Onigiri Drawstring Pouch Free Knitting Pattern

If you’ve ever wanted to combine your love of knitting with your love of Japanese food culture, this project is going to make your day. The onigiri drawstring pouch is one of those small, satisfying makes that looks impressive, works up quickly, and ends up being genuinely useful. Whether you want to store your knitting notions, give it as a gift, or simply knit something that makes people smile when they see it, this little rice ball bag delivers every time.

In this post, I’m sharing a complete free knitting pattern for an onigiri-shaped drawstring pouch. I’ll walk you through the materials, gauge, stitch counts, shaping, and finishing so you can make it from start to finish with confidence. I’ve also included tips for customizing the size, swapping colors, and embellishing your pouch to make it uniquely yours.

What Is an Onigiri and Why Knit One?

Onigiri are Japanese rice balls, typically shaped into triangles or rounds, wrapped in a strip of nori (dried seaweed), and filled with savory ingredients like salmon, pickled plum, or tuna mayo. They’re a staple of Japanese convenience stores, lunchboxes, and home kitchens, and they’ve become a beloved symbol of Japanese food culture around the world.

Their iconic triangular shape makes them absolutely perfect for knitting. The shape is simple enough that a beginner can achieve it with basic increases and decreases, but distinctive enough that the finished object is immediately recognizable. Paired with a contrast-color nori strip and little cheeks made from embroidered pink circles, a knitted onigiri pouch becomes one of those projects that people stop to ask about.

These pouches are endlessly versatile. Depending on the yarn weight and needle size you choose, you can knit them large enough to carry a small skein of yarn or a set of double-pointed needles, medium-sized for a coin purse or lip balm and keys, or tiny and flat for an ornament or bag charm. The pattern I’m sharing here produces a pouch roughly 5 inches tall and 5.5 inches wide at its widest point, which is a great everyday carry size.

Materials You’ll Need

Before we dive into the pattern, let’s talk about what you’ll need to gather. The good news is that this project is a great stash buster. You don’t need a full skein of anything, and you probably have everything you need already.

Yarn: For the main body of the pouch, you’ll want a white or cream yarn. I used a worsted weight cotton yarn, which gives the pouch a nice structure and a slightly stiff body that holds the onigiri shape well. About 60 yards of your main color is plenty. For the nori section, you’ll need a dark green or black yarn — roughly 20 yards. A small amount of light pink yarn (or pink embroidery floss) is needed for the cheeks.

Needles: US size 6 (4mm) double-pointed needles or a short circular needle for magic loop. The pattern is worked in the round for the body and flat for the final shaping.

Notions: A tapestry needle for weaving in ends and adding embroidery. Stitch markers. A crochet hook in a similar size (optional, for the drawstring cord). About 20 inches of cord or I-cord for the drawstring.

Gauge: Approximately 20 stitches and 28 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch using worsted weight yarn and size 6 needles. Gauge isn’t critical for this project since it’s a bag rather than a garment, but if your gauge is very different, your finished size will vary accordingly.

Pattern Notes

This pattern is worked mostly in the round from the bottom up. The pouch begins with a flat triangle base, which is then joined to work the sides in the round. The top is worked flat with a simple decrease sequence to create the pointed triangle tip. The nori band is worked separately and seamed on, and the drawstring is threaded through eyelets near the top.

The pattern uses basic knitting abbreviations: k (knit), p (purl), k2tog (knit two together), ssk (slip, slip, knit), yo (yarn over), CO (cast on), BO (bind off), pm (place marker), sm (slip marker), RS (right side), WS (wrong side).

The finished pouch is approximately 5 inches tall from base to tip and 5.5 inches wide at its widest point, using worsted weight yarn at the stated gauge.

The Pattern

Part One: The Base

Using your main color (white or cream), cast on 3 stitches using the long-tail cast on method.

Row 1 (RS): Kfb, k1, kfb. (5 stitches)
Row 2 (WS): Purl across.
Row 3: Kfb, k to last st, kfb. (7 stitches)
Row 4: Purl across.

