Knitting Bag DIY: Cute Coin Purse Pattern

There is something deeply satisfying about making something small and beautiful with your own hands. A coin purse sits right at that sweet spot between practical and adorable — it is quick enough to finish in an afternoon, useful enough to carry every day, and personal enough to feel like a genuine handmade treasure. If you have been looking for a knitting bag DIY project that doubles as a cute coin purse pattern, you have landed in exactly the right place.

This guide walks you through everything from gathering your materials to finishing your last seam, with enough detail for beginners and enough technique notes to keep experienced knitters engaged. Whether you are making this little purse for yourself, gifting it to a friend, or adding it to a craft fair table, the result is a charming, functional accessory that shows off exactly what handmade craftsmanship can do.

Why a Knitted Coin Purse Is the Perfect Starter Project

Before we dive into the pattern itself, it is worth talking about why coin purses make such wonderful knitting projects — especially if you are just getting comfortable with needles and yarn.

First, the size is forgiving. You are working with a small rectangle of fabric, which means any tension inconsistencies you might be wrestling with on a larger project are barely noticeable here. If your gauge is slightly off, the purse might come out a little bigger or smaller than planned, and that is usually just fine.

Second, coin purses are fast. Most knitters can complete the knitted fabric portion in two to three hours, and the finishing and assembly can be done in another hour or two. That means you get the full satisfaction of a finished object without committing to weeks of work.

Third, they make fantastic stash busters. That single skein of beautiful wool you picked up at a fiber festival but have no idea what to do with? Perfect coin purse material. You will barely use 50 grams of yarn on a project like this, so this is a great way to use up small quantities of yarn you love.

Finally, the skills you practice on a coin purse — casting on, maintaining even tension, decreasing, seaming, and adding hardware — are the exact same skills you will use on bigger projects. Think of this as a full technique workshop compressed into a tiny, adorable package.

Materials You Will Need

For this pattern, you will work up a simple knitted rectangle, fold it, seam the sides, and attach a kiss clasp or zipper for closure. Here is everything you need before you start.

Yarn: Choose a yarn that is DK weight or worsted weight for best results. A tightly plied yarn works better than a single-ply because it holds its structure and resists pilling. You only need about 40 to 60 yards, so this is truly a scrap-yarn-friendly project. Cotton and cotton-blend yarns are a wonderful choice because they create a firm, structured fabric. Wool and wool blends work beautifully too, especially if you plan to lightly felt the finished purse for even more body. Avoid very slippery fibers like bamboo or pure silk for your first attempt, since they can make the seaming trickier.

Needles: US size 5 (3.75mm) needles are ideal if you are using DK weight yarn. Go up to US size 7 (4.5mm) for worsted weight. Either straight needles or a short circular needle will work perfectly. Double-pointed needles are not necessary for this project.

A kiss clasp frame or zipper: Kiss clasps (also called flex frames or purse frames) are the little metal frames with two hinged sides that snap together when you pinch them. They come in sizes ranging from about 2 inches to 4 inches wide, and you can find them at most craft stores or online. For this pattern, a 3-inch kiss clasp is ideal. If you prefer a zipper closure, a 4-inch or 5-inch zipper works well too.

A tapestry needle: You will need this for seaming the sides of your purse and for weaving in ends.

Scissors.

Optional embellishments: A button, a small fabric flower, a decorative bead, or a short length of ribbon can turn a simple knitted coin purse into something truly special.

Understanding Your Gauge

Gauge matters more on some projects than others. For a coin purse, it is not absolutely critical, but it does affect the final size of your finished piece. If you are using the yarn and needle combination recommended above, you can expect roughly 22 stitches and 30 rows to equal 4 inches in stockinette stitch.

If you want a very specific finished size — say, to fit a particular purse frame you already own — knit a quick swatch, measure it, and adjust your needle size accordingly. A tighter swatch means you need to add stitches or rows. A looser swatch means you should reduce them.

For this pattern, the finished coin purse will measure approximately 4 inches wide and 3.5 inches tall when closed, which is a comfortable size for coins, a folded bill, a lip balm, or even a spare key.

