Sunflower Crochet Plastic Bag Holder – Free Pattern (Step-by-Step)

A free crochet plastic bag holder pattern with three raised sunflowers: a mustard grocery bag dispenser that brightens any kitchen, written out round by round.

Searching for a crochet plastic bag holder free pattern that looks as good as it works? This sunflower grocery bag holder keeps plastic bags tidy and turns them into sunny kitchen decor. Stuff bags in through the top, pull one at a time from the elastic opening at the bottom, and three raised crochet sunflowers make it look like a little garden on your wall.

The whole pattern is below, free, with every round and stitch count. If you would rather print it, the free PDF is linked at the top and bottom of this page.

Pattern at a glance

• Skill level: Intermediate (the body is easy; the flowers take a little focus)
• Time: 2-3 relaxed evenings
• Finished size: about 36 cm long x 15 cm wide (14 x 6 in), measured flat
• Hook: 3.5 mm (E/4)
• Terms: US crochet terms

Materials

• Worsted weight cotton yarn: mustard (about 150 g, body), rust brown (about 35 g, borders), chocolate brown (about 25 g, flower centers), golden yellow (about 35 g, petals) and olive green (about 20 g, leaves and stems)
• 3.5 mm crochet hook
• Yarn needle and scissors
• Narrow elastic, 20 cm (8 in), for the lower opening
• A rigid ring, 7-8 cm (about 3 in), for hanging
• Stitch markers

Gauge

About 14 dc x 8 rows = 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4 in). If your swatch is small, go up a hook size; if it is large, go down one. To make the dispenser wider, add to the starting chain in multiples of 6; to make it longer, add rounds.

Step 1: Start the mustard body (Rounds 1-12)

Keep the starting chain snug but flexible, because it becomes the top edge of the tube.

• Round 1: With mustard, ch 72 and join with a sl st into a ring, taking care not to twist the chain.
• Round 2: Ch 1, sc in each chain around, join. [72 sc]
• Rounds 3-8: Ch 1, hdc in each stitch around, join every round (6 rounds). [72 hdc]
• Rounds 9-12: Ch 1, sc in each stitch around, join every round (4 rounds). [72 sc]

Step 2: Work the length (Rounds 13-54)

• Rounds 13-48: Ch 2, dc in each stitch around, join every round (36 rounds). [72 dc]
• Rounds 49-54: Ch 1, hdc in each stitch around, join every round (6 rounds). [72 hdc]

The main body is now complete.

Step 3: Add the rust-brown top rim

• Round 1: Join rust brown at the top edge. Sc evenly around and join.
• Round 2: Sc in the back loop only of each stitch and join. This makes a ribbed ridge.
• Rounds 3-4: Sc in each stitch around for 2 more rounds, joining each round.

Step 4: Make the bag exit at the bottom

• Round 1: Work sc evenly around the lower edge of the tube.
• Round 2: Work sc2tog all the way around to reduce the opening by about half.
• Round 3: Sc evenly around the smaller opening.
• Round 4: Work one more sc round in rust brown.
• Elastic: Thread the 20 cm elastic through the last round, knot it and adjust it so one bag pulls out smoothly.

Test with a real grocery bag before you knot the elastic for good.

Step 5: Crochet the three sunflowers

Large sunflower center: with chocolate brown, make a magic ring and work 6 sc [6]. Round 2: 2 sc in every stitch [12]. Keep increasing 6 stitches every round (Round 3: [sc, inc] x6; Round 4: [2 sc, inc] x6, and so on) through Round 6. [36]

Petals: join golden yellow in any stitch of the last round. Ch 3, 2 dc in the same stitch, 1 tr, 2 dc in the next stitch, ch 3, sl st in the following stitch. Repeat around for evenly spaced petals.

Medium sunflower: work the brown center through Round 5 only [30], then add the yellow petals the same way.

Small sunflower: work the brown center through Round 4 [24] and add about 8 evenly spaced petals. Leave a long tail for sewing on every flower.

Step 6: Leaves and stems

• Leaf: with olive green, ch 11. Starting in the 2nd chain from the hook: 1 sc, 1 hdc, 3 dc, 2 hdc, 2 sc, then 3 sc in the last chain. Continue along the other side of the chain with the same sequence in reverse and sl st to finish.
• Stems: make olive chains of different lengths, then sl st back along each chain for a thicker stem.

Plan the stems so they climb across the front of the dispenser between the flowers.

Step 7: Cover the hanging ring and add a tab

• Cover: cover the 7-8 cm ring tightly with sc in rust brown.
• Tab: ch 9, then work 8 sc per row for 7 rows.
• Attach: fold the tab around the bottom of the ring and sew it securely to the upper rim of the dispenser.

Step 8: Arrange and finish

1. Lay the body flat, front side up. Sew the large sunflower at the upper left, the medium one at the middle right and the small one at the lower left.
2. Sew the stems between the flowers and a leaf beside each stem. Only stitch through the front layer, so you never close the tube.
3. Weave in all ends and shape the petals and leaves.
4. Load several folded bags through the top, pull one out of the bottom and fine-tune the elastic.

Care

Wash in cold water on a gentle cycle, or by hand with a mild detergent. Do not wring; press the water out, lay flat on a towel and reshape while damp. Keep it out of strong sunlight so the yellows stay bright.

Make it yours

• A teal or lavender body for a fresh twist
• A scalloped top trim
• Beads in the sunflower centers
• Red and green for a holiday version

Make it a quick Christmas gift

Crochet bag holders are some of the most useful quick crochet Christmas gifts: cheap to make from cotton you already own, finished in an evening or two, and actually used every day. They make a great crochet housewarming gift too, and sell well at Christmas craft markets. Tuck a few folded bags inside before you wrap it so it is ready to hang.

Frequently asked questions

How many plastic bags does it hold?

A full dispenser holds about 20-30 folded grocery bags, depending on how tightly you pack them.

Can I make it without the elastic?

Yes. Without elastic, finish the bottom with the sc2tog round and two plain rounds. Bags will come out a little more freely.

What yarn is best for a plastic bag holder?

Cotton or a cotton blend. It holds its shape, does not stretch out under the weight of the bags and is easy to wash.

How do you put plastic bags in a bag holder?

Fold or loosely roll each bag, push it in through the top opening and keep adding bags on top. Pull the first one out through the bottom opening: as you take one, the next drops down, so they come out one at a time.

Download the free printable PDF: Sunflower Crochet Plastic Bag Holder – Free Pattern