Free Knit Pattern: Toilet Roll Holder That Will Make Your Bathroom the Funniest Room in the House
If you have ever walked into someone’s bathroom and found yourself genuinely delighted by what you saw sitting on the back of the toilet tank, you know the particular joy that a well-chosen piece of handmade décor can bring. Bathrooms are often the last rooms people think to decorate with personality, but they are also one of the most visited spaces in any home. Guests spend a quiet moment in there alone, and what they see makes an impression. Why not make that impression a funny one?
This free knit pattern for a toilet roll holder is exactly the kind of project that knitters dream about when they want something small, quick, satisfying, and just a little bit absurd. Whether you are looking to use up some leftover yarn, need a last-minute handmade gift, or simply want to add a touch of humor to your own bathroom, this pattern has you covered — literally and figuratively.
Let us talk about everything you need to know: the materials, the pattern itself, some fun variations, tips for customizing, and ideas for turning this little project into a whole bathroom theme that will have your guests laughing every single time.
Why a Knitted Toilet Roll Holder Is Exactly What Your Bathroom Needs
Before we get into the pattern, let us take a moment to appreciate the humble toilet roll holder. In most homes, it is a cold, utilitarian piece of hardware screwed into the wall or balanced on a stand. It does its job without fanfare. But what if it did not have to be that way?
Knitted toilet roll holders — sometimes called toilet paper cozies, loo roll covers, or bathroom yarn art depending on who you ask — have been a beloved part of craft culture for decades. They sit on the back of the toilet tank or on a shelf and hold one or more spare rolls of toilet paper while making people smile. The ones with funny faces, googly eyes, animal ears, or cheeky little messages are the ones people photograph and share, the ones that spark conversation, the ones that turn a bathroom from a purely functional space into something with character.
This particular pattern takes the classic doll-shaped toilet roll holder, which was popular in the 1970s and 1980s, and gives it a fresh, funny update for modern knitters. Think of it as a nostalgic nod with a comedic twist. You can make it look like a grumpy old man, a glamorous queen, a little monster, or anything else your imagination conjures. The base is simple, and the personality is entirely yours to add.
Materials You Will Need
One of the best things about this project is that it requires very little. You probably have most of what you need already sitting in your stash.
You will need approximately 100 to 150 grams of worsted weight yarn in your main color. This will form the body of the holder. For the hair, face decorations, or any accessories you want to add, gather small amounts of contrasting colors. A set of US size 7 (4.5mm) double-pointed needles or a short circular needle will work perfectly here, though you can also work flat and seam if you prefer. A pair of googly eyes available at any craft store adds instant comedy, but you can embroider eyes as well if this is for a child’s bathroom or if you prefer a softer look. You will need a yarn needle for finishing, a small amount of polyfill stuffing if you want your holder to have a more structured look at the top, and of course a standard toilet roll to test the fit as you go.
Optional but highly recommended for maximum bathroom humor: a few yards of novelty yarn for wild hair, some ribbon or fabric scraps for a tiny accessory, and absolutely no shame about the fact that you are making a cozy for your toilet paper.
Gauge and Sizing
Gauge is not critical for this project, but a rough guide is 18 stitches and 24 rows to 4 inches in stockinette stitch using worsted weight yarn and US size 7 needles. The finished holder should be tall enough to cover a standard toilet roll completely, which is typically around 4.5 inches tall and 4 inches in diameter.
If you are working with a thicker yarn or bulkier needles, adjust your stitch count accordingly. The goal is a fabric that is firm enough to hold its shape but not so tight that it is difficult to work. A slight amount of stretch is your friend here, as it makes slipping the roll in and out easy.
The Free Knit Pattern
Abbreviations Used:
CO = cast on, K = knit, P = purl, K2tog = knit two together, M1 = make one increase, PM = place marker, SM = slip marker, BO = bind off, st = stitch, sts = stitches, rnd = round
The Body
Cast on 48 stitches. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist. Place marker for beginning of round.
