Cinch & Go: The Ultimate Knitting Pattern for a Flat Bottom Drawstring Bag
There is something deeply satisfying about making a bag by hand. Not just any bag, but one that works — one that sits flat on a counter, cinches closed with a satisfying tug, and holds whatever you need it to hold without flopping over or losing its shape. That bag is the flat bottom drawstring pouch, and if you have been looking for the perfect knitting pattern to make one, you have found it.
This Cinch & Go knitting pattern gives you everything you need to hand knit a beautiful, sturdy flat bottom drawstring bag that works beautifully as a makeup bag, a crystal pouch, a cat treat holder, a project bag, a gift bag, and so much more. The construction is straightforward enough for a confident beginner and satisfying enough for an experienced knitter who wants a quick, rewarding project. By the end, you will have a hand knit drawstring pouch that looks like it came from a boutique — because in a way, it did.
Why a Flat Bottom Drawstring Bag?
Before we get into the pattern itself, let us talk about why the flat bottom matters so much. Most simple knitted pouches are worked in the round from the bottom up, which results in a rounded or pointed base. That works fine for some purposes, but if you want a bag that stands upright on a shelf, sits neatly inside a larger tote, or displays your hand knit work with a little more polish, a flat base changes everything.
A flat bottom drawstring bag is self-supporting. You can set it on your vanity and it will not tip over. You can tuck it into your purse and it will maintain its shape. You can fill it with crystals, tumbled stones, or chunks of rose quartz and it will sit there looking intentional and beautiful rather than lumpy and sad.
The flat base also creates more interior volume than a tapered bottom, which means more room for all the things you want to stash inside.
What You Will Need
Yarn: Worsted weight yarn works wonderfully for this pattern and knits up quickly. Cotton or a cotton blend is ideal if you plan to use this as a makeup bag or treat pouch, since it is washable and holds its shape well. Wool or a wool blend gives you a softer drape and a lovely rustic look, which makes it perfect for crystal pouches and gift bags. About 100 to 150 yards will make a medium-sized pouch approximately 5 inches wide and 6 inches tall.
Needles: US size 7 (4.5mm) double pointed needles or a short circular needle for magic loop. If you prefer to knit flat and seam, straight needles will work too.
Notions: A set of stitch markers, a tapestry needle for weaving in ends, scissors, and approximately 36 inches of cord, ribbon, or I-cord for the drawstring. A crochet hook in size G or H makes threading the drawstring much easier.
Gauge: Approximately 18 stitches and 24 rows per 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Gauge is not critical for this project, but it will affect the final size of your bag. If you want a bigger bag, go up a needle size or use a heavier yarn. For a smaller, more delicate pouch, go down a needle size or use fingering weight yarn.
Skills Used in This Pattern
This is a pattern for knitters who know the knit stitch, the purl stitch, and basic increases and decreases. You will be using the following techniques:
Knitting in the round on double pointed needles or magic loop. Creating a flat base using short rows or pick-up and knit method. Knitting in ribbing for the cuff. Creating a simple eyelet row for the drawstring channel. Casting off and finishing.
If any of these techniques are new to you, there are wonderful video tutorials available online for each one, and this pattern gives you enough context that you should be able to follow along even if you are learning as you go.
The Cinch & Go Pattern
Step One: The Flat Bottom Base
The secret to this bag’s structure is the flat bottom, and we are going to build it first using a rectangle of garter stitch knitted flat.
Cast on 20 stitches using your preferred cast-on method. The long-tail cast on gives a clean, even edge that looks particularly tidy.
Row 1: Knit across.
Row 2: Knit across.
Continue in garter stitch (knitting every row) for 24 rows total. You will have a small rectangle approximately 2.5 inches wide and 2 inches tall. This rectangle is the base of your bag. Bind off, but do not cut your yarn — or if you do, leave a long tail for seaming later.
Step Two: Picking Up Stitches for the Sides
This is the step that transforms your flat rectangle into a three-dimensional bag, and it is genuinely fun to watch happen. Using your double pointed needles or circular needle, you are going to pick up stitches all the way around the perimeter of your base rectangle.
Pick up and knit 20 stitches along the bound-off edge, 12 stitches along one long side, 20 stitches along the cast-on edge, and 12 stitches along the other long side. You will have 64 stitches total distributed across your needles.
Place a stitch marker to indicate the beginning of the round.
If you find the pick-up round fiddly, take your time. The stitches do not have to be perfectly spaced — this is hand knitting, and a little variation adds character. As long as the stitch count is correct, you are in good shape.
Step Three: Knitting the Body
Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist your stitches.
Rounds 1 through 4: Knit every stitch. This is your stockinette base section that will settle against the flat bottom and help the bag hold its shape.
Rounds 5 through 30: Continue knitting every round in stockinette stitch. This is the main body of the bag where you can let your yarn do the talking. If you are using a variegated or self-striping yarn, these rounds are where all that color magic happens.
At this point your bag is roughly 4.5 to 5 inches tall from the base. If you want a taller bag, simply knit more rounds here. If you want a shorter pouch, stop a few rounds earlier.
Step Four: The Eyelet Round for the Drawstring
Now we create the channel through which your drawstring will pass. This is a simple row of yarn-over decreases that leaves small holes evenly spaced around the circumference of the bag.
Round 31: K2tog, yo; repeat from to end of round.
That is it. The yarn-over creates a new stitch while the k2tog decreases one, keeping your stitch count the same. The holes left by the yarn-overs form a pretty eyelet band around the top of the bag, and that is where your drawstring will live.
Rounds 32 and 33: Knit every stitch. These two rounds anchor the eyelets and give the fabric a little stability before you move into the cuff.
Step Five: The Cuff Ribbing
The ribbing at the top of the bag adds structure and a finished look while also making the bag more flexible and able to cinch tightly around whatever is inside.
Rounds 34 through 42: Work in 2×2 ribbing as follows — K2, P2; repeat from to end of round.
Since your stitch count is 64, which is divisible by 4, this ribbing will work out perfectly with no adjustments needed.
Bind off in pattern on Round 43, meaning knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches as you bind off. This gives you a flexible, even bind-off that will not be too tight. If you tend to bind off tightly, go up a needle size for the bind-off row.
Step Six: The Drawstring
Cut approximately 36 inches of your chosen cord. You can use purchased cord, ribbon, a twisted cord you make yourself from leftover yarn, or hand-knitted I-cord in a coordinating color.
To make I-cord with your double pointed needles, cast on 3 stitches and knit across. Slide the stitches back to the right end of the needle without turning your work, pull the yarn snugly across the back, and knit across again. Repeat until your I-cord is about 30 to 36 inches long and bind off.
Thread your cord onto a tapestry needle or attach it to a crochet hook and weave it in and out through the eyelets all the way around the bag. Pull both ends out through the same eyelet or through two adjacent eyelets depending on the look you prefer. Tie the ends together with an overhand knot, or leave them separate for a two-pull drawstring closure.
Weave in all your ends neatly and give the bag a light press with a damp cloth or a steam iron on a low setting if your yarn is heat-safe.
Ideas for What to Put Inside
This is honestly one of the most fun parts of making a flat bottom drawstring bag — deciding what it is actually for. The answer, as it turns out, is almost everything.
As a Makeup Bag
A hand knit drawstring pouch makes an unexpectedly wonderful makeup bag. Use cotton yarn so it is machine washable, and the flat bottom means it will stand up on its own on your bathroom counter while you rummage through it. It holds lipsticks, mascara, eyeliner pencils, travel-sized foundation, and small palettes beautifully. The cinch closure keeps everything secure in your handbag, so nothing rolls out when you are digging for your phone. Make a few in different sizes — a small one for a lip kit, a medium one for daily essentials, a larger one for a full travel makeup set.
As a Crystal Pouch
If you collect crystals, tumbled stones, or gemstones, you know the constant problem of keeping them organized and protected. A hand knit crystal pouch is perfect for this. The soft knitted fabric cushions your stones and prevents scratching, the flat bottom keeps the pouch from rolling off your altar or display shelf, and the drawstring closure keeps everything safely inside during transport. Make them in deep jewel tones to complement your collection — burgundy for garnet and red jasper, deep purple for amethyst, midnight blue for lapis and sodalite, soft cream or pale grey for selenite and clear quartz.
As a Cat Treat Holder
This one is delightful. A small version of this bag — knit with about half the number of rounds in the body section — makes a charming cat treat pouch. Use it to hold a day’s worth of treats in your bag when you travel with your cat, keep it on the counter for training sessions, or fill it and give it as part of a cat lover’s gift set. Just make sure to use a tightly woven yarn so small treats cannot poke through the stitches, or line the inside with a small piece of cotton muslin. Your cat will absolutely be watching you make this.
