Plastic grocery bags have a way of taking over a kitchen drawer. This holder gives them a tidy home that is pretty enough to leave out on the wall. You stuff bags in at the top and pull them out one at a time through a round opening near the bottom.
The body is soft mint green mesh. It’s open enough to see the bags inside but firm enough to hold its shape. A solid dark teal band finishes the top rim and the dispensing opening. On the front, two coral tulips on sage green stems add a cheerful cottage-kitchen touch. A small teal tab at the back wraps around a wooden ring for hanging.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished holder measures about 6.75 in (17.1 cm) wide laid flat, 13.5 in (34.3 cm) around, and 20 in (50.8 cm) tall, not counting the hanging tab and ring.
Construction is simple and seamless. You start at the bottom with a small mesh dome, then work the mesh tube in a continuous spiral. One round leaves a chained gap that becomes the dispensing opening. A teal single-crochet band finishes the top, followed by the hanging tab. The tulips, stems, and leaves are made separately and sewn onto the front.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 6.75 in (17.1 cm) wide flat x 20 in (50.8 cm) tall
- Circumference: 13.5 in (34.3 cm), about 4.3 in (10.9 cm) diameter
- Skill level: Easy to Intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Worsted weight (#4) cotton
- Hook: 5.0 mm (H-8)
- Number of pieces: 1 holder body, plus 4 small appliqué pieces (2 tulips, 2 leaves) and 2 chain stems
- Layout: Single vertical tube, opening on the front near the bottom
- Mesh body before border: 19 in (48.3 cm) tall
- Top border depth: 1 in (2.5 cm), 5 rounds of sc
- Opening: About 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across after edging
Materials
Choose a smooth worsted weight cotton or cotton blend. Cotton holds its shape under the weight of the bags and washes well. Acrylic works too, but the mesh will stretch more.
- Mint green (main color): 120 g, about 185 m
- Dark teal (border, opening, tab): 35 g, about 54 m
- Coral (tulips): 8 g, about 12 m
- Sage green (stems, leaves): 8 g, about 12 m
These quantities include a margin of about 15 percent to cover your gauge swatch and small differences in tension.
Tools:
- 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook
- 1 wooden ring, 2 in (5.1 cm) outside diameter
- 3 or 4 locking stitch markers
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Rustproof pins for blocking
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- sp(s) – space(s)
- st(s) – stitch(es)
Special stitch – mesh unit: (sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 3). One mesh unit creates one new ch-3 sp. A full mesh round is 18 mesh units, which gives 18 ch-3 sps.
Gauge and Checkpoints
- Mesh gauge: 4 mesh units = 3 in (7.6 cm) wide; 8 mesh rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm) tall. Each unit is 0.75 in (1.9 cm) wide and each round is 0.5 in (1.3 cm) tall.
- Sc gauge: 16 sc and 20 rounds = 4 in (10.2 cm).
Test first by working the base and about 6 mesh rounds. This small cup is your swatch. Flatten it and measure the width. It should be 6.75 in (17.1 cm), which is half of 13.5 in (34.3 cm).
Checkpoints:
- After Round 5: flat width 6.75 in (17.1 cm), height about 2.5 in (6.4 cm).
- After Round 9: height about 4.5 in (11.4 cm), with the opening gap visible on one side.
- After Round 38: height 19 in (48.3 cm).
- After Round 43: height 20 in (50.8 cm), flat width still 6.75 in (17.1 cm).
If too big: go down to a 4.5 mm (US 7) hook, or work ch 2 instead of ch 3 in each mesh unit and check again. If too small: go up to a 5.5 mm (I-9) hook. If only the height is off, add or remove plain mesh rounds between Rounds 10 and 38. Each round changes the height by 0.5 in (1.3 cm).
The Holder Body
Work in a continuous spiral. Do not join rounds. Place a marker in the first sc of each round and move it up as you go.
