7 Dice Drawstring Bag Free Knitting Patterns – Page 2 of 2
Welcome back to the second half of our roundup of free knitting patterns for dice drawstring bags! If you’ve been following along from page one, you already know how useful — and genuinely fun — these little projects can be. Whether you’re knitting for a tabletop gaming enthusiast, a Dungeons & Dragons obsessive, or simply someone who appreciates a handmade pouch with a bit of personality, dice bags are a fantastic small project that deliver big satisfaction.
On this page, we’re diving into more patterns, techniques, and creative variations to help you make the perfect set of knitted dice bags. From textured stitches to colorwork motifs, there’s something here for every skill level. Let’s get right into it.
Why Knitters Love Making Dice Bags
Before we jump into the patterns, it’s worth taking a moment to appreciate just why dice bags have become such a beloved project in the knitting community. They sit in a sweet spot that few other patterns occupy: small enough to finish in a single weekend, useful enough to actually be used, and creative enough to keep you engaged from cast-on to bind-off.
Dice bags also make exceptional gifts. Gamers tend to be passionate about their hobby, and a handmade pouch for their treasured polyhedral dice collection is something they simply aren’t going to find at a big-box store. The personal touch of a hand-knitted bag — especially one made in their favorite colors or themed to their character class — is the kind of gift that gets remembered.
From a purely technical standpoint, dice bags are also great practice pieces. Most of them are knitted in the round, which gives you practice with double-pointed needles or magic loop technique. Many incorporate simple ribbing, seed stitch, or basic colorwork, making them excellent projects for intermediate knitters who want to build skills without committing to a sweater or shawl.
Pattern 4: The Dragon Scale Drawstring Bag
One of the most visually striking options for a dice bag is a pattern that mimics the look of dragon scales. This particular pattern uses a combination of yarn-over increases and decreases arranged in a chevron-like formation to create a textured, overlapping effect that genuinely looks like scales when worked in a deep jewel tone — think emerald green, sapphire blue, or burgundy.
Yarn and Materials
For this pattern, you’ll want a smooth DK weight yarn in a single color, as the stitch pattern itself provides all the visual interest. A yarn with a slight sheen — like a merino-silk blend — will make the scales pop even more. You’ll need approximately 120 to 150 yards, a set of US size 4 (3.5mm) double-pointed needles, a tapestry needle, stitch markers, and about 1.5 yards of coordinating cord or ribbon for the drawstring.
Construction Notes
This bag is worked from the bottom up, beginning with a small circular cast-on at the base. Many knitters prefer the Emily Ocker circular beginning for a truly seamless bottom, though a standard long-tail cast-on over two needles works just as well. The scale pattern is worked over a multiple of 6 stitches, so you’ll want to cast on 48 stitches to begin, which gives you a nice, compact bag.
The body of the bag is approximately 4 inches tall, worked in the round. The scale pattern repeats every 6 rows, and once you’ve memorized the sequence, it works up surprisingly quickly. Once you’ve reached the desired height, a simple eyelet round creates the drawstring channel. You’ll work a few rows of seed stitch above the eyelets to stabilize the top edge before binding off.
Tips for Success
The most important thing with this pattern is tension. The scale effect relies on the interplay between the yarn-overs and their matching decreases, so keeping your tension consistent throughout is key. If you find the yarn-overs are too loose, try going down half a needle size for that row only, or simply practice keeping your working yarn snug before and after each yarn-over.
Also, block this bag before threading the drawstring. Even a quick soak and gentle reshape will cause the scales to bloom beautifully and the overall fabric to even out.
Pattern 5: The Rustic Seed Stitch Pouch
Not every knitter wants to tackle a complex textured pattern, and that’s completely fine. The rustic seed stitch pouch is a reminder that the simplest stitches, when executed with care and beautiful yarn, produce results that are every bit as lovely as something technically complicated.
Seed stitch — that classic alternation of knit and purl stitches, offset on every row — creates a dense, reversible fabric with a wonderfully pebbly texture. It’s also a naturally firm fabric, which is ideal for a dice bag since you want the bag to hold its shape and protect its contents.
