This hanging toilet paper holder makes spare rolls part of the bathroom decor. A long cream backing panel holds three sage green pockets worked in an airy fan-and-net lace. Each pocket sits on a solid single crochet base, and the roll shows softly through the open shells.
The palette is calm and natural: cream for the panel, sage for the pockets, and warm beige for the trims. A beige reverse single crochet border outlines the panel. Beige also marks the base ridge and the top rim of each pocket, so the separate pieces look like one set. A wooden ring at the tapered top lets you hang the holder on a door hook or wall hook.
The finished panel measures 7 in (17.8 cm) wide by 23 in (58.4 cm) long. With the ring, the holder hangs about 26 in (66.0 cm) long. Each pocket is 6 in (15.2 cm) wide and 4 in (10.2 cm) tall. The pattern uses US crochet terms throughout.
Construction is simple. You work the backing panel flat in rows of single crochet, taper the top to a point, and add a two-round border. You crochet each pocket in the round as a small oval basket, then sew the three pockets to the panel and wrap the ring on last.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: panel 7 in × 23 in (17.8 × 58.4 cm); about 26 in (66.0 cm) including the ring
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: 5 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 4 crocheted pieces (1 backing panel, 3 pockets) plus 1 wooden ring
- Layout: 3 pockets stacked in a single vertical column on the panel
- Pocket size: 6 in (15.2 cm) wide × 4 in (10.2 cm) tall, base about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) deep
- Panel size before border: 6 in × 22 in (15.2 × 55.9 cm)
- Border depth: 0.5 in (1.3 cm) on each edge
Materials
Use a smooth worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds its shape in a humid bathroom and shows the fans clearly. Fuzzy or stretchy yarns blur the lace and let the pockets sag.
- Cream (backing panel): 100 g, about 170 m
- Sage green (pockets): 100 g, about 170 m
- Beige (border, pocket ridges and rims, ring wrap): 50 g, about 85 m
These quantities include a margin of about 20 percent for your gauge swatch and small tension differences.
Tools:
- 5 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- 1 wooden ring, 3 in (7.6 cm) outer diameter
- Tapestry needle
- 6 locking stitch markers
- Rigid ruler or tape measure
- Rust-proof pins and a blocking mat
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- BLO – back loop only
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rep – repeat
- RS – right side
Special stitch – reverse single crochet (rev sc): Work from left to right (left-handed crocheters work from right to left). Insert the hook into the next stitch to the right, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, and draw through both loops. This makes the twisted, rope-like edge.
Fan: 7 dc worked into the same stitch or space.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Panel gauge: 16 sc and 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in rows of sc.
Pocket gauge: 1 fan plus 1 sc spans 6 base sts = 1.5 in (3.8 cm).
Test one piece first. A pocket is quick to make and shows both your single crochet and your lace tension, so make one before you start the panel.
Checkpoints:
- Pocket base after Rnd 3: about 6 in × 1.5 in (15.2 × 3.8 cm), 60 sts.
- Finished pocket: 4 in (10.2 cm) tall, 15 in (38.1 cm) around the rim.
- Panel after Row 81: 6 in × 18 in (15.2 × 45.7 cm).
- Panel after Row 99: 22 in (55.9 cm) long.
- Panel after border: 7 in × 23 in (17.8 × 58.4 cm).
If your pieces are too big, go down half a hook size. If they are too small, go up half a hook size. Change the hook, not the stitch counts, because the counts are what keep the pocket width equal to the panel width.
Backing Panel
Use cream. Work in rows and turn at the end of each row. Ch 1 at the start of a row does not count as a stitch.
Row 1: Ch 25, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (24 sc)
Rows 2–81: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (24 sc)
Checkpoint: the panel should measure 6 in × 18 in (15.2 × 45.7 cm). Place markers in Rows 3, 21, 30, 48, 57 and 75. You will use them to place the pockets.
Taper:
Row 82: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc in each st to last 2 sts, sc2tog. (22 sc)
Row 83: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (22 sc)
Rows 84–99: Rep Rows 82–83 eight more times. (6 sc at the end of Row 99)
Stitch counts at the end of each decrease row: Row 84 = 20, Row 86 = 18, Row 88 = 16, Row 90 = 14, Row 92 = 12, Row 94 = 10, Row 96 = 8, Row 98 = 6. Row 99 stays at 6.
The taper takes 18 rows, or 4 in (10.2 cm). The panel is now 22 in (55.9 cm) long, and the top edge is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide. Fasten off.
