6 cm). Leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail for sewing.
Leaves
Make 12.
Ch 9.
Rnd 1: Working in chs 2–8 from the hook: sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in each of next 3 chs, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch (7 sts). In the last ch, work (sc, ch 2, sc) for the tip. Rotate and work along the other side of the foundation ch: sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in each of next 3 chs, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch (7 sts). Sl st in first sc. (16 sts + 1 ch-2 tip sp)
Vein: With the same yarn, work 8 surface sl sts along the center foundation ch, from base to tip. Fasten off, leaving an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail.
Each leaf measures about 2.25 in (5.7 cm) long and 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide. The ch-2 corner forms the pointed tip, and the sc-hdc-dc-dc-dc-hdc-sc sequence gives the rounded oval sides.
Border: Top Band and Bottom Edge
On this tube, the border is the solid top band plus one finishing round on the bottom opening. Use the sc gauge here: 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Think of the tube as two halves, front and back. Each half has 16 mesh spaces, which is 32 sts per half and 64 sts total.
Top Band
Rnd 34 (conversion): Ch 1, *sc in next dc, sc in next ch-1 sp; rep from * around, sl st in first sc. Count: 32 sc (one in each dc) + 32 sc (one in each ch-1 sp) = 64 sc, or 32 sc per half.
Rnds 35–39: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st in first sc. (64 sc; 32 per half)
Fasten off. These 6 sc rnds add about 1.3 in (3.3 cm).
Bottom Edge
Bottom Rnd: Turn the tube upside down. Join yarn in any free loop of the foundation ch. Ch 1, sc in each free loop around, sl st in first sc. (32 sc; 16 per half) Fasten off.
This rnd firms up the opening and adds about 0.2 in (0.5 cm), bringing the total height to 16 in (40.6 cm).
Why the math works: 64 sts at 16 sc per 4 in (10.2 cm) gives exactly 16 in (40.6 cm) around. Each mesh space uses 2 sts, so 32 spaces x 2 = 64. The top band turns them back into sc one for one, with no stitches added or lost. The bottom opening has half that count, 32 sts: 8 in (20.3 cm) around and about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across.
Ring Hanger
Cover the ring: Make a slip knot on the hook. Working over the ring, make about 56 sc, packing them tightly until the ring is fully hidden. Sl st in first sc. Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Tab: Find the marker at back center. With the right side facing, join yarn in the top rnd so the marker sits in the middle of 6 sts.
Row 1: Ch 1, sc in each of the 6 sts. Turn. (6 sc)
Rows 2–10: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (6 sc)
The tab measures about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide and 2.25 in (5.7 cm) long. Pass it through the covered ring from front to back, fold it down inside the tube, and whipstitch the last row to the inside of Rnd 37. The ring should stand about 3 in (7.6 cm) above the rim.
Assembly: Vine and Leaves
Lay the tube flat with the tab at the back. Find the front center column of dc, opposite the marker.
- Pin the bottom end of the stem cord at front center on Rnd 9.
- Pin the cord up the front in a gentle S-curve, about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) to either side of center, ending at Rnd 32. The curve takes up the extra cord length.
- Sew the cord down every 0.5 in (1.3 cm) with small stitches through the dc posts.
- Pin the leaves in an alternating pattern, 6 on the left and 6 on the right. Space leaves on the same side 2 in (5.1 cm) apart, and offset the two sides by 1 in (2.5 cm). Start the lowest leaf about 1 in (2.5 cm) above the bottom end of the cord.
- Tuck each leaf base against the stem and point the tip up and out at about 45 degrees.
- Whipstitch around each leaf edge through the mesh, catching only the back loops of the leaf so the stitches stay hidden.
Slip a rolled towel into the tube while sewing so you don’t stitch the front to the back.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all remaining ends on the inside of the tube.
- Soak the holder in cool water and gently press out the excess. Do not wring.
- Roll it in a towel to remove more water.
- Slide a rolled towel inside the body, or a bottle about 5 in (12.7 cm) wide wrapped in plastic.
- Shape the body to 16 in (40.6 cm) tall. Flatten each leaf with your fingers and straighten the dc columns.
- Let it dry completely.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Body is 16 in (40.6 cm) tall and 16 in (40.6 cm) around.
- Every top band rnd has 64 sc.
- Bottom opening has 32 sc and is about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across.
- Dc columns run straight with no spiral.
- Stem runs from Rnd 9 to Rnd 32 at front center.
- 12 leaves, 6 per side, alternating and evenly spaced.
- Every leaf tip points up and out.
- Tab is centered on the back, and the ring stands about 3 in (7.6 cm) above the rim.
- No sewing stitches show on the back of the tube.
- All ends are woven in on the inside.
Troubleshooting
The mesh spirals. Your beg ch-4 is drifting. Always line up each round’s beg ch-4 directly above the previous round’s join.
The base flares or cups. If it flares, your increase rnds are too loose; go down a hook size for Rnds 3–4 only. If it cups, check that Rnd 3 ends with 48 sc and Rnd 4 with 64 sc.
The top band ruffles. You probably worked 2 sc into some ch-1 sps. Redo Rnd 34 with exactly 1 sc per dc and 1 sc per sp.
Leaves curl. Wet-block them flat before sewing, and sew around the whole edge, not just the base.
Bags fall out of the bottom. Work a second Bottom Rnd with a smaller hook, 1 sc in each st, to tighten the opening.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, then lay flat or stand upright to dry. Reshape the leaves while damp.
Final Notes
Everything in this holder comes back to one number: 64 stitches. The 32-st opening grows to 64 sts in two increase rounds. Those 64 sts become 32 mesh spaces, and the top band turns them back into 64 sc, so the tube stays 16 in (40.6 cm) around from base to rim.
The height adds up just as simply: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) of base, 13 in (33.0 cm) of mesh, 1.3 in (3.3 cm) of top band, and a 0.2 in (0.5 cm) bottom edge, for 16 in (40.6 cm) in total. Check each stage as you go, and the leaves and ring will fall right into place.
Happy crocheting!