9 Scrap Yarn Bathroom Accessories Free Crochet Patterns
If you are anything like most crocheters, you have a yarn stash that has grown into something that defies all logic. Baskets overflow with half-used skeins, drawers hold tangled remnants from finished projects, and somewhere in the back of a closet there are probably three or four small balls of worsted weight that you cannot bear to throw away. The good news is that your bathroom is one of the best places in your entire home to put all of that leftover yarn to work. Bathroom accessories made from scrap yarn are not only practical and beautiful, they also happen to be some of the most beginner-friendly crochet projects you will ever find. Most of them work up quickly, require very little yarn, and look absolutely stunning when finished in a mishmash of coordinating colors.
In this post, we are going to walk through nine fantastic bathroom accessory patterns that you can make entirely from yarn you already have sitting around your home. Each one is completely free to make, uses simple stitches that beginners can master quickly, and transforms your bathroom from an ordinary space into a cozy, handcrafted retreat. Whether you want to add a touch of texture to your counter, keep your soaps organized, or dress up a plain shower curtain, there is a scrap yarn project here for you.
Before we dive in, a few notes on materials. Cotton yarn is strongly preferred for bathroom accessories because it absorbs water, dries quickly, and holds up beautifully through washing machine cycles. That said, cotton blends and even acrylic yarn can work wonderfully for decorative items that do not come into direct contact with water, like jar covers or storage baskets. If you have scrap cotton from dish towel projects or dishcloth yarn in your stash, this is the perfect time to use it up. A size G (4.00 mm) or H (5.00 mm) hook covers most of these projects, though we will specify as we go. Now, let us get started.
1. Crochet Washcloths in Every Color Combination
The humble washcloth is perhaps the most satisfying scrap yarn project in existence. It uses up yarn at a pleasing rate, it is small enough to finish in a single evening, and every single bathroom can benefit from a stack of soft, handmade cloths sitting on the counter or tucked into a basket near the tub.
For a basic crochet washcloth, you will need roughly 50 to 75 yards of worsted weight cotton yarn, a size G hook, and about an hour of your time. A simple grid pattern using half double crochet stitches creates a cloth with wonderful texture and a satisfying drape. Chain 30, work half double crochet across, chain one, turn, and repeat until your work is roughly square. Fasten off and weave in your ends. That is truly all there is to it.
Where scrap yarn makes this project shine is in the color combinations. Use one solid color for a classic look, or switch colors every two rows for a cheerful stripe effect. You can also use one color for the body and a contrasting color for a final row of single crochet border all the way around the edge, which frames the cloth beautifully and uses up the tiniest scraps. A set of six washcloths in coordinating colors looks absolutely intentional and stylish displayed in a rolled stack on your bathroom counter, even when each cloth was made from completely different partial skeins.
2. Scrap Yarn Bath Mat with Bulky Texture
A crochet bath mat is a project that can use up an enormous amount of scrap yarn in a single sitting, and the finished result is something your feet will thank you for every single morning. The key to a great bath mat is working with multiple strands held together, which creates a thick, cushioned fabric that feels luxurious underfoot and dries faster than you might expect.
Hold two or three strands of worsted weight yarn together and treat them as a single strand throughout. Use a large hook, somewhere between a size N (9.00 mm) and a size P (10.00 mm), for a thick and squishy result. The beauty of this approach is that you can combine completely different colors and still end up with something cohesive, because the blending of multiple strands visually unifies even the most mismatched palette.
Work in rows or in the round, whichever you prefer. Rows of half double crochet create a classic rectangular mat, while working in a continuous oval from a starting chain gives you a shape that fits naturally in front of a pedestal sink or bathtub. Aim for finished dimensions of approximately 20 by 30 inches for a standard bath mat, though you can make it any size that suits your space. The project is sturdy enough to machine wash on a gentle cycle and tumble dry on low, which makes it genuinely practical and not just decorative.
