Here are Three Little Pouches to get us on the road to organizational nirvana. The first one is a drawstring bag for all the loose buttons you've picked up along the way. The second is a perfect sleeve for crochet hooks (the stitch pattern is slip stitches, not fair isle, in other words, way easier!) And the third is a Gooseberry Stitch purse for small knitting necessities: tapestry needles, a measuring tape, stitch markers, a pocket gauge, folding scissors.

To make my pouches really special I used Manos del Uruguay's Silk Blend, 30% silk and 70% merino. Every skein of this yarn is hand spun and beautifully kettle dyed by one of the 400 women who make up the Hands of Uruguay artisan cooperative, a non profit organization expanding opportunities for rural women in Uruguay. Doing good aside, it's just plain gorgeous yarn!

Materials

• 3 skeins of Manos del Uruguay's Silk Blend, 30% silk and 70% merino. These colors are Wisteria #3071, Natural #3014, and Zinnia #3202.

For the Notions Purse:

• A set of US #5 needles (straight or circular)
• 1 jumbo size stitch marker, approximately 13/16 of an inch in diameter
• A size E or F crochet hook

For the Button Bag:

• A set of US #5 double pointed needles
• 3 stitch markers (any size)

For the Hook Holder:

• A set of US #5 double pointed needles
• 1 medium size stitch marker, approximately 9/16 of an inch in diameter
• A size E or F crochet hook

Notions Purse

Gauge

5 stitches = 1 inch in stitch pattern

Finished Size

4 1/2 inches wide and 3 1/4 inches high

Pattern

NOTES

• In Rows 2 and 6 the pattern says to "(p1, yo, p1, yo, p1) into the next stitch". Here's how to do it:

Purl into the stitch normally, except don't remove the stitch from the left needle.

Make a yarn over on the right needle.

Insert the right needle back into the stitch on the left needle and purl (again, without removing the stitch from the left needle).

Make another yarn over and purl into the same stitch again, but this time remove the stitch from the left needle. You should have 5 new stitches on the right needle.

• In Rows 4 and 8 the pattern says to "slip 2 with the yarn in front, p3tog, pass 2 slipped stitches over".

When you pass the 2 slipped stitches over the p3tog, pass them at the same time:

MAKE THE POUCH

With US #5 needles cast on 23 stitches (leave an approximately 12 inch tail).

Row 1 (right side): Knit.

Row 2: K1, *(p1, yo, p1, yo, p1) into the next stitch (making 5 stitches out of one), k1, repeat from * to end of row. (67 stitches)

Row 3: Purl.

Row 4: K1, *slip 2 with the yarn in front (wyif), p3tog, pass 2 slipped stitches over (p2sso), k1, repeat from * to end of row. (23 stitches)

Row 5: Knit.

Row 6: K2, *(p1, yo, p1, yo, p1) into the next stitch, k1, repeat from * to last stitch, k1. (63 stitches)

Row 7: Purl.

Row 8: K2, *slip 2 wyif, p3tog, p2sso., k1, repeat from 8 to last stitch, k1. (23 stitches)

Repeat Rows 1-8 two more times.

Repeat Rows 1-5 one time.

Next Row: Knit.

Repeat Rows 1-8 three times.

Repeat Rows 1-5 one time.

Next Row: Knit.

Repeat Rows 1-8 one time.

Repeat Rows 1-5 one time.

Bind off.

SEW TOGETHER

Fold the pouch along the first row of garter stitch (so the cast on edge lines up with the second row of garter stitch). Use the cast on tail to sew the sides of the pouch together.

Cut a ten inch piece of yarn and use it to sew the other side of the pouch together.

Weave in the ends.

THE BUTTON LOOP

Cut an 18 inch piece of yarn and use the crochet hook to bring a loop through the bind off edge, one stitch right of center.

Chain 1 and make a single crochet into the same stitch.

Chain 8 and insert the hook into the bind off edge one stitch left of center. Make a slip stitch, and pull the end through the remaining stitch.

THE BUTTON

With a contrast color yarn, make 24 single crochets around a jumbo stitch marker (13/16 of an inch in diameter).

Slip stitch into the first single crochet.

Cut the yarn, leaving an eight inch tail, and pull it through the last stitch.

Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle and sew under the outside loop of every other single crochet stitch.

Pull the tail tight and the stitches will magically converge in the center of the ring, making a beautiful button.

