This hanging toilet paper holder is a soft, airy teardrop. It has a solid round base, an open diamond lattice body and a narrow strap that loops over a towel rod. The front scoops low so you can reach in and grab a roll. The tapered back gives the basket its teardrop shape.
The colors are winter pastels: pale butter yellow for the body and light sky blue for the picot edging. A white snowflake button at front center adds a frosty touch. Hang one alone, or make three and line them up on a rod, as in the photo.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. One finished basket is 7.2 in (18.3 cm) wide when laid flat and 12 in (30.5 cm) tall when hanging, from the base to the top of the loop. It holds one standard roll, about 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide and 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
How it’s built: you crochet a flat circle in single crochet, then work 5 rounds up to form a short solid wall. Next come 3 mesh rounds worked in the round. After that, you work rows across the back half only, which leaves the front open and narrows the back into a point. The last rows form the strap. A 2-row blue edging goes around the whole opening, and then you fold and sew the strap into a loop.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size (one basket): 7.2 in (18.3 cm) wide flat × 12 in (30.5 cm) tall, hanging
- Skill level: Easy to intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 1 per basket (the photo shows a set of 3 separate baskets)
- Layout: Each basket hangs on its own. The baskets are not joined.
- Base diameter: 4.5 in (11.4 cm)
- Size before edging: 7.2 in (18.3 cm) × 12 in (30.5 cm)
- Edging depth: 0.5 in (1.3 cm), along the opening and strap only
Materials
Use a smooth worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds its shape in a humid bathroom and shows the lattice clearly. Avoid fuzzy yarns, because they blur the diamonds.
For one basket:
– Pale yellow (A): 45 g, about 77 m
– Light blue (B): 10 g, about 17 m
For a set of three:
– Pale yellow (A): 135 g, about 230 m
– Light blue (B): 30 g, about 51 m
All quantities include a margin of about 10–15%.
Tools and notions:
– 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
– 1 white snowflake button, 1 in (2.5 cm), per basket
– White sewing thread and a sharp needle
– Tapestry needle
– Stitch marker
– Measuring tape
– Rustproof pins and a blocking surface
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sl st: slip stitch
- sc: single crochet
- dc: double crochet
- BLO: back loop only
- sk: skip
- st(s): stitch(es)
- ch-5 loop: the space under a chain-5 arch
Special stitch: picot. Ch 3, then sl st in the 3rd ch from the hook (the first ch made). This makes one small round bump.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 15 sc and 16 rounds or rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). In the mesh section, each round or row adds about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) of height when lightly stretched.
Make one complete basket before you start a set. Check these measurements as you go:
- After Round 9: the base is a flat circle 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across.
- After Round 14: the solid wall is 1.25 in (3.2 cm) tall, and the tube measures 14.4 in (36.6 cm) around (7.2 in / 18.3 cm flat).
- After Round 17: the front edge is 3.5 in (8.9 cm) above the base. A roll should stick out above it by about 0.5 in (1.3 cm).
- After Row 7: the back point is 8.75 in (22.2 cm) above the base.
- After the strap: the strap is 5.25 in (13.3 cm) long.
If your base is too big, go down to a 4.5 mm hook. If it’s too small or it cups, go up to a 5.5 mm hook. If the base ruffles slightly, that’s fine; it flattens once the walls go up.
Pattern
Base (Color A)
Rnd 1: Make a magic ring and work 6 sc in the ring. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, then 2 sc in each st. Join. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, then sc in next st, 2 sc in next st 6 times. Join. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, then sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st 6 times. Join. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, then sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st 6 times. Join. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: Ch 1, then sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st 6 times. Join. (36 sts)
Rnd 7: Ch 1, then sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st 6 times. Join. (42 sts)
Rnd 8: Ch 1, then sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st 6 times. Join. (48 sts)
Rnd 9: Ch 1, then sc in next 7 sts, 2 sc in next st 6 times. Join. (54 sts)
Checkpoint: the base should measure 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across.
Solid Wall (Color A)
Rnd 10: Ch 1, then sc in BLO of each st. Join. (54 sts) The unused front loops make a crisp fold where the base turns up into the wall.
Rnds 11–14: Ch 1, sc in each st, join. (54 sts each round)
Checkpoint: the wall is 1.25 in (3.2 cm) tall. Mark the st that sits directly above the Round 10 join. The button goes on the opposite side, at front center, later.
Mesh Rounds (Color A)
Rnd 15: Ch 1, sc in first st. Then work ch 5, sk 2 sts, sc in next st 17 times. Ch 2, then dc in the first sc. The ch 2 plus dc makes the 18th loop and leaves your hook at the middle of that loop. (18 loops)
Stitch check: 1 sc + (17 × 3) = 52 sts used. The last 2 sts are skipped by the closing loop, so all 54 sts are accounted for.
Rnds 16–17: Work ch 5, sc in next ch-5 loop 17 times. Ch 2, then dc in the top of the dc from the round before. (18 loops each round)
You end at the middle of loop 18. Counting from there, number the loops of Round 17 as 1 through 18.
