Coin Purse Crochet Tutorial – A Step-by-Step Guide

There is something deeply satisfying about making a small, functional item with your own hands. A crocheted coin purse sits right at that sweet spot between beginner-friendly and impressive — it is small enough to finish in an afternoon, practical enough to use every day, and charming enough to give as a gift. Whether you are just getting started with crochet or you have been hooking for years and want a quick project, this tutorial will walk you through everything you need to know, from choosing your yarn to sewing in your last end.

This guide covers a classic oval-bottomed coin purse with a zipper closure. It is the style you will see tucked into handbags everywhere, and once you make one you will probably want to make a dozen in different colors. Let’s get into it.

What You Will Need Before You Start

Before you sit down to crochet, gathering your supplies saves a lot of frustration. There is nothing worse than getting halfway through a project and realizing you are missing something essential. Here is what you need for this coin purse.

Yarn: Choose a cotton yarn in a worsted weight (weight 4). Cotton is the best choice for coin purses because it has very little stretch, which means your purse will hold its shape well and won’t sag or distort over time. You will need approximately 50 to 75 yards, so this is a perfect stash-buster project. Acrylic yarn works too, but cotton gives a crisper, more structured result.

Crochet Hook: A 4.0mm or 4.5mm hook pairs well with worsted weight cotton. Check your yarn label for the recommended hook size and go with that unless you tend to crochet very tightly or very loosely.

Zipper: A 6-inch or 7-inch zipper in a color that complements your yarn. Nylon coil zippers are the easiest to work with because they are flexible and forgiving when you are hand-sewing them in. You can find these at any fabric or craft store, or online.

Tapestry Needle: You will use this to weave in your yarn ends and to sew the zipper into the finished purse. A blunt tip is fine.

Scissors: Sharp fabric scissors work best for clean cuts.

Stitch Markers: Optional but very helpful, especially if you are new to working in the round. They help you keep track of where each round begins and ends.

Sewing Needle and Thread: For attaching the zipper. Use a thread that matches either your yarn or your zipper.

Pins: To hold the zipper in place while you sew.

Once everything is laid out, you are ready to begin.

Understanding the Stitches You Will Use

This pattern uses only a handful of basic stitches. If you are relatively new to crochet, spend a few minutes practicing each one before diving into the pattern. If you are more experienced, consider this a quick refresher.

Chain (ch): The foundation of nearly every crochet project. You start by making a slip knot, then pull loops through each other to create a chain of stitches.

Single Crochet (sc): The most basic stitch and the workhorse of this pattern. Insert your hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over again, and pull through both loops.

Slip Stitch (sl st): Used to join rounds. Insert your hook, yarn over, and pull through the stitch and the loop on your hook in one motion. It creates a flat, barely-there connection.

Working in the Round: This purse is worked continuously in rounds rather than rows, meaning you will spiral upward without turning your work. Using a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of each round makes it easy to stay oriented.

Invisible Decrease (invdec): Used to tighten the top of the purse slightly. Insert your