This cheerful kitchen helper is a plastic bag holder topped with a little sunflower fairy. The main tube is an open yellow mesh, so you can see the bags inside. A tiny doll with long golden hair, butterfly wings and a petal skirt sits at the front of the rim.
The colors are sunflower yellow, olive green, cream, light beige, golden blonde and dark brown. The style is soft and cottage-like. It looks just right hanging from a cabinet knob next to a pot of real sunflowers.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished holder is about 22 in (55.9 cm) long, not counting the hanging loop. The tube is about 16 in (40.6 cm) around, which is about 5.1 in (13.0 cm) across.
You start the tube at the bottom opening. You work three solid rounds of single crochet, then 21 rounds of mesh, then a solid rim. Next you make the doll parts, petals and leaves and sew everything on. Stuff bags in through the top and pull them out at the bottom.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: about 22 in (55.9 cm) long overall, plus a 4 in (10.2 cm) hanging loop
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
- Hooks: 5 mm (H-8) for the tube, petals and leaves; 4 mm (G-6) for the doll
- Number of pieces: One finished holder, made from separate parts sewn together
- Layout: Tube, with the doll sewn to the front of the rim
- Tube size: 16 in (40.6 cm) around × 15.25 in (38.7 cm) tall
- Size before edging: 16 in (40.6 cm) around × 14.75 in (37.5 cm) tall
- Edging depth: 0.5 in (1.3 cm) at the top rim
Materials
Use a smooth worsted-weight yarn. Cotton holds its shape best for the mesh and petals. Acrylic is softer for the hair. The amounts below assume about 170 m per 100 g (186 yd per 100 g).
- Sunflower yellow: 100 g (170 m)
- Olive green: 30 g (51 m)
- Light beige (skin): 25 g (about 43 m)
- Golden blonde (hair): 20 g (34 m)
- Cream: 10 g (17 m)
- Dark brown: 5 g (about 9 m)
All amounts include a margin of about 20 percent.
Tools:
– 5 mm (H-8) and 4 mm (G-6) hooks
– Two 9 mm black safety eyes
– Fiberfill stuffing
– Pink blush powder or pink embroidery floss
– Dark embroidery floss for the smile
– Tapestry needle
– Stitch markers
– Sewing pins
– Scissors
– Latch hook (optional, for the hair)
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sc2tog (dec) – single crochet two together
- MR – magic ring
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rnd – round
Special stitch: mesh square. One dc followed by ch 2 is one mesh square. It uses 3 stitches of the round below.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Tube gauge (5 mm hook): 15 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm). Five mesh squares = 4 in (10.2 cm) wide. Three mesh rounds = 2 in (5.1 cm) tall.
Doll gauge (4 mm hook): 18 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm), worked tightly so the stuffing doesn’t show.
Make one yellow petal before anything else. It should be about 2.75 in (7.0 cm) long. Then use these checkpoints on the tube:
- After Rnd 1: The opening measures 8 in (20.3 cm) around, about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across.
- After Rnd 3: 60 sts measure 16 in (40.6 cm) around.
- After Rnd 9: Six mesh rounds measure 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
- After Rnd 24: The mesh section measures 14 in (35.6 cm) tall.
If your tube is too big: go down half a hook size. If it is too small: go up half a size. If only the height is off, add or remove mesh rounds in pairs. Each pair adds or removes about 1.3 in (3.4 cm).
Mesh Tube
Use yellow and the 5 mm hook. The tube is worked in joined rounds and is not turned.
Foundation: Ch 30 and join with a sl st to the first ch. Don’t twist the chain.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in each ch around, join. (30 sc)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, repeat 15 times, join. (45 sc)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, repeat 15 times, join. (60 sc)
These three rounds form a short cone that flares out from the bottom opening. Together they measure about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) tall.
Rnd 4 (first mesh round): Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2) and skip the next 2 sc. Then dc in next sc, ch 2, skip next 2 sc 19 times. Sl st in the 3rd ch of the beginning ch-5. (20 dc, 20 ch-2 sps)
Check: 1 + 2 + (19 × 3) = 60 sts used.
Rnds 5–24: Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2), then dc in next dc, ch 2 19 times. Sl st in the 3rd ch of the beginning ch-5. (20 dc, 20 ch-2 sps per round)
Always work the dc into the dc below so the columns stay straight. Fasten off after Rnd 24 unless you are going straight on to the edging.
Doll Head
Use light beige and the 4 mm hook. Work in a spiral and mark the first stitch of each round.
- Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6)
- Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st. (12)
- Rnd 3: Sc, 2 sc in next 6 times. (18)
- Rnd 4: Sc 2, 2 sc in next 6 times. (24)
- Rnd 5: Sc 3, 2 sc in next 6 times. (30)
- Rnd 6: Sc 4, 2 sc in next 6 times. (36)
- Rnds 7–14: Sc in each st. (36)
Place the safety eyes between Rnds 10 and 11, with 6 sts between them.
- Rnd 15: Sc 4, dec 6 times. (30)
- Rnd 16: Sc 3, dec 6 times. (24)
- Rnd 17: Sc 2, dec 6 times. (18)
Stuff the head firmly.
- Rnd 18: Sc, dec 6 times. (12)
- Rnd 19: Dec 6 times. (6)
Fasten off and close the hole. The head is about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide and 2.75 in (7.0 cm) tall.
Stitch a small smile with dark floss two rounds below the eyes. Add pink blush under each eye.
Doll Body
Start with olive green and the 4 mm hook.
- Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6)
- Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st. (12)
- Rnd 3: Sc, 2 sc in next 6 times. (18)
- Rnd 4: Sc 2, 2 sc in next 6 times. (24)
- Rnds 5–8: Sc in each st. (24) This is the green bodice.
Switch to light beige.
- Rnd 9: Sc 2, dec 6 times. (18)
- Rnds 10–11: Sc in each st. (18)
- Rnd 12: Sc, dec 6 times. (12)
- Rnd 13: Sc in each st. (12) This is the neck.
Stuff the body and fasten off, leaving a long tail. The body is about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) tall.
Arms (make 2)
Use light beige and the 4 mm hook.
- Rnd 1: 5 sc in MR. (5)
- Rnds 2–9: Sc in each st. (5)
Stuff only the hand end, then flatten the top and fasten off. Each arm is about 2 in (5.1 cm) long.
Wings (make 2)
Each wing has a larger upper lobe and a smaller lower lobe. Use cream and the 4 mm hook, then edge each lobe in olive green.
Upper lobe
Ch 7.
Rnd 1: Work along the chain, starting in the 2nd ch from the hook:
– sc, hdc, dc, dc, tr (5 sts)
– 5 tr in the last ch (this makes the rounded tip)
– Working along the other side of the chain: tr, dc, dc, hdc (4 sts)
– 2 sc in the first ch
Join. (16 sts)
Rnd 2: Change to olive green. Ch 1 and sc in each st, but work 2 sc in each of the 5 tip tr. Join and fasten off. (16 + 5 = 21 sc)
The upper lobe is about 2 in (5.1 cm) long.
Lower lobe
Ch 5.
Rnd 1: Work along the chain, starting in the 2nd ch from the hook:
– sc, hdc, dc (3 sts)
– 5 dc in the last ch
– Working along the other side of the chain: dc, hdc (2 sts)
– 2 sc in the first ch
Join. (12 sts)
Rnd 2: Change to olive green. Ch 1 and sc in each st, but work 2 sc in each of the 5 tip dc. Join and fasten off. (12 + 5 = 17 sc)
The lower lobe is about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) long.
Sew the narrow ends of one upper and one lower lobe together so they make a butterfly-style wing.
Petals, Leaves and Sunflower
Yellow petals (make 10). Use yellow and the 5 mm hook. Ch 9.
Rnd 1:
– Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook: sc, hdc, dc 4, hdc, sc (8 sts)
– Ch 2 for the tip
– Working back along the other side of the chain: sc, hdc, dc 4, hdc, sc (8 sts)
Join to the first sc. (16 sts + tip ch-2 sp)
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in each st to the tip, (sc, ch 2, sc) in the tip sp, then sc in each remaining st. Join and fasten off. (18 sc + tip ch-2 sp)
Each petal is about 2.75 in (7.0 cm) long and 1.25 in (3.2 cm) wide.
Green leaves (make 16). Use olive green and the 5 mm hook. Ch 6.
Rnd 1:
– Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook: sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc (5 sts)
– Ch 2 for the tip
– Working along the other side of the chain: sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc (5 sts)
Join and fasten off. (10 sts + tip ch-2 sp)
Each leaf is about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) long. Eight leaves go at the waist and eight around the bottom.
Sunflower headpiece. Use dark brown and the 4 mm hook.
- Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6)
- Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st. Fasten off. (12)
- Rnd 3: Join yellow. In each st work: sl st, ch 4, then sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, hdc, dc, and sl st back in the same st. (12 petals)
The sunflower is about 1.75 in (4.4 cm) across.
For the two small flower leaves, use green: ch 4, then sc, hdc, sc back along the chain. Make two.
