I-Baggie Tablet Knit Case [FREE Knitting Pattern]

There’s something deeply satisfying about making a case for your favorite device entirely by hand. It’s one of those projects that feels useful in a way that a decorative pillow or a novelty dishcloth doesn’t quite match — you finish it, you slide your tablet inside, and you carry it with you everywhere. That’s the kind of knitting that sticks with you. This I-Baggie Tablet Knit Case is exactly that kind of project.

Whether you’re a beginner knitter looking for a practical first bag or an experienced maker who wants a quick, weekend project with real-world purpose, this free knitting pattern is for you. It’s straightforward, customizable, and produces a snug little pouch that protects your tablet from scratches, bumps, and the general chaos of a busy bag. Let’s walk through everything you need to know.

What Is the I-Baggie Tablet Knit Case?

The I-Baggie Tablet Knit Case is a simple, seamless knitted pouch designed to fit most standard tablets — including the iPad, iPad Mini, Kindle, and similar devices. The name “I-Baggie” is a playful nod to the tablet-sized bag shape, but don’t let the casual name fool you: the construction is thoughtful and the result is genuinely protective.

The case is worked flat in a simple stitch pattern that gives the fabric just enough thickness to cushion your device. It’s then seamed along the bottom and one side to create a snug envelope shape. An optional button or snap closure at the top keeps everything secure. The beauty of this design is that it’s fully scalable — measure your tablet, adjust your cast-on number, and you’re in business.

Why Knit a Tablet Case?

You might wonder whether it’s worth the effort when store-bought cases are easy to find. Here’s why knitters keep coming back to handmade options:

It fits perfectly. Commercial cases are designed to fit the most popular sizes, but your device might be slightly different. A handknit case is made to your measurements, so the fit is exact.

It’s protective in a different way. Hard-shell cases protect against drops but can scratch screens if grit gets inside. A knitted case is soft and gentle, perfect for protecting a screen from scratches when the tablet is loose in a bag.

The yarn choice matters. You can choose a firm, tightly spun wool for structure, a soft merino for luxury, or a cotton yarn for breathability. The material choice is entirely yours.

It’s a great stash-buster. Most tablet cases require only one or two skeins of yarn, making this a wonderful project for using up those beautiful single skeins you’ve been hoarding.

It makes a thoughtful gift. A handknit tablet case, especially one made in the recipient’s favorite colors, is a genuinely personal gift that most people would never think to buy for themselves.

Materials You’ll Need

Before casting on, gather everything you’ll need. Here’s a complete list:

Yarn: Approximately 100–150 yards of worsted weight yarn (Category 4). Wool, cotton, or an acrylic blend all work well. For a firmer fabric with better structure, wool or a wool blend is recommended. A tightly plied yarn will give you more stitch definition and a denser fabric, which adds protection.

Needles: US Size 7 (4.5mm) straight or circular needles, or whatever size achieves your gauge. If you want a denser, firmer fabric — which is ideal for a protective case — go down one needle size from what the yarn label recommends.

Notions:

• Stitch markers (optional but helpful)
• Tapestry needle for seaming and weaving in ends
• Measuring tape
• One button, snap closure, or a short length of velcro for the closure
• Scissors

Gauge: Approximately 18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Gauge matters here more than in a scarf or dishcloth — if your gauge is off, your case won’t fit your tablet properly. Always swatch first.

Before You Begin: Measuring Your Tablet

The most important step before you cast on a single stitch is measuring your tablet carefully. You’ll need:

Width: Measure the tablet from edge to edge. Add about half an inch to one full inch of ease — enough that the tablet slides in and out comfortably, but not so much that it rattles around.

Height: Measure the tablet from bottom to top edge. Add about one inch of ease, plus another inch or so for the folded-over flap if you’re including a closure.

Thickness: This is often overlooked, but if you’re using a very chunky or decorative case on your tablet, add a little extra ease to account for that.

Write these numbers down. You’ll refer to them throughout the pattern.

The Pattern

Abbreviations

• CO: Cast on
• k: Knit
• p: Purl
• BO: Bind off
• RS: Right side
• WS: Wrong side
• rep: Repeat
• st(s): Stitch(es)
• sl1: Slip one stitch purlwise

Gauge Swatch (Don’t Skip This!)

