If you’re looking for a free knit phone bag pattern that is practical, textured, and simple enough to relax with, the Aaron Phone Bag is a fun little project to add to your needles. You can find even more small bags, purses, and crossbody projects on my Tote Bag and Purse Patterns page.
The Aaron Phone Bag is worked in the round from the bottom up, starting with Judy’s Magic Cast On to create a clean, seamless bottom.
After that, the entire bag is worked in a simple broken moss stitch made with nothing more than knits and purls. An i-cord strap finishes it off and turns this small knitted pouch into an easy crossbody bag for carrying your phone.
A Simple Textured Knit Phone Bag
One of my favorite things about this free knit phone bag pattern is how simple the actual knitting is.
Broken moss stitch gives the bag plenty of texture, but you are still only working knit and purl stitches. It is a great combination when you want something that looks more interesting than plain stockinette without adding complicated stitch techniques.
The small size also makes this a nice project when you want something useful that does not require a huge amount of knitting.
It is just big enough for your phone and a few small essentials without turning into a full-sized purse.
What Yarn Did I Use for the Aaron Phone Bag?
I used KnitPicks Mighty Stitch Worsted for my Aaron Phone Bag.
Mighty Stitch is an 80% acrylic and 20% superwash wool blend, which makes it a practical choice for a little bag that is going to be handled and carried regularly. It is soft, easy to work with, and the smooth yarn lets the broken moss stitch texture show up really nicely.
I also like worsted-weight yarn for this project because it gives the bag enough substance without making it overly bulky.
For a knitted bag, you want a fabric that has enough structure to hold its shape instead of stretching dramatically once you put your phone inside. The combination of the worsted-weight yarn and the textured stitch pattern works really well here.
If you want to learn more about this yarn before choosing it for your bag, you can also read my KnitPicks Mighty Stitch Fingering Review. That review covers the fingering-weight version, but it gives you a closer look at the Mighty Stitch fiber blend, softness, easy-care qualities, and the reasons I like using this yarn line in practical everyday knits.
What Needles Do You Need?
I used US 6 (4 mm) needles for the Aaron Phone Bag.
The bag is worked in the round, so use whichever method of circular knitting you are most comfortable with for a small circumference.
Using a slightly firmer fabric is especially helpful with bags because it gives the finished project more structure and helps it hold its shape when you put your phone inside.
As always, check your gauge before starting if you want your finished measurements to match the pattern.
How Is the Aaron Phone Bag Constructed?
The Aaron Phone Bag begins at the bottom using Judy’s Magic Cast On.
I really like this cast-on for projects that need a closed bottom because you can cast stitches onto both needles and begin working in the round without having a bottom seam to sew later.
From there, the bag is worked upward in one piece.
Once the main body is finished, an i-cord strap is added to turn it into a little crossbody phone bag.
There are no complicated shaping sections or elaborate stitch combinations. Once you get through the cast on, most of your knitting is simply following the broken moss stitch pattern around and around.
Broken Moss Stitch Keeps This Pattern Simple
The all-over broken moss stitch is probably my favorite part of this bag.
It uses only knit and purl stitches, but alternating them creates a textured surface that makes the finished bag much more interesting than plain stockinette.
It is also one of those stitch patterns that settles into a comfortable rhythm once you have worked a few rounds.
If you are newer to textured knitting, this is a nice way to practice reading your knitting and keeping track of a repeating knit-and-purl pattern without introducing cables, lace, or more complicated techniques.
Why Use Judy’s Magic Cast On for a Bag?
You may be more familiar with Judy’s Magic Cast On from toe-up socks, but it works really well for small bags too.
Instead of knitting the bag and sewing the bottom closed afterward, the cast on creates stitches along both sides of the bottom edge.
That means you can immediately begin working around the bag.
I especially like using construction techniques that eliminate unnecessary finishing. If I can create the shape as I knit instead of adding another seam later, I usually will!
