This hanging holder stacks three round baskets, one above the other, each covered in rows of overlapping crocodile-stitch scales. A wooden ring at the top lets it hang from a single wall hook, and each basket holds one standard toilet roll with the top of the roll showing.
The sample is worked in one warm rust-terracotta yarn. With a single color, the texture does all the work: the scale tips point upward toward each rim, so every basket looks like it has a petal crown. It fits well in a natural, boho, or farmhouse bathroom.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. Each basket is 5.5 in (14.0 cm) across the body, about 6 in (15.2 cm) across the scales, and 3.4 in (8.6 cm) tall. Hung, the whole holder measures about 20.5 in (52.1 cm) from the top of the ring to the bottom of the lowest basket.
Each basket wall is worked top-down as a tube. Because of that, the scales fold back toward the rim and point up. You make a flat base disc separately and join it to the wall with a round of single crochet. Narrow straps link the baskets, and two longer straps wrap around the ring.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: about 6 in (15.2 cm) wide x 20.5 in (52.1 cm) long, ring included
- Skill level: Intermediate
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: Worsted (#4), cotton or cotton blend
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 12 (3 walls, 3 bases, 4 connector straps, 2 hanger straps), plus 1 wooden ring
- Layout: 3 baskets in a vertical column, 1 basket per tier
- Piece size: each basket body is 5.5 in (14.0 cm) in diameter and 17.1 in (43.4 cm) around
- Size before border: each basket is 3 in (7.6 cm) tall
- Border depth: 0.4 in (1.0 cm) rim edging, which brings each basket to 3.4 in (8.6 cm)
Materials
Yarn: Use a smooth worsted-weight cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds the basket shape well and keeps the scales crisp. Avoid fuzzy or very stretchy acrylic, which lets the baskets sag under the weight of a roll.
- Rust / terracotta: 200 g, about 380 m (415 yd)
Crocodile stitch uses a lot of yarn. Each basket takes about 50 g, and the straps take about 15 g altogether. The quantity above includes a margin of roughly 15% for your gauge test and any frogging.
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- Wooden ring, 2.5 in (6.4 cm) outside diameter
- Tapestry needle
- 4 locking stitch markers
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Spray bottle and pins for blocking
- One toilet roll, for test-fitting
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- rev sc – reverse single crochet (crab stitch)
- sp – space
- sk – skip
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
- rep – repeat
Special stitch – Scale: Each scale is worked over one pair of dc that stand side by side. Turn the work slightly so the pair lies sideways. Working around the post of the first dc, make 5 dc from the top of the post down to its base. Ch 1. Then, working around the post of the second dc, make 5 dc from its base up to its top. One scale = 10 dc + 1 ch. Push each scale toward the rim as you finish it.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 14 sts and 7 dc rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). 14 sts and 16 sc rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). That works out to 3.5 sts per inch, about 0.57 in per dc round, and 0.25 in (0.6 cm) per sc round.
Make one complete basket (base, wall, and join) before you start the others. Here is where to check it:
- Base after Rnd 3 (36 sts): about 3.25 in (8.3 cm) across.
- Base after Rnd 5 (60 sts): 5.5 in (14.0 cm) across, lying flat.
- Wall after Rnd 1 (60 sc): the tube should measure 17.1 in (43.4 cm) around without stretching.
- Wall after Rnd 9: about 2.75 in (7.0 cm) tall, measured flat with the scales folded up.
- Joined basket before border: 3 in (7.6 cm) tall. A toilet roll that is 4.5 in (11.4 cm) wide should slide in with a little room.
If it’s too big: go down to a 4.5 mm hook. If it’s too small, or the roll won’t fit: go up to a 5.5 mm hook. Don’t change the stitch counts. The wall, base, and rim all depend on the number 60.
Basket Base (make 3)
Make a magic ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc throughout), 11 dc in ring, join with sl st to top of ch-3. (12 dc)
Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each st around, join. (24 dc)
Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next st, *2 dc in next st, dc in next st; rep from * around, join. (36 dc)
Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 2 sts, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 2 sts; rep from * around, join. (48 dc)
Rnd 5: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 3 sts, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 3 sts; rep from * around, join. (60 dc)
Fasten off and leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail. The disc should measure 5.5 in (14.0 cm) and lie flat. If it ruffles, your tension is loose. If it cups, it is tight.