The Coin Purse Pattern

Now for the heart of this guide. This pattern is written for knitters who have basic knitting knowledge — you should know how to cast on, knit, purl, and bind off. Everything else is explained as you go.

Casting On

Using your chosen yarn and needles, cast on 44 stitches. A long-tail cast on is recommended here because it creates a neat, slightly stretchy edge that looks polished along the bottom of your purse. If you are not familiar with the long-tail cast on, a simple knitted cast on works fine too.

Knitting the Body

Row 1 (Right Side): Knit all 44 stitches across.

Row 2 (Wrong Side): Purl all 44 stitches across.

Repeat these two rows — that is basic stockinette stitch — until your work measures 7 inches from the cast-on edge. This gives you enough length to fold the piece in half and end up with a purse body that is about 3.5 inches tall.

If you want to add a textured stitch pattern instead of plain stockinette, this is the time to do it. A seed stitch (alternating knit and purl stitches across every row) creates a beautiful, firm, reversible fabric that looks lovely in solid-colored yarns. A simple ribbing pattern (knit 2, purl 2 across) gives the body a slightly stretchy, graphic look that suits variegated and self-striping yarns particularly well. A garter stitch purse — knitting every single row — creates a lovely ridged texture and lies especially flat, which makes it easier to seam later.

Binding Off

When your piece measures 7 inches, bind off all stitches on a right-side row, knitting each stitch as you bind off. This creates a clean, even edge along the top of your purse. Try to keep your bind-off loose — binding off too tightly can cause the top edge to pucker and pull.

Finishing the Knitting

Before you do any seaming, weave in your two yarn tails (from casting on and binding off) using your tapestry needle. Weave them in diagonally through the backs of several stitches so they are completely secure. Trim any excess yarn close to the fabric but not so close that they might work their way out with use.

Block your knitted rectangle lightly if you are using a natural fiber like wool or cotton. Dampening the piece slightly and pinning it to your desired dimensions, then letting it dry completely, will make the seaming much easier and the finished purse much more professional-looking.

Assembling Your Coin Purse

This is where the flat rectangle transforms into a real little bag, and it is genuinely exciting to watch happen.

Folding and Seaming

Fold your knitted rectangle in half so that the two short ends meet at the top and the fold forms the bottom of the purse. The wrong sides should be facing each other so that the right side (the pretty side) is on the outside.

Thread your tapestry needle with a length of the same yarn — or a matching yarn if you want invisible seams — and use a mattress stitch to sew up each side of the purse. Mattress stitch creates a nearly invisible seam on the right side of stockinette fabric by picking up the bars between stitches on each piece alternately.

To work mattress stitch on the sides of your coin purse, insert your tapestry needle under the bar between the first and second stitch on one side, then under the corresponding bar on the other side. Pull gently to bring the two edges together. Continue up the side of the purse, pulling the seam snug every few stitches. The seam will seem to disappear into the fabric as you go.

When you reach the top corner, secure your yarn with a couple of small stitches and weave in the tail. Repeat on the other side.

At this point, you have a small knitted pouch. Turn it right side out if needed, and gently press the side seams flat with your fingers. The seams should be neat and firm.

Attaching the Closure

If You Are Using a Kiss Clasp Frame

Kiss clasp frames typically have small channels along each arm of the frame where the fabric of the bag is inserted and secured. The most common method for attaching a knitted or fabric purse to a kiss clasp involves hand stitching the top edge of the purse into those channels using a sturdy thread.

Thread a hand sewing needle with a length of strong thread — upholstery thread, buttonhole thread, or even doubled regular sewing thread works well. If your yarn is sturdy enough, you can also use it here.

Open the kiss clasp fully and insert the top edge of one side of your purse into the channel on one arm of the frame. Center the purse body within the frame. Using a whipstitch or a running stitch, sew the knitted edge into the channel, working back and forth along the entire length of the frame arm. Pull your stitches firmly — this seam needs to be strong since it bears the weight of the purse contents every time it is opened and closed.

Repeat on the other side with the other arm of the frame. When both sides are attached, close the frame and check that everything lines up properly. The kiss clasp should snap shut cleanly along the center.

If You Are Using a Zipper

Measure your zipper against the top opening of your purse. If it is too long, you can shorten it by stitching across the zipper tape with a few firm hand stitches at the correct length and trimming the excess. Do this before attaching it.