Work in K2, P2 ribbing for 6 rounds. This creates a neat bottom edge that grips slightly and prevents the holder from sliding.
Switch to stockinette stitch (knit every round) and work until the piece measures 4.5 inches from the cast-on edge. This is your base tube. Try it on a roll as you go to make sure it fits comfortably.
Shaping the Shoulders
Round 1: (K6, K2tog) repeat around — 42 sts
Round 2: Knit
Round 3: (K5, K2tog) repeat around — 36 sts
Round 4: Knit
Round 5: (K4, K2tog) repeat around — 30 sts
Round 6: Knit
Round 7: (K3, K2tog) repeat around — 24 sts
Round 8: Knit
The Neck
Work even on 24 sts for 4 rounds.
The Head
Round 1: (K2, M1) repeat around — 36 sts
Round 2: Knit
Round 3: (K3, M1) repeat around — 48 sts
Rounds 4 through 10: Knit
Shaping the Top of the Head
Round 1: (K6, K2tog) repeat around — 42 sts
Round 2: Knit
Round 3: (K5, K2tog) repeat around — 36 sts
Round 4: Knit
Round 5: (K4, K2tog) repeat around — 30 sts
Round 6: (K3, K2tog) repeat around — 24 sts
Round 7: (K2, K2tog) repeat around — 18 sts
Round 8: (K1, K2tog) repeat around — 12 sts
Round 9: K2tog around — 6 sts
Cut yarn leaving a 6-inch tail, thread through remaining sts, and pull tight to close. Weave in end securely.
Finishing the Bottom
The cast-on edge is left open to allow the toilet roll to slide in. If you used a long-tail cast on, the edge should be tidy. If you want a cleaner edge, you can work a single crochet border around it or fold up a small hem and tack it in place.
Stuff the head section lightly with polyfill before closing the top. This gives the head a rounder, more dimensional shape and makes it easier to attach hair and facial features without the fabric going slack.
Adding the Face and Personality
This is where the fun begins, and where your toilet roll holder stops being a knitting project and becomes a tiny character. Here are several options depending on the vibe you want to create.
The Grumpy Old Man: Use a warm beige or tan for the skin tone, attach white or gray yarn in loops around the head for wispy hair, embroider small downward-curved lines for a frowning mouth, and add bushy gray eyebrows above your googly eyes. A tiny pair of glasses made from craft wire is an optional finishing touch that will absolutely delight anyone who notices it.
The Fabulous Diva: Go with a bold main color, hot pink or royal purple work beautifully, attach a wild mane of chunky novelty yarn or bouclé for dramatic hair, and embroider a big red smile with rosy cheeks. Tie a tiny ribbon bow around the neck. This one is particularly popular as a gift.
The Little Monster: Use green yarn for the body and head, add multiple googly eyes at different heights across the face, embroider jagged teeth, and make small pointy horns by working a tiny i-cord and stuffing it before attaching. This version is a hit in households where someone appreciates bathroom humor of the slightly spooky variety.
The Classic Loo Doll: Work the body and head in a skin-toned yarn, then make a simple skirt by attaching loops of yarn or strips of fabric around the waist of the roll itself. This is the most traditional version and the one closest to the vintage patterns that inspired this design. There is something sweetly retro about it.
Making a Matching Set for the Whole Bathroom
Once you have made one of these holders, you may find it difficult to stop. The good news is that the same basic construction lends itself to several other bathroom accessories that will tie the room together in an unmistakably handmade and humorous way.
Consider making a small tissue box cover using a similar rectangular tube construction. A spare roll basket, essentially a larger version of the same holder, can sit on a shelf and hold three or four rolls at once. Small face cloth holders with matching character heads are a sweet addition if you keep rolled hand towels in a basket on the counter. And if you are feeling particularly ambitious, a toilet tank cover knitted in the same yarn with a matching motif will pull the entire look together.
