Plastic bags tend to pile up under the sink. This hanging holder keeps them in one tidy tube: you stuff bags in at the top and pull them out one at a time through the round hole in the bottom.
The Seaside Shell Bag Holder is worked in deep teal cotton with cream accents. A solid rounded base leads into a cream wave band, then a tall open filet mesh, then a solid top band ringed with eight cream scallop shells and a rolled cream rim. It has a calm coastal-cottage look that suits a kitchen, laundry room or beach house.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished holder is about 18.75 in (47.6 cm) long, 18 in (45.7 cm) around and 9 in (22.9 cm) wide when laid flat. The hanging strap leaves an 8 in (20.3 cm) free loop.
Construction is simple. You start at the dispensing hole with a chain ring, increase outward to make a flat base, then work straight up in joined rounds. After that you add the cream edgings, crochet and sew on eight shells, and finally sew on the strap.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 18.75 in (47.6 cm) long without the strap; 18 in (45.7 cm) around; 9 in (22.9 cm) wide laid flat
- Skill level: Intermediate (post stitches, simple colorwork, working in the round)
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton
- Hook: 4.5 mm (US 7) for the body and strap; 3.75 mm (US F-5) for the shells
- Number of pieces: 1 main body, plus 8 shell appliqués and 1 strap that are sewn on (no panels to join)
- Layout: One upright tube, open at the top for loading bags, with a dispensing hole at the bottom
- Piece size: Base about 5.75 in (14.6 cm) across; hole about 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across inside the edging
- Size before border: 18.25 in (46.4 cm) long
- Border depth: Top rim about 0.5 in (1.3 cm); hole edging is 2 rounds
Materials
Use a smooth, firm worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds its shape when the tube is full and shows the shell ridges clearly. Avoid fuzzy or very stretchy yarn, because the mesh will sag.
- Teal (main color): 150 g, about 231 m
- Cream (contrast color): 45 g, about 69 m
These quantities include a margin of about 15%.
Tools:
- 4.5 mm (US 7) crochet hook
- 3.75 mm (US F-5) crochet hook
- Stitch markers (at least 9)
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Sewing pins
- Measuring tape
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- BPdc – back post double crochet
- rev sc – reverse single crochet
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
Reverse single crochet (crab stitch): Work from left to right if you are right-handed. Insert the hook into the next stitch to the right, yarn over and pull up a loop. Yarn over again and pull through both loops. This makes a firm, rope-like edge.
BPdc worked on a WS row: Yarn over and insert the hook from back to front to back around the post of the stitch, then finish a dc. When you work it from the WS, the post is pushed to the RS and forms a raised ridge there.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge with the 4.5 mm hook: 16 sc and 18 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm). In mesh, 4 squares (12 sts) = 3 in (7.6 cm), and 8 mesh rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Work the base (Rounds 1–8) first and use it as your gauge test. If it measures correctly, carry on.
Checkpoints:
- After Round 8: the base is about 5.75 in (14.6 cm) across, flat or slightly cupped.
- After Round 16: the side wall above the base measures about 1.75 in (4.4 cm), and the tube is 9 in (22.9 cm) wide when flattened.
- After Round 20: the wave band is about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) deep.
- After Round 44: the mesh section measures 12 in (30.5 cm).
- After Round 51: the top band is about 1.5 in (3.8 cm), and the body is 18.25 in (46.4 cm) long.
If your work is too big, go down half a hook size. If it is too small, go up half a hook size. If only the height is off, add or remove mesh rounds in pairs. Always keep 72 stitches per round, because the wave repeat, the mesh and the shell spacing all depend on that number.
Main Body
Work the body in joined rounds with the RS facing, without turning. The starting ch 1 does not count as a stitch unless stated otherwise. Join each round with a sl st into the first stitch, and place a marker in the first stitch of every round.
To change color, work the joining sl st of the previous round with the new color. Carry the unused color loosely on the inside.
