Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Another Sweet Drawstring Pouch to Knit

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Earlier this month I shared a few little travel knitting bag patterns, and the bag I’m sharing today wasn’t live when I was compiling that post but I think it would be a nice little bag to hold small things while you are traveling, or to use to hold any little things you need to wherever you are.

It’s called the Onigiri pouch because it looks like onigiri (a rice ball wrapped in a bit of nori, aka seaweed). The colors the designer, Dhiany Nanda, chose for their bag play up that description because the main part of the bag is an off white “rice” color, while the nori bit is gray, which looks a bit like seaweed.

Of course this would be a great stash-busting project in any colors. The original was worked in DK weight yarn, but you can use whatever you like to make a bag that’s a little bigger or a little smaller depending on your yarn weight and gauge.

The bag is worked from the bottom up in the round, and it is made double the length so that you can fold it inside itself to make the fabric stronger and thicker (and smooth on both the inside and the outside, which is nice). Once the main part of the bag is finished, you pick up stitches for the casing for the drawstring, then knit the nori separately and sew it on. The drawstring is an I-cord.

This little bag looks like a lot of fun and it includes lots of techniques like Judy’s Magic Cast On, increasing and decreasing, grafting, picking up stitches and making I-cord. But it’s also a small project so you can learn a lot of things fast and you don’t have to spend too much time with any of these techniques. For the most part it is just a lot of straight knitting.

You can grab a free copy of this pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Dhiany Nanda]

Have you read?

Free Knitted Crown Pattern for Kids and Adults: A Sweet Handmade Dress-Up Idea

There’s something wonderfully charming about a knitted crown. It’s playful, useful for the dress-up basket, and just the sort of small project that gives a leftover ball of yarn a proper purpose. Much better than letting it roll around the cupboard for another three years.

This free knitted crown pattern for kids and adults combines a simple garter-stitch band with shaped triangular points. The mustard-gold colour gives it that storybook crown look, although pink, purple or woodland green would be equally lovely.

A Manageable Next Step for Beginner Knitters

The construction is the appealing part of this design. Everything is knitted flat, so you won’t need double-pointed needles or experience joining stitches in the round.

You knit the band first, then work each crown point separately over a group of 12 stitches. Paired decreases gradually narrow each triangle, giving you a small, repeatable section to concentrate on.

I’d describe this as a confident beginner knitting project. You’ll need to know how to knit, work two types of decreases, hold unused stitches and sew a simple seam. There are several yarn tails to weave in, so a little patience with finishing will help.

Three Sizes With Room to Personalise

The pattern includes three sizes, with seven, eight or nine crown points. Choose by the wearer’s head measurement rather than age, and check your gauge carefully. Yarn stretch will make a noticeable difference to the fit.

For birthdays, an embroidered initial would be a sweet finishing touch. Contrasting yarn diamonds could suggest little jewels without adding hard embellishments.

What to Know Before Casting On

This is a soft knitted crown, so expect gentle points rather than a rigid costume accessory. A springy wool or wool-blend yarn should give the shaping more support than a very drapey yarn.

The stitch calculations have been checked, but the design has not yet been sample-knitted. The accompanying image is an illustrative mockup, so the finished texture and proportions may vary with your yarn and tension.

For a small handmade birthday accessory or a cheerful addition to the dress-up box, this is an appealing idea. And if an adult needs a matching crown for supervising the royal household, the larger size has that covered too.