Rust-colored crochet toilet paper holders with white rolls and lacy openwork patterns displayed on a wooden surface.

Terracotta Fan Trio Hanging Toilet Paper Holder Crochet Pattern

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This hanging toilet paper holder holds three spare rolls in a column of round lace baskets. It’s worked in one warm rust-terracotta cotton. Each basket has a solid base and a lacy front: a fan of tall spokes rising from the bottom center, a ring of small eyelets above it, and a scalloped rim.

The baskets are sewn onto a solid single crochet back panel. The top of the panel narrows to a point and becomes a strap that wraps around a natural wooden ring, so the holder can hang from a hook, towel bar, or door knob.

All instructions use US crochet terms. The finished holder is about 7.65 in (19.4 cm) wide and 18.7 in (47.5 cm) long from the bottom edge to the base of the strap. It measures about 23 in (58.4 cm) to the top of the ring. Each basket is about 5.1 in (13.0 cm) across at the rim.

You’ll make one flat back panel in rows and three baskets in the round. Then you sew each basket to the panel, add a two-round border, and fold the strap over the ring.

Finished Size and Construction

  • Finished size: 7.65 in (19.4 cm) wide x 18.7 in (47.5 cm) long (body), about 23 in (58.4 cm) including strap and ring
  • Skill level: Intermediate
  • Terminology: US
  • Yarn weight: Worsted (#4), cotton
  • Hook: 4.5 mm (US 7)
  • Number of pieces: 4 crocheted pieces (1 back panel, 3 baskets) plus 1 wooden ring
  • Layout: 3 baskets stacked in one vertical column on the panel
  • Panel size before border: 6.75 in (17.1 cm) x 18.2 in (46.2 cm), not counting the strap
  • Basket size: base 4.5 in (11.4 cm) diameter, rim 5.1 in (13.0 cm) diameter, back wall 2.9 in (7.4 cm) tall, front 3.1 in (7.9 cm) at the scallop tips
  • Border depth: 0.45 in (1.1 cm), 2 rounds of sc

Materials

Use a smooth, firm worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds the basket shape and doesn’t stretch much under the weight of the rolls. Avoid fuzzy or very drapey yarns, because the lace will sag.

  • Rust / terracotta: 180 g, about 306 m (335 yd)

These quantities include a margin of about 20% for gauge differences and sewing.

Tools:

  • 4.5 mm (US 7) crochet hook
  • Wooden ring, 2.75 in (7.0 cm) outer diameter
  • Tapestry needle
  • 6 stitch markers
  • Scissors and a measuring tape
  • Pins or clips for positioning the baskets

Abbreviations (US Terms)

  • ch – chain
  • sl st – slip stitch
  • sc – single crochet
  • hdc – half double crochet
  • dc – double crochet
  • tr – treble crochet
  • sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
  • BLO – back loop only
  • st(s) – stitch(es)
  • sp – space
  • RS / WS – right side / wrong side

Special stitches

  • Fan: In the same stitch, work (tr, ch 1) 8 times, then tr once more. That’s 9 tr and 8 ch-1 sps.
  • Scallop: 5 dc in the same stitch.

Round notes: Work the baskets in joined rounds. Join each round with a sl st to the first st. Starting chains never count as stitches.

Gauge and Checkpoints

Gauge: 16 sc and 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm) in sc worked in rows. That’s 4 sts and 4.5 rows per inch.

Make one basket first, because it’s the best gauge test. It shows how the lace sits, and it tells you if a standard roll (about 4.25 in / 10.8 cm across) will fit.

Checkpoints:

  • Basket after Rnd 10: the base lies flat and measures 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across.
  • Basket after Rnd 15: the plain wall is 1.1 in (2.8 cm) tall.
  • Finished basket: the back wall is 2.9 in (7.4 cm) tall, and the rim is 5.1 in (13.0 cm) across.
  • Panel after Row 18: 6.75 in (17.1 cm) wide x 4 in (10.2 cm) tall.
  • Panel after Row 72: 16 in (40.6 cm) tall.

If your piece is too big, go down 0.5 mm in hook size. If it’s too small, or the roll won’t fit, go up 0.5 mm. If the base ruffles but your gauge is right, your tension is looser in the round than in rows. Go down a hook size for the base only.

Close-up of rust-orange crocheted fabric featuring an openwork heart motif with textured rope-like stitches throughout.

Back Panel

Ch 28.

Row 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (27 sc)

Rows 2–72: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (27 sc)

The panel now measures 6.75 in (17.1 cm) x 16 in (40.6 cm).

Taper

Row 73: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in each st to last 2 sts, sc2tog, turn. (25 sc)

Rows 74–82: Repeat Row 73. Each row loses 2 sts: 23, 21, 19, 17, 15, 13, 11, 9, 7. (7 sc after Row 82)

The taper adds 2.2 in (5.6 cm). Total panel length is now 18.2 in (46.2 cm).

