FREE Crochet Gift Pouch Pattern

This adorable little crochet pouch is the perfect reusable gift bag to stitch up before the holidays.

I love simple, small crochet projects for beginners. When I was hunting for easy patterns for tiny projects, I stumbled across the fantastic reusable gift bags from Little Doolally. I was smitten with the soft holiday colors and whimsical designs on each pouch but still a bit nervous that they might be too tricky for me.

Her tutorial is written so clearly and her photos were so sweet, I just couldn't help myself. I had to order the exact same yarn she used and give it a go. You can check out the entire pattern and how-to pictures here.

I tend to get intimidated by starting new projects, so the pretty materials sat in my basket for months. I finally finished two of the gift bags just in time for Advent to use for my girls. They ended up so pretty I just had to share with you.

How to Make Crochet Pouch Before Christmas

Gather your materials, print out the free crochet pattern here, and turn on your favorite holiday movie! You'll have a sweet and personal reusable gift bag in no time.

Materials needed for a simple crochet pouch:

• Yarn: I used Scheepjes Secret Garden in Herb Garden and Secluded Lake. Otherwise 60g of DK yarn will do.
• Hook: I used my Clover hook, size G/4mm
• Finishing needle: To sew up the sides and close the bag, you'll need a simple yarn needle like this
• Ribbon: I tied the bags closed using holiday ribbon from Michael's

How to tweak the pattern for beginners:

The original pattern has a snowflake, reindeer, or Christmas tree design on each of the gift bags. It requires using two colors of yarn and following the pattern a lot more closely to switch back and forth between the colors.

I crochet for stress relief and don't enjoy following complicated patterns. I look for projects with monotonous, repetitive stitches so I can just relax and concentrate on the movie we are watching as a family.

I decided to skip the adorable designs and just stitch up the bags in plain single colors. I think they turned out simply adorable. The benefit of skipping the design is that now my reusable gift bags can be used for practically any gift-giving occasion.

The crochet stitches you need to know to make this project:

Chain (ch): The chain stitch is how you start the project and turn the rows. Check out this tutorial to see the stitch.

Double crochet (dc): This is the body of the bags and the stitch you'll use the most in this project. Check out this tutorial to see the stitch.

Treble crochet (tc): This is the longer stitch that creates the open spaces for you to weave the ribbon through and make it a tie-close top. Check out this tutorial to see the stitch.

What kind of gifts will fit inside the crochet gift bags?

I made two gift bags, one for each of my girls. We've been using our homemade Advent calendar forever but this year I have been giving them holiday socks that didn't fit inside the tiny wooden doors. Every morning they wake up to find a new pair of socks hiding in their gift bag.

The little bag is just the right size for small gifts like these:

• Jewelry: Wrap it in a bit of tissue paper inside the bag first
• A few cookies or treats: Would be a sweet way to present a homemade treat for a teacher gift
• Make-up: new lipgloss or Chapsticks, nail polish kit, or other small cosmetic items
• Small card games: A deck of cards-sized game would fit perfectly inside
• Pocket-sized books: Little notebooks and tiny pens/pencils, or pocket-sized editions of favorite books
• Marbles, Jacks, and other classic childhood games with small pieces
• Holiday socks
• A new collection of scrunchies or hairbands
• Gift cards

How long did it take to crochet a pouch?

I worked on each crochet gift bag for a few stitching sessions sporadically over this last summer. I would say even beginners could do it in just a lazy weekend. You absolutely still have time to make them before this Christmas.

Looking for more simple crafty ideas for beginners?

I love trying out new hobbies but I don't have a lot of time.

Here are some of my favorite EASY things to learn and try next: