This Seaside Shells Plastic Bag Holder is a tall crochet tube that hangs from a wooden ring and keeps grocery bags tidy. You push bags in at the top and pull them out one at a time through an oval opening near the base.
The main colorway is cream and soft sage green. Rounds of sage shell-stitch fans alternate with offset cream fans, which gives a light, scaly, beachy texture. The base, lower wall, and top band are solid cream. A small cluster of appliqués on the front adds the seaside look: a ribbed cream seashell, a dusty-blue spiral snail shell, and a sandy starfish. For the second colorway, work the colored fans in dusty blue instead of sage.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished holder is about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across and about 14 in (35.6 cm) tall, not counting the ring. Its circumference is 14 in (35.6 cm).
You work the holder in one piece from the bottom up. First you make a flat circular base and a solid single-crochet wall, with a few turned rows that form the dispensing hole. Next come 13 rounds of shell stitch and a cream top band with an eyelet round for a drawstring. Then you add a scalloped edge, two hanging straps, and the three sewn appliqués.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) diameter x 14 in (35.6 cm) tall; with ring, about 18 in (45.7 cm) overall
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4) cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8) for the body; 4.0 mm (G-6) for the straps, drawstring, and appliqués
- Number of pieces: 1 body tube, 2 straps, 1 drawstring, 3 appliqués (seashell, spiral, starfish)
- Layout: One vertical tube; the opening is at front center near the base, and the appliqués sit at front right, above the solid wall
- Body circumference: 56 stitches = 14 in (35.6 cm)
- Size before border: about 13.5 in (34.3 cm) tall
- Border depth: scalloped top edge, about 0.5 in (1.3 cm)
Materials
Use a smooth worsted-weight cotton, about 180 m per 100 g. Cotton keeps its shape when it’s full of bags, and it shows the shell texture clearly.
- Color A, Cream: 75 g / 135 m (base, wall, cream shell rounds, top band, straps, drawstring, seashell)
- Color B, Sage Green (or Dusty Blue): 30 g / 54 m (colored shell rounds)
- Color C, Dusty Blue: 5 g / 9 m (spiral snail shell)
- Color D, Sand/Tan: 5 g / 9 m (starfish)
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) and 4.0 mm (G-6) crochet hooks
- One wooden ring, 2.5 in (6.4 cm) outside diameter
- Tapestry needle
- 4 stitch markers
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Spray bottle and pins for blocking
All yarn amounts include about a 20% safety margin.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- FPdc – front post double crochet
- BLO – back loop only
- MR – magic ring
- sk – skip
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- sp – space
Special stitch: Shell. Work 7 dc in the same stitch.
Front post double crochet (FPdc). Yarn over, insert the hook from front to back to front around the post of the stitch, then finish as a regular dc.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Single crochet gauge (5.0 mm hook): 16 sc x 18 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Shell gauge: 1 shell repeat (8 stitches) = 2 in (5.1 cm) wide. 8 shell rounds = 5 in (12.7 cm) tall.
The base works as your gauge swatch, so test it first. If the 7-round base doesn’t measure 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across, change your hook before you start the wall.
Checkpoints:
- Base, after Rnd 7: 4.5 in (11.4 cm) diameter, lying flat
- Wall, after Rnd 16: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall, measured from the base edge
- Opening: 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide x 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall
- Shell section, after 8 rounds: 5 in (12.7 cm); after 13 rounds, 8.1 in (20.6 cm)
- Before the scallop edge: about 13.5 in (34.3 cm) tall in total
If your pieces are too big: go down one hook size. If they’re too small: go up one size. Only the circumference has to be exact (56 sts = 14 in / 35.6 cm). Height differences of 0.5 in (1.3 cm) or less are fine.
Base (Color A, 5.0 mm hook)
Work in joined rounds. The ch 1 at the start of a round doesn’t count as a stitch. Join each round with a sl st to the first sc.
Rnd 1: MR, ch 1, 8 sc in the ring, join. (8 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, join. (16 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, repeat around, join. (24 sts)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, repeat around, join. (32 sts)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st, repeat around, join. (40 sts)
Rnd 6: Ch 1, sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st, repeat around, join. (48 sts)
Rnd 7: Ch 1, sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st, repeat around, join. (56 sts)
Checkpoint: the base should be 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across.
Lower Wall and Dispensing Opening (Color A)
Wall Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in BLO of each st around, join. (56 sts) The free front loops make a crisp turning ridge, so the base sits flat.
Wall Rnds 2–4: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (56 sts)
The opening is made by working back and forth over 46 stitches and leaving the last 10 stitches of the round unworked.