Pin the zipper along the top edge of your purse with the right side of the zipper facing the right side of the purse body. Using a backstitch and strong thread, hand sew the zipper tape to the knitted edge, working carefully to keep your stitches even and to catch enough of the knitted fabric that the attachment is secure. Fold the zipper tape ends neatly at each corner and stitch them down.

When the zipper is attached, fold it inward along the top edge so that the zipper pull is on the outside of the purse. Stitch the zipper tape lining side to the inside of the purse top if desired, for a cleaner interior finish.

Adding Embellishments

Now comes the most personal and fun part of the whole project. A plain knitted coin purse is charming, but a little embellishment takes it from nice to absolutely irresistible.

A single button stitched to the front of the purse is one of the simplest and most effective decorations. Choose a button with a fun shape — a star, a heart, a flower — or simply pick one in a contrasting color that makes your yarn really pop. Stitch it securely with strong thread and a few passes through the button holes.

Duplicate stitch embroidery is another beautiful option. Once your purse is finished, you can embroider small motifs — a tiny heart, a star, a flower, or simple initials — directly onto the stockinette fabric using a contrasting yarn and your tapestry needle. Duplicate stitch follows the path of the original knitted stitches, creating a look that is integrated into the fabric rather than sitting on top of it.

Small fabric flowers, ribbon bows, or even a simple tassel hanging from the zipper pull or clasp hinge are all charming additions. A tassel is particularly easy to make: wrap yarn around a small piece of cardboard about 20 times, tie the bundle at one end, slip it off the cardboard, and cut the loops at the other end. You have yourself a perfectly fluffy tassel in under five minutes.

Tips for Making Multiple Purses

Once you have made one coin purse, you will almost certainly want to make more. They are genuinely addictive. Here are a few ways to keep subsequent purses fresh and exciting.

Play with stitch patterns to create completely different textures from the same basic shape. A honeycomb stitch or a simple cable adds dimension that looks very striking on a small scale. Color work — even a simple stripe or a two-color slip stitch pattern — makes a purse look bold and intentional.

Vary the yarn weight to create different sized purses. A fingering-weight yarn on small needles creates a delicate, almost lacy little purse that is perfect for jewelry or tiny keepsakes. A bulky yarn on large needles gives you a chunkier bag that might fit a small phone or a set of earbuds.

Make sets and coordinate them. Three coin purses in graduated sizes and coordinating yarn colors make a stunning gift set, especially when tied together with a ribbon. You could easily knock out all three in a weekend.

Caring for Your Knitted Coin Purse

How you care for your finished purse depends on the yarn fiber you used. Check the label of your yarn for specific washing instructions and follow them.

Most wool purses do best with a gentle hand wash in cool water with a small amount of wool-safe soap. Press out excess water gently — never wring or twist — and lay flat to dry away from direct heat or sunlight.

Cotton and cotton-blend purses are generally quite easy to care for and can often be machine washed on a gentle cycle in a mesh laundry bag. Lay flat or hang to dry.

Acrylic and acrylic-blend yarns are the most low-maintenance and are usually machine washable and dryable, which makes a coin purse made from these fibers wonderfully practical for everyday use.

Making This Project Your Own

The basic coin purse pattern in this guide is intentionally simple so that it functions as a starting point rather than a prescription. Once you have made it once, you will start seeing all sorts of ways to make it your own.

Add a wrist strap by crocheting or braiding a short length of yarn or cord and attaching it to one side of the frame. Sew a small fabric lining inside the purse for a more polished, professional look and a touch of color on the inside. Experiment with felting your finished purse for a completely different texture — wet felted wool creates a firm, almost sculptural fabric that barely frays and holds its shape beautifully.

Most importantly, enjoy the process. A coin purse made by hand carries something that no store-bought accessory ever can — the evidence of time, attention, and care. Every stitch in it was made by your hands, and that means something.

Whether this is your very first knitting project or your hundredth, there is something about finishing a tiny, complete, beautiful object that feels like a genuine accomplishment. Tuck a few coins inside, zip it closed, and carry it with you. It will be one of the most satisfying things you have made all year.