Cast on 22 stitches. Work in stockinette stitch (knit on the right side, purl on the wrong side) for 26 rows. Bind off and measure. You should have a 4-inch by 4-inch square. If your swatch is smaller than 4 inches, go up a needle size. If it’s larger, go down a needle size. Adjust until you’re close to the recommended gauge, then proceed with the pattern.

Calculating Your Cast-On Number

Divide the width of your tablet (plus ease) by 4, then multiply by your stitch gauge (how many stitches you have per inch in your swatch). Round to the nearest even number.

For example, if your tablet is 7.5 inches wide and you’re adding 0.75 inches of ease, you’re working with 8.25 inches. If your gauge is 4.5 stitches per inch, you’d cast on approximately 37 stitches — round up to 38 for an even number.

For a standard 10-inch iPad in a thin case, most knitters find a cast-on of around 50–54 stitches works well at worsted weight. For an iPad Mini or a Kindle Paperwhite, 40–44 stitches is a good starting point.

The Body of the Case

Cast on your calculated number of stitches using a long-tail cast on. This gives you a neat, slightly elastic edge that will look tidy along the bottom of the case.

Row 1 (RS): Sl1, k to end.
Row 2 (WS): Sl1, p to end.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until the piece measures twice the height of your tablet plus 1.5 inches for the flap. Slipping the first stitch of every row creates a clean, chained selvedge that makes seaming much easier and looks polished along the side edge.

For a standard iPad (height approximately 9.4 inches), you’ll work until the piece measures about 20–21 inches. For a Kindle (height approximately 6.3 inches), work until the piece measures about 14 inches.

Bind off all stitches loosely. A loose bind-off is important here so the opening of the case doesn’t feel tight or restrictive when you’re sliding the tablet in and out.

Creating the Optional Textured Panel

If you’d like a little more visual interest on your case, consider working a simple seed stitch border instead of plain stockinette. After your cast-on, work the first and last 4 stitches of every row in seed stitch (k1, p1 alternating, reversing the pattern on the return row) while keeping the center stitches in stockinette. This creates a neat frame effect and adds a bit of extra thickness along the edges, which is a nice bonus for protection.

Another lovely option is to work the entire piece in a simple 2×2 rib (k2, p2 across, always starting with knit stitches on the right side). Ribbing is naturally stretchy, which makes sliding the tablet in and out very easy, and it creates a fabric with nice vertical texture. Keep in mind that ribbing pulls in significantly, so you’ll need to adjust your stitch count upward by about 15–20% to account for this.

Seaming the Case

Fold the knitted rectangle in half so that the cast-on edge meets the piece at approximately the halfway point. The top portion — about one tablet length of fabric — will fold over to become the protective flap.

Thread your tapestry needle with a length of matching yarn. Using a mattress stitch, seam the two side edges together from the fold up to the point where the flap begins. The slipped selvedge stitches you created along the sides will make this seaming process clean and straightforward.

Weave in all ends securely. Turn the case right-side out and press lightly with a damp cloth if using wool, or leave as-is for acrylic yarns.

Adding the Closure

The closure is where you can really personalize the case. Here are a few options:

Button and loop: This is the most classic approach. Sew a button onto the front of the case, centered, about one inch down from the top edge. On the flap, work a small i-cord loop or crochet a short chain loop that will slip over the button. A button about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter works well.

Snap: Sew on the halves of a large snap or a KAM snap to the underside of the flap and the front of the case. This gives a clean, modern look with no visible hardware from the outside.

Velcro: Sew a 2-inch strip of soft velcro onto the underside of the flap and the corresponding position on the front of the case. Velcro is the most secure closure and works especially well for a case that will be carried in a busy bag.

Tie closure: Attach two small i-cord ties to the front of the case, one on each side just below the flap opening, and tie them in a bow across the top. This is charming and requires no hardware at all.

Customization Ideas

One of the best things about this pattern is how much room there is to make it your own. Here are some ideas to get your creative energy going:

Add a pocket. Knit a small rectangle about 4 inches by 4 inches, seam three sides, and sew it to the front of the case before seaming. This gives you a spot for a charging cable, earbuds, or a stylus.

Colorwork. Work a simple stranded colorwork panel into the body of the case using two colors of yarn. Even a simple checkerboard or striped pattern adds a lot of visual interest with minimal complexity.

Embroidery. After the case is finished, add duplicate stitch embroidery in a contrasting color. You can spell out initials, create a simple botanical motif, or add small geometric shapes.