Hanging cord. Use olive green. Ch 30, then sl st in the back bump of the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch back down. (29 sl st)
The cord is about 8 in (20.3 cm) long.
Hair and Assembly
- Hair: Cut 40 strands of golden blonde, each 16 in (40.6 cm) long.
- Fold each strand in half. Knot pairs along a center part line from Rnd 3 to Rnd 13 at the back of the head.
- Knot the rest along the hairline.
- Sew a few strands across the forehead as swept bangs.
- Trim the hair to about 7 in (17.8 cm) long.
- Head and body: Sew the head onto the neck. Sew the arms to the sides of Rnd 11.
- Headpiece and loop: Sew the sunflower and its leaves to one side of the top of the head. Fold the cord in half and anchor both ends deep into the top of the head, going through several rounds, to make a 4 in (10.2 cm) loop.
- Wings: Sew one wing to each side of the back of the bodice.
- Doll: Pin the doll to the front of the tube so the bottom of her body overlaps the rim and Rnd 24. Sew all the way around the base of her body.
- Petal skirt: Sew the 10 yellow petals by their base ends evenly around the rim, one every 6 sts. Let them fan outward.
- Waist leaves: Sew 8 green leaves around the doll’s waist and the front half of the rim, on top of the petals.
- Bottom leaves: Sew the other 8 green leaves around Rnds 2–3, one every 4 sts of Rnd 1’s 30, with the tips pointing down.
Edging: Top Rim and Bottom Opening
Use yellow and the 5 mm hook. Edging gauge is 15 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm). Work the top rim (Rnds 25–26) right after Rnd 24, before the doll is sewn on.
Rnd 25 (conversion round): Ch 1, sc in the same st as the join, 2 sc in the next ch-2 sp. Then sc in next dc, 2 sc in next ch-2 sp 19 times. Join. (20 sc in dc + 40 sc in sps = 60 sc; 30 across the front half and 30 across the back half)
Rnd 26: Ch 1, sc in each st, join. (60 sc; 30 front, 30 back) Fasten off.
Bottom opening: Join yellow in the free loops of the foundation chain. Ch 1, sc in each loop, join. (30 sc; 15 front, 15 back)
Why the math works: Each mesh round holds 20 dc and 20 ch-2 sps, which is 20 + 40 = 60 sts. That matches Rnd 3 exactly. At 15 sc per 4 in, 60 sc is 16 in (40.6 cm), so the rim lies flat and is the same width as the mesh. It won’t flare or pull in.
The bottom round puts 30 sc on 30 chains, so the opening stays at 8 in (20.3 cm) around. That is firm enough to hold bags in but still lets you pull one out.
Final Blocking
- Mist the tube lightly with water.
- Slide a rolled towel or a 5 in (12.7 cm) wide bottle inside the tube.
- Gently stretch the tube lengthwise to 15.25 in (38.7 cm) and straighten the dc columns.
- Pin each petal and leaf flat on a towel, with the tips pinned to a point.
- Mist the wings and press them flat with your fingers.
- Let everything dry completely before you hang the holder.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Every mesh round has 20 dc and 20 ch-2 spaces.
- Rnds 3, 25 and 26 each have 60 sc.
- The bottom opening is 8 in (20.3 cm) around.
- The tube is 16 in (40.6 cm) around and 15.25 in (38.7 cm) tall.
- The eyes are level and 6 sts apart.
- The cord is anchored firmly and holds a tug.
- The doll is sewn all the way around her base.
- The 10 petals are evenly spaced, and the 16 leaves are attached.
Troubleshooting
- Mesh columns lean in a spiral: You are working into the ch-2 space instead of the dc. Work each dc into the dc below.
- The rim ruffles: You probably put 3 sc in some spaces. Recount Rnd 25 to 60.
- Bags fall out the bottom: Work a second round of sc at the bottom opening, decreasing to 24 sts.
- The doll tips forward: Add a few stitches from the back of her head down to the rim.
- Stuffing shows through the head: Go down to a 3.5 mm hook.
- The petals curl: Block them pinned flat and let them dry fully.
Care
Hand wash in cool water and lay flat to dry. Reshape the petals and hair while damp.
Final Notes
Here is the measurement chain to keep checking as you work:
– 30 sc make an 8 in (20.3 cm) opening.
– 60 sc make a 16 in (40.6 cm) tube.
– 21 mesh rounds make 14 in (35.6 cm).
– 60-sc rim rounds keep the top 16 in (40.6 cm) around.
– The finished holder is about 22 in (55.9 cm) long.
Check each number as you go, and your sunflower fairy will hang straight and hold plenty of bags. Happy crocheting!