Row 5: Ch 1, sc in the same st as the join and in the next 45 sts. Leave the last 10 sts unworked and turn. (46 sts)
Rows 6–11: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (46 sts) Do not turn at the end of Row 11.
At the end of Row 11, ch 10 and sl st to the first sc of Row 11. The chain closes the tube again across the gap.
Wall Rnd 12: Ch 1, sc in the same st and in the next 45 sts, then sc in each of the 10 chains, join. (46 sc + 10 sc in chains = 56 sts)
Wall Rnds 13–16: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (56 sts)
Checkpoint: the wall is 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall, and the opening is 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide x 1.5 in (3.8 cm) tall. Treat the opening as the front of the holder.
Shell Section (Colors B and A)
Rounds alternate Color B and Color A. Change color during the last sl st of each round. Carry the color you aren’t using loosely up the inside at the join instead of cutting it.
Round type A (Color B): The sc sits between shells.
Round type B (Color A): Offset shells start with a split half shell.
Shell Rnd 1 (type A, Color B): Ch 1, sc in the first st, sk 3 sts, shell in next st, sk 3 sts, sc in next st. Repeat around, leaving out the last sc, and join to the first sc. (7 shells + 7 sc = 56 sts)
Shell Rnd 2 (type B, Color A): Ch 3 (counts as dc), 3 dc in the first sc. Sc in the 4th (center) dc of the next shell, shell in the next sc. Repeat 5 more times. Then sc in the center dc of the last shell, 3 dc in the first sc, and join to the top of ch 3. (4 + 48 + 4 = 56 sts, made of 7 shells and 7 sc)
Shell Rnd 3 (type A, Color B): Ch 1, sc in the joining st (the center of the split shell). Sk 3 dc, shell in the next sc, sk 3 dc, sc in the center dc of the next shell. Repeat around, leaving out the last sc, and join. (56 sts)
Shell Rnds 4–13: Repeat Rnds 2 and 3 five more times, finishing with a type A round in Color B. (56 sts each round; 13 shell rounds in total, 7 in Color B and 6 in Color A) Cut Color B.
Checkpoint: the shell section measures 8.1 in (20.6 cm).
Top Band (Color A)
Band Rnd 1 (leveling): Ch 4 (counts as tr) in the first sc. Then dc in the next dc, hdc in the next dc, sc in each of the next 3 dc, hdc in the next dc, dc in the next dc, tr in the next sc. Repeat around, leaving out the last tr, and join to the top of ch 4. (56 sts worked one in each existing st + 0 added = 56 sts) The tall stitches fill the dips between the shells, so the edge comes out level.
Band Rnds 2–3: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (56 sts)
Band Rnd 4 (eyelets): Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), sk the next st. Dc in the next st, ch 1, sk the next st. Repeat around and join to the 3rd ch. (28 dc + 28 ch-1 sp = 56 sts)
Band Rnd 5: Ch 1, sc in each dc and each ch-1 sp around, join. (56 sts)
Checkpoint: the body is about 13.5 in (34.3 cm) tall.
Straps, Drawstring, and Appliqués (4.0 mm hook)
Straps (make 2, Color A): Ch 5.
– Row 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across, turn. (4 sts)
– Rows 2–16: Ch 1, sc in each st, turn. (4 sts)
Each strap is 1 in (2.5 cm) wide x 3.5 in (8.9 cm) long.
Drawstring (Color A): Ch about 120 sts, to 36 in (91.4 cm). Fasten off and knot both ends.
Scallop Seashell (Color A):
– Row 1: MR, ch 3 (counts as dc), 6 dc in the ring. Pull the ring closed and turn. (7 sts)
– Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in the same st, 2 dc in each of the next 5 sts, dc in the top of the turning ch. Turn. (2 + 10 + 1 = 13 sts)
– Row 3: Ch 1, sc in the first st. FPdc around the next st, sc in the next st. Repeat 5 more times and turn. (6 FPdc + 7 sc = 13 sts)
– Row 4: Ch 1, sc in the first sc. (Hdc, dc, hdc) in the next FPdc, sl st in the next sc. Repeat 5 more times. (1 + 24 = 25 sts)
This gives you 6 raised ribs, each ending in a rounded bump. The shell is about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide x 2 in (5.1 cm) tall.
Spiral Snail Shell (Color C): Ch 31.
– Row 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across, turn. (30 sts)
– Row 2: Ch 1, sc in the next 27 sts, sl st in the last 3 sts. (30 sts) The slip stitches make a tapered tail.
