I love a craft that makes me stop and think, “Well, that shouldn’t work nearly as well as it does.” This magazine rack is exactly that kind of project. By crocheting chunky olive green yarn through the slats of an inexpensive plastic folding step stool, you can turn a humble dollar-store find into a surprisingly stylish late-summer storage piece that holds magazines, cookbooks, mail, or even a folded tea towel or two beside a chair.
What makes this project worth trying is that it sits right at the intersection of practical and playful. The stool does the structural heavy lifting, and the crochet adds texture, color, and a handmade look without requiring you to build a frame from scratch. If you know a few basic crochet motions and can work with bulky yarn, you can make this in an afternoon.
Materials
Instructions
1. Wipe the plastic step stool clean with a damp cloth and let it dry fully so the yarn stays neat and dust-free as you work.
2. Open the stool and study the slats on the two longer sides, then decide which side will face outward; I usually choose the cleaner, flatter-looking side because it shows off the stitching best.
3. Measure the slatted opening on one long side and count the gaps so you can keep your rows even from edge to edge.
4. Make a loose slip knot and anchor the yarn through the lower back corner slat, leaving an 8-inch tail to weave in later.
5. Work a foundation row by pulling the yarn through one slat gap at a time from back to front, creating large, even crochet-style loops across the bottom section; keep the loops loose enough that the plastic does not bend.
6. Continue upward in rows, using the slat openings like built-in spaces for oversized single crochet or slip-stitch-style passes, depending on what feels easiest with your stool’s spacing.
7. After every 2 or 3 rows, gently tug the stitches into place so the fabric looks balanced and the tension stays consistent across the panel.
8. Stop when the crocheted section reaches about three-quarters of the side opening, leaving enough room at the top for magazines to slide in comfortably.
9. Fasten off the yarn with an 8-inch tail, thread it onto the yarn needle, and weave the tail back through several stitches and around a slat for extra hold.
10. Repeat the same crocheted panel on the opposite long side if you want a double-sided rack, or leave the back open if the stool will sit against a wall and you prefer a lighter look.
11. To create a deeper pocket, attach yarn near the lower front edge and crochet a short connecting section through the front-most slat spaces so the two side panels visually wrap toward the front.
12. Test the pocket with a few magazines or slim cookbooks, then add one extra reinforcing pass through the most stressed slats if the fabric sags more than you like.
13. Tuck in all remaining yarn tails securely and trim any fuzzy ends so the piece looks tidy and intentional.
14. Fold and unfold the stool carefully once to make sure the yarn placement does not interfere with the hinges, then use it only in its decorative storage role rather than as a climbing step.
Variations & Tips
Color choice: Olive green gives this project that late-summer, early-harvest look I really enjoy in a kitchen or reading corner, but mustard, rust, cream, or charcoal would all work beautifully too.
Yarn substitution: If jumbo yarn feels too awkward, hold two strands of super bulky yarn together for a similar chunky effect and a slightly denser pocket.
Stitch tip: The stool slats act almost like a giant grid, so perfection is less important than even tension. I focus on making each loop similar in size rather than worrying about textbook crochet form.
Best use: This works especially well for magazines, mail, lightweight knitting, or thin cookbooks. I would not overload it with heavy hardcovers because the plastic stool and yarn both have their limits.
Placement idea: Try it beside a sofa, near the front door for incoming mail, or in the kitchen for seasonal magazines and recipe booklets. As someone who is forever corralling food magazines, I can say this kind of vertical storage earns its keep quickly.
Safety note: Once finished, treat the stool as a decorative storage rack, not a working step stool. The added yarn can interfere with footing and folding safety if used for climbing.