Yarn and Materials
This pattern shines with a rustic, slightly textured yarn. A wool or wool-blend worsted weight gives you exactly the right heft and a fabric that’s firm enough to be protective. You’ll need about 80 to 100 yards, US size 6 (4mm) double-pointed needles, stitch markers, a tapestry needle, and your drawstring material.
Construction Notes
Cast on 36 stitches and join in the round, being careful not to twist. Because seed stitch in the round requires you to alternate knit and purl every round (rather than every row), you’ll want to pay close attention to your stitch count. With an even number of stitches, you’ll knit all the knits and purl all the purls in round one, then purl all the knits and knit all the purls in round two. This creates the offset pattern that defines seed stitch.
The body works up to about 3.5 inches, at which point you’ll work the drawstring eyelets. A simple (yo, k2tog) repeat around the entire round creates a clean eyelet row. Work three more rounds of seed stitch above the eyelets, then bind off in pattern for a neat, tidy edge.
Customization Ideas
The beauty of this pattern is its versatility. You can stripe it by changing colors every two rounds — the yarn ends are easily woven in on the inside. You can also add a small embroidered motif to the outside after finishing: a simple rune, a miniature sword, or a stylized die face worked in duplicate stitch or surface embroidery makes this humble pouch feel extra special.
Pattern 6: The Fair Isle Dice Bag
For knitters who love colorwork, a Fair Isle-inspired dice bag is a dream project. The small scale of a dice bag means you’re working a relatively small canvas, so even a beginner-level stranded colorwork pattern can look impressively detailed and finished.
Yarn and Materials
You’ll want two colors of fingering weight yarn for this project — a main color (MC) and a contrast color (CC). Traditional Fair Isle palettes lean into natural tones like oatmeal, brown, and rust, but there’s no reason you can’t do a vivid purple-and-gold combination for that royalty feel, or a deep navy with gold for a classic dungeon adventurer aesthetic. You’ll need roughly 75 yards of each color, US size 1.5 (2.5mm) double-pointed needles, stitch markers, and a tapestry needle.
Construction Notes
This bag is best worked over 48 stitches for a good canvas. The colorwork pattern uses a simple eight-stitch repeat featuring a classic OXO or star motif. Because this is such a small project, the chart for the full pattern is usually only 12 to 16 rounds tall, which means you’ll complete the colorwork portion faster than you expect.
The key technique in stranded colorwork is carrying the unused yarn loosely across the back of the work — this is called “floating.” On a project as small as a dice bag, your floats should never need to span more than five stitches, which is well within the comfortable range for most knitters.
After completing the colorwork band, switch back to your main color and work a few plain rounds before the eyelet row. Bind off, weave in your ends, and block gently.
Tips for Success
Colorwork tends to tighten your gauge, so it’s worth swatching beforehand if this is your first stranded project. Many knitters find they need to go up a needle size or two when doing colorwork compared to plain stockinette. Also, practice “Norwegian purling” or “Continental knitting” if you haven’t already — holding one color in each hand makes managing two yarns significantly easier.
Pattern 7: The Garter Ridge Bag
Our final pattern in this collection is a garter ridge bag — a deceptively simple design that uses alternating bands of stockinette and garter stitch to create a quietly beautiful stripe pattern. In the round, garter stitch is created by alternating a knit round with a purl round, and the result is a horizontal ridge that adds wonderful texture and structure to the fabric.
Yarn and Materials
This bag works in virtually any weight yarn, which makes it a great stash-buster. A single skein of worsted weight in a solid or semi-solid colorway is ideal. The slight irregularities of a hand-dyed semi-solid will be highlighted beautifully by the garter ridges, creating subtle tonal variation without any extra effort on your part. You’ll need about 90 yards, US size 7 (4.5mm) double-pointed needles, stitch markers, and a tapestry needle.
