Every handbag I have ever owned has had the same problem: a drift of loose coins hiding at the bottom, tangled in keys and old receipts. A little handmade crochet coin purse fixes that in the prettiest possible way — it corrals the change, protects your bag's lining, and makes the most ordinary errand feel quietly put-together. Best of all, a coin purse is a one-sitting project: a few grams of yarn, an evening on the sofa, and you have something useful.
So here are twenty of my favourite designs for you, all free and all properly purse-sized. There are kiss clasps in raffia and cotton, zipper pouches you sew or even crochet straight into the zip, a watermelon (two ways!), a kitty, a seashell and one tiny floss purse. I have noted the closure, the yarn and the honest little details for each one as we go — check whether you need a frame or a zip before you start, because that is the one supply most of us do not already own.
1. The Raffia Kisslock With the Vintage Soul
We are starting with the classic of classics: Joanne Loh's Kisslock Coin Purse from Craft Passion, worked in crochet raffia yarn with a 3.5 mm hook. The purse is built in split single crochet — the waistcoat stitch — which gives a dense, woven fabric with no gaps for coins to sneak through, rising from a circular base to about three and a half inches tall. It finishes with an arched 8.5 cm kisslock frame that you sew on by hand, and Joanne includes a printable lining template if you want the truly professional finish inside. The full written pattern is free on her site, with her usual meticulous photo guidance at every step. In natural raffia it looks like something from a French market stall; in black it turns quietly elegant.
Pattern: Kisslock Coin Purse by Joanne Loh at Craft Passion — Get the free pattern
2. Lemon Peel Stitch and a Vintage Clasp
Ashlea's Classic Coin Purse at Heart Hook Home has the sweetest retro energy, thanks to the vintage-style clasp she pairs with a nubby lemon peel stitch, alternating singles and doubles so the fabric textures itself. It takes about 42 yards of worsted cotton and a 4 mm hook, works up in continuous rounds with no joins to fuss over, and finishes around four and a half inches wide before the clasp goes on. The written pattern is free on her blog, step-by-step photos included, with a video for the clasp-sewing part. An optional ad-free printable version sits on Ravelry, but everything you need is on the page. In mustard or dusty pink cotton it is pure grandmother's-handbag charm, in the best way.
Pattern: Classic Coin Purse by Ashlea Konecny at Heart Hook Home — Get the free pattern
3. Soft Puffs in Sugar 'n Cream Cotton
Crochet Dreamz built this little purse around a modified puff stitch, and the result is all soft, squishy texture. It uses about 45 yards of worsted cotton (one skein of Lily Sugar 'n Cream makes two) with a 5 mm hook, and finishes at roughly four inches tall. You will need a 3.3 inch kiss clasp plus a sewing needle and strong thread to attach it. The pattern is free on the blog; there is an optional ad-free PDF for $3.99 if you want it, but the page is complete. Work a pair in coral and ecru like her samples and you have two birthday gifts sorted in an afternoon. Beginners who can puff stitch can absolutely make this one.
Pattern: Easy Crochet Coin Purse by Crochet Dreamz — Get the free pattern
4. The Quick Change Purse With a Photo for Every Step
If attaching the frame is the part that has always put you off, Chrisette Designs made this pattern for you: the Quick Change Purse teaches the frame fitting with step-by-step photos from the first stitch to the final squeeze of the clasp. The purse itself is a neat little thing, about three and three-quarter inches wide and three inches tall, in worsted yarn with a 3.75 mm hook — small enough for coins, a folded note and a lip balm. The complete pattern is free on her site, and because the body fits a standard sew-in frame, your main job is keeping your tension even. Make it in a deep teal or burgundy and it looks far more expensive than a few grams of yarn should. The one I would hand a nervous first-timer.
Pattern: Quick Change Crochet Purse by Chrisette Designs — Get the free pattern
5. Linked Stitches and a Nice Deep Body
Nicki's coin purse at Nicki's Homemade Crafts uses linked double crochet, a stitch that closes up the little gaps ordinary doubles leave, so the fabric comes out smooth, dense and coin-proof without a lining. She works it in Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton with a 4.5 mm hook, starting from a magic ring and alternating plain rounds with linked rounds to build a purse about four inches wide and four and a half deep — noticeably roomier than most on this list. A metal coin purse frame is sewn on at the end to finish it. The written pattern is free on her page; like most of her designs there is also an optional premium PDF version, but the blog pattern stands complete on its own. That extra depth makes it a proper little everyday purse, not just a change holder. Try it in heathered grey for a modern look.
