Cream crocheted pouch with green straps and yellow sunflower appliqué on a neutral linen background.

Sunny Vine Car Seat Organizer Crochet Pattern

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This hanging organizer brings a little garden into the car. A big sunflower sits on the upper half. Below it, a cream pocket is covered in a raised vine lattice with small green leaves tucked into the openings. Green straps loop over the headrest posts, and a sprig of leaves peeks out from the side of the pocket.

The colors are cream, sage green, golden yellow and warm brown. The style is cottage-garden but practical. The pocket holds tissues, wipes or a small notebook, and the flower flap lifts so you can reach inside.

This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished organizer measures 11 in (27.9 cm) wide by 13 in (33.0 cm) tall, not counting the straps.

You’ll work a cream back panel and a textured cream pocket, both in rows. Next come the spiral sunflower and its petals, then the leaves and straps. A fabric lining goes into the pocket. One green border joins the pocket to the panel and edges the whole piece in the same pass.

Finished Size and Construction

  • Finished size: 11 in x 13 in (27.9 cm x 33.0 cm), straps not included
  • Skill level: Intermediate
  • Terminology: US
  • Yarn weight: Worsted (#4)
  • Hook: US H-8 (5.0 mm)
  • Number of pieces: 1 organizer, made from 1 back panel, 1 pocket, 1 sunflower, 2 straps, 14 small leaves, 2 large leaves and 1 stem
  • Layout: The pocket covers the lower half of the panel, and the sunflower overlaps the pocket opening
  • Back panel size: 10 in x 12 in (25.4 cm x 30.5 cm)
  • Pocket size: 10 in x 6 in (25.4 cm x 15.2 cm)
  • Size before border: 10 in x 12 in (25.4 cm x 30.5 cm)
  • Border depth: 1/2 in (1.3 cm)

Materials

Use a smooth worsted cotton or cotton blend. Cotton keeps the lattice crisp and stands up to sun and heat in a car. Quantities assume about 180 m per 100 g.

  • Cream: 130 g (234 m) for the back panel and pocket
  • Sage green: 60 g (108 m) for the border, straps, pocket band, leaves and petal edging
  • Golden yellow: 25 g (45 m) for the petals
  • Brown: 20 g (36 m) for the flower center

All quantities include a safety margin of about 15%.

Tools:

  • US H-8 (5.0 mm) hook
  • Tapestry needle
  • Stitch markers
  • Two 3/4 in (1.9 cm) buttons
  • Beige cotton fabric, 11 in x 7 in (27.9 cm x 17.8 cm), for the lining
  • Sewing needle and matching thread
  • Pins, blocking mat and spray bottle

Abbreviations (US Terms)

  • ch – chain
  • sc – single crochet
  • hdc – half double crochet
  • dc – double crochet
  • sl st – slip stitch
  • st(s) – stitch(es)
  • sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
  • sc3tog – single crochet 3 together
  • MR – magic ring
  • RS / WS – right side / wrong side
  • sp – space

Special stitch: FPtr (front post treble crochet). Yarn over twice. Insert the hook from front to back to front around the post of the stitch named, which sits two rows below. Complete as a treble. Always skip the sc behind each FPtr, so every FPtr replaces one stitch and the count stays the same.

Gauge and Checkpoints

Gauge: 16 sc x 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in single crochet worked in rows.

Make a test piece first. Work the back panel up to Row 18 and measure it before going further.

Checkpoints:

  • Back panel at Row 18: 10 in (25.4 cm) wide and 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
  • Pocket diamonds: each diamond is 8 sts, or 2 in (5.1 cm) wide, and 12 rows, or about 2 2/3 in (6.8 cm) tall.
  • Flower center at Rnd 5: about 2 1/4 in (5.7 cm) across. At Rnd 10 it should be about 4 1/2 in (11.4 cm).
  • Finished sunflower: about 7 3/4 in (19.7 cm) across.

