Major update for 2026 with new pictures and improved charts! The pattern has also been rewritten to improve readability and tweak sizing slightly. The front page (see preview) now suggests exact drawstring lengths and updated yarn estimates for each size.
Now links to new video tutorial as well as step-by-step photos for the purl scale technique.

The pattern and chart pages are photo-free and can be printed in black and white. In all my patterns I use minimal colour coding, and always include other tells (usually via shapes or symbols) so that it is not vital to the pattern, to make it colour-blind friendly.

The pouches can be made in slightly different weights of yarn as long as you match your needles to meet the gauge - a worsted or aran weight can be used to make a much more flexible pouch, while the recommended bulky yarn such as James C Brett produces a dense base fabric that holds its shape well sat open and empty on the table.

Legacy notes included for completion:
A pattern for knitting a scaled pouch in the round, written for DPNS but could also be made using other methods of knitting in the round.
Uses knit and purl stitches and some basic shaping and YO eyelet techniques, plus slightly modified purl stitches to work the scales right into the fabric (step-by-step photos included of this technique)

The pouches are approximately spherical when drawn closed and the three sizes have diameter approx 1.5, 2.5, and 4 inches for small, medium and large.

Required
60, 150, or 250 scales for the small, medium or large size respectively
any small scale from TheRingLord.com is suitable (any approx 9/16” by 7/8”leaf shaped scale with 5mm hole should also do)
large scales will not work for this pattern
Also requires a small amount of material for a drawstring, such as ribbon or a matching/contrasting yarn. 1m of your desired string is plenty for any pouch size

Yarn - a small quantity of aran, worsted, or the narrower chunky yarns work well with the scales

The given gauge is on a plain piece of garter stitch, without any scales (although exact gauge is not so important for non-clothing items, the gauge should be approximately correct or the spacing of the scales will be off)