Lining. For extra protection and a polished look, cut a piece of fabric to match the inside dimensions of the case and hand-sew it in. This hides the purl side of your stockinette, adds another layer of cushioning, and makes the case feel truly professional.

Felted version. If you use 100% wool (not superwash treated), you can full the case in the washing machine after knitting it. Knit the piece about 30% larger than needed, felt it until it reaches the right dimensions, then shape and dry it around the tablet. Felted fabric is dense, durable, and remarkably protective.

Tips for Success

Use a firm gauge. A looser fabric looks lovely in a sweater or a shawl, but for a tablet case, you want the stitches tight enough that there’s no stretch. If your swatch feels floppy, go down a needle size.

Block before seaming. Wet blocking your finished piece before you seam it gives you much better control over the final dimensions and makes the seaming process cleaner.

Test the fit as you go. There’s no rule that says you can’t slide your tablet against the work-in-progress to check the width before you’ve finished. A little measuring as you go saves a lot of frogging later.

Choose the right yarn. Wool holds its structure well and has natural memory, meaning the case will snap back into shape after being stretched. Cotton is firmer and less stretchy, which some people prefer. Acrylic is washable and affordable, which is great if you’re making this as a gift and don’t know the recipient’s laundering habits.

Consider a double layer. For maximum protection, you can work two identical pieces and sew them together, wrong sides facing, before seaming into a case. The double layer adds cushioning and gives the case a more structured feel.

Yarn Suggestions

If you’re looking for yarn recommendations, here are a few that work beautifully for this project:

Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool is a sturdy, worsted weight wool that knits up to a firm gauge and wears extremely well. It’s an excellent choice if you plan to felt the case.

Cascade 220 is a classic for a reason — smooth, consistent, and available in dozens of colors. It knits to gauge reliably and seams beautifully.

Paintbox Yarns Simply Worsted is an affordable acrylic that’s fully machine washable, comes in a rainbow of colors, and is widely available online. Great for gifting.

Malabrigo Rios is a superwash merino that feels absolutely luxurious and comes in some of the most beautiful hand-dyed colorways available. It’s a splurge, but if you want to make something truly special for yourself or someone you love, it’s worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this case for a phone instead of a tablet? Absolutely. Just scale the measurements down to suit your phone. A cast-on of around 20–24 stitches at worsted weight will work for most smartphones.

My tablet has a bulky protective case on it. Should I adjust the pattern? Yes. Measure the tablet with the case on, not without it, and add the standard ease to those measurements. You may also want to add a little extra ease in the width to account for the case’s thickness.

Can I use bulky yarn to make this faster? You can, though the finished case will be thicker and slightly less refined in appearance. Bulky yarn will also mean you need far fewer stitches and rows to reach the same dimensions. Just adjust your calculations accordingly.

What if I want to use circular needles? You can absolutely work this pattern in the round rather than flat, which eliminates the side seam entirely. Cast on double your calculated stitch count, join to work in the round, and knit every row. When the piece reaches the desired height, kitchener stitch the bottom closed.

Is this pattern suitable for beginners? Yes, with a small caveat. The knitting itself is very beginner-friendly — it’s essentially just stockinette stitch. The seaming and closure attachment require a little more skill, but there are plenty of beginner-friendly tutorials for mattress stitch available online, and once you’ve done it once, it becomes very intuitive.

Caring for Your Knitted Tablet Case

If you used wool, hand wash the case gently in cool water with a wool wash or a tiny drop of mild dish soap. Press out the water gently — never wring — and lay flat to dry, reshaping as needed. Most wool cases will keep their shape beautifully wash after wash.

If you used an acrylic or cotton yarn, machine washing on a gentle cycle in a mesh laundry bag is usually fine. Check the yarn label to be sure.

Avoid leaving wool items in direct sunlight for extended periods, as UV exposure can weaken the fibers over time. A little basic care will keep this case looking great for years.

Final Thoughts

The I-Baggie Tablet Knit Case is one of those patterns that earns its place in your regular rotation. It’s fast enough to finish in a weekend, useful enough to use every day, and versatile enough to adapt to nearly any tablet or device you own. Once you’ve made one, you’ll want to make more — in different colors, different yarns, different stitch patterns.

There’s a particular pleasure in pulling your tablet out of a case you made yourself. It’s a small thing, but it’s a daily reminder that your hands are capable of creating objects that are genuinely beautiful and genuinely useful at the same time. That’s what knitting is, at its best.

Enjoy the project, and happy knitting.