Mokeskin Pouch ~ Free Knitting ‘Pattern’ (or ‘Guideline’)!

To date I’ve published over 50 free crochet patterns, so I’m delighted to finally be posting a knitting pattern! Granted, it’s a super easy knitting pattern (just a rectangle)…but that means it’s great for beginning knitters like myself! The other great thing about knitting with eyelash yarn rather than crocheting it: it’s much easier to see where your next stitch is.

If you’re not familiar with mokeskin pouches, they’re a magical item in the seventh Harry Potter book that I’ve always been fascinated with. It was described as being a “small, slightly furry drawstring pouch.” You can “hide anything in there and no one but the owner can get it out.” Sounds pretty useful to me!

I translated “slightly furry” to “super fluffy fun fur”, knitted a garter-stitch rectangle, seamed the edges, crocheted a chain strap, and added a drawstring. But if you want a little more detail, read on for the super easy pattern! (I’m somewhat embarrassed, actually, to be calling this a ‘pattern’. Let’s call it a ‘guideline’ instead!)

Materials

• Small amount of fun fur yarn (mine was Lion Brand, I don’t remember the name – but any furry yarn will work! You could also try it in a smoother yarn and maybe brush it after if you don’t want yours so furry.)
• US 6 (4 MM) needles
• Any size crochet hook if you want to crochet the strap and drawstring (or stick with your knitting needles – that works just fine too!)
• Small amount of brown yarn for the drawstring (I happen to know mine is I Love This Yarn, but it really doesn’t matter)
• Yarn needle

Cast on 15 stitches.

Knit every row until your rectangle measures about 6 inches. If you want a longer or shorter pouch, now is the time to adjust the rows. When you fold it in half, that’s the length of your finished pouch.

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Fold the pouch in half and sew down the side, across the bottom (which is creased) and up the other side. Weave in the end. Sewing across the crease makes it sturdier, plus then you don’t have to reattach the yarn!

Speaking of reattaching the yarn, join it to the side (where the seam runs) so you can make the strap. There are a few things you can do for the strap, which I’ve written in a lovely list:

1. Use your crochet hook and crochet a chain as long as you want the strap to be. Slip stitch to the other side, fasten off, weave in ends.
2. Use your knitting needles and pick up 1 stitch, then work in stockinette stitch until the strap is as long as you like. (Garter stitch works too – can you tell this is a versatile procedure?) Then fasten off and sew the strap to the other side of the strap.
3. Or you can travel off the beaten path and make an I-Cord! 🙂

To make the drawstring, pick one of the above choices and crochet/knit a chain/cord until the drawstring is as long as you like (sorry, I forgot to measure mine.) Fasten off, weave it through the stitches and tie in a bow.

Then cast a theft-proofing charm* on your finished pouch, and wear proudly!

~~~

*Or, if you’re a Muggle like myself, you can attach a padlock instead. If you do know a theft-proofing charm, do tell! 😉