If your piece is too big, go down one hook size. If it is too small, go up one size. Being off by more than 1/4 in (0.6 cm) across 10 in (25.4 cm) means the pocket and panel won’t line up stitch for stitch, so it’s worth fixing.

Crocheted sunflower with yellow petals, brown textured center, and green stem held in hand.

Back Panel (Cream)

Ch 41.

Row 1 (RS): Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. Turn. (40 sc)

Rows 2–54: Ch 1 (this does not count as a stitch), sc in each st across. Turn. (40 sc)

Fasten off. The panel should measure 10 in x 12 in (25.4 cm x 30.5 cm).

Front Pocket (Cream, Lattice)

The raised lines travel one stitch sideways on every RS row. Lines move apart, touch their neighbors, then bounce back, and this builds a lattice of diamonds.

In each RS lattice row, work every FPtr around the one FPtr two rows below that sits one stitch to the side. There is only ever one FPtr in that position. Work sc in all other stitches. Every WS row is plain sc.

Ch 41.

Row 1 (RS): Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. Turn. (40 sc)

Row 2 and all even rows through Row 24 (WS): Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (40 sts)

Row 3 (Row A): Ch 1, sc 3, [FPtr around each of the next 2 sts in Row 1 directly below, sc 6] 4 times, FPtr 2, sc 3. (30 sc + 10 FPtr = 40 sts)

Row B: Ch 1, sc 2, FPtr, sc 2, FPtr, [sc 4, FPtr, sc 2, FPtr] 4 times, sc 2. (40 sts)

Row C: Ch 1, sc 1, FPtr, sc 4, FPtr, [sc 2, FPtr, sc 4, FPtr] 4 times, sc 1. (40 sts)

Row D: Ch 1, FPtr, sc 6, FPtr, [FPtr, sc 6, FPtr] 4 times. (40 sts)

On Row D, the neighboring lines touch, and the two outer lines reach the side edges.

Work the odd rows in this order: Row 5 B, Row 7 C, Row 9 D, Row 11 C, Row 13 B, Row 15 A, Row 17 B, Row 19 C, Row 21 D, Row 23 C, Row 25 B.

Every lattice row is 10 FPtr + 30 sc = 40 sts. Change to green on the last stitch of Row 25.

Row 26 (WS, green): Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (40 sc)

Row 27 (RS, green): Ch 1, sc in each st across. (40 sc)

Fasten off. The pocket should measure 10 in x 6 in (25.4 cm x 15.2 cm) and have 14 full openings:

  • 5 diamonds between Rows 3 and 15
  • 4 diamonds between Rows 9 and 21
  • 5 diamonds that close under the green band

The small partial openings at the edges stay cream.

Sunflower

Center (Brown)

The center is worked in a continuous spiral. Mark the first stitch of each round.

  • Rnd 1: 6 sc in the MR. (6)
  • Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st. (12)
  • Rnd 3: [Sc 1, 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)
  • Rnd 7: [Sc 5, 2 sc in next] 6 times. (42)
  • Rnd 8: [Sc 6, 2 sc in next] 6 times. (48)
  • Rnd 9: [Sc 7, 2 sc in next] 6 times. (54)
  • Rnd 10: [Sc 8, 2 sc in next] 6 times. (60)

Sl st into the next st to smooth the step. Fasten off. The center should be about 4 1/2 in (11.4 cm) across.

Petals (Yellow)

Each petal is worked in short rows over 5 sts of Rnd 10. Twelve petals x 5 sts = 60 sts.

Join yellow with a standing sc in any st of Rnd 10.

  • Row 1 (RS): Sc in the same st and in the next 4 sts. Turn. (5 sc)
  • Rows 2–4: Ch 1, sc 5. Turn. (5 sc)
  • Row 5: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc 1, sc2tog. Turn. (3 sc)
  • Row 6: Ch 1, sc3tog. (1 st, the petal tip)

Sl st 5 times evenly down the side of the petal nearest the unworked sts, ending at the base.

For each of the next 11 petals: ch 1, then work Row 1 into the next 5 unworked sts of Rnd 10, and repeat Rows 2–6 and the slip-stitch descent. Sl st into the base of the first petal and fasten off.

