Highbury Crochet Pen Holder

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Your desk needs a touch of crochet and this adorable crochet pen holder is just the thing. It’s the mini version of the Hartfield Hanging Crochet Basket, and just like the large version, can be hung or can sit upright on its own. Keep reading for the free crochet pattern for you can purchase the ad-free PDF right here.

Since we are barrelling toward school season I have office organization and school supplies fresh on my mind. I love desk accessories so being able to add touches of crochet to my own desk makes my heart so happy. This pen holder is made to fit around a 15 oz aluminum can so it’s sturdy and the perfect size for holding my favorite pens.

I also think this would make such a cute teacher gift filled with pencils because you know they can never have enough pencils!

Stitches for the Pen Holder Crochet Pattern

The modified half double crochet used in this pen holder is almost as easy as a regular half double crochet, but it may take a minute to wrap your brain around. The stitch uses a yarn under instead of a yarn over, which means you bring the yarn around the front of your hook instead of around the back.

Don’t worry if that sounds complicated, there are pictures with step-by-step explanations and you’ll easily get the hang of it.

Once you’ve worked the main part of the pen holder, you’re going to start using just one strand of yarn and do 5 rows of regular half double crochets. This extra part folds in and gives the little basket extra sturdiness and covers the sides of the can if you used one.

Adding a Strap or Handle

Like the Hartfield Hanging Baskets, this pen holder has a leather strap that’s held in place with rivets. I had leftovers from the Hartfield Basket so just used those. I ended up cutting the leather strip in half lengthwise so the handle wasn’t as wide.

I absolutely love having my own little rivet kit and love how easy it is to use. They aren’t the strongest rivets so I wouldn’t use them for anything that will pull a lot (like belts or shoes) but they work great for hanging baskets.

Both the leather and rivet kit were purchased right on Amazon and delivered right to my door! I still haven’t checked if my local craft store has similar supplies but I am happy with the ones from Amazon.

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Crochet Pen Holder Pattern

Skill Level: Easy

Materials:                             

US size 7, 4.5 mm crochet hook
Lily’s Sugar’n Cream in Jute and White (Approximately 2.6 oz total – 1.37 oz jute and 1.23 oz white)
Large Eye Yarn Needle
Leather Strap and Rivet Kit (optional)
Empty 15 oz can (optional)

Abbreviations:

ch: chain
st: stitch
sc: single crochet
sl st: slip stitch
inc: increase (2 single crochets in the same stitch)
mhdc: modified half double crochet (see notes and tutorial)
hdc: half double crochet

Gauge: 4” x 4” = 14 mhdcs by 11 rows

Finished Size: approx. 5” tall and 3” across the bottom

Notes:

The main part of the crochet pen holder is worked holding two strands of yarn together until you reach the last 5 rows.

Modified half double crochet (mhdc): yarn under, insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through all three loops on the hook. See photo tutorial

Yarn under: wrap yarn around the hook from front to back instead of back to front like a yarn over.

To keep the join in a straight line on the holder instead of spiraling around, you’ll alternate starting a finishing a round like normal with a round that skips the first stitch and works the last stitch into the slip stitch of the round below. It helps to use stitch markers to mark where the last stitch of the next round will be placed.

Adding leather straps (optional): cut the straps approximately 8” long and attach following the instructions of your rivet kit. The strap I used was originally 0.75” wide so I cut it in half making the strap approximately 0.375” wide by 8” long.   

Modified half double crochet photo tutorial

Yarn under – bring working yarn from the front of the hook to the back (instead of wrapping back to front)

insert hook into stitch

pull up a loop

yarn over and pull through all three loops on the hook.

Pattern Instructions:

Using two strands of yarn, start with a magic circle.

Round 1: 6 sc in ring, tighten to close, join with a sl st to the first sc. (6)

Round 2: ch 1, inc in each st around, join with a sl st to the first sc. (12)

Round 3: ch 1, *(sc in next st, inc in next st), repeat from * around, join with a sl st to the first sc. (18)

Round 4: ch 1, *(sc in next 2 sts, inc in next st), repeat from * around, join with a sl st to the first sc. (24)

Round 5: ch 1, *(sc in next 3 sts, inc in next st), repeat from * around, join with a sl st to the first sc. (30)

Round 6: ch 1, *(sc in next 4 sts, inc in next st), repeat from * around, join with a sl st to the first sc. (36)

Sides of the pen holder

Round 7: ch 1, mhdc (see notes and photo tutorial) in each st, join with a sl st to the first mhdc (36) (tip: use a stitch marker to mark the sl st)

Round 8: ch 1, skip first st, mhdc in each st, mhdc in sl st of previous round, join with a sl st to the first mhdc (36) (tip: use a stitch marker to mark the last mhdc)

Rounds 9-18: Repeat rounds 7 and 8 (change colors after row 12)

The rest of the rows only use one strand of yarn.

Round: 19: ch 1, hdc in each st, join with a sl st to the first hdc (36) (tip: use a stitch marker to mark the sl st)

Round 20: ch 1, skip first st, hdc in each st, hdc in sl st of previous round, join with a sl st to the first hdc (36) (tip: use a stitch marker to mark the last hdc)

Rounds 21-23: Repeat rounds 19 and 20. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Insert the can (if using) and push all the way to the bottom then fold the top of the pen holder over the sides of the can. If you aren’t using a can, you can fold the last 5 rows over.

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