Pineapple Pencil Holder

Add “sweet” decorative flair to any work space with my pineapple pencil holder! I made a fun pineapple pencil holder with leaf pencil toppers as a cute way to store pencils. This will make school work a little more fun for my kids this year. As an added bonus, I think the fun leaf pencil toppers will help to keep my kids from misplacing pencils around the house by serving as a visual reminder to place them back in the pineapple holder. The toppers will also make the pencils easy to find if they happen to get placed somewhere other than the holder. This holder can also be used for things like crochet hooks, markers, and colored pencils. It would make a cool gift for a teacher to use as a decoration in their classroom when students need to borrow pencils. If interested in making one, see below for the crochet pattern.

Pineapple Pencil Holder

This pineapple pencil holder with leaf pencil toppers is a fun project to make to add decorative flair to an ordinary work space. It is designed to accommodate the height of standard pencils. It can also be used for things like crochet hooks, colored pencils and markers. 

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

The main yellow body of the pencil holder is about 4½ inches tall and the opening is about 2 inches wide (diameter = 2 inches). The leaf pencil toppers are each about 4 inches tall. When they are placed on standard pencils inside the holder,  the entire height is about 9 inches (from the bottom of the holder to the top of the pencil topper.

MATERIALS

– Size 4.5 mm crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge

– Worsted weight (4) yarn in Yellow (I used Red Heart Super Saver in Bright Yellow.)

– Worsted weight (4) yarn in Golden Yellow (I used Red Heart Super Saver in Saffron Yellow.)

– Worsted weight (4) yarn in Green (I used Red Heart Super Saver in Spring Green.)

– Tapestry needle

– Scissors

– Measuring tape

Optional Items:

– Stitch markers (if needed for marking/counting stitches or rounds)

ABBREVIATIONS

– ch = chain

– chs = chains

– sc = single crochet

– sc2tog = single crochet 2 together (single crochet decrease)

– slst = slip stitch

– st = stitch

– sts = stitches

GAUGE

4 sc = 1 inch; 4 rounds = 1 inch

PATTERN NOTES

  • The main pineapple body of the pencil holder is made first with joined rounds of single crochet stitches. Each round is completed with a slip stitch to the first stitch of the round (do not count the slip stitch used to join each round as a stitch). 
  • The first stitch of each round is made in the very first stitch of the previous round (the same stitch in which the join/slip stitch and ch-1 was made).
  • The main pineapple body is made with two strands of yarn held together. This is to make it more sturdy/stiff to serve its purpose as a pencil holder.
  • Brackets [ ] indicate portions of the pattern to be repeated.
  • The top leaves of the holder and the leaf pencil topper pieces are made in rows of single crochet.
  • You should make several leaf pencil toppers to fill in the pencil holder and create a more realistic pineapple appearance.

DIRECTIONS

Main Pineapple Body

*The main pineapple body is made with two strands of yarn held together. To begin, hold one strand of your bright yellow yarn and one strand of your golden yellow yarn together. Crochet as you normally would holding the two strands of yarn together as if they were one strand.

*Use a 4.5 mm hook.

*Make sure to pull the magic ring closed and weave in/secure end at closure at the beginning. This is because it will be harder to do later once the holder gets taller.

*The main pineapple body of the pencil holder is worked in joined rounds of single crochet stitches. Join to the first stitch of each round with a slip stitch.

*The first stitch of each round is made in the very first stitch of the previous round (the same stitch in which the join/slip stitch and ch-1 was made).

Round 1: Holding a strand of bright yellow yarn and a strand of saffron yellow yarn together, make a magic ring, ch 1, work 6 sc in magic ring, pull ring closed, slst in first st of round. (6 sc)

Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, slst in first st of round. (12 sc)

Round 3: Ch 1, sc in first st, 2 sc in next st, repeat [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] around, slst in first st of round. (18 sc)

Round 4: Ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, 2 sc in next st, repeat [sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st] around, slst in first st of round. (24 sc)

Round 5: Ch 1, sc in first 3 sts, 2 sc in next st, repeat [sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st] around, slst in back loop only of first st of round. (30 sc)

HINT: If you haven’t done so yet, make sure to weave in the beginning tail from the magic ring. It will be difficult to do so later as the pencil holder gets taller.

Round 6: Ch 1, sc in back loops only of each st around, slst in first st of round. (30 sc)

Rounds 7–20: Ch 1, sc in each st around, slst in first st of round. (30 sc)

Round 21: Ch 1, sc in first 3 sts, sc2tog, repeat [sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog] around, slst in first st of round. (24 sc)

TIP: You might want to mark the first stitch of Round 22 with a stitch marker since that will be the stitch you use to attach the first leaf to the body of the pineapple.

Round 22: Ch 1, sc in first 2 sts, sc2tog, repeat [sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog] around, slst in first st of round, fasten off, weave in loose ends. (18 sc)

***The main body of the pineapple holder is now complete. Follow the directions below to begin attaching the top leaves.

Top Leaves

*The top leaves are made in rows of single crochet stitches. They are attached directly to the back loops of the stitches in Row 22 of the pineapple body.