Pockets
Make 3. Work in joined rounds and do not turn. Ch 1 at the start of a round does not count as a stitch. Join each round with a sl st to the first st.
Base (sage):
Rnd 1: Ch 23, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 21 ch, 3 sc in last ch. Working along the other side of the foundation chain, sc in next 21 ch, 2 sc in last ch (the same ch as the first sc). Join. (48 sc: 1 + 21 + 3 + 21 + 2)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in next 21 sts, 2 sc in each of next 3 sts, sc in next 21 sts, 2 sc in each of last 2 sts. Join. (54 sc)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in first st, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 21 sts, [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] 3 times, sc in next 21 sts, [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] 2 times. Join. (60 sc)
Check: the base should be about 6 in × 1.5 in (15.2 × 3.8 cm). Fasten off sage.
Walls:
Rnd 4 (beige): Join beige in any st. Ch 1, sc in BLO of each st around. Join. (60 sc) This round turns the edge upward and leaves a beige ridge along the base fold. Fasten off beige.
Rnds 5–6 (sage): Join sage. Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (60 sc)
Rnd 7 (fans): Ch 1, sc in first st, *skip 2 sts, 7 dc in next st, skip 2 sts, sc in next st; rep from * 8 more times, skip 2 sts, 7 dc in next st, skip 2 sts. Join to first sc. (10 fans and 10 sc = 80 sts)
Rnd 8 (net): Sl st in each of the next 4 sts, ending in the center (4th) dc of the first fan. Ch 1, sc in same st, *ch 5, sc in center dc of next fan; rep from * 8 more times, ch 5. Join to first sc. (10 sc and 10 ch-5 sps = 60 sts)
Each ch-5 arch now sits directly above a Rnd 7 sc, between two fans.
Rnd 9 (fans): Ch 1, sc in first sc, *7 dc in next ch-5 sp, sc in next sc; rep from * around, ending with 7 dc in last ch-5 sp. Join to first sc. (10 fans and 10 sc = 80 sts)
The new fans sit centered above the gaps between the Rnd 7 fans, which gives the overlapping shell look.
Rnd 10: Rep Rnd 8. (60 sts)
Rnd 11: Rep Rnd 9. (80 sts)
Rnd 12: Rep Rnd 8. (60 sts) Fasten off sage.
Rim (beige):
Rnd 13 (conversion round): Join beige in any sc. Ch 1, sc in each sc and work 5 sc in each ch-5 sp around. Join. (10 sc worked 1-per-sc + 50 sc worked into the spaces = 60 sc)
Rnd 14: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (60 sc) Fasten off, leaving a 24 in (61.0 cm) tail for sewing.
Checkpoint: the pocket is 4 in (10.2 cm) tall, and the rim measures 15 in (38.1 cm) around.
Mark the pocket sides: Flatten the pocket so the straight sides of the base lie front and back. On Rnd 14, mark 24 back sts centered on the back side, 6 sts at each end, and 24 front sts (24 + 6 + 24 + 6 = 60). Mark the same 24 back sts on the beige ridge of Rnd 4.
Make All Pieces
- Cream: 1 backing panel
- Sage (with beige ridges and rims): 3 pockets
- Beige: panel border and ring wrap
Layout, top to bottom:
( ring )
/ \ taper, Rows 82–99
| | Rows 76–81 (open)
| P3 | Pocket 3: Rows 57–75
| | Rows 49–56 (open)
| P2 | Pocket 2: Rows 30–48
| | Rows 22–29 (open)
| P1 | Pocket 1: Rows 3–21
|____| Rows 1–2 + border
Each pocket base starts 27 rows, or 6 in (15.2 cm), above the one below it.
Border
Add the border before you sew on the pockets, so it lies flat and evenly.
Border gauge: same as the panel, 4 sc per inch (2.5 cm). On the long sides, rows run at 4.5 per inch, so you work 8 sc for every 9 row ends.
Rnd 1 (beige): With RS facing, join beige in the bottom right corner st of Row 1. Ch 1, then work:
- Bottom edge: 3 sc in corner st, sc in next 22 sts, 3 sc in last corner st. (24 sts worked + 4 extra = 28 sc)
- Left long side (Rows 1–81): Work 1 sc in each row end, skipping every 9th row end. (81 − 9 = 72 sc)
- Left taper (Rows 82–99): 1 sc in each row end. (18 sc)
- Top edge: 3 sc in first st, sc in next 4 sts, 3 sc in last st. (6 sts worked + 4 extra = 10 sc)
- Right taper: 1 sc in each row end. (18 sc)
- Right long side: Work 1 sc in each row end, skipping every 9th row end. (72 sc)
Join to first sc. Total: 28 + 72 + 18 + 10 + 18 + 72 = 218 sc. As a conversion round, that is 30 sts worked 1-per-stitch, plus 180 sc in row ends, plus 8 extra corner sc.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, rev sc in each st around. Join. (218 rev sc) Fasten off.