Continue repeating Rows 3 and 4, increasing 2 stitches every right-side row, until you have 27 stitches on your needle. This will take you through roughly 13 right-side rows total from the cast-on. End having completed a wrong-side (purl) row.

You now have your triangular base piece. Set this aside or leave it on a needle while you join for working in the round.

Part Two: Joining and Working the Sides

With the right side of your base piece facing you, pick up and knit stitches along the two slanted edges of your triangle. You’ll pick up approximately 1 stitch for every 2 rows along each edge, which should give you about 14 stitches along each of the two diagonal sides.

When you’ve picked up all the stitches, you’ll have the original 27 stitches along the top (the widest edge of the triangle as you look at it from the front) and about 14 stitches along each of the two slanted edges, for a total of approximately 55 stitches. Place a marker to indicate the beginning of your round.

Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist. Knit 2 rounds even.

Round 3: At each of the two “corner” markers (where the base stitches meet the picked-up edge stitches), work an ssk before the marker and a k2tog after the marker to shape the corners and keep the triangle silhouette crisp. Work all other stitches as knit.

Round 4: Knit even.

Repeat Rounds 3 and 4 three more times, working decreases at each corner every other round. After these shaping rounds, your stitch count should be approximately 43 stitches. The bag will begin to look like a defined triangle when viewed from the front.

Work even in stockinette (knit every round) for 8 more rounds, or until the body of the pouch measures approximately 3.5 inches from the base.

Part Three: The Nori Band

At this point, you’ll switch to your dark green or black yarn for the nori section.

Knit 1 round in the dark yarn.

Round 2: Purl (this creates a turning ridge for a clean color boundary).

Knit 6 more rounds in the dark yarn.

Round 9: Purl (another turning ridge at the top of the nori band).

Switch back to your main white or cream color and knit 2 rounds even.

Part Four: Eyelet Row for the Drawstring

Now you’ll create the eyelets through which your drawstring will be threaded.

Eyelet Round: K2, yo, k2tog and repeat this sequence all the way around. If your stitch count doesn’t divide perfectly by 4, just work any remaining stitches in plain knit — the eyelets will still function fine and won’t look noticeably uneven.

Knit 2 more rounds even in the main color.

Part Five: Shaping the Triangle Tip

Now you’ll work flat to shape the pointed top of the onigiri. Turn your work so you’re looking at the front of the pouch.

Row 1 (RS): K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Row 2 (WS): Purl across.

Repeat these two rows, decreasing 2 stitches every right-side row, until you have 5 stitches remaining.

Final Row: K1, sl1, k2tog, psso, k1. (3 stitches)

Cut your yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail. Thread the tail through the remaining 3 stitches with a tapestry needle and pull snug to close the tip. Weave in the end securely on the inside of the pouch.

For the back of the pouch, you’ll need to close the open section left when you stopped working in the round. You can use a three-needle bind-off if you separated your stitches onto two needles, or simply seam the back edges together with a mattress stitch using your main color yarn. The back will be hidden and won’t affect the appearance of the front.

Making the Drawstring

The quickest drawstring for this project is a simple I-cord. Using two double-pointed needles and a small length of white or dark green yarn, cast on 3 stitches and work I-cord for about 18 to 20 inches, then bind off and cut your yarn. Thread it through the eyelets using a tapestry needle or a small safety pin attached to one end.

Alternatively, you can use a length of ribbon, a twisted cord made from embroidery floss, or a store-bought cord in whatever color complements your yarn. The eyelet holes in worsted weight yarn are generous enough to accommodate most thin cords.

Pull both ends of the drawstring out through the same eyelet so that when you pull them, the pouch closes from one point. Tie each end in a simple overhand knot to prevent the cord from slipping back through.

Embellishing Your Onigiri Pouch

This is where your pouch goes from cute knitted bag to genuinely convincing little rice ball, and it’s one of the most enjoyable parts of the project.