If you have never used Judy’s Magic Cast On before, follow my Judy’s Magic Cast On tutorial first and practice the cast on before beginning the bag.
The I-Cord Strap
Once the body of the bag is finished, the i-cord strap gives you a simple way to turn it into a crossbody bag.
I-cord works especially well here because it creates a narrow, rounded cord without needing to purchase a separate strap.
You can also adjust the length depending on how you prefer to wear your phone bag.
Before finishing the strap, I recommend checking the length while wearing the bag so you can make sure your phone sits where you want it.
What Should You Knit Next?
If you enjoy making small bags and purses, I have several more free patterns you can add to your knitting list:
- Shell Phone Bag – another small phone-sized crossbody bag with a different textured stitch pattern.
- Peter Purse – a knitted purse with a completely different look and construction.
- Cable Crossbody Bag – a larger crossbody option featuring beautiful knitted cables.
You can also browse all of my Tote Bag and Purse Patterns when you are ready for another bag project.
Aaron Phone Bag Free Pattern
MATERIALS AND INFO
Materials: 100-150yds of Knitpicks Mighty Stitch Worsted, yarn needle, stitch markers,
Needle Size: 6(US) 4mm needles
Gauge (tension): 24sts x 30rows to make 4in/10cm square in stockinette
Finished Measurements:
Approximately 4×7ins/10×17.5cms when laid flat
Approximately 8ins/20cms circumference
METHOD
This pattern is worked in 1 piece, in the round. The strap is an icord. You can use scraps if you wish, but I would avoid cotton. Cotton will stretch over time and the strap will end up far too long after a few uses.
Charted Stitch Pattern
Round 1: [K1, P1] repeat around.
Round 2: Knit around.
Round 3: [P1, K1] repeat around.
Round 4: Knit around.
MAIN BODY OF BAG
Using Judy’s Magic Cast-On, cast on 22 sts onto each needle — 44 sts total.
Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Work in charted stitch pattern until the bag measures approximately 6.25in/16cm from the cast-on edge, or approximately .75in/2cm shorter than the desired finished length ending after completing a round 1 or 3 of the charted stitch pattern.
Garter Stitch Top
Round 1: Knit.
Round 2: Purl.
Repeat Rounds 1–2 twice more.
6 garter stitch rounds worked.
Bind off loosely.
STRAP
Cast on 3 sts leaving a long enough end to sew the strap on.
Do not turn your work. Instead, slide the stitches to the opposite end of the needle so the working yarn is coming from the left side of the stitches.
Bring the working yarn firmly across the back of the stitches and knit all stitches.
Again, do not turn. Slide the stitches back to the opposite end of the needle, pull the working yarn snug across the back, and knit all stitches.
Repeat these steps until the I-cord reaches the desired length. Gently tug the cord every few rows to help the stitches settle into a smooth, rounded tube.
Continue as above until your cord is 42ins/105cms or desired length. Remember, the icord will stretch a bit once the weight of your phone has been added to the bag so you want it to be a little shorter than your hip. I knit mine so the bag would sit at my natural waist before adding my phone in. It ended up perfectly at my hip with my phone in it.
Bind off, leaving a long enough tail to sew the strap on.
Position one end of the strap at one side of the top edge of the bag. Sew securely in place. Repeat with the other end at the opposite side. Using a yarn needle and a your ends from the icord, sew the end of the strap securely to the bag, stitching through both the strap and the purse fabric several times.
ABBREVIATIONS
k – knit
P – purl
sts – stitches
Ready to Knit the Aaron Phone Bag?
The Aaron Phone Bag is a fun little project when you want to knit something that will actually get used. The combination of KnitPicks Mighty Stitch Worsted, broken moss stitch, seamless construction, and a simple i-cord strap makes it interesting without turning it into an overly complicated project.
And because the stitch pattern is made entirely with knits and purls, it is a great way to create plenty of texture with very basic stitches.
Once you finish yours, I would love to know what color you chose! Are you making your Aaron Phone Bag in a neutral color or something bright?
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