Starting from the end without the tail, roll the strip on its edge into a tight flat coil. Tack each turn to the one before it, and leave the tapered tail curving out at the edge. The finished spiral is about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across.
Starfish (Color D):
– Rnd 1: MR, ch 1, 10 sc in the ring, join. (10 sts)
– Rnd 2: Ch 6, sl st in the 2nd ch from the hook, sc in the next ch, hdc in the next ch, dc in the next ch, tr in the next ch, sk 1 sc, sl st in the next sc. Repeat 4 more times. (5 arms)
The starfish is about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) from tip to tip. If you want the dotted look, add 2–3 French knots in Color D along each arm.
Border: Scalloped Top Edge and Opening Edging
Border gauge: each scallop takes 4 stitches of the 56-stitch round, so it is 1 in (2.5 cm) wide.
Scallop Rnd (Color A, 5.0 mm hook): Ch 1, sc in the first st. Sk 1 st, 5 dc in the next st, sk 1 st, sc in the next st. Repeat around, leaving out the last sc, and join. (14 scallops x 6 sts = 84 sts)
Why the math works: 56 ÷ 4 = 14 scallops exactly, so there’s no leftover stitch at the join. Each scallop is 1 in (2.5 cm), and 14 of them add up to the 14 in (35.6 cm) circumference.
Opening edging (Color A, 4.0 mm hook): Join at the bottom right corner of the opening and work sc evenly around it, joining at the end:
– 10 sc across the unworked stitches of Wall Rnd 4
– 7 sc up the side (1 per row end, Rows 5–11)
– 10 sc across the underside of the 10 chains
– 7 sc down the other side
Total: 10 + 7 + 10 + 7 = 34 sts. Don’t add any corner increases. Leaving them out lets the corners round off, so the opening becomes oval.
Assembly
- Place 2 markers on Band Rnds 2–5 at the left and right sides, 28 sts apart, so they’re centered between the front opening and the back.
- Sew the bottom 0.75 in (1.9 cm) of each strap to the inside of the band at a marker.
- Bring both straps up through the wooden ring. Fold the top 1 in (2.5 cm) of each strap over the ring and whipstitch it down. The ring should sit about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) above the scalloped edge.
- Weave the drawstring in and out through the eyelets. Pull it up through the ring, snug the top a little, and tie a bow.
- Sew on the appliqués at front right, between Shell Rnds 3 and 8. Put the seashell on top, the spiral just below it to the left, and the starfish at the lower right, overlapping the bottom edge of the seashell.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends on the inside.
- Stuff the tube firmly with clean plastic bags or a rolled towel until it’s 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across.
- Mist it lightly until damp. Don’t soak it.
- Pull the shells into even fans, and pin the scallops so they point upward.
- Pin the seashell ribs and starfish arms flat.
- Leave everything to dry completely, which takes about 24 hours, before you hang it.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The circumference is 14 in (35.6 cm) all the way up the tube.
- The base lies flat at 4.5 in (11.4 cm).
- The opening is a smooth oval, 2.5 x 1.5 in (6.4 x 3.8 cm).
- There are 13 shell rounds, the colors alternate, and the shells line up.
- The top band is level, with 14 even scallops.
- The straps are opposite each other, so the ring hangs centered.
- The appliqués are sewn securely all around, with no loose edges.
Troubleshooting
- Shells lean or spiral: Join exactly into the center stitch each time. Recount 56 sts after each round.
- Opening gapes wide: Tighten the 34-st edging, or go down to a 3.5 mm hook just for the edging.
- Top edge is wavy: Check that the leveling round puts its tr in the sc between shells, not in a dc.
- Base cups upward: Your increases are too tight. Go up a hook size for the base only.
- Holder sags when full: Use firmer cotton, and don’t overfill it past the top band.
- Seashell curls: Pin it flat while it’s damp and let it dry.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap. Reshape the holder over a rolled towel and let it dry flat.
Final Notes
Each measurement builds on the one before it. The base measures 4.5 in (11.4 cm) and gives you 56 sts. Those 56 sts make a 14 in (35.6 cm) wall that rises 3.5 in (8.9 cm) and includes a 2.5 x 1.5 in (6.4 x 3.8 cm) opening. Next come 13 shell rounds measuring 8.1 in (20.6 cm), then a level top band that brings the body to 13.5 in (34.3 cm). The 14 scallops add 0.5 in (1.3 cm), for a total height of 14 in (35.6 cm). If you check each stage as you go, the finished holder will hang straight and look tidy.
Happy crocheting!