This is an easy, beginner-friendly knitting pattern designed as a yarn stash-buster. Use all your scrap yarn for this project, and it will look beautiful!
The bag is knitted in 100% cotton, in a simple garter stitch pattern with alternating stripes. The bag is finished with an i-cord strap and a cute button to secure it.
I have used cotton yarn as it has little to no stretch, but you can also use a cotton and wool blend for this bag.
Skill Level
Beginner (Easy)
Dimensions
Height: 6.5 inches
Width: 4 inches
I designed this pattern keeping a standard mobile phone size in mind – you can customise it according to any phone. You can adjust length by knitting more/fewer rows and adjust width by casting on more/fewer stitches.
Techniques involved
mattress stitch, i-cord, picking up stitches, and attaching buttons.
If you don’t know these techniques, you can easily learn them – refer to the very helpful video guides I’ve linked below. They are beginner-friendly and can help you pick up these techniques in no time!
- Tutorial for I-cord: How to Knit an I-CORD for Beginners
- Tutorial for attaching buttons: Sewing a Button to Hand-knits
- Tutorial for mattress stitch to seam: Berroco How-To: Mattress Stitch
- Tutorial for picking up stitches: How to knit: Picking up Stitches
Materials required
- 5.5 mm circular knitting needles
- Aran weight yarn – 50g of each colour (100% cotton)
- Suggested Yarn:
- DROPS Paris – White (A)
- DROPS Paris – Mint (B)
- Suggested Yarn:
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Inch Tape
- 15mm wooden button – 1
Abbreviations
| K | knit |
| P | purl |
| sl | slip knit-wise |
| yo | yarn-over |
| k2tog | knit 2 stitches together |
Pattern Instructions
- Using colour A, cast on 22 stitches using the longtail cast-on method
- Row 1 (Right Side): sl1, K20, P1
- Repeat Row 1 three more times (a total of 4 times)
- Row 5: Using colour B, repeat Row 1 for a total of 4 times
- Keep alternating between Colours A and B to create a striped pattern until the piece measures 13”
- With colour A, repeat Row 1 two times
- BUTTONHOLE ROW: sl1, K9, yo, k2tog, K9, P1
- Repeat Row 1 one time
- Using colour B, repeat Row 1 a total of 4 times
- Bind off using colour A to give a contrasting edge
- Fold the piece in half, and with the right side facing up, sew both sides with a mattress stitch using a tapestry needle.
- After sewing the sides, only the top remains open.
I-CORD STRAP: You need double-pointed or circular needles for this
- Using colour A, pick up 5 stitches at the right side top edge
- Knit all 5 stitches
- Without turning your work, slide these stitches to the other end of your knitting needle (the right end).
- Knit all stitches again. Make sure your working yarn remains at the back.
- Keep repeating the same steps until the length of the cord reaches 42” (you can adjust the length of the strap according to your preference)
- Bind off and seam the strap end to the left side top edge of the bag.
- Attach a wooden button to the inside of the bag corresponding to the button-hole and secure it.
- And your stash-buster mini bag is ready!
Notes
You would need either double-pointed needles or circular needles for the strap as an i-cord is knitted without turning your work.
You can use more than 2 colours (use your yarn stash!) or knit fewer rows with every colour to create a narrow striped effect. Keep in mind that one garter ridge equals 2 rows.
I hope you enjoyed this pattern! Please like and comment if you did. Also, I would love to see your knits so tag me in your photos on Instagram using @knitcraftcouk. I’d be happy to share your work on my page!
If you have any queries, please email me at knitcraftco@gmail.com
Happy Knitting 🙂
KnitCraftCo. UK 
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