Strap

Rows 83–100: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (7 sc)

The strap is 1.75 in (4.4 cm) wide and 4 in (10.2 cm) long. Don’t fasten off yet. You’ll work the border from here later, so put the live loop on a stitch marker.

Basket (make 3)

Each basket has a flat round base, a short plain wall, a fan lace round with a leveling round above it, an eyelet round, and a scalloped rim. The front of the basket is sts 1–33 and the back is sts 34–60.

Base

Rnd 1: Make a magic ring, ch 1, 6 sc in ring, join. (6 sc)

Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, join. (12 sc)

Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in next st, 2 sc in next st, repeat around, join. (18 sc)

Rnds 4–10: Keep increasing 6 sts evenly in each round by working one more sc between increases each time. The totals are: Rnd 4: 24 sc, Rnd 5: 30 sc, Rnd 6: 36 sc, Rnd 7: 42 sc, Rnd 8: 48 sc, Rnd 9: 54 sc, Rnd 10: 60 sc. Stagger the increases to keep the circle round.

Check: the base should measure 4.5 in (11.4 cm) across.

Wall

Rnd 11: Ch 1, sc in BLO of each st around, join. (60 sc) This turns the wall up and leaves the free front loops of Rnd 10 as a ridge at the base edge.

Rnds 12–15: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join. (60 sc)

Place a marker in st 17 to mark the center front.

Rnd 16 (fan): Ch 1. Front left: sc in sts 1–4, hdc in sts 5–7, dc in sts 8–10. Skip sts 11–16 and work a Fan in st 17. Skip sts 18–23. Front right: dc in sts 24–26, hdc in sts 27–29, sc in sts 30–33. Back: dc in sts 34–60. Join.

Count: front 10 + 9 tr + 10 = 29 sts plus 8 ch-1 sps, back 27 dc. That’s 56 sts and 8 ch-1 sps.

Rnd 17 (level): Ch 4. Front left: tr in each of the first 4 sc, dc in each of the next 6 sts. Fan: sc in each tr and each ch-1 sp (17 sc). Front right: dc in each of the next 6 sts, tr in each of the next 4 sc. Back: dc in each of the 27 dc. Join.

Count: front 10 + 17 + 10 = 37, back 27. (64 sts)

Taller stitches go over shorter ones and short stitches go over the tall fan, so the top of the round comes out level. The 17 sc across the fan form the solid arch that outlines the spokes.

Rnd 18 (eyelets): Ch 3. Front: dc in the first st, then (ch 1, skip 1 st, dc in next st) 18 times. Back: dc in each of the 27 sts. Join.

Count: 46 dc and 18 ch-1 sps. (Front 1 + 36 = 37 positions.)

Rnd 19: Ch 1, sc in each dc and each ch-1 sp around, join. (64 sc: front 37, back 27)

Rnd 20 (scallops): Ch 1. Front: sc in the first st, then (skip 1 st, Scallop in next st, skip 1 st, sc in next st) 9 times. Back: sc in each of the 27 sts. Join.

Count: front 10 sc + 9 Scallops (45 dc) = 55, back 27 sc. (82 sts) The front uses 1 + 9 x 4 = 37 sts, so it matches Rnd 19 exactly.

Fasten off and leave a 36 in (91.4 cm) tail for sewing.

The rim is 64 sts, or 16 in (40.6 cm) around, which gives a diameter of about 5.1 in (13.0 cm). The back wall is 13 rounds of sc-height stitching, or 2.9 in (7.4 cm).

Make All Pieces

You need:

  • 1 back panel
  • 3 baskets

Everything is one color, rust/terracotta. Each basket uses about 45 g, and the panel with its border uses about 45 g.

Layout grid (panel rows, counted from the bottom):

Rows 83–100   STRAP (folds over ring)
Rows 73–82    TAPER
Rows 65–72    open
Rows 52–64    [ BASKET 3 ]
Rows 41–51    open
Rows 28–40    [ BASKET 2 ]
Rows 17–27    open
Rows 4–16     [ BASKET 1 ]
Rows 1–3      open

Each basket starts 24 rows (5.3 in / 13.5 cm) above the one below it. The 11-row gaps are 2.4 in (6.1 cm), which leaves room for each roll to stick up about 1.4 in (3.6 cm) above its rim.

Joining

Each basket attaches to the panel along two horizontal lines: the base edge and the rim. On each line, 13 basket stitches are sewn to 13 panel stitches, so the join is stitch-for-stitch, 1:1.

  1. With the panel RS facing, mark panel sts 8–20 on the bottom row of the basket position (for Basket 1, that’s Row 4). The center is panel st 14.
  2. On the basket, find back sts 41–53. These are centered on st 47, the middle of the back section.
  3. Base line: Use the tail to whipstitch the free front loops of Rnd 10, at sts 41–53, to panel sts 8–20 on Row 4.
  4. Rim line: Whipstitch Rnd 20 sts 41–53 to panel sts 8–20 on Row 16. The 13-row span matches the 2.9 in (7.4 cm) back wall, so the basket sits upright without being stretched or compressed.
  5. Repeat for Basket 2 (Rows 28 and 40) and Basket 3 (Rows 52 and 64).