Base (Teal, 4.5 mm hook)
Foundation: Ch 30. Join with a sl st into the first ch to form a ring, taking care not to twist the chain.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc into the back bump of each ch around, leaving the front loops free for the hole edging. Join. (30 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, [sc in next 4, inc] 6 times. Join. (36 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, [sc in next 5, inc] 6 times. Join. (42 sts)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, [sc in next 6, inc] 6 times. Join. (48 sts)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, [sc in next 7, inc] 6 times. Join. (54 sts)
Rnd 6: Ch 1, [sc in next 8, inc] 6 times. Join. (60 sts)
Rnd 7: Ch 1, [sc in next 9, inc] 6 times. Join. (66 sts)
Rnd 8: Ch 1, [sc in next 10, inc] 6 times. Join. (72 sts)
You now have a flat ring with a hole in the center. This ring becomes the rounded bottom of the holder.
Lower Wall (Teal)
Rnds 9–16: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (72 sts per round)
From Round 9 on, the work curves up into a tube. Change to cream on the final sl st of Round 16.
Wave Band
Rnd 17 (cream): Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (72 sts)
Rnd 18 (cream): Ch 1, *sc in next st, hdc in next st, dc in each of next 2 sts, hdc in next st, sc in next st; repeat from * 11 more times. Join, changing to teal. (72 sts, 12 waves)
Rnd 19 (teal): Ch 3 (counts as first dc), hdc in next st, sc in each of next 2 sts, hdc in next st, dc in next st, *dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in each of next 2 sts, hdc in next st, dc in next st; repeat from * 10 more times. Join to the top of the ch-3, changing to cream. (72 sts)
The tall stitches of Rnd 19 sit above the short stitches of Rnd 18. That levels the top edge again and leaves the cream wave outlined in teal.
Rnd 20 (cream): Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join, changing to teal. (72 sts)
Mesh Body (Teal)
Rnd 21 (conversion round): Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2), skip next 2 sts, *dc in next st, ch 2, skip next 2 sts; repeat from * around. Join to the 3rd ch of the beginning ch-5. (24 dc + 24 ch-2 sps = 72 sts; 24 squares)
Rnds 22–44: Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2), skip the ch-2 sp, *dc in next dc, ch 2; repeat from * 22 more times. Join to the 3rd ch of the beginning ch-5. (24 squares per round)
That makes 24 mesh rounds in total. Work each dc into the top of the dc below so the squares line up in straight vertical columns.
Top Band (Teal)
Rnd 45 (conversion round): Ch 1, *sc in next dc, 2 sc in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * around. Join. (24 sc in the dc + 48 sc in the spaces = 72 sts)
Rnds 46–51: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (72 sts per round)
Change to cream on the final join. The body now measures 18.25 in (46.4 cm).
Shell Appliqués (Make 8; Cream, 3.75 mm Hook)
Row 1 (RS): Ch 4, 6 dc in 4th ch from hook. Turn. (7 sts; the skipped ch 3 counts as a dc)
Row 2 (WS): Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st, [BPdc around next st, 2 dc in next st] 3 times, working the last 2 dc into the top of the turning chain. Turn. (4 pairs of dc + 3 BPdc = 11 sts)
Row 3 (RS, scallop edge): Ch 1, 2 sc in each of next 2 dc, sl st in the post st, [2 sc in each of next 2 dc, sl st in the post st] 2 times, 2 sc in each of last 2 dc. (16 sc + 3 sl sts = 19 sts)
Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail. The sl sts pull the edge in at each ridge, which makes 4 scallops, with the 3 raised ridges running up to the dips between them. The beginning chain becomes the small tab at the base. Each shell is about 1.75 in (4.4 cm) wide and 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall.
Strap (Teal, 4.5 mm Hook)
Foundation: Ch 4.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (3 sts)
Rows 2–45: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (3 sts)
Fasten off and leave a long tail. The strap is 10 in (25.4 cm) long and 0.75 in (1.9 cm) wide.