Pattern: Crochet Coin Purse by Nicki’s Homemade Crafts — Get the free pattern
6. Embroidered Cacti on a Kiss-Clasp Pouch
Whistle and Ivy's Cactus Coin Pouch is the playful one: a neatly shaped pouch with little green cacti embroidered onto the front, finished with a classic 4 inch kiss clasp. The body starts from an oval chain base with chain-two corners, which gives it that proper flat-bottomed pouch shape that stands up on a dressing table. Bethany is honest that gauge matters here — the pouch has to match the clasp — and she walks you through a swatch before you begin. The complete written pattern is free on her blog, embroidery guidance included, in DK cotton with a 3.75 mm hook. The embroidery is simple backstitch and French knots, so even proudly non-sewing crocheters can manage it. A brilliant gift for plant lovers.
Pattern: Cactus Crochet Coin Pouch by Whistle and Ivy — Get the free pattern
7. Graphic Black and White Spike Stitch
Persia Lou's coin purse is the graphic designer of the group: bold black and white spike stitches worked in worsted yarn with a 5 mm hook, so the pattern reads like a woven textile print. The long spikes dip down into previous rounds, which is a satisfying technique to learn on something this small, and the purse is finished with a sew-in frame. Alexis shares the pattern free on her blog for personal use — you are welcome to sell purses you make from it, she just asks that the pattern itself not be redistributed. It is a quick make with a very high compliments-per-hour ratio. If colour is more your language, the spike pattern looks just as striking in two tones of the same family, like plum and lilac. Modern, crisp and quietly cool.
Pattern: Crochet Coin Purse by Persia Lou — Get the free pattern
8. Tapestry Crochet, Monochrome and Proud
Ezgi's tapestry coin purse works its black and white pattern into the fabric using tapestry crochet in split single crochet, so the design is carried in the stitches rather than added afterwards. It is built to fit an 8.5 cm metal frame with a 3 mm hook, and the tight split stitches keep the colourwork crisp and the fabric firm. The full written pattern is free on her blog, chart-minded crocheters will feel right at home, and carrying two colours along the inside gives the purse a real sturdiness. Tapestry work does reward slow, even tension, so this is a lovely evening project rather than a race. The finished purse has that handmade-in-a-good-way geometric look that goes with everything in a monochrome wardrobe. A beautiful first tapestry project, because the commitment is only a few inches wide.
Pattern: Tapestry Crochet Coin Purse by Ezgi at Ezgissimo — Get the free pattern
9. Stripes, Then Tulips, All Round a Little Frame
This sweet design from Dees Traperlo builds a striped circular base in black, white and a colour of your choice, then blooms into a band of tulip stitch before it meets its 8 cm coin purse frame. The tulip stitch needs a stitch count in multiples of three, and her tutorial talks you through sizing the circle to your own frame, yarn and tension, which makes it an adaptable pattern rather than a one-size guess. It is written for fine cotton with a tiny 2.5 mm hook, so this is the daintiest, most patient make on the list. One honest note: the tutorial is bilingual, in English and Spanish on the same page, so follow the English sections as you scroll. The full pattern is free on her blog. In red, those tulips look like a little Dutch postcard.
Pattern: Crochet Tulip Coin Purse by Dees Traperlo — Get the free pattern
10. The Rectangular Raffia Purse With a Daisy on Top
Joanne Loh's second design in this collection swaps the round base for a rectangular one, which gives the purse its smart, structured shape — about four inches wide and three and a half tall. It is worked in raffia with split single crochet on a 3.5 mm hook, with tapered front and back edges that curve up to meet a rectangular sew-in kisslock frame, and she adds a slim raffia strap and a big crocheted daisy to finish. A fabric lining is optional but recommended, and her lining template is printable from the page. As always with Craft Passion, the pattern is free on the site with photographs for the tricky turns. This is the most "finished accessory" looking purse here — the one people refuse to believe was handmade.