Each petal is about 1 1/3 in (3.4 cm) long. Neighboring petals touch and may overlap slightly.

Petal Edging (Green)

Join green at the base between two petals. Work the following around each petal:

  • 6 sc up the side (1 per row end)
  • (sc, ch 2, sc) in the tip
  • 6 sc down the other side
  • sl st in the junction between petals

That makes 14 sc, 1 ch-2 sp and 1 sl st per petal, so the round totals 168 sc, 12 ch-2 sps and 12 sl sts. Join and fasten off.

Leaves, Stem and Straps (Green)

Small leaf (make 14): Ch 6.

  • Working one side of the chain: sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, hdc, dc, hdc.
  • 3 sc in the last ch.
  • Working the other side of the chain: hdc, dc, hdc, sc.
  • Sl st to the first sc.

(11 sts) Each leaf is about 1 1/2 in (3.8 cm) long.

Large leaf (make 2): Ch 9.

  • Working one side of the chain: sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, hdc, dc, dc, dc, hdc, sc.
  • 3 sc in the last ch.
  • Working the other side of the chain: sc, hdc, dc, dc, dc, hdc, sc.
  • Sl st to the first sc.

(17 sts) Each leaf is about 2 1/4 in (5.7 cm) long.

Stem (make 1): Ch 9. Sl st in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (8 sl st, 2 in / 5.1 cm)

Strap (make 2): Ch 7.

  • Row 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (6 sc)
  • Rows 2–33: Ch 1, sc 6.
  • Row 34 (buttonhole): Ch 1, sc 2, ch 2, skip 2, sc 2.
  • Row 35: Ch 1, sc 2, 2 sc in the ch-2 sp, sc 2. (6 sc)
  • Row 36: Ch 1, sc 6.

Each strap measures 1 1/2 in x 8 in (3.8 cm x 20.3 cm).

Make All Pieces

Piece Color Quantity
Back panel Cream 1
Pocket Cream + green band 1
Sunflower Brown, yellow, green 1
Small leaves Green 14
Large leaves Green 2
Stem Green 1
Straps Green 2

Layout (front view):

  [strap]               [strap]
+-------------------------------+
|         ( SUNFLOWER )         |
|        (  top half    )       |
|        (  sewn down   )       |
|+--------( free flap )--------+|~ leaves
|| POCKET: vine lattice, 14    ||
|| leaves, green top band      ||
|+-----------------------------+|
+-------------------------------+

Joining and Assembly

1. Leaves in the lattice. Center one small leaf in each of the 14 full openings, tip pointing up. Whipstitch the edges with green, keeping the stitches inside the raised lines.

2. Lining. Fold 1/2 in (1.3 cm) under on all four edges of the fabric, which leaves 10 in x 6 in (25.4 cm x 15.2 cm). Hand-sew the lining to the WS of the pocket just below the green band, and tack its sides and bottom to the pocket’s WS.

3. Placement. Lay the pocket RS up on the RS of the panel, with the foundation edges and sides even. Pocket Row 1 sits on panel Row 1 and pocket Row 27 sits on panel Row 27, so the row ends match one to one along both sides. Pin every 2 in (5.1 cm). The pocket is joined in the border, so don’t sew it yet.

4. Sunflower. Center the flower across the width with its top petal tip 1/2 in (1.3 cm) below the panel’s top edge. Whipstitch from 9 o’clock to 3 o’clock through the edge of Rnd 10 and the green tips of the top 5 petals. Leave the lower half free. It overlaps the pocket opening by about 2 1/4 in (5.7 cm).

Keep your stitches snug but not tight. The panel should stay flat, with no puckers around the flower.

Size checkpoint: before the border, the assembled piece should still measure 10 in x 12 in (25.4 cm x 30.5 cm).

Border (Green)

Border gauge: 4 sc per 1 in (2.5 cm) along every edge. Along the sides, 8 sc for every 9 row ends matches that gauge.

