Soap holder pattern
Selvedge’s customer services manager, Hester Thorp, is also a crochet pattern designer. Here, Hester shares a simple, clever pattern for a modern ‘soap on a rope.’ “As we all try to cut down on plastic and with so many beautiful soaps on the market, I have designed a crochet soap holder which is a useful addition to your shower or makes a quick thoughtful present and is easily worked up using just chains, double and treble crochet.”
“I crochet as I cook…I tend to make it up as I go along a bit, but I have tried to create the pattern up to part way through round three. Once you are at this point you just repeat as necessary. I hope you have a go and enjoy my little pattern.”
Soap holder
This pattern is written in English crochet terms.
Chain
DC: double crochet
TR: treble crochet
Slip Stitch
I usually use a double knit cotton and a 4mm hook for this pattern.
Chain 14
R1. 3 DCs into the 3rd chain from your hook. Then 1 DC into the outside loop of each of the next chains. Then 4 DCs into the last chain (to turn the corner). 10 DCs into the outside loop of each of the 10 chain. Finally, slip stitch into the chain at the end.
R2. 3 chain (counts as one TR), then 27 TR – 1 into each stitch all the way around. Slip stitch into top chain of your 3 chain to join.
You are aiming to have 28 stitches now. I personally feel that part of the beauty of crochet is that it’s easy to cheat or fix things so, at this point, if you have one too many stitches just undo one and slip stitch to join or, if you have one too few, just squeeze another TR in before you slip stitch.
R3. Slip stitch into the next chain space. Then 3 chain (counts as one TR), 1 TR, 1 Chain, 2 TR into that space. *Skip four stitches. 2 TR, 1 chain, 2 TR into next space.* Repeat all the way around finally slip stitching into the top of the 3 chain.
R4 – R12. Simply repeat row 3. You may decide that your soap only needs 10 rows, or 13 rows, it’s entirely up to you. The idea is to allow enough space in the soap holder to have room at the top for the drawstring.
Drawstring: Chain 60, then turn and DC all the way back down the chain. Thread in and out of the pattern a couple of rows down from the top and tie, or bow, as desired.
Thread in your loose threads and there you have it.
Suggestions: The soap holders can look really pretty with contrasting bows. Or, sometimes, I make up a soap holder with lovely stripy parcel thread, using a slightly larger hook, and this creates a soap holder with good exfoliation as well.