Tension: Pull each whipstitch snug but not tight. The contact patch should lie flat for 3.25 in (8.3 cm), with no puckering.

Checkpoint: All three rims should line up along the center of the panel, with 2.4 in (6.1 cm) of open panel between each rim and the next base.

Border

Border gauge: 4 sc per inch along every edge. On side edges, work 8 sc for every 9 rows. Rows are 4.5 per inch, so this gives 4 sc per inch.

Pick up the live loop at the strap and turn so you’re working down the strap’s edge.

Border Rnd 1: Ch 1. Work sc evenly around the edge as follows:

  • Strap side: 16 sc (18 rows x 8/9)
  • Taper edge: 13 sc
  • Long side: 64 sc (72 rows x 8/9)
  • Bottom edge: 3 sc in first st, sc in next 25 sts, 3 sc in last st (31 sc)
  • Long side: 64 sc
  • Taper edge: 13 sc
  • Strap side: 16 sc
  • Strap top: 3 sc in first st, sc in next 5 sts, 3 sc in last st (11 sc)

Join. (228 sc: 31 + 2 x (64 + 13 + 16) + 11)

The diagonal taper edge is about 3.3 in (8.4 cm) long. It runs 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across (10 sts) and 2.2 in (5.6 cm) up, so 13 sc gives you about 4 sc per inch.

Border Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in each st around, working 3 sc in the center st of each 3-sc corner group, join. (236 sc: bottom 35, strap top 15, sides unchanged)

Fasten off.

Why the math works: Both rounds keep 4 sc per inch, and only the four outside corners get increases, so the edge stays flat. The 2 rounds add 0.45 in (1.1 cm) per side. That takes the width from 6.75 in (17.1 cm) to 7.65 in (19.4 cm). The bottom border brings the body length from 18.2 in (46.2 cm) to about 18.7 in (47.5 cm).

Ring and Strap

Pass the strap through the ring from front to back and fold it in half toward the WS. Whipstitch the strap’s top edge to the WS at Row 83, across all 7 sts. The folded loop is about 2 in (5.1 cm) long.

Final Blocking

  1. Wet the finished holder in cool water and gently squeeze out the water. Don’t wring it.
  2. Roll it in a towel to remove the extra moisture.
  3. Lay the panel flat and pin it to 7.65 in (19.4 cm) x 18.7 in (47.5 cm).
  4. Stuff each basket with a toilet roll wrapped in a plastic bag to set the round shape.
  5. Open the fan spokes evenly and pin each of the 9 scallops into a rounded point.
  6. Let it dry completely, then remove the pins.

Final Quality-Control Checklist

  • Panel is 27 sts wide, with 72 straight rows, 10 taper rows, and an 18-row strap.
  • Each basket has 60 sts at the base, 64 at the rim, 9 fan spokes, 18 eyelets, and 9 scallops.
  • Each basket is joined with 13 sts at the base and 13 sts at the rim, centered.
  • Border Rnd 1 has 228 sts and Rnd 2 has 236 sts.
  • The ring is sewn in securely and all ends are woven in on the WS.
  • A roll slides into each basket without forcing.

Troubleshooting

  • Base cups or ruffles: Your increases are stacking, or your round gauge differs from your row gauge. Stagger the increases or change hook size for the base.
  • Rim is not level after Rnd 17: Check that you used tr over the 4 sc at each side and sc over the fan.
  • Fan spokes look crowded: Make sure you skipped exactly 6 sts on each side of st 17.
  • Basket tilts forward: The rim line is sewn too low. Sew it exactly 12 rows above the base line.
  • Border waves: Use fewer sc on the side edges, keeping 8 per 9 rows.
  • Panel pulls in under the baskets: Your whipstitches are too tight. Redo them with softer tension.

Care

Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, reshape, and dry flat. Cotton can be pressed lightly with a warm iron through a cloth if the panel needs smoothing.

Burnt-orange crocheted toilet paper organizer with lace pockets mounted on white subway tiles in a botanical bathroom.

Final Notes

Here’s the measurement chain. Gauge is 16 sc x 18 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). A 60-st base measures 4.5 in (11.4 cm), and a 64-st rim measures 5.1 in (13.0 cm). The panel is 27 sts wide, or 6.75 in (17.1 cm), and 72 rows tall, or 16 in (40.6 cm). The 2-round border adds 0.45 in (1.1 cm) per side, for a finished size of 7.65 in (19.4 cm) x 18.7 in (47.5 cm). If each checkpoint matches, three rolls fit right away and the holder hangs straight on its ring.

Happy crocheting!

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