3. Soap Saver Bags for Zero-Waste Living
Soap saver bags have had a huge moment in the handmade community recently, and for good reason. These small mesh bags hold a bar of soap, let water flow through freely during use, and create a gentle exfoliating effect on skin. They are incredibly eco-friendly, they eliminate the sad sliver of soap that usually gets thrown away because it is too small to hold, and they take less than 30 minutes to make.
For a soap saver, you want yarn with good stitch definition and quick drying properties. Cotton yarn in a light to medium weight is ideal. The pattern is simply a small rectangular bag worked in a loose stitch like a mesh or chainspace pattern that allows water to drain through. You can use the basic chain loop stitch where you work single crochet into chainspaces rather than into individual stitches, which creates an open, airy fabric.
Work a rectangle approximately 5 inches wide by 11 inches long, fold it in half, and seam the sides. Add a drawstring at the top using a crocheted chain or a piece of ribbon. Your soap saver is ready to use. Make a set of six in different colors so each member of your household can identify their own, or stack them all in a little basket for guests. These also make absolutely wonderful gifts, especially when paired with a handmade bar of soap from a local artisan.
4. Mason Jar Covers for Cotton Ball and Q-Tip Storage
Here is one of the most clever scrap yarn bathroom projects you will ever encounter. Take a plain mason jar or recycled glass jar, crochet a small fitted cover for the outside, and suddenly you have a stylish storage container for cotton balls, Q-tips, hair ties, or any other small bathroom necessity. A set of three or four jars in coordinating yarn colors looks intentional and beautiful on a bathroom shelf or counter.
The pattern for a jar cover is essentially a small granny square or round piece worked flat and then up the sides. You measure the circumference and height of your jar, work up a sample swatch to determine your gauge, and then calculate accordingly. Most standard mason jars work beautifully with a simple half double crochet worked in the round, increasing as needed for the base and then working straight up the sides.
Use leftover yarn from other projects without worrying about color matching. A bottom worked in one color, sides in another, and a final border row in a third color creates a fun design. You can even add a small decorative element to the front, like a crocheted flower or a simple embroidered initial, to make each jar unique. The yarn cover also protects glass jars from small knocks and gives them a softer look that suits almost any bathroom style.
5. Toothbrush and Razor Holder
This is a small and surprisingly satisfying project that adds a handmade touch to one of the most functional spots in your bathroom. A crocheted holder for toothbrushes or razors is essentially a small tube or cup shape that stands upright and keeps your daily essentials organized and accessible.
Work this project in a tight single crochet stitch in the round, using cotton yarn and a smaller hook than usual to create a dense, stiff fabric that holds its shape well. Starting with a magic ring or a chain joined into a ring, work in increasing rounds to form the base, then work straight up the sides without increases until the cup is about four inches tall. The result is a small, firm container that can hold three or four toothbrushes comfortably.
Use scrap yarn to create stripes as you work up the sides, changing colors every round or every two rounds depending on how much of each color you have. Even a tiny amount of yarn can contribute a single round of color to the stripe sequence. A thin rubber band placed inside the bottom of the finished holder helps it grip countertops and stay in place, which is a small practical tip that makes a big difference in day-to-day use.
6. Hanging Hand Towel with Loop
A crocheted hand towel with a hanging loop is one of those projects that looks impressive and complex but is actually beautifully simple to make. The towel hangs from the oven handle or a towel ring, stays put during use, and dries much faster than a traditional looped terry cloth towel because of the open nature of crochet fabric.
The body of the towel is worked in rows of your chosen stitch, with cotton yarn being essential here for its absorbency. A simple waffle stitch or a moss stitch creates lovely texture and drapes well. Work your rectangle to approximately 10 inches wide and 18 to 20 inches long, then pick up stitches along one short end to work the loop. The loop is a narrow tube about 6 inches long that folds over and is seamed to the same edge, creating a channel that hangs easily over a towel bar or hook.
The beauty of the hanging loop towel for scrap yarn purposes is that you can use one color for the body and a completely different color for the loop, and it looks intentional and stylish rather than mismatched. You can also add a decorative border around the perimeter of the towel in a third contrasting color. A small crocheted button or a sewn decorative button can be added to the loop area as a finishing touch.