*Use your 4.5 mm hook and green worsted weight yarn to make the leaves.

FIRST LEAF

*Attach your green yarn to the back loop only of the first stitch from Round 22.

Row 1: Attach green yarn to back loop only of first st from Round 22, ch 1, sc in back loop only of same st, sc in back loop only of next 5 sts. (6 sc)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (6 sc)

Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts, sc2tog. (4 sc)

Rows 4–6: Ch 1, turn sc in each st across. (4 sc)

Row 7: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc2tog. (2 sc)

Rows 8–9: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (2 sc)

Row 10: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog. (1 sc)

Row 11: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across, fasten off, weave in loose ends. (1 sc)

*The first leaf is complete. Follow the directions below to make the second leaf.

SECOND LEAF

*Attach your green yarn to the back loop only of the 7th stitch from Round 22 of the pineapple body (this is the stitch right next to the first leaf).

Row 1: Attach green yarn to back loop only of 7th st from Round 22, ch 1, sc in back loop only of same st, sc in back loop only of next 5 sts. (6 sc)

Rows 2–11: Repeat Rows 2–11 of the pattern for the First Leaf.

*The second leaf is complete. Follow the directions below to make the third leaf.

THIRD LEAF

*Attach your green yarn to the back loop only of the 13th stitch from Round 22 of the pineapple body (this is the stitch right next to the second leaf).

Row 1: Attach green yarn to back loop only of 13th st from Round 22, ch 1, sc in back loop only of same st, sc in back loop only of next 5 sts. (6 sc)

Rows 2–11: Repeat Rows 2–11 of the pattern for the First Leaf.

*The third and final leaf is now complete. Follow the directions below to make the leaf pencil topper.

Leaf Pencil Topper

*The leaf pencil topper is made in rows of single crochet stitches. Two leaf pieces are crocheted together to form one topper

*Use your 4.5 mm hook and green worsted weight yarn to make the leaf pencil topper.

LEAF TOPPER PIECE (Make 2)

Row 1: Ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 3 chs. (4 sc)

Rows 2–10: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (4 sc)

Row 11: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc2tog. (2 sc)

Rows 12–15: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across. (2 sc)

Row 16: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog. (1 sc)

Row 17: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across, fasten off, don’t weave in ends yet. (1 sc)

**Once you have two leaf topper pieces complete, follow the directions below to assemble a leaf topper.

LEAF TOPPER ASSEMBLY

  1. Place one leaf topper piece directly on top of the other so that their corresponding stitches match up together. This will be how you stitch them together to form one leaf topper.
  2. Use your tapestry needle to weave in the loose ends of one of the leaf pieces on the side that will end up being the inside of the leaf topper (this way you won’t see any ends sticking out on the outside of the topper). Do the same thing for the other leaf piece.
  3. Place the two leaf pieces back on top of each other so their corresponding stitches match up. Use your 4.5 mm crochet hook (you can also use a smaller hook) to single crochet the pieces together along the outside, leaving an opening at the bottom for the pencil to go through. Start by holding the leaf so that the pointed end is at the top and the straight edge (beginning chain of leaf piece) is at the bottom. You should crochet the pieces together beginning at the right bottom corner of the leaf pieces, working up toward the top point of the leaf pieces and back down to the left bottom corner of the leaf pieces. You should stop when you reach the left bottom corner so that there is an opening in the middle of the bottom for a pencil. Follow the below directions for more detailed instructions.
    1. Insert your crochet hook through both corresponding bottom right corners and attach your green yarn. Chain 1 and then place 3 single crochet stitches in the corner space, making sure to go through both leaf pieces so that you are crocheting them together. The 3 stitches in the corner will give the corner a more pointed effect.
    2. Begin working single crochet stitches evenly up along the right side of the leaf pieces toward the top pointed end. Again, make sure you are working the stitches into the corresponding stitches of both leaf pieces so you are crocheting them together. Make sure to stick to the outer edge of the leaf so there is space in the middle for the pencil (don’t work your single crochet stitches too far in on the leaf pieces). 
    3. Once you reach the top point of the leaf pieces, place 5 single crochet stitches into the space at the top point. This is to give it a more pointed effect.
    4. Work back down along the left side of the leaf pieces, placing single crochet stitches evenly along the side through the corresponding stitches of both pieces.
    5. Once you reach the bottom left corner space (the space under the chain on the far end of the beginning chain of the leaf pieces), work 3 single crochet stitches into the space to create a more pointed effect. Fasten off once you complete the third single crochet in the corner space.
    6. Before weaving in the loose ends, check to make sure there is an opening at the bottom of the leaf and that you can slide a pencil into the opening and up through the center of the topper. Once you are satisfied with the appearance of the leaf topper and have made sure it fits on your pencil, you can weave in the loose ends.

***Your leaf topper is now finished and ready to go on top of a pencil. Place the pencil in the pineapple pencil holder. Make more leaf toppers to fill the pencil holder and create a more realistic pineapple appearance. Have fun using your pencils and pencil holder!