Crochet highland cow toilet paper holder pattern

Finished size & materials

Finished size: 22 cm tall × 18 cm wide × 16 cm deep

Parts to make: Basket ×1, head ×1, muzzle ×1, horns ×2, ears ×2, shaggy fringe set ×1, legs ×4, floral garland ×1.

Visual reference

The pattern

1. 1

   Step 1: Lower Basket Body and Toilet-Paper Opening

   

   Work the standard 56-stitch basket in rust/tan, exactly as for the Gnome. Finish with a slip-stitch top edge and do the roll fit check.

2. 2

   Step 2: Head, Muzzle, and Horns

   

   Head (rust): Follow the 54-stitch sphere chart (increase to 54, R11–R15 plain, then decrease to close). Install the eyes before closing. Finished head about 12–13 cm wide.

   Muzzle (cream): Ch 10; work an oval around the chain to 22 sts. Work 3 rounds of 22. Lightly stuff. Embroider the nostrils before attaching.

   Horns (cream, make 2): R1 5; R2 7; R3–R5 7; R6 9; R7–R10 9; R11 11; R12–R14 11. Stuff lightly. Create the curve while sewing by taking shorter stitches on the inner curve.

3. 3

   Step 3: Ears, Shaggy Fringe, Legs, and Garland

   

   • Ears (rust, make 2): Ch 8. Work sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc along one side; mirror on the underside. Pink inner ear: repeat with ch 6 and sew centered.
   • Shaggy fringe: Cut 55–70 rust strands, 14–18 cm each. Latch around the crown, cheeks, and upper back. Trim only after the horns, ears, and muzzle are attached, so the fringe frames the face.
   • Legs ×4 (brown/rust): 18-stitch circumference × 7 rounds, lightly stuffed.
   • Garland: Crochet 5–7 leaves (ch 8 leaf method: sl st, sc, hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc, sc, sl st around the chain) and 5 small flowers (MR, [ch 2, 2 dc, ch 2, sl st] ×5). Sew to a 28 cm green chain cord.
4. 4

   Step 4: Final Assembly

   

   Attach the head to the basket top, the horns behind the crown, the ears below the horns, and the muzzle low and centered. Add the fringe, then the legs at the four corners. Lay the garland across the upper opening edge without obstructing the roll, securing it every 3–4 cm.

Finishing & quality check

Use this same finishing order for every design in the collection:

1. Block and shape the empty basket, and verify the roll opening.
2. Attach the major head/top section, centered over the opening.
3. Pin paired parts first; compare them from the front and side before sewing.
4. Sew accessories and decorative parts only after the structural seams are secure.
5. Insert the roll, adjust the shaping, weave in all tails, and perform the final size check.

Final quality checklist — before you call it done:

• Roll slides in and out freely
• Holder stands without tipping
• Paired parts are symmetrical
• No stuffing is visible
• All yarn tails are buried
• Eyes and decorations are secure
• Finished dimensions are within about 1 cm of target

Care & placement

• Place finished holders on a dry shelf or floor position beside the toilet.
• Keep them away from direct moisture, shower spray, wet floors, and sink splashes.
• Leave the roll opening unobstructed.
• Spot clean only. Reshape while damp and air dry completely.
• Hide all yarn tails inside the work, and reinforce load-bearing attachment points.
• For child-accessible decor, embroider eyes instead of using removable small parts.

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No time to crochet one?

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