SEW ON THE BUTTON

Position the button three "bobbles" up from the bottom of the pouch. Use the tails of the button to sew it into place.

Weave in all the ends.

And fill your pouch with gear!

Button Bag

Gauge

6 1/4 stitches = 1 inch in stockinette stitch

Finished Size

9 inches in circumference and 4 3/4 inches high

Pattern

THE BOTTOM

With the Color A (white), cast on 8 stitches to three US #5 double pointed needle. Join to work in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.

Round 1: Knit in to the front and back (kfb) of every stitch. (16 stitches)

Round 2: Knit.

Round 3: *K1, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (24 stitches)

Round 4: Knit.

Round 5: *K2, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (32 stitches)

Round 6: Knit.

Round 7: *K3, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (40 stitches)

Round 8: Knit.

Round 9: *K4, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (48 stitches)

Round 10: Knit.

Round 11: *K5, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (56 stitches)

Round 12: Knit.

Round 13: Purl.

Knit 6 rounds.

THE INTARSIA

Next Round: K21, place a marker, follow the first line of the chart (starting at the bottom right corner and using Color B [red] as the contrast color), place a marker, k21. (Never knit a picture before? Visit our Intarsia Knitting Tutorial.)

Turn the work so the purl side is facing you. For the duration of the chart, instead of knitting in the round, you will turn the work at the end of each row, knitting one row, then purling the next, continuing the stockinette stitch.

Next Row: Work to the first marker, follow the next line of the chart, work to the end of the row, turn the work.

Repeat this Row until all 18 rows of the chart have been worked.

If you'd like, you can design your own image with this blank chart. (The above instructions would remain the same.)

THE TOP

Use Color A to knit a row (remove the markers when you get to them).

At the end of the row, place a new marker and continue to knit, joining the piece so that you're knitting in the round again.

Knit 6 rounds.

Next Round: K3, yo , k2tog, [k5, yo, k2tog] 7 times, k2.

Knit 12 rounds.

Bind off loosely.

SEW THE SEAM

With a scrap piece of Color A, use the mattress (or ladder) stitch to sew the seam at the back of the pouch.

THE I-CORD

With Color C (lavender) and two US #5 double pointed needles, cast on two stitches. Make a 17 inch I-cord (visit our I-cord Tutorial for help).

Thread one end of the I-cord onto a tapestry needle, and weave the cord through the eyelets of the pouch.

Weave in the ends and your buttons have a home!

Hook Holder

Gauge

7 1/2 stitches = 1 inch in stitch pattern

Finished Size

2 1/2 inches wide and 6 inches high

Pattern

KNIT THE POUCH

With Color A (white), cast 40 stitches onto three US #5 double pointed needles.

Join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.

Round 1: Knit.

Rounds 2 and 3: With Color B (red), *k2, slip 2 (keep the yarn in back), repeat from * to end of round.

Round 4: With Color A, knit.

Rounds 5 and 6: With Color C (lavender), *slip 2 (yarn in back), k2, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat Rounds 1-6 until piece measures about a quarter of an inch shorther than the length of your crochet hooks.

Cut the Color B and C yarns.

Next Round: With Color A, *k2, p2, repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat the last round 3 more times.

Bind off loosely in the rib pattern.

SEW THE BOTTOM

Use the cast on tail to sew the bottom edge closed. Sew across the knit stitches right under the cast on edge, alternating from one side to the other.

THE BUTTON LOOP

Cut an 18 inch piece of Color A and use the crochet hook to bring a loop through the bind off edge, one stitch right of center.

Chain 1 and make a single crochet into the same stitch.

Chain 8 and insert the hook into the bind off edge one stitch left of center. Make a slip stitch, and pull the end through the remaining stitch.

THE BUTTON

With Color B or Color C, make 14 single cochets around a medium stitch marker (9/16 of an inch in diameter).

Slip stitch into the first single crochet. (For more how-to photos, see the "BUTTON" section of the Notions Purse, above.)

Cut the yarn, leaving an eight inch tail, and pull it through the last stitch.

Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle and sew under the outside loop of every other single crochet stitch.

Pull the tails tight so that the stitches converge at the center of the stitch marker.

SEW ON THE BUTTON

Position the button in the center of the ribbing across from the button loop. Use the tails of the button to sew it into place.

Weave in all the ends.

Fill your holder up with hooks!