Pattern: Raffia Coin Purse by Joanne Loh at Craft Passion — Get the free pattern
11. A Watermelon Slice That Zips Shut
Nicki's second entry is pure summer: two watermelon-red circles with the white and green rind rounds worked in, black seed details, and a zipper sewn between them so the slice opens like a mouth. The written pattern is free on her page, round by round, and she thoughtfully includes the bracketed instructions to stop early and use the same piece as a coaster if you fall in love halfway. You will need a zipper and basic hand-sewing to join the two halves to it. It is worked in worsted cotton, so it holds its round shape bravely at the bottom of a beach bag. This is the coin purse my nieces would fight over, and honestly I understand them.
Pattern: Watermelon Crochet Coin Purse with Zipper by Nicki’s Homemade Crafts — Get the free pattern
12. The Watermelon You Crochet Straight Into the Zip
Same fruit, completely different trick — and that is exactly why both earn their place. Sarah Zimmerman's watermelon purse at Repeat Crafter Me skips the sewing altogether: using a sharp crochet hook, you work your stitches directly into the zipper's fabric edge and crochet downwards into the slice, finishing with black buttons as the seeds. The pattern is free on her blog, a longtime favourite of hers in cheery Lion Brand Vanna's Choice. Because the crochet grows out of the zip, the join is neat and strong, and the whole purse is single crochet. You do need that sharp-pointed hook to pierce the zipper tape, so check your hook drawer before you start. In a tote bag it looks like a slice of summer every time you reach for change.
Pattern: Crochet Watermelon Coin Purse by Sarah Zimmerman at Repeat Crafter Me — Get the free pattern
13. The Tiny Two-Tone Purse on a Keyring
Blue Star Crochet's zippered purse is the minimalist of the fruit bowl: a two-tone spiral of single crochet, just two inches wide and under three inches long, closed with a 5 cm zip and finished with a keyring so it clips to your keys or bag loop. It is worked in worsted yarn with a 4 mm hook from a foundation chain, spiralling up without joins, and you can add a leather strap if you like the wristlet feel. The written pattern is free on her blog; there is an optional ad-free PDF if you collect those, but the page is complete as it stands. At this size it holds coins, a folded note and emergency ibuprofen — ninety percent of what a purse is for. A perfect scrap-yarn make — each colour band needs only a few metres.
Pattern: Crochet Coin Purse with Zipper by Blue Star Crochet — Get the free pattern
14. Two Simple Panels and a Zipper, Card-Sized
CAAB Crochet's purse is the practical one I reach for in this list: two plain single-crochet panels in sturdy cording yarn, a zipper sewn between them with a yarn needle — Abigail's trick of stitching straight through the zipper tape with yarn makes it easy — then the sides whipstitched closed. At four and a half by three and a half inches it is deliberately sized to swallow a credit card and driver's licence along with your coins, which most coin purses cannot. The pattern is free on her blog with photographs at every stage; there is an optional ad-free PDF in her shop, and she is happy for finished purses to be sold with credit to the pattern. Worked in that recycled-cotton cording yarn it feels almost like a little woven wallet. Understated, useful, endlessly giftable.
Pattern: Crochet Coin Purse by CAAB Crochet — Get the free pattern
15. Sweet Stripes, Two Sizes, Properly Lined
Green Fox Farms Designs gives you two purses in one pattern: a mini coin purse and a slightly larger small pouch, both in cheerful stripes, both with a fabric inner liner and a zipper. The mini's outer works up in shell-like clusters and third-loop stitches, and the liner instructions mean no coins ever escape through the stitches. The pattern is free on her site, generously photographed, using a 5 mm hook and a 4 inch zipper for the mini size. Because both sizes are included, you can make a matched mother-and-daughter set, which might be the sweetest gift idea here. Choose three colours that argue with each other a little — her samples prove brights work beautifully. Choose it when you want the finished purse to feel shop-bought neat.
Pattern: Sweet Stripes Zipper Pouches by Green Fox Farms Designs — Get the free pattern
16. Rainy Days on One Side, Sunshine on the Other
Sara's Rainy-Sunny Coin Purse at Raffamusa Designs might be the most charming make I know: one side carries a little grey rain cloud, the other a smiling sun, with rainbow stripes running underneath and a 4 inch zipper across the top. It is worked in fine sport-weight cotton with a 3 mm hook, so it stays petite — about four and three-quarter inches wide — and the appliqués are crocheted separately and sewn on, which makes them a mini project inside the project. The written pattern is free on her blog; an optional ad-free PDF exists if you want it, but nothing is missing from the page. The two-sided design means it reads differently every time you pull it out. Gift it to someone whose weather is about to change for the better.