Why the math works: The gauge is 16 sts to 18 rows, a ratio of 8 to 9. Working 8 sc in every 9 row ends keeps the long sides the same length as the fabric, so they don’t ruffle or pull in: 72 sc ÷ 4 per inch = 18 in (45.7 cm), which matches the 81 rows. Each taper edge runs 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across and 4 in (10.2 cm) up, which makes a diagonal of about 4.6 in (11.7 cm). That needs about 18 sc, so 1 sc per row end fits. The 3-sc corners let the square corners lie flat. The two rounds add 0.5 in (1.3 cm) on each edge, so the panel grows from 6 in × 22 in to 7 in × 23 in (17.8 × 58.4 cm).
Joining
Method: Whipstitch with the beige tail from Rnd 14 of each pocket.
- Lay the panel RS up. Place Pocket 1 so its 24 back ridge sts from Rnd 4 line up with the 24 sts of panel Row 3.
- Whipstitch the base 1 pocket st to 1 panel st, going through the beige ridge and the panel st. The pocket back is 24 sts, or 6 in (15.2 cm), the same as the panel body width before the border. Because the counts match 1-to-1, the pocket sits flat with no puckers.
- Line up the 24 back sts of Rnd 14 with the 24 sts of panel Row 21, which is 4 in (10.2 cm) above the base. Whipstitch 1-to-1.
- Tack each end of the back wall straight down the panel’s first and last stitch columns, catching every round of the pocket.
- Repeat for Pocket 2 (Rows 30 and 48) and Pocket 3 (Rows 57 and 75).
Tension: Pull each stitch snug enough to close the gap, but not so tight that it dimples the panel. The front 24 sts and the two 6-st ends stay free and curve outward into a shallow basket.
Checkpoint: The panel still measures 7 in × 23 in (17.8 × 58.4 cm), and the three pocket rims sit level and parallel.
Ring: Thread a 60 in (152.4 cm) beige strand. Hold the ring 0.75 in (1.9 cm) above the top border. Pass the strand through the 10 top border sts and over the ring 8 times, spreading the loops across the top edge. Then wrap the bundle tightly 8 times just below the ring, push the needle up under the wraps, and trim.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends, running each one through at least 2 in (5.1 cm) of the matching color.
- Mist the whole holder with cool water until it is damp but not soaked.
- Pin the panel flat to 7 in × 23 in (17.8 × 58.4 cm), with the taper straight and centered.
- Fill each pocket lightly with a rolled towel to open the lace.
- Gently pull each fan outward so its 7 dc spread evenly.
- Let it dry completely, at least 24 hours, before hanging.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The panel measures 7 in × 23 in (17.8 × 58.4 cm).
- Border Rnd 1 has 218 sts, and the rope edge is even all the way around.
- The taper is symmetrical, with 18 sts on each diagonal.
- Each pocket has 10 fans in Rnds 7, 9 and 11.
- Each pocket rim has 60 sts and measures 15 in (38.1 cm) around.
- The pockets are centered and level, 6 in (15.2 cm) apart from base to base.
- The ring wrap is tight, and the holder hangs straight.
- All ends are woven in and none show on the front.
Troubleshooting
- Panel narrows as you go: You are missing the last st of a row. Count to 24 every 10 rows.
- Long border sides ruffle or pull in: If they ruffle, skip more row ends. If they pull in, skip fewer.
- Fans cup or curl: Your dc are too tight. Go up half a hook size for the lace rounds only.
- Pocket is wider than the panel: Check that you marked exactly 24 back sts.
- Holder tilts: Re-wrap the ring so the loops are spread evenly across all 10 top sts.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, roll in a towel to press out the water, and dry flat. Reshape the pockets while damp.
Final Notes
Every measurement in this holder comes from one gauge. At 16 sc to 4 in (10.2 cm), the 24-st panel is 6 in (15.2 cm) wide, and the 24-st pocket back fits it stitch for stitch. The 81 rows give 18 in (45.7 cm) of body, and the 18-row taper adds 4 in (10.2 cm). The 218-st border then brings the panel to 7 in × 23 in (17.8 × 58.4 cm). Check your gauge, the pocket base and the bare panel, and the rest falls into place.
Happy crocheting!