Back Taper (Color A, worked in rows)
Now you work across the back only. Loops 9 through 17 of Round 17 stay unworked and become the front opening.
Row 1: Work ch 5, sc in next loop 8 times, ending in loop 8. (8 loops)
Row 2: Turn. Sl st in each of the first 3 ch of the first loop, so you’re at its middle. Then work ch 5, sc in next loop across. (7 loops)
Rows 3–7: Repeat Row 2. Each row has one fewer loop than the row before: Row 3 has 6 loops, Row 4 has 5, Row 5 has 4, Row 6 has 3 and Row 7 has 2.
Checkpoint: the taper is 5.25 in (13.3 cm) tall, and its sides form the curved shoulders of the teardrop.
Strap (Color A)
Row 8: Turn and ch 1. Work 3 sc in the first loop and 2 sc in the next loop. (5 sts)
Rows 9–28: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st. (5 sts each row)
The strap is 21 rows long, which is 5.25 in (13.3 cm), and about 1.3 in (3.3 cm) wide. Fasten off.
Make the Set
The photo shows three baskets made from the same pattern. Make 3 baskets total, using 135 g of A and 30 g of B. Hang them from left to right in one row:
[ Basket 1 ] [ Basket 2 ] [ Basket 3 ]
You don’t join them. Each basket hangs on the rod by its own strap loop. Leave about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) between baskets.
Picot Edging (Color B)
Edging gauge: the sc row follows the main gauge, 1 sc per strap row and 3 sc per mesh row-end or mesh loop. The 2-row edging is 0.5 in (1.3 cm) deep.
Row 1: Hold the basket with the opening facing you. Join B at the top right corner of the strap, at the end of Row 28. Ch 1. Then work in this order:
- Right strap side: 1 sc in the end of each strap row (21 sc)
- Right taper side: 3 sc in the end of each of Rows 7 down to 1 (21 sc)
- Front opening: 3 sc in each free loop of Round 17, loops 17 down to 9 (27 sc)
- Left taper side: 3 sc in the end of each of Rows 1 up to 7 (21 sc)
- Left strap side: 1 sc in the end of each strap row (21 sc)
That’s 21 + 21 + 27 + 21 + 21 = 111 sc. Leave the yellow top edge of the strap bare, because it gets sewn under.
Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Work sc in next 3 sts, picot 37 times. (111 sc, 37 picots)
Why the math works: every section of Row 1 is a multiple of 3. Each strap side and each taper side gets 7 picots, and the front gets 9 (7 + 7 + 9 + 7 + 7 = 37). That means the picots line up evenly on every edge, and there’s no leftover partial repeat at the end. Fasten off.
Finishing the Loop and Button
- Fold the top 2 in (5.1 cm) of the strap toward the back.
- Whipstitch the strap end flat against the strap with A. This makes a loop about 4 in (10.2 cm) around, which fits rods up to 1 in (2.5 cm) thick.
- If your rod can’t be taken down, slide the strap over the rod first and sew it in place there. Or sew a snap to the strap end instead.
- Sew the snowflake button at front center, on Round 12 of the solid wall.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends inside the solid wall or along the edging.
- Mist the basket lightly, or soak it if it’s cotton and roll it in a towel.
- Stuff the basket with a towel-wrapped roll so the base sits round.
- Pin the back mesh flat, opening each diamond evenly.
- Pin the picot edge so the front scoop makes a smooth curve.
- Let it dry completely, then measure it: 7.2 in (18.3 cm) wide and 12 in (30.5 cm) tall when hanging.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The base is flat and 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across, with 54 sts.
- The wall is 5 rounds tall with a clean BLO fold.
- There are 18 loops in each mesh round and 9 free front loops.
- The taper rows have 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 loops.
- The strap is 5 sts wide and 21 rows long.
- The edging has 111 sc and 37 evenly spaced picots.
- The loop is secure and the button is centered.
Troubleshooting
The diamonds look slanted. Make sure you sc into the center of each loop, not near its edge.
The front scoop is lopsided. Count the free loops. There should be exactly 9 (loops 9–17).
The edging ruffles. Your tension is too loose. Use a hook half a size smaller for Row 1.
The edging pulls tight. Check that you worked 3 sc into each mesh row-end, not 2.
The basket sags with a roll inside. Use cotton rather than acrylic, and work the solid rounds tightly.
The roll falls out. Add a fourth mesh round (18 loops) before the taper. This makes the basket 0.75 in (1.9 cm) taller.
Care
Hand wash in cool water, reshape and dry flat over a roll. Don’t hang it to dry while it’s wet; the mesh will stretch.
Final Notes
Here’s the measurement chain: a 54-st base 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across, a 1.25 in (3.2 cm) solid wall, three 18-loop mesh rounds that reach 3.5 in (8.9 cm), a 7-row back taper of 5.25 in (13.3 cm) and a 21-row strap. A 111-st picot edging finishes everything off. If each checkpoint matches, the basket comes out at 7.2 in (18.3 cm) × 12 in (30.5 cm) and holds a standard roll. Make one, test it on your rod, then make the rest of the set.
Happy crocheting!