Pattern: Rainy-Sunny Coin Purse by Raffamusa Designs — Get the free pattern
17. Bobble Granny Squares With a Zippered Top
Crochet For You turns two bobble-drops granny squares into a purse: the front-post bobbles give the squares a raised texture, then the pair are joined, lined with fabric, and finished with a 6 inch zipper. The written rounds for the squares are on her blog — including the special final round that adapts her classic bobble square for this purse — and there is a video tutorial for the square itself if you like watching stitches first, but the purse pattern stands in writing on the page. It is worked in worsted yarn with a 5.5 mm hook and small amounts of three colours, so it is another scrap-basket hero. At four and a half inches square it is one of the roomier makes here. In cream with one bold colour, it looks genuinely boutique.
Pattern: Bobble Granny Square Coin Purse by Crochet For You — Get the free pattern
18. The Kitty Purse Whose Zipper Is Its Mouth
Hello Happy's Kitty Coin Purse is the one that makes strangers ask questions at the checkout: a round cat face with triangle ears, button eyes, an embroidered mouth — and a zipper sewn right across where that mouth should be, so the cat opens its jaws to swallow your coins. The head is worked in simple increasing rounds with a 3.5 mm hook, and Kelsie includes a little strap loop so the finished purse clips onto a keychain or bag. The complete pattern is free on her blog, written in her honest style, photos where they matter. The zipper is sewn in by hand with a running or back stitch, and she is upfront that it is the fiddly ten minutes of the project. Use a contrasting zip for maximum grin. Cat people do not stand a chance against this one.
Pattern: Kitty Coin Purse by Hello Happy — Get the free pattern
19. Two Little Flowers and a Snap Button
EyeLoveKnots' floral purse is the daintiest make here: two three-round flower motifs worked in embroidery floss, whipstitched together around three and a half petals, leaving the top open and closing it with a small snap button backed with a dab of glue. Each flower takes about fifteen minutes, so the whole purse is an under-an-hour project, and Alexandra's pattern is free on her blog; there is an optional paid PDF through her shops if you like a printed copy, but the page is complete, and she happily allows finished purses to be sold. Floss makes it tiny and jewel-like; she notes you can substitute lightweight cotton yarn for a touch bigger. In mustard and pink, like her sample, it is pure spring. A handbag charm as much as a purse.
Pattern: Easy Floral Coin Purse by EyeLoveKnots — Get the free pattern
20. A Seashell to Keep Your Treasure In
We finish at the seaside: Yay for Yarn's Seashell Coin Purse joins two ribbed crochet shells into a hinged purse, with a zipper hand-sewn inside to keep everything safe. The shells are worked in DK yarn with a 3.25 mm hook — twenty-five to thirty yards is plenty — and the finished purse measures about four inches wide, three tall and one deep. Brittany rates it intermediate, mostly for the shaping and the zipper sewing, and her written pattern is free on the site with a tutorial for the joining. Her terms are personal use, with small-scale selling of finished purses allowed when you credit the pattern — so craft-fair tables are fine. In a sandy beige with the ribs picked out by the light, it genuinely looks shell-like. The prettiest possible home for seaside ice-cream money.
Pattern: Seashell Coin Purse by Yay for Yarn — Get the free pattern
Conclusion
And that is twenty little purses, my friend — raffia kisslocks and lemon-peel classics, zipper pouches, two watermelons, a kitty, a seashell and a flower worked in embroidery floss, every single one free. If you are new to purses, start with the Quick Change or the CAAB panels and let the photos walk you through the closure; if closures hold no fear, the tapestry and tulip designs are waiting to stretch you. One last practical tip: frames and zips are the only supplies worth buying in pairs, because nobody in the history of crochet has made just one coin purse.
Now tell me — are you team kiss clasp or team zipper, and which of these twenty is going on your hook first? I read every comment, and I cannot wait to see your makes!