The Cheeks: Using pink yarn or pink embroidery floss, embroider two small circles on the front of the white section of the pouch, positioned roughly in the center and slightly toward the bottom of the white area. A simple satin stitch fills these in nicely. They should be about the size of a pencil eraser — small and subtle, just a hint of a blush.

The Face (Optional): If you want your onigiri to have a full kawaii face, you can use black embroidery floss to stitch two small oval eyes just above the cheeks. A tiny curved line below the eyes makes a little smile. Keep the features small and delicate — oversized embroidery can overwhelm the design.

The Nori Detail: If you want to give the nori band more texture, you can work it in a seed stitch or moss stitch instead of stockinette, which mimics the slightly rough texture of dried seaweed. To do this, simply alternate knit and purl stitches in the nori section instead of knitting every stitch.

Sesame Seeds: A few small French knots in ivory or tan embroidery floss scattered across the white body of the pouch add a wonderful detail if you’re a fan of sesame-topped onigiri. These are completely optional but really do elevate the finished look.

Customizing Your Pouch

One of the things I love most about this pattern is how easy it is to customize. Here are some ideas for making it your own.

If you want a larger pouch, simply use a heavier yarn — a bulky weight with size 10 needles will produce a bag nearly twice the size, perfect for carrying a small project, a phone, or snacks. Scale everything up proportionally and the same shaping logic applies.

For a miniature version, use fingering weight yarn and size 1 or 2 needles. The resulting pouch is a perfect ornament or bag charm and makes an incredibly sweet gift tucked inside a larger present.

You can also play with the filling colors to represent different onigiri flavors. A salmon onigiri might have a pink nori band and a pale orange blush. A pickled plum version could have a deep purple or magenta accent. A tuna mayo fan might want creamy yellow details. Lean into the food storytelling — it’s all part of the fun.

Finishing Tips for a Polished Look

Weave in all your ends carefully, especially the color change between white and dark green. I recommend weaving ends in two directions to secure them, since the drawstring will create some stress on the top of the bag over time.

Block your finished pouch lightly if you’re using cotton yarn. A quick steam or a damp cloth pressed over the surface will even out your stitches and give the bag a crisper, more professional finish. The triangle shape benefits especially from a gentle blocking to make the tip and edges lie flat and defined.

If you notice any gaps at the corners where you joined to work in the round at the base, you can use a small length of matching yarn to close them with a few neat stitches on the inside. This is common with pick-up-and-knit joins and nothing to worry about.

Gift Ideas and Uses for Your Onigiri Pouch

These pouches make wonderful gifts for knitters and non-knitters alike. The finished object is charming enough that someone doesn’t need to know or care about knitting to appreciate it. Fill one with a gift card, a bath bomb, some chocolates, or a small piece of jewelry, and you have a gift that is both container and present in one.

For knitters specifically, an onigiri pouch makes a delightful project bag for small works in progress, a notion pouch for stitch markers and needles, or a yarn bowl companion for holding a small ball of yarn while you work from it.

They’re also lovely for kids — whether as a coin purse, a trinket bag, or just a fun stuffed display piece sitting on a shelf. Children who love anime and Japanese culture tend to absolutely adore them.

A Note on Yarn Choices

Cotton yarn is my top recommendation for this pattern because it gives the bag structure and holds the triangle shape well, and it’s also easy to wash, which matters if you’re using it as an everyday carry pouch. Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton, We Are Knitters The Cotton, and Paintbox Simply DK Cotton are all lovely options in the right weight range.

That said, a smooth wool or wool-blend yarn works beautifully too, especially if you plan to block the finished piece. Avoid very fuzzy or textured yarns for this project, since the stitch definition matters for both the shaping and the embroidery.

Final Thoughts

This onigiri drawstring pouch is one of those patterns that earns a permanent spot in your rotation — quick enough to finish in an evening or two, satisfying to knit, and delightful to look at once it’s done. It’s the kind of project you make once and then immediately want to make again in every color combination you can think of.

I hope you love making it as much as I do. If you knit this pattern, I’d genuinely love to see your version — share it on Ravelry or tag it on social media so the community can admire your work.

Happy knitting!