7. Toilet Paper Roll Cover
This may sound like a purely decorative project, and it is, but sometimes a bathroom simply needs a small whimsical touch to feel truly cozy and complete. A crocheted cover for a spare toilet paper roll sitting on the back of the tank or on a shelf takes almost no yarn at all and takes perhaps 45 minutes to make from start to finish.
Work a tube in the round in single crochet or half double crochet, sized to fit snugly around a standard toilet paper roll. Then work a base across the bottom and close the top with a simple flat round. You now have a small yarn sleeve for your extra roll. Some people leave the top open and simply work a drawstring closure so the roll can be accessed easily. Others work a cute embellishment on the side, like a small crocheted cactus, a simple geometric pattern, or a small face.
This is an ideal project for using the absolute smallest scraps. If you have a ball of yarn with only 30 or 40 yards left, this project might be exactly the right use for it. Make several in coordinating colors to have spares ready, or give them as part of a handmade bathroom gift basket.
8. Crochet Basket for Rolled Towels or Toiletries
A small crochet basket is one of the most useful things you can make for a bathroom, and when worked with multiple strands of yarn held together, it uses up scrap skeins at an impressive rate. These baskets are sturdy enough to hold rolled hand towels, a collection of small toiletry bottles, or a gathering of bath bombs waiting to be used.
The trick to a basket that holds its shape is to use plenty of strands held together and work your stitches tightly. Holding three or four strands of worsted weight together and using a large hook creates a firm, dense fabric that stands up on its own and keeps its shape even when filled. You can also work around a length of wire or rope as a stabilizer for the rim, which gives the finished basket a more structured look.
Work the base in increasing rounds until you reach your desired diameter, then work straight up the sides without increasing until the basket is as tall as you want. For a small counter basket, aim for about 4 inches across and 3 inches tall. For a larger towel basket for the floor, work up to 10 or 12 inches across and 8 inches tall.
The best part of using scrap yarn for baskets is that you can change strands at any point, so every inch of leftover yarn gets used up. The finished texture is a celebration of all the projects that came before it.
9. Shower Curtain Ring Covers and Curtain Ties
The final project on our list is perhaps the most elegant: small crocheted covers for shower curtain rings, and coordinating curtain ties to bundle the curtain back when the shower is not in use. These tiny accessories add a surprising amount of visual warmth to a bathroom without requiring much yarn at all.
For ring covers, simply work a very small tube of single crochet in the round, sized to wrap around your specific curtain rings. Slide each finished cover onto a ring before hanging it, and suddenly your shower curtain hardware looks intentional and cozy rather than purely functional. Use the same color for all covers for a uniform look, or alternate two colors for a cheerful striped effect.
The curtain ties are even simpler. Crochet two lengths of chain stitches, each about 18 to 24 inches long, then work a single crochet row along the chain to stabilize it. These become soft, flexible ties that wrap around a bundled shower curtain and fasten with a simple bow or a slip knot. You can add a small crochet flower or leaf to each tie for a decorative touch.
Together, the ring covers and curtain ties create a cohesive handmade look that elevates the entire bathroom, and they can be made and remade in whatever color palette suits each season or your decorating mood.
Final Thoughts on Scrap Yarn Bathroom Projects
One of the most wonderful things about crochet as a craft is that nothing has to go to waste. Every partial skein, every short length of leftover cotton, every tangled scrap has the potential to become something beautiful and useful. Your bathroom, with its daily practical needs and its potential to be a calm and cozy retreat, is one of the very best places to direct that creative energy.
These nine projects cover a range of skill levels, from absolute beginner to confident intermediate, and a range of time commitments from under an hour to a full weekend of relaxed hooking. Mix and match them to suit your stash and your bathroom, and do not be afraid to substitute colors freely. The mismatched charm of scrap yarn projects is exactly what makes them feel handmade in the best possible sense.
If you try any of these projects, we would love to hear how they turn out. Share your photos in the comments, let us know which project you tackled first, and tell us what your most creative yarn combination ended up being. Happy hooking, and may your stash always find a beautiful second life.