Working with a single yarn color across all pieces with accents in one or two contrasting shades creates a cohesive look that feels deliberate and designed rather than haphazard. Think of it as creating a bathroom capsule collection, which is an extremely silly phrase to use about toilet paper cozies, but here we are and it works.
Gift-Giving Ideas and Presentation Tips
A knitted toilet roll holder makes a genuinely memorable gift. It is useful, it is handmade, it is personal, and it makes people laugh, which is a combination that is surprisingly difficult to achieve in a single present.
For housewarming gifts, pair it with a nice candle or a set of hand soaps in a little basket. The knitted holder becomes the conversation piece that elevates the whole gift from practical to thoughtful and funny.
For birthdays, you can personalize the character to resemble the recipient. Does your friend have curly red hair and wear glasses? You now have all the information you need to make something that will live on their bathroom shelf forever and will make them think of you every morning.
For holiday gift exchanges, particularly those with a quirky or white elephant theme, a lovingly crafted toilet roll holder with a seasonal character, imagine a little knitted snowman or a tiny turkey, is exactly the kind of gift that gets passed around the room for everyone to admire before the recipient takes it home genuinely delighted.
When presenting your finished holder, wrapping it around an actual toilet roll and tying it with a ribbon is both practical and charming. It shows the recipient exactly what it is and how it works at a glance.
Tips for Knitters of All Levels
If you are a newer knitter and the in-the-round construction feels daunting, do not let it stop you. You can work this pattern entirely flat in two pieces, one for the front and one for the back, then seam them together with mattress stitch. The seam will be nearly invisible when you are done, and working flat may feel more comfortable while you are still building confidence with shaping.
If you are an experienced knitter looking for ways to add complexity, consider stranded colorwork on the body of the holder. A simple Fair Isle band near the bottom adds a lovely traditional touch. Alternatively, work the body in a textured stitch like seed stitch or a simple cable pattern for extra visual interest.
Blocking your finished piece will make a noticeable difference in how the fabric lies and how professional the finished holder looks. A quick wet block before adding any embellishments will relax the stitches and give you a much smoother surface to work with when attaching the face.
If the googly eyes feel too childish for your aesthetic, French knots in black and white embroidery floss create beautiful, sophisticated eyes that still have plenty of expression. A small circle of white surrounded by a larger circle of black and then a tiny white highlight stitch in the corner looks remarkably lifelike at this small scale.
Why Handmade Bathroom Humor Is the Best Kind
There is a particular kind of creativity that shows up in handmade home décor, and it is different from anything you will find in a store. When you knit something for your home, you are making a decision about what kind of home you want to live in and what kind of person you want to be when people visit. Choosing to knit a funny toilet roll holder is choosing to be the kind of person whose home feels warm and welcoming and a little bit playful. It says something about your sense of humor. It invites people to relax.
Handmade things carry the time and attention of the person who made them. Your guests will hold that little knitted character and know that someone sat down with yarn and needles and made something for the express purpose of making them smile. That is a generous impulse, and it shows.
The bathroom, of all rooms, benefits most from this kind of attention because it is the room where people have a quiet, solitary moment in an otherwise social gathering. A small, funny, handmade thing sitting on the back of the toilet tank is a private joke between the maker and the guest. It is a tiny act of hospitality that costs almost nothing and means quite a lot.
Final Thoughts
This free knit pattern for a toilet roll holder is one of those projects that reminds you why you love knitting in the first place. It is fast, it is fun, it uses up your scraps, it makes people laugh, and at the end of it you have something genuinely useful sitting in your bathroom. You can knock one out in an evening, make six of them in a weekend, customize each one to match a different room or reflect a different personality, and give them away as gifts that people will actually keep and display and talk about.
Bookmark this page, save the pattern, gather your yarn scraps, and get started. Your bathroom is waiting, and it could really use a personality.
Happy knitting.