Rounded Base (Mint Green)
Round 1: Make a magic ring and work 6 sc in the ring. Pull the ring closed. (6 sc)
Round 2 (growth): (Sc in next sc, ch 3) 6 times. (6 ch-3 sps)
Round 3 (growth): (Sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 3, sc in same sp, ch 3) 6 times. (12 ch-3 sps)
Round 4 (growth): *(Sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 3), (sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 3, sc in same sp, ch 3); repeat from * 5 more times. (18 ch-3 sps)
The base is now a shallow cup. It has fewer loops than a flat circle would need, so it curves into the rounded bottom you see on the finished holder. It measures about 2 in (5.1 cm) deep.
Mesh Tube
Rounds 5–7: Work 18 mesh units in each round. (18 ch-3 sps per round)
Checkpoint after Round 5: flat width 6.75 in (17.1 cm).
Round 8 (opening round): Work 13 mesh units. Sc in next ch-3 sp, ch 15, skip the next 4 ch-3 sps. (13 ch-3 sps + 1 ch-15 bridge = 14 sps)
The ch-15 bridge spans the width of 5 mesh units (5 x 3 ch). The gap between this chain and Round 7 below it becomes the dispensing opening. The gap is 3.75 in (9.5 cm) wide.
Round 9 (restore round): Work 13 mesh units into the 13 ch-3 sps. Then work into the bridge chain: sc in 3rd ch, ch 3, sc in 6th ch, ch 3, sc in 9th ch, ch 3, sc in 12th ch, ch 3, sc in 15th ch, ch 3. (13 + 5 = 18 ch-3 sps)
Work into the top loop of each chain only. Leave the bottom loops free for the opening edging later.
Checkpoint: height about 4.5 in (11.4 cm).
Rounds 10–38: Work 18 mesh units in each round. (18 ch-3 sps per round)
Checkpoint: the mesh body is 19 in (48.3 cm) tall. Add or remove rounds here if needed.
Fasten off the mint yarn after you finish Round 38.
Border
Top Border (Dark Teal)
Border gauge: 16 sc = 4 in (10.2 cm), so 4 sc per inch.
Round 39 (conversion round): Join teal in any ch-3 sp. Work 3 sc in each ch-3 sp around. (18 sps x 3 sc = 54 sc)
Rounds 40–43: Sc in each st around. (54 sc per round)
Sl st in the next st to smooth the step of the spiral. Do not fasten off.
Why the math works: The mesh is 18 units x 0.75 in = 13.5 in (34.3 cm) around. At 4 sc per inch, 13.5 in needs 54 sc, and 18 x 3 = 54. The rim lies flat without ruffling or pulling in. Flattened, each side has 27 sc, which is 6.75 in (17.1 cm).
Hanging Tab (Dark Teal)
Flatten the holder with the opening centered on the front. Place a marker at the center back of the top edge. Sl st along the rim until you are 3 sts before the marker.
Row 1: Ch 1, sc in the next 6 sts, turn. (6 sc)
Rows 2–14: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (6 sc per row)
The tab is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide and 2.8 in (7.1 cm) long. Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail. Slip the tab through the wooden ring and fold it to the inside. Whipstitch the last row to the inside of Round 41, directly below the base of the tab. About 1 in (2.5 cm) of tab will show above the rim, plus the ring.
Opening Edging (Dark Teal)
Round 1: Join teal at one end of the opening. Work:
- 1 sc in each free bottom loop of the ch-15 bridge (15 sc)
- 1 sc in the corner
- 15 sc evenly along the lower edge (about 3 sc per ch-3 sp)
- 1 sc in the other corner
(15 + 1 + 15 + 1 = 32 sc)
Round 2: Sc in each st around. (32 sc)
Sl st in the next st and fasten off. The 32 sc measure 8 in (20.3 cm) around, so the opening forms a smooth round shape about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across. If the edging ruffles, rework Round 1 with 30 sc. If it pulls the mesh tight, use 34 sc.