Construction Notes
Cast on 32 stitches. Work two rounds in stockinette (knit every stitch), then work one purl round to create a garter ridge. Repeat this sequence — two stockinette rounds, one purl round — for the body of the bag. The alternation is simple to memorize and works up quickly.
Work approximately 3.5 to 4 inches of the ridge pattern, then work your eyelet round followed by two stockinette rounds and a final purl round for a finished top edge. Bind off loosely.
Finishing Details
For the drawstring, a twisted cord in the same yarn as the bag is a beautiful finishing touch. To make a twisted cord, cut three lengths of yarn, each about three times the finished cord length you want. Knot them together at one end, anchor that end to a fixed point, and twist the lengths together until they’re very tightly twisted. Then fold the whole thing in half, let it twist back on itself, and knot the ends. The result is a sturdy, attractive cord that complements the knitted bag perfectly.
General Tips for Finishing All Dice Bag Patterns
Regardless of which pattern you’ve chosen, a few finishing techniques apply universally and will elevate the quality of your finished bag.
Weaving in your ends securely is the single most important finishing step. For a bag that will be opened, closed, and handled regularly, loose ends work their way out over time. Weave each end in two directions — first one way for several stitches, then back the other way — for maximum security. For extra peace of mind, you can place a tiny drop of fabric glue on the very tip of each woven-in end, invisible from the outside but highly secure.
Blocking, even briefly, does wonders for any knitted bag. For wool and wool-blend yarns, soak the finished bag in cool water for 20 minutes, squeeze out excess water in a towel, then reshape and allow to dry flat. For acrylic yarns, a light steam with a pressing cloth works well.
When selecting your drawstring material, think about both form and function. A thin satin ribbon is beautiful but can loosen easily and may fray at the cut ends. A braided cord — either purchased or hand-twisted from your project yarn — is more durable and holds its knot better. A leather lace adds a rustic, adventurous feel that suits the dice bag theme perfectly.
Making a Set of Matching Dice Bags
One idea that’s become popular in the tabletop gaming community is making a matched set of dice bags for an entire gaming group. If you knit a small bag for each player at the table, you can coordinate the colors to each player’s character — the wizard gets a deep purple bag, the ranger gets forest green, the rogue gets black or charcoal, and so on.
This is also a wonderful opportunity to practice efficiency in your knitting. Once you’ve got a pattern memorized, you can knit multiple bags in succession far faster than your first one. Many knitters report that the second or third bag in a pattern takes roughly half the time of the first, simply because muscle memory takes over and you spend less time consulting the pattern.
Consider also making a larger “dungeon master’s bag” using the same pattern but with more cast-on stitches and extra length. A DM often needs to carry multiple sets of dice, and a generously sized bag in a regal or dramatic colorway — deep scarlet, matte black, or rich dark gold — makes for a genuinely impressive gift.
Caring for Your Knitted Dice Bag
A well-made knitted dice bag can last for years if cared for properly. Most of the yarn weights and fiber contents appropriate for these bags can be hand-washed in cool water with a gentle wool wash or mild dish soap. Avoid hot water or agitation, which can cause wool to felt. Lay flat to dry, reshaping as needed.
If your bag gets a small snag, resist the urge to pull it. Instead, use a tapestry needle to gently ease the extra yarn back into the surrounding stitches from the inside of the bag. Pulled snags left unattended can grow into holes, but caught early, they’re almost always fixable.
For bags made from superwash wool or acrylic yarn, a brief machine wash on the delicate cycle in a mesh laundry bag is usually safe, though always check your yarn label first.
Final Thoughts
The seven patterns spread across these two pages represent a wonderful range of styles, techniques, and skill levels — but they all share the same spirit of creative, practical craft. A knitted dice bag is a small thing, but small things made with care and intention carry a particular kind of warmth that mass-produced alternatives simply can’t replicate.
Whether you’re a gamer yourself, knitting for someone you love, or simply drawn to the charming practicality of a little handmade pouch, we hope these patterns have given you plenty of inspiration. Cast on, enjoy the process, and happy knitting.