Basket Wall (make 3)
The wall is worked top-down with the RS facing you. Rnd 1 is the rim.
Foundation: Ch 60 and join with sl st to the first ch, taking care not to twist the chain.
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in each ch around, join to first sc. (60 sc)
Rnd 2 (pair round): Ch 3, dc in next st, ch 1, sk 1 st, *dc in next 2 sts, ch 1, sk 1 st; rep from * 18 more times, join to top of ch-3. (20 pairs: 40 dc + 20 ch-1 sps)
Number the pairs 1 to 20, starting with the pair that holds the ch-3.
Rnd 3 (scale round, odd pairs): Work a Scale over pair 1, using the ch-3 as the first post. *Sk ch-1 sp, sl st between the 2 dc of the next pair, sk ch-1 sp, Scale over the next pair; rep from * 8 more times. Sk ch-1 sp, sl st between the 2 dc of pair 20, then sl st in the next ch-1 sp. Fold scale 1 forward and sl st between the 2 dc of pair 1. (10 scales on pairs 1, 3 … 19; 10 sl sts)
Rnd 4 (pair round): Ch 3, dc in same sp (behind the scale), ch 1. *2 dc in the next sl st, ch 1, 2 dc between the 2 dc of the next scaled pair, working behind the scale, ch 1; rep from * 8 more times. Finish with 2 dc in the last sl st and ch 1, then join to top of ch-3. (20 pairs: 40 dc + 20 ch-1 sps)
Each new pair sits right on top of an old pair, so the stitch count stays the same and the tube keeps its width.
Rnd 5 (scale round, even pairs): Sl st between the 2 dc of pair 1, sl st in the next dc, then sl st in the next ch-1 sp. *Scale over the next pair, sk ch-1 sp, sl st between the 2 dc of the next pair, sk ch-1 sp; rep from * 8 more times. Scale over pair 20, then join with sl st to the first sl st. (10 scales on pairs 2, 4 … 20; 10 sl sts)
These scales sit between the scales of Rnd 3, which gives the brick-like overlap.
Rnd 6 (pair round): Ch 3, dc in same st, ch 1. *2 dc between the 2 dc of the next scaled pair, working behind the scale, ch 1, 2 dc in the next sl st, ch 1; rep from * 8 more times. Finish with 2 dc behind the last scale and ch 1, then join. (20 pairs: 40 dc + 20 ch-1 sps)
Rnd 7: Repeat Rnd 3. (10 scales)
Rnd 8: Repeat Rnd 4. (20 pairs: 40 dc + 20 ch-1 sps)
Rnd 9 (conversion round): Ch 1, sc in each dc and in each ch-1 sp around, join. (40 sc worked 1 per dc + 20 sc worked into the ch-1 sps = 60 sc)
Don’t fasten off. The wall should now be about 2.75 in (7.0 cm) tall, with three tiers of scales pointing up toward the rim.
Join the Base
Place the base under the open bottom of the wall, wrong sides together, with the base RS facing down and out.
Join Rnd: Ch 1. Working through both layers, sc through each Rnd 9 sc and the matching Rnd 5 base dc. Join and fasten off. (60 sc)
The two edges match one to one, 60 to 60, so the base sits flat without puckering. Checkpoint: the basket is 3 in (7.6 cm) tall.
Straps (make 6)
All straps are 3 sc wide, which is 0.9 in (2.3 cm), with 4 rows to the inch.
Connector strap (make 4): Ch 4. Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and in the next 2 ch. (3 sc) Rows 2–14: ch 1, turn, sc in each st. (3 sc) Fasten off and leave a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail. The strap is 3.5 in (8.9 cm) long.
Hanger strap (make 2): Work as for the connector strap, but continue through Row 22. (3 sc) The strap is 5.5 in (14.0 cm) long.
Make All Pieces
Everything is rust/terracotta:
- 3 bases (60 dc each)
- 3 walls (60 sts per round)
- 4 connector straps (3 sc x 14 rows)
- 2 hanger straps (3 sc x 22 rows)
Layout (top to bottom):
[ RING ]
/ \
hanger A hanger B
\ /
[ BASKET 1 - top ]
| |
connector connector
| |
[ BASKET 2 - middle ]
| |
connector connector
| |
[ BASKET 3 - bottom ]
Joining
Work the rim border on every basket (see below) before you attach any straps.