As a Gift Bag
A hand knit drawstring bag elevates any gift. Instead of reaching for tissue paper and a cardboard box, tuck a piece of jewelry, a small candle, a little bottle of perfume, or a deck of tarot cards into a Cinch & Go pouch and you have a gift that is itself a gift. The recipient gets to keep the bag and use it however they like. This is particularly lovely at the holidays, for birthdays, for a new baby, or for a teacher appreciation gift.
As a Project Bag
Knitters, this one is for you. A small drawstring knitting bag is perfect for holding a single project in progress — a pair of socks, a hat, a small shawl. Tuck your needles, your yarn ball, and your pattern notes inside, pull the drawstring tight, and toss it in your larger bag. Everything stays together and nothing gets tangled. You can even knit the bag in the same yarn as the project inside for a satisfying, coordinated look.
Customizing Your Cinch & Go Bag
One of the great joys of working from a simple, well-structured pattern is how easy it is to make it your own. Here are some ways to personalize your flat bottom drawstring bag.
Play with color. Work the base in one color, switch to a second color for the body, and use a third color for the ribbing. The color blocking effect is graphic and modern and requires no colorwork technique beyond knowing how to change yarn.
Add texture. Substitute a seed stitch pattern or a simple cable for the stockinette body section. A four-stitch cable repeated around the circumference of the bag looks incredibly impressive and is much easier to execute than it appears.
Change the size. To make a larger bag, simply cast on more stitches for the base rectangle and adjust your pickup count proportionally. To make a tiny pouch, cast on 10 stitches and pick up proportionally fewer stitches on the sides. Tiny pouches are wonderful for earrings, rings, single crystals, or a small gift card.
Embellish. Once your bag is complete, the possibilities are endless. Add a simple embroidered motif to one side — a small flower, a moon, a star, your initial. Sew on a button or a charm to the end of the drawstring. Add a crocheted flower or knitted tassel. Attach iron-on patches. Stamp the yarn before knitting with fabric paint for a truly one-of-a-kind result.
Caring for Your Hand Knit Drawstring Bag
How you care for your bag depends largely on what yarn you used to make it.
Cotton and cotton blend bags can generally be machine washed on a gentle cycle in cold water and laid flat to dry. This makes them ideal for makeup bags and cat treat pouches, which may need regular cleaning.
Wool bags should be hand washed in cool water with a small amount of wool wash or mild dish soap, gently squeezed rather than wrung, and laid flat to dry on a clean towel. Blocking a wool bag while it is damp will help it maintain its flat bottom shape and tidy up any uneven stitches.
Acrylic yarn bags are the most low-maintenance option and can be machine washed and dried. They are also a great choice if the bag will be given as a gift to someone who may not be a yarn person and might accidentally toss it in a hot dryer.
A Note on Hand Knitting
There is a passage in Knitting Without Tears, Elizabeth Zimmermann’s classic book, where she describes knitting as something almost meditative — a way of making time productive without making it stressful. This pattern is very much in that spirit. The Cinch & Go bag does not demand your full attention once you get going. The stockinette body is mindless enough to knit while watching television or listening to a podcast, while the eyelet round and the ribbing give you just enough to focus on to keep things interesting.
A bag of this size typically takes between three and five hours from cast-on to finished object, depending on your speed. You can easily complete it over two or three evenings, or in a single ambitious afternoon session with a good cup of tea.
That is one of the gifts of a project like this. It is portable, it is achievable, and when you are done you have something genuinely useful that you made entirely with your own hands. The person who receives a hand knit gift knows, in some wordless way, that time and care went into it. And if you keep it for yourself, you get to feel that same satisfaction every time you cinch it closed and tuck it into your bag.
Final Thoughts
The Cinch & Go flat bottom drawstring bag is the kind of pattern you will come back to again and again. Once you have made one and felt how satisfying the construction is — the flat base picking up stitches, the body growing round by round, the little eyelets marching neatly around the top, the drawstring threading through — you will start seeing everything as a potential bag. This colorway would make a great crystal pouch. That skein of cotton I have been saving would be perfect for a makeup bag. I should make a batch of these for holiday gifts.
Go ahead. Cast on. Your Cinch & Go bag is waiting.
