Scrunchie Bag, Sized Down

Last week I reviewed the Scrunchie Bag pattern by Loupy Studio and really loved how it turned out. The construction was clever, the scrunchie effect was cute but also functional, and overall it was such a satisfying knit. I liked it so much that I immediately started thinking about a smaller version—something that would keep the look of the original but in a more compact size. This week I’ll be walking through the adjustments I made, why I wanted to size it down, and how it turned out.

Yarn

For this bag I used:

I Love This Yarn Sport Weight in Red — the name is slightly misleading since it’s actually labeled weight 3.

Hobbii Amigo in Royal Blue — another acrylic, also a weight 3.

Like I said in my last post, acrylic is a practical choice for a bag like this. It’s durable, holds its shape, doesn’t stretch out over time, and still feels soft in your hands. Plus, I already had these skeins in my stash, so it worked out perfectly.

Mods

Why I Made Another, Smaller Version

Since I loved how the original bag turned out, I figured my sister-in-law would appreciate the scrunchie effect and adjustability just as much. Since I’ve been trying to get a head start on Christmas presents, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to make her a smaller version. She lives in Buffalo and is a big Bills fan, so I picked red and royal blue for the colors, and sized it down so it would be compact enough to get through stadium security if she ever wanted to take it to a game.

What I Changed

I started by switching from worsted weight to DK weight yarn and dropping from 5mm to 3.75mm needles, which immediately gave the bag a smaller gauge. I also began with 14 stitches instead of 16—basically 1/8th fewer stitches—to match the smaller size I was aiming for and to give the strap a daintier look. With that set, I studied the original pattern’s increase structure—how many increase rows were added every 8th, 4th, and 2nd row—and used that to plan my own version.

In my plan, I trimmed a few of the increase rows to hit the target stitch count, mapping out the total stitches for each row so I could see how it would all line up. About halfway through the increases, I got worried the bag would come up too short in measurements, so I added a couple of the increase rows back into my plan before reaching the eyelet section. 

I kept the eyelet section the same in row proportion as the original pattern—plain rows, eyelet, plain rows, eyelet—with a few extra plain rows at the end to account for the slight shift the eyelets do. I also kept the 6-stitch i-cord edging the same as the original, knitting it alongside the body starting halfway through the increases and finishing halfway through the decreases.

For the drawstring, I wanted it to be white and give the bag a kind of sporty vibe, so I finished it off with white paracord instead of knitting my own.

How It Turned Out

After seaming it, I was a little nervous that the narrower strap might end up too stiff to scrunch properly, but after a wash, dry, and a good steam, it relaxed into the daintier scrunchie vibe I wanted. It still has the essence of the original, just with a lighter look.

Size-wise, I was aiming for something that would pass as stadium-approved. Officially, the limit is 4.5 x 6.5” for clutches with or without straps. This bag comes in at about 6” across the i-cord opening (just right to fit an iPhone) and roughly 7” measured flat including the strap. So it’s technically a smidge over, but I think it’s perfect. It mostly just needs to give the illusion of being within regulation—and I doubt anyone is pulling out a ruler to check.

All in all, I’m really happy with how this smaller version turned out. If I made another one, even at this size, I’d probably go back to the wider strap since it has a bit more scrunch, which I personally like. That said, I don’t really have a reason to make another one for myself right now. But if someone in my life wanted one, I’d be more than happy to knit it again—it really is such a fun pattern.