Marking: On each basket, place a marker at rim sts 1–3 and another at sts 31–33. These two spots are directly opposite each other, 30 sts apart on both the front and the back. Place matching markers on the Join Rnd at the bottom of baskets 1 and 2, lined up directly below the rim markers.
Connectors: Lay 2 rows at one end of a connector inside the rim of basket 2 at sts 1–3, and whipstitch it in place. Each strap stitch goes to one rim stitch, 3 to 3. Sew the other end to the outside of basket 1’s Join Rnd at sts 1–3 with a 2-row overlap. That leaves 10 rows, or 2.5 in (6.4 cm), showing between the baskets. Repeat at sts 31–33, then join basket 3 to basket 2 the same way.
Hangers: Sew 2 rows of each hanger strap inside the rim of basket 1, one at sts 1–3 and one at sts 31–33. Bring both straps up to the ring. Fold the last 6 rows, 1.5 in (3.8 cm), over the ring and whipstitch them to the back of the strap. About 3.5 in (8.9 cm) of each strap stays visible.
Tension: Make your whipstitches snug, but don’t pull them hard enough to gather the rim. Check that both straps on each tier are exactly the same length. If one is longer, the basket will hang tilted.
Size checkpoint: Hang the holder. From the top of the ring to the bottom of basket 3, it should measure about 20.5 in (52.1 cm).
Border (Rim Edging)
Border gauge: 3.5 sts per inch, matching the wall. The border is 0.4 in (1.0 cm) deep.
Hold the basket rim-up with the RS facing you. The foundation chain is the top edge. Join the yarn at the ch at the base of rim st 1.
Border Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in each foundation ch around, join. (60 sc: 30 on the front half + 30 on the back half)
Border Rnd 2: Ch 1, rev sc in each st around, join. (60 rev sc: 30 front + 30 back)
Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Why the math works: The 60 foundation chains became the 60 sc of Rnd 1. Those 60 sc became 20 pairs of 3 positions each (2 dc + 1 ch-sp), and the conversion round turned them back into 60 sc. That matches the 60 dc of the base and the 60 stitches of the border. Since every stage has 60 stitches, the rim, wall, and base are all the same circumference, so the basket’s sides are straight.
Final Blocking
- Lightly mist each basket until it is damp but not wet.
- Put a toilet roll inside each basket to hold the round shape.
- Lift each scale tip up and outward with your fingers so all the scales point evenly toward the rim.
- Flatten each base on a towel, then press around the base join edge.
- Pin the straps straight, keeping each pair the same length.
- Let everything dry completely, about 12–24 hours.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Each base is 5.5 in (14.0 cm) and lies flat
- Each basket has 10 scales in each of its 3 tiers, with the tiers offset
- Each basket is 3.4 in (8.6 cm) tall with the border on
- The two straps on each tier are identical and 30 sts apart
- The ring is centered and the holder hangs straight
- The total length is about 20.5 in (52.1 cm)
- All ends are woven in and hidden under the scales
Troubleshooting
- Scales point down: The wall was worked bottom-up. Make sure you start from the foundation chain at the rim.
- Tube flares or narrows: Check that you have 20 pairs in every pair round, and recount the ch-1 sps.
- Scales are cramped or overlap unevenly: Make exactly 5 dc per post and keep the ch 1 at the tip.
- Roll won’t fit: Make the basket again with a 5.5 mm hook. Don’t add stitches.
- Basket tilts: Resew the straps so both are the same length and exactly opposite each other.
- Base puckers: The base and wall counts don’t match. Both need to be 60 before you join them.
Care
Hand wash cold and reshape while damp. Lay flat to dry with a roll inside each basket.
Final Notes
Each stage builds on the one before. Get gauge at 3.5 sts per inch and the 60-stitch base comes out at 5.5 in (14.0 cm). The wall then matches it at 17.1 in (43.4 cm) around. Four dc rounds and three sc rounds make the basket 3 in (7.6 cm) tall, and the border brings it to 3.4 in (8.6 cm). Add three baskets, two 2.5 in (6.4 cm) connector gaps, and the hanger and ring, and the finished holder is about 20.5 in (52.1 cm) long. Check each stage before moving on and the finished piece will hang straight.
Happy crocheting!