If you love a handmade gift but you are short on time, this is your project. A little drawstring pouch you can crochet in one evening, pop some candy inside, cinch the top, and hand over — the bag becomes part of the present. It is palm-to-hand sized, reusable, and much more charming than a paper favour bag that gets tossed the same night.
This makes a perfect companion to this morning's candy corn amigurumi. Tuck one inside the pouch as a surprise topper, line up a row of pouches for a classroom or party table, or keep one by the door for trick-or-treat. And because it is worked from a flat circular base with straight sides, it is a calm, confidence-building first bag project even if you have never made a pouch before.
Finished size is about 4–5 inches tall and about 3½ inches across the base — just right for wrapped sweets, a small toy, or a mini amigurumi friend.
What You'll Need
You only need a small amount of yarn, so this is a lovely stash-buster:
- Yarn: Worsted-weight (Category 4) yarn — about 30–40 g in total. For the classic jack-o'-lantern use orange; for candy-corn stripes you will need small amounts of white, orange, and yellow; for the midnight version use black or deep purple. Acrylic is sturdy and washable for party use; cotton gives crisp stitch definition.
- Crochet hook: 4.0 mm (US G-6) hook.
- Stitch marker: 1 locking stitch marker to mark the start of each round — do not skip this, it keeps your sides straight.
- Tapestry needle: Large-eye needle for weaving in ends and for embroidering the face.
- Scissors: For cutting yarn and trimming your cord.
- Drawstring: Either a crocheted chain cord (about 18–20 inches of chained yarn) or a length of ribbon about ¼ inch wide and 18 inches long. Ribbon is quicker; a crocheted cord is sturdier for small hands pulling it open and closed.
- Optional: Black embroidery thread or a small scrap of black yarn to embroider a jack-o'-lantern face, and a safety pin or bodkin to thread the cord through the eyelets.
No lining is needed. Worked at this gauge the fabric is firm enough to hold wrapped candy without gaps.
Stitches and Skills Used
- Magic ring (MR) — or chain 2 and work into the first chain if you prefer
- Single crochet (sc) — the main stitch throughout
- Increase (inc) — 2 single crochet in the same stitch, used only on the base
- Chain (ch) — for the eyelet round and the optional crocheted cord
- Slip stitch (sl st) — to join or finish neatly
That is it. If you can single crochet in the round, you can make this pouch.
The Pouch Pattern
Work in continuous rounds unless noted. Move your stitch marker up at the start of every round and count your last round before the eyelets — an even stitch count is what keeps the pouch from leaning.
Flat circular base:
Round 1: Magic ring, 6 sc into the ring. (6)
Round 2: Inc in every stitch around. (12)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc — repeat around. (18)
Round 4: Sc 2, inc — repeat around. (24)
Round 5: Sc 3, inc — repeat around. (30)
Round 6: Sc 4, inc — repeat around. (36)
Lay the circle flat. It should lie smooth with no cupping or frilly edge. If it curls up like a bowl, you are missing increases or working too tightly; if it waves, add a round without increases before moving on.
Straight sides:
Rounds 7–16: Sc in every stitch around. (36) — 10 even rounds. Work Round 7 through the back loop only if you want a sharper turn from base to wall, or through both loops for a softer look. Keep your tension relaxed and even.
Eyelet round:
Before Round 17, mark every 9 stitches with a scrap of contrasting yarn so your eyelets are evenly spaced — you will make 12 eyelets in total.
Round 17: Sc 2, ch 1, skip 1 stitch — repeat around. (24 sc + 12 chain spaces)
Finishing round:
Round 18: Sc in every stitch and in every chain space around. (36) Fasten off and weave in the end.
Drawstring two ways:
Crocheted cord (sturdier): Chain 55–60 (about 18–20 inches), slip stitch back along the chain if you want a slightly thicker cord, fasten off. Best for children's party pouches because it does not fray and it grips when cinched.
Ribbon (fastest): Cut ribbon to 18 inches and seal the ends so they do not unravel.
Thread the cord in and out of the Round 17 eyelets using a safety pin attached to one end. Bring both ends out of the same eyelet, knot them together, cinch, and tie a small bow.
Three Looks from the Same Base
- Classic jack-o'-lantern (full method): Work the whole pouch in orange. After Round 18, embroider the face with black yarn or embroidery thread: two small triangles for eyes, a tiny triangle for the nose, and a wide zigzag smile a couple of rounds below the eyelet round. Keep stitches on the surface only and knot ends discreetly inside the rim. This is the only face method in full; the other looks are colour twists.
- Candy-corn stripes: Work Rounds 1–6 (base) in yellow, Rounds 7–12 in orange, and Rounds 13–18 in white. They sit adorable side by side with this morning's candy corn post.
- Midnight black: Work the whole pouch in black or deep purple. Leave it plain for an elegant favour bag, or stitch one tiny white ghost shape with a few straight stitches. Keep any added motif small so the drawstring still moves freely.
Uses and Gifting Ideas
Fill, cinch, and go: trick-or-treat party favours, classroom treats (check your school's wrapped-candy rules), a reusable pouch for collecting sweets on Halloween night, or a gift bag with this morning's candy corn or the little ghost tucked inside peeking out of the top. After Halloween the same pouch holds hair clips, marbles, or craft supplies.
Troubleshooting
Base is curling up: You likely missed an increase or your tension is very tight. Check your counts — every base round should end on the number in parentheses — and press the circle flat with your palm between rounds.
Pouch is leaning or spiralling: This comes from uneven tension or losing the round start. Use your stitch marker every round and count the final even round before the eyelets; it must be 36 stitches.
Eyelets look uneven: Mark every 9 stitches before Round 17. Eyeballing the spacing in continuous rounds almost always drifts.
Drawstring will not cinch smoothly: Check the cord is woven consistently over-under through every eyelet and that no eyelet was skipped. A crocheted cord cinches with more grip; ribbon slides more freely.
Make Your Set
This little pouch proves a useful crochet gift does not need to be complicated. One flat base, ten straight rounds, one eyelet round, and a cord — that is the whole build. Pair it with the rest of the Halloween set from this week — the no-sew ghost, bat, pumpkin in three sizes, black cat, and this morning's candy corn — and you have a complete handmade table ready well before October 31.
Pick your colours, put on a favourite film, and make one tonight.
Happy crocheting!