Tulip Appliqué
Tulip Heads (Coral, make 2)
Row 1: Ch 4. 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, 2 sc in last ch, turn. (5 sc)
Row 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in last st, turn. (7 sc)
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. (7 sc)
Row 4 (petals): Sl st in st 1, (hdc, dc, hdc) in st 2, sl st in st 3, (dc, tr, dc) in st 4, sl st in st 5, (hdc, dc, hdc) in st 6, sl st in st 7. (3 petals)
The taller middle petal and the two side petals give the classic tulip shape. Each head measures about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) wide and 1.75 in (4.4 cm) tall. Fasten off with a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail.
Stems (Sage Green)
Long stem: Ch 26. Sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (25 sl st, about 5 in / 12.7 cm)
Short stem: Ch 16. Sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (15 sl st, about 3 in / 7.6 cm)
Leaves (Sage Green, make 2)
Ch 9. Starting in the 2nd ch from hook: sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc (7 sts). Work 3 sc in the last ch. Rotate and work along the underside of the chain: sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc (7 sts). Sl st to the first sc. (17 sts)
Each leaf is about 1.75 in (4.4 cm) long and 0.75 in (1.9 cm) wide. If you like, add a center vein with a line of sage surface sl sts.
Placement and Sewing
Lay the holder flat with the opening centered at the front. Measure from the bottom of the holder:
- The bottoms of both stems meet at center front, 6 in (15.2 cm) up.
- The long stem angles slightly right. The top of its tulip head is about 12.75 in (32.4 cm) up.
- The short stem angles slightly left. The top of its tulip head is about 10.75 in (27.3 cm) up.
- Place one leaf on each stem near the bottom, angled outward.
Pin everything in place. Sew with matching yarn, catching the sc posts and chain strands of the mesh. Slide a piece of cardboard inside the tube so you only sew through the front layer.
Final Blocking
- Weave in all ends securely, especially at the tab and opening.
- Soak the holder in cool water for 10 minutes. Gently squeeze; do not wring.
- Roll it in a towel to remove extra water.
- Stuff the tube loosely with a rolled dry towel to round out the shape.
- Lay it flat and pat it to 6.75 in (17.1 cm) wide and 20 in (50.8 cm) tall.
- Shape the opening into a smooth circle and flatten the tulips and leaves with your fingers.
- Let it dry completely, turning it once.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Flat width is 6.75 in (17.1 cm) from base to rim.
- Total height is 20 in (50.8 cm) without the tab.
- Every mesh round has 18 ch-3 sps, except Rounds 2–4 and 8.
- The top border has 54 sc in every round.
- The opening edging has 32 sc and lies flat.
- The tab is centered on the back, opposite the opening.
- The tulips, stems, and leaves are sewn securely and lie flat.
- All ends are woven in.
Troubleshooting
The bottom is pointed instead of rounded. Check that Round 4 has exactly 18 sps. With too few sps, the base pulls into a cone.
The tube twists. Spiral mesh leans a little. Block it straight and keep your ch-3 loops even.
The top rim ruffles. You have too many stitches for your tension. Go down one hook size for the border and keep the 54 sc count.
The opening is too tight for bags. In Round 8, work 12 mesh units, then sc in next sp, ch 18, and skip the next 5 sps. In Round 9, work 12 units and then 6 units into the bridge (in every 3rd ch). Edge with 18 + 1 + 18 + 1 = 38 sc.
Bags fall out by themselves. Rework the opening edging with 28 sc to make it snugger.
The tulips curl. Steam them lightly before sewing, or pin and wet-block them flat.
Care
Hand wash, or machine wash on a gentle cool cycle inside a laundry bag. Lay flat to dry and reshape while damp.
Final Notes
Here is how the measurements fit together. Eighteen mesh units of 0.75 in (1.9 cm) make a 13.5 in (34.3 cm) tube that is 6.75 in (17.1 cm) wide flat. Working 3 sc in each sp turns those 18 sps into 54 sc, which keeps the same 13.5 in (34.3 cm) at 4 sc per inch. A 2 in (5.1 cm) base, 34 mesh rounds of 0.5 in (1.3 cm), and a 1 in (2.5 cm) border add up to 20 in (50.8 cm). Check each of these measurements as you go, and your holder will hang straight and neat.
Happy crocheting!