Border
Border gauge: Work both edgings in cream with the 4.5 mm hook, at 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm). Each edging is worked 1 stitch into each existing stitch, so it adds no extra fullness and doesn’t pull in.
Top Rim
Rnd 52 (cream): Ch 1, sc in each st around. Join. (72 sts)
Rnd 53 (cream): Ch 1, rev sc in each st around. Join and fasten off. (72 sts)
The rim puts 72 stitches on 72 stitches, so the top keeps the full 18 in (45.7 cm) circumference. The rev sc rolls over slightly to form the corded cream edge.
Hole Edging
Turn the holder so the base faces you. Join cream into any free front loop of the foundation chain.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in each free loop around. Join. (30 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, rev sc in each st around. Join and fasten off. (30 sts)
The 30 foundation chains leave 30 free loops, so the edging is exactly 1 stitch per loop. The finished opening is about 2.25 in (5.7 cm) across. That is snug enough to hold bags in but still easy to pull them through.
Attaching Shells and Strap
- Lay the holder flat with the round joins at one side. Place a marker in Rnd 50 at stitches 1, 10, 19, 28, 37, 46, 55 and 64. That puts a marker every 9 stitches, or every 2.25 in (5.7 cm).
- Pin a shell centered at each marker, with the tab pointing down and the scalloped edge just below the cream rim.
- Sew each shell along its outer edge with its cream tail, using small whipstitches through the scallop stitches. Then stitch down the tab.
- On the inside of the top band, lay 1 in (2.5 cm) of one strap end over stitches 1–3. Lay the other end over stitches 37–39. Check that the strap is not twisted.
- Sew each strap end down with a box of backstitches. This leaves an 8 in (20.3 cm) free loop.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends, running each one back through 2–3 stitches.
- Mist the holder with water until it is damp but not soaked.
- Slide a rolled towel, or any tube about 5.75 in (14.6 cm) across, into the body.
- Straighten the mesh so the columns run straight and every square is open.
- Press each shell flat with your fingers and spread out the scallops.
- Shape the base into a smooth dome around the hole.
- Let it dry completely, upright if possible.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Base Rnd 8 has 72 sts, and every round after it has 72 sts
- The wave band shows 12 even waves
- The mesh is 24 squares around and 24 rounds tall, with straight columns
- The top band conversion round has 72 sts
- The rim and hole edging lie smooth, with no ruffling
- There are 8 shells, each with 3 ridges and 4 scallops, spaced 2.25 in (5.7 cm) apart
- The strap is untwisted, with an 8 in (20.3 cm) loop
- The holder is 18.75 in (47.6 cm) long and 9 in (22.9 cm) wide laid flat
Troubleshooting
The base ruffles: Your tension is loose for this increase rate. Check that each round has exactly 6 increases, and try a smaller hook.
The base cups too much: Your tension is tight. Go up half a hook size for Rounds 1–8.
The mesh slants: You are probably working the dc into the ch-2 space instead of into the dc. Work into the top of each dc.
The wave looks uneven: Check that the dc in Rnd 19 sit above the sc in Rnd 18.
The shells curl: Work Row 3 more loosely, and steam-block the shells flat before you sew them on.
Bags fall out on their own: Before the rev sc round of the hole edging, add a round of sc with 6 evenly spaced sc2tog (24 sts).
Care
Hand wash in cool water, or machine wash on a gentle cycle inside a laundry bag. Reshape while damp, and dry flat or upright.
Final Notes
The measurements build in a simple chain. The 30-stitch ring grows into a 72-stitch base about 5.75 in (14.6 cm) across. Those 72 stitches carry through the wall, the wave band, the 24 mesh squares and the top band, giving an 18 in (45.7 cm) tube that is 18.25 in (46.4 cm) long. The 0.5 in (1.3 cm) rim brings the length to 18.75 in (47.6 cm). The eight shells sit every 9 stitches, and the 10 in (25.4 cm) strap leaves an 8 in (20.3 cm) loop. Get your gauge right at the base and the rest will follow.
Happy crocheting!