I am just about as obsessed with plants (especially succulents) as I am with yarn. As part of that, I’m always looking for cute ways to add to my succulent garden and to my handmade home collection. I see a ton of crochet plant hangers out there, but there aren’t very many that are designed to fully cover the pot, so I decided to create my own. I saw a random tutorial on the internet for a plant hanger that used fabric cut into a plus sign/cross shape, and then the corners were gathered together, so I decided to try to re-create that concept with crochet! I ended up loving the square look, but found the open sides to be great for some pots and not great for others, so I made a second version that looks nearly identical, but is worked in rounds and doesn’t have the little side gaps.
This pattern uses the “alpine stitch” which creates an absolutely gorgeous texture, which brings a great design element to an otherwise super simple pattern. The alpine stitch is created with alternating rows of single crocheting and alternating double crochet and extended front post double crochet. I would recommend any of the fabulous tutorials you can find by simply googling “alpine stitch tutorial” if you need detailed instructions on creating the stitch pattern or you are a visual learner!
These plant hanger patterns are great because you can easily adjust the pattern/stitch pattern to be larger or smaller, taller or shorter, or even worked fully in the round if you were willing to figure out the math for the base. I worked both versions with the exact same base pattern, and the variation was only in the method of working the sides of the hanger. You could also easily adjust the length of the hanging straps to fit your particular space.
So to get into it, here are the project details.
Supplies needed:
- Worsted weight yarn. I used Red Heart Super Saver in Flamingo, but any worsted/weight 4 yarn should work. 1 skein of super saver is more than enough to make multiple of these plant hangers.
- “I” hook – 5.5mm (or size needed for a stiff base and a stretchy but relatively stiff side) I used my trusty Boye hook, but again, it’s up to your personal preference.
- Cardboard – small square to stiffen the bottom of the hanger. You could also use plastic – maybe the bottom of a leftover container from a restaurant, or whatever you prefer to use to create a stiff base for the pot to sit on inside the plant hanger.
Stitches used:
- Chain (Ch)
- Slip Stitch (Sl St)
- Single crochet (SC)
- Double Crochet (DC)
- Front Post Double Crochet (FPDC)/Front Post Extended Double Crochet (FPEDC)
- Back Loop Only (BLO)
Pattern Instructions:
Base (both variations use the exact same base pattern). You will be creating a square using rows of single crochet, so if you want the plant hanger to be larger than the ones I created, just add more stitches to your foundation chain and then increase the number of rows to square up the base. A great tip to confirm that your peice is square, and check the progress is to fold the piece diagonally, so that the edge of the rows is on the top of the foundation chain. When it is square, this fold will create a nice perfect triangle.
Foundation: Ch 15.
Row 1: SC into the second chain from the hook. 1 SC in each stitch to the end of the foundation chain. Turn. (14 stitches)
Row 2-14: Ch 1, 1 SC into each stitch to end of row. Turn. (14 stitches)
Row 15: Ch 1, 1 SC into each stitch to end of row. (14 stitches) Break yarn, and tie off.
You can either weave in your ends at this point, or plan to work over them with the first rows of the sides.
Now it’s time to clean up the base, and prepare for the side panels to be added:
Add a row of single crochet down each side of the base, to create a nice edge and a set of stitches to work into for the side attachment row. Work 15 single crochet stitches up the rows, perpendicular to the foundation chain, and make sure they are evenly spaced in the rows.
Here’s where the two options diverge. Both patterns will have a row of back loop only single crochet, but it will be worked in the round as one solid row on the solid piece, and in 4 separate sections for the split version. For the split version, you could also work 4 separate squares and then attach them to the sides, but I prefer to avoid sewing and weaving in ends whenever possible so I crocheted them directly to the base.
Split-sides version:
Adding the sides:
Pick a corner to be your starting point.
Row 1: Attach the yarn with a slip stitch, and crochet 15 single crochet stitches in the back loop only (from one corner to the other – 1 stitch in each stitch of the edge of the base). Turn.
Row 2: Ch 1, 1 SC in each stitch across. Turn (15 stitches)
Row 3: Ch 2, 1 DC in each stitch across. Turn (15 stitches)
Row 4: Ch 1, 1 SC in each stitch across. Turn. (15 stitches)
Row 5: Ch 2. 1 FPEDC around the post of the DC stitch in the row below, 1 DC in next stitch (it ends up kind of looking like it is behind the FPEDC), repeat to end of row. For the FPEDC of the alpine stitch, it will be around the post of the double crochet stitch below the stitch of the single crochet row, it is extended, because you draw up the first loop of the DC to match the row height of the top of the DC stitches in the working row (alternating with the FPEDC). If you have never done the alpine stitch, I highly recommend this tutorial here.
Row 6: Ch 1, 1 SC in each stitch across. Turn (15 stitches).
Row 7: Repeat row 5, but this time the FPEDC should be around the standard DC stitches of row 5, creating the alternating pattern of the rows.
Row 8: Ch 1, 1 SC in each stitch across. Turn (15 stitches).
Row 9: Repeat row 7, alternating 1 FPEDC and 1 DC across to end of row.
Row 10: Ch 1, 1 SC in each stitch across. Turn (15 stitches).
Row 11: Ch 1, 1 Sl St in each stitch across. Break yarn and tie off. Weave in ends.
Repeat the steps above for the remaining 3 sides. Make sure that you count rows and turns before attaching to make sure that you attach your yarn to the proper corner so that the textured side of the panel will be on the outside, the same as the existing side.
Full-side version:
Pick a corner, and attach the yarn with a slip stitch.
Round 1: Ch 1, Working in the back loop only, 1 SC in each stitch around the edge of the square base. Join with Sl St to the top of the Ch 1 from the beginning of the round. (60 stitches)
Round 2: Ch 2, 1 DC in each stitch around. Join with Sl St to top of turning chain. (60 stitches)
Round 3: Ch 1, 1 SC in each stitch around. Join with Sl St to top of turning chain. (60 stitches)
Round 4: Ch 2. 1 FPEDC around the post of the DC stitch in the row below, 1 DC in next stitch (it ends up kind of looking like it is behind the FPEDC), repeat to end of round. For the FPEDC of the alpine stitch, it will be around the post of the double crochet stitch below the stitch of the single crochet row, it is extended, because you draw up the first loop of the DC to match the row height of the top of the DC stitches in the working round (alternating with the FPEDC). If you have never done the alpine stitch, I highly recommend this tutorial here. At the end of the round, join with an Sl St to the top of the turning chain.
Round 5: Ch 1, 1 SC in each stitch around. Join with Sl St to top of turning chain. (60 stitches)
Round 6: Repeat round 4, but this time the FPEDC should be around the standard DC stitches of round 4, creating the alternating pattern of the rows. Join with Sl St to top of turning chain. (60 stitches)
Round 7: Ch 1, 1 SC in each stitch around. Join with Sl St to top of turning chain. (60 stitches)
Round 8: Repeat round 6, alternating 1 FPEDC and 1 DC across to end of row, working the FPEDC stitches around the DC stitch posts of round 6. (60 stitches)
Round 9: Ch 1, 1 SC in each stitch around. Join with Sl St to top of turning chain. (60 stitches)
Round 10: Repeat round 8, alternating 1 FPEDC and 1 DC across to end of row, working the FPEDC stitches around the DC stitch posts of round 6. (60 stitches)
Round 11: Ch 1, 1 SC in each stitch around. Join with Sl St to top of turning chain. (60 stitches)
Round 12: Ch 1, 1 Sl St in each stitch around. Join with Sl St to top of turning chain. (60 stitches). Break yarn and tie off. Weave in ends.
Finishing and Straps:
Once you have completed all 4 side panels (or the full sides), create 4 long chains. I chained 80, but you can crochet these chains as long as you want your hanger to hang. Remember that the chain will fold in half when you are determining your length, I wouldn’t make the chains any shorter because it doesn’t allow enough room for the plant, but it is up to personal preference. After all 4 chains are created (and the same length), lay the hanger out flat with the wrong side up. Loop the chains through each corner, with the ends pulling towards each other. Pull all 8 strands (2 per corner) to the center and tie together. I trimmed and fluffed my yarn ends after tying off, to make it look at bit like a tassel, but you can handle that however you would like.
This process is similar for the other version as well, with the only difference being that the corners are already joined, and you just have to loop each chain through both corners in the same manner.
Add your stiffening material to the bottom, and you are good to go!
Just find a place to hang it, and add a plant friend!
If you make a project inspired by this one I would love to see it! Tag me @skeinsandstitchesco or #skeinsandstitchesco so I can see your awesome work.
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Copyright © 2019 Abby Nehring, Skeins and Stitches Co