Rnd 1: Join green in the top right corner. Work as follows, working through both layers wherever the pocket sits on the panel:

  • Top: Sc in each of the 40 sts.
  • Corner: Ch 2.
  • Right side: [Sc in the next 8 row ends, skip 1] 6 times, for 48 sc. The lower 3 repeats (24 sc) go through the pocket and panel row ends together.
  • Corner: Ch 2.
  • Bottom: Sc in each of the 40 free loops of the foundation, through both layers.
  • Corner: Ch 2.
  • Left side: Work as for the right side. (48 sc)
  • Corner: Ch 2. Join.

The round has 40 + 48 + 40 + 48 = 176 sc and 4 ch-2 corner sps. The pocket adds no stitches because it lies on the same 40 sts and 27 rows as the panel: 1 panel per side x 40 sts = 40 sts.

Rnd 2: Ch 1. Sc in each sc, and work (sc, ch 2, sc) in each corner sp. Each side gets its own stitches plus 1 corner sc at each end:

  • Top and bottom: 40 + 2 = 42 sc
  • Each side: 48 + 2 = 50 sc
  • Total: 176 + 8 = 184 sc, plus 4 ch-2 sps

Join and fasten off.

Why the math works: 40 sc at 4 per inch is 10 in (25.4 cm), and 48 sc is 12 in (30.5 cm). Two rounds add about 1/2 in (1.3 cm) on each edge. The 2 extra corner stitches per side in Rnd 2 cover that added width, so the edges lie flat.

Straps: Sew the Row 1 end of each strap to the WS of the panel top, overlapping 1 in (2.5 cm). Set each strap 1 in (2.5 cm) in from its side edge. Sew a button on the WS of the panel 4 in (10.2 cm) below each strap.

Leaf sprig: Sew the stem to the right border, level with the pocket’s green band, so it angles outward. Sew the two large leaves to the free end of the stem.

Final Blocking

  1. Mist the organizer evenly until it is damp. Don’t soak the lining.
  2. Lay it RS up and pin it to 11 in x 13 in (27.9 cm x 33.0 cm).
  3. Pin the sunflower round to 7 3/4 in (19.7 cm) and open each petal to a point.
  4. Press the lattice lines lightly with your fingers so they stand up and the leaves sit flat.
  5. Let it dry fully before unpinning.

Final Quality-Control Checklist

  • Every lattice RS row has 40 sts: 10 FPtr and 30 sc.
  • 14 full openings each hold a leaf.
  • The flower has 12 petals and 168 sc of edging.
  • The flower is sewn on its top half only, and the flap lifts freely.
  • Border Rnd 2 has 184 sc, and each corner lies square.
  • The finished size is 11 in x 13 in (27.9 cm x 33.0 cm).
  • The buttons fit through the buttonholes without stretching.

Troubleshooting

  • The lattice puckers: the FPtr stitches are too tight. Pull up the first loop to the height of two rows.
  • Your count is off on an RS row: you probably worked into the stitch behind an FPtr. Skip it every time.
  • The flower center cups: your increases are too tight, so go up a hook size for the center only.
  • The petals ruffle: check that each petal sits on exactly 5 sts.
  • The border waves: make sure you skip 1 row end in every 9.
  • The pocket won’t line up with the panel: recheck your row gauge and add or remove panel rows above Row 27 only.

Care

Hand wash in cool water and lay flat to dry. Reshape the petals while the piece is damp.

Crocheted sunflower car organizer in cream and green with golden petals, mounted on a car headrest, holding tissues.

Final Notes

Everything rests on one gauge: 16 sc x 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). That gives a 10 in x 12 in (25.4 cm x 30.5 cm) panel and a 10 in x 6 in (25.4 cm x 15.2 cm) pocket that match row for row. A 2-round border brings the organizer to 11 in x 13 in (27.9 cm x 33.0 cm), with a 7 3/4 in (19.7 cm) sunflower on top. If you check your size at each stage, the finished piece will hang straight and flat.

Happy crocheting!

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