If you need a quick, handmade touch for a present, this knitted gift card holder is the perfect little project.

It’s a stashbuster that uses DK-weight scraps, knits up fast, and instantly makes a gift card feel more thoughtful (even if you’re wrapping at the last minute!).

In this post, you’ll find three easy designs—a simple festive holder, a striped version, and a cute “tree” option.

All three are worked in garter stitch (knit every row), then folded and seamed into a pocket.

Grab your leftovers and let’s make something small, cozy, and giftable.

Knitted Gift Card Holder Pattern Free Printable Stashbuster

Before You Get Started

This is meant to be a dense little fabric, so your card doesn’t show through. If your knitting is loose, go down a needle size.
Garter stitch looks similar on both sides, so don’t stress about the “right” side—just pick the neater one for the front.
For the cleanest finish, weave in ends before you seam, especially on the striped version.

Materials Needed

Yarn: DK weight scraps (small amounts)
Total yarn needed for one gift card holder: ~16–22 meters (18–24 yards) of DK yarn (includes a little extra for seaming + weaving in)
Needles: 4 mm (US 6) straight needles (or size to get a firm fabric)
Notions: tapestry needle, scissors

Optional extras:

Contrast scraps for tiny embroidery (star, heart, initial)
A small button + yarn loop or ribbon closure
Mini pom-poms (especially cute for the tree version)

Size Info

Fits a standard gift card/credit card.

Approx: 3.5” (9 cm) wide x 4” (10 cm) tall when folded.

Abbreviations

CO – cast on
k – knit
st(s) – stitch(es)
BO – bind off
Garter stitch = knit every row

Pattern Instructions

Construction (all three designs)

You’ll knit one long garter stitch rectangle, then fold it into a pocket and seam the sides.

Knitted gift card holder lengths laying flat

Design 1: Simple Christmas Knitted Gift Card Holder (Beginner)

Skills needed

If you can do these, you’re good:

Cast on
Knit stitch
Bind off
Sew seams with a tapestry needle
No purling required (it’s all garter stitch).

Yarn colors

Yarn A: White (Yarn Art Christmas – novelty yarn)
Yarn B: Red (Red DK – Drops Lima scraps)

Gauge (not critical)

Roughly 10 sts / 22 rows = 5 cm / 2″ in garter stitch with DK yarn.
Gauge doesn’t need to be perfect—just aim for a fabric dense enough that the card won’t poke through.

Instructions

Step 1 – Cast on

CO 16 sts in Yarn A (white).

Knit 6 rows.

Step 2 – Knit the rectangle

Change to Yarn B (red).

Knit every row until the piece measures about 20 cm / 8″ long.

Change back to Yarn A (white).

Knit 6 rows.

Step 3 – Bind off

BO all sts loosely. Cut yarn and pull tail through last st.

Step 4 – Fold to form the pocket

Lay the rectangle flat and choose the neater side for the front.

Fold the cast-on edge up to create a pocket deep enough to cover the gift card.

Step 5 – Seam the sides

Using a tapestry needle and matching yarn, sew up both sides of the folded pocket with whip stitch or mattress stitch.

Weave in ends securely on the inside.

Optional

Add a small embroidery detail or a button/loop closure, or knit a length in Yarn A to turn into an embroidered letter on one side of the pocket.

For example: cast on 30 sts and then bind off.

Sew the strip of yarn into the shape of a letter.

Design 2: Striped Knitted Gift Card Holder (Beginner)

Yarn colors

Yarn A: Green
Yarn B: Red
Yarn C: White

For this, I used scraps of Sirdar Snuggly Replay (DK).

Instructions

Step 1 – Cast on

CO 16 sts in Yarn A (green).

K 4 rows.

Step 2 – Knit the stripes

Change to Yarn B (red), K 4 rows.

Change to Yarn C (white), K 4 rows.

Repeat the 3-color stripe sequence (A, B, C) until your piece measures about 20 cm / 8″ long.

Finish with 4 rows of Yarn A (green).

Step 3 – Bind off

BO loosely. Weave in ends.

Step 4 – Fold + seam

Fold into a pocket as in Design 1 and seam both sides.

Design 3: Green Tree Knitted Gift Card Holder (Beginner)

This one is super simple—then you “decorate” it with mini pom-poms.

Materials

DK green yarn (Yarn Art Christmas – novelty yarn is fun here!)
Scrap yarn for mini pom-poms (I used a Clover 3/4 inch pom pom maker)
Optional: fabric glue or stitch pom-poms on

Instructions

Step 1 – Cast on

CO 16 sts in green.

Step 2 – Knit the rectangle

Knit every row until your piece measures about 20 cm / 8″ long.

Step 3 – Bind off

BO loosely. Weave in ends.

Step 4 – Fold + seam

Fold into a pocket and seam both sides.

Step 5 – Decorate

Make a few mini pom-poms and glue or stitch them onto the front like “ornaments.”

FAQ

What size gift cards does this fit?

A standard credit-card-sized gift card.

If you need it wider, CO 18–20 sts instead.

Can I use worsted/aran yarn?

Yes—your holder will be thicker and slightly bigger.

For a neat fit, try a smaller needle and keep the fabric dense.

Can I knit this in the round?

You can, but it’s honestly faster flat.

The fold-and-seam method is quickest for a last-minute make.

Do I need perfect gauge?

No, just make sure the fabric isn’t too loose.

If you can see gaps, go down a needle size.

How do I add a closure?

Sew on a small button and make a simple yarn loop, or stitch a short ribbon to tie.

Free Printable

To make this project even easier, I’ve created a free printable version of the gift card holder patterns.

You can keep it handy while you work—no need to keep checking your phone or scrolling through the blog.

It’s perfect for printing out or saving to your tablet for easy access anytime.

Just click the print button below to grab your free copy!

Yield: Knitted gift card holder

Gift Card Holder Knitting Pattern (Free Printable)

Knit a cute gift card holder with DK scrap yarn!

This beginner-friendly garter stitch pattern includes 3 stashbuster designs to choose from + a free printable.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Active Time 1 hour

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Difficulty Basic/Beginner

Estimated Cost $10

Materials

Scraps of white, red and green yarn.
Novelty yarn (Yarn Art Christmas)
DK Yarn - Drops Lima or Sirdar Snuggly Replay
Total yarn needed for one gift card holder: ~16–22 meters (18–24 yards) of DK yarn (includes a little extra for seaming + weaving in)

Tools

4 mm / US 6 knititng needles (straight or circular)
Scissors
Tape measure
Yarn needle
Optional - Clover 3/4 inch pom pom maker.