Knitted Dog waste bag holder

What was your very first thought when you saw this project? Perhaps you wondered, “What on earth is that?” Well, for some people, it is actually a very practical little accessory… especially for dog walks! Of course, for many it may seem like a fun novelty at first. So, what do you think—practical or just a bit of fun?

Some time ago, I designed a crocheted version of this bag dispenser, and it was an overwhelming success. It was a real joy to see so many different interpretations in a variety of colors and sizes. People also came up with all sorts of creative uses for it beyond my original idea.

Now I have created a knitted version. I hope it will appeal to those of you who enjoy knitting, perhaps bringing back fond memories of the original design while offering a practical companion for dog owners and their daily walks.

You will need the following materials to knitting:

–Gazal Baby love 50 gr /115 m, or any other yarn you like

– spokes 2

– needle, scissors, glue, white felt, 2 small half-beads

– blanks / bases for keychain, carabiner.

Abbreviations:

CO – cast on     

K – knit    

P – purl   

inc – increase  

dec – decrease  

When knitting, I only used two knitting needles and sewed the pieces together at the end. Therefore, my odd rows consist of knit stitches and my even rows consist of purl stitches. However, if you want to knit with three or four needles, then knit all pieces continuously with knit stitches.

The roll of waste bags I used for my sample measures 6 cm (2⅜ in) in length and 3 cm (1¼ in) in diameter. Please keep in mind that your roll of bags and your choice of yarn may differ from mine. For this reason, I recommend checking the size of your work as you knit and adjusting the number of stitches or rows if necessary to achieve the best fit.

You may, of course, knit the entire piece in a single color. This time, however, I felt like adding a little extra playfulness, so I combined several shades of brown. I enjoyed the lively effect this created, and I hope it inspires you to experiment with colors and make your own version truly unique.

Start knitting with dark brown yarn.

Cast on 52 stitches onto one knitting needle.

1. 52 K

2. 52 P

3. (1 inc, 24 K, 1 inc) х 2 = 56 K

4. 56 P

5. (1 inc, 26 K, 1 inc) х 2 = 60 K

6. 60 P

7. (1 inc, 28 K, 1 inc) х 2 = 64 K

8. 64 P

9. (1 inc, 30 K, 1 inc) х 2 = 68 K

10. 68 P

11. (1 inc, 32 K, 1 inc) х 2 = 72 K

12. 72 P

13. (1 inc, 34 K, 1 inc) х 2 = 76 K

14. 76 P

15. (1 inc, 36 K, 1 inc) х 2 = 80 K

16. 80 P

17. 80 K

18. 80 P

19. 80 K

20. 80 P

21. 80 K

22. 80 P

23. 80 K

24. 80 P

25. 80 K

26. 80 P

27. 80 K

28. 80 P

29. Slip the next 7 knit stitches onto a spare needle, bind off 26 stitches, knit 47= 80 K

Because the size of waste bag rolls, your choice of yarn, and your personal knitting tension may all vary, you may need to adjust the number of bound-off stitches to achieve the best fit. Taking a moment to test the opening now will help ensure that the finished holder is both practical and easy to use.

30. 47 P, cast on 26 stitches, 7 P = 80 P

You may cast on the additional stitches using your preferred method or try the technique shown in the photos.

Wrap the yarn twice around your thumb. Insert the needle under the upper strand, catching the lower strand at the same time. Then catch the working yarn with the needle, slide the loops off your thumb, and gently tighten the new stitch on the needle. Repeat this process until you have cast on the required number of additional stitches.

31. 80 K

32. 80 P

33. (6 K, 1 dec) х 10 = 70 K

34. 70 P

35. (5 K, 1 dec) х 10 = 60 K

36. 60 P

37. (4 K, 1 dec) х 10 = 50 K

38. 50 P

Here I changed the yarn to a combination of dark brown and light melange.

39. 50 K

40. 50 P

41. 50 K

42. 50 P

43. 50 K

44. 50 P

45. 50 K

46. 50 P

47. 50 K

48. 50 P

49. 50 K

50. 50 P

51. (3 K, 1 dec) х 10 = 40 K

52. 40 P

53. 40 K

54. 40 P

55. 40 K

56. 40 P

57. (8 K, 1 dec) х 4 = 36 K

58. 36 P

59. (4 K, 1 dec) х 6 = 30 K

60. 30 P

61. (3 K, 1 dec) х 6 = 24 K

62. 24 P

63. (2 K, 1 dec) х 6 = 18 K

Here I left the yarn color only light brown melange.

64. 18 P

65. 18 K

66. 18 P

67. 18 K

68. 18 P

69. 18 K

70. 18 P

71. 18 K

72. 18 P

73. (1 K, 1 dec) х 6 = 12 K

74. 12 P

75. 6 dec = 6 K

76. 6 P

Carefully fasten off the remaining stitches, fasten the thread securely and then cut. Sew the piece together.

The long, narrow tip of the piece, which forms the character’s playful little “tuft,” can be sewn into a loop. This allows you to slip it over a finger while using the bag holder or hang it in a convenient, easy-to-reach place.

Alternatively, you may curl the tip into a spiral, as shown in the photo, and attach your preferred keyring or bag charm hardware to create a fun and practical accessory.

Once the piece is fully assembled, you may find that the opening for the roll of waste bags is slightly larger than necessary. If so, simply sew a few small stitches at each corner of the “mouth” opening to reduce it to the desired size. This will help keep the roll securely in place while still allowing the bags to be pulled out smoothly.

Cut two oval shapes for the eyes from white felt and attach them to the knitted fabric just above the opening using a tiny drop of glue.

Now comes the fun part—you can play with the size and placement of the eyes to give your character its own unique personality. Try making them large or small, or even use two different sizes. Positioning one eye slightly higher than the other can create an especially playful and expressive look.

My personal favorite is to use buttons of different sizes and place them slightly off-center rather than perfectly aligned. Once you are happy with the expression, secure the eyes firmly in place.

Now you have a cheerful little companion that is sure to make dog walks even more enjoyable. It will be there to remind you of its purpose and, hopefully, bring a smile to your face—even during those less glamorous moments of cleaning up after your dog... or whatever other use you may find for it.

I hope this little project brings a touch of fun to your everyday adventures and becomes a practical helper that you enjoy taking along wherever you go.