top notch swatch bag

Pattern Details

If you’re a good grrrl, you’re drowning in gauge swatches from correctly testing your tension before knitting last winter’s sweaters. It’s time to turn them all into this spring’s cutest travel accessory! Never made a gauge swatch in your life? This is a judgement free zone. Grab your needles and yarn scraps and use this as your moment to get in the habit ;)

Technique

Pick or make 5 square gauge swatches, seam them together, then pick up stitches around the top to create a drawstring closure. Optionally, follow the video tutorial to see how to line the inside of the bag with fabric.

Materials & Measurements

5 gauge swatches

Scrap yarn to create the drawstring closure

Knitting needles

Fabric (optional): 5 pieces measuring 4.5x4.5 inches (11x11 cm)

1 stitch marker

Most gauge swatches measure 4x4 inches (10x10 cm), but you can use squares of any size as long as they are all the same. The bigger the squares, the bigger your bag will be. If you use 4x4 inch (10x10cm) squares, your bag will measure approx 15 inches (38 cm) in circumference and 5 inches (13 cm) in height.

Any size yarn and needles can be used as long as gauge swatches are all the same size. The bag pictured was created with fingering weight yarn and 5mm needles.

Stitches Pictured

Seed stitch

C2B cable pattern

Basketweave stitch

Reverse stockinette chevron stitch

Fine print: Copyright 2025 Alexa Kari Designs. For personal use only. Reader/purchaser may not copy, resell, or redistribute and part of the pattern without permission. Reader/purchaser may not sell any garments created following the pattern.

Video Tutorial

A complete Top Notch Swatch Bag video tutorial is available on the Material Grrrlz YouTube channel:

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Instructions

1. Lay gauge swatches out in a cross figure, with the swatch for the bottom of the bag at the center. The other 4 swatches will form the sides.

2. Seam all sides of the middle swatch. One edge of each of the side swatches should be seamed to the middle swatch.

3. Seam each side swatch together (4 seams extending from each corner of the middle swatch). This will create the bowl shape of the bag.

4. Choose where along the top of the bag you want the bow tie to be placed. Begin picking up stitches at this point, going around the entire top edge of the bag, and making sure to pick up an even number of stitches.

5. Turn work and 1x1 rib stitch (repeat 1 knit stitch, 1 purl stitch) for 3 rows. These rows are worked flat to create a hole for the drawstring.

6. Place a stitch marker at the beginning of the row and work the same 1x1 rib pattern in the round for another 3 rows.

7. Cast off in pattern.

8. Create the drawstring by chaining, i-cording, or cutting a piece of ribbon that measures 28 inches (71 cm) or desired length.

9. Optional: add fabric lining to the inside of the bag

   1. Cut 5 pieces of fabric that measure 4.5x4.5 inches (11x11 cm) each

   2. Sew the fabric pieces together (good sides together, using 1/4 inch (2/3 cm) seam allowance) in the same shape as the knit swatches were seamed (see video tutorial for hand sewing explanation)

   3. Place the lining inside the gauge swatch bag (wrong sides together)

10. On the inside of the bag, lay the drawstring in place over the middle of the ribbing with the ends pulled through the hole and left on the outside of the bag.

11. Fold the ribbing over the drawstring, covering the top edge of the fabric lining, and matching the top edge of the ribbing with the seam on the inside of the bag.

12. Sew through the ribbing and lining to hold everything in place.

Tag @materialgrrrlz in your creations !!

This pattern was originally published in the Q2 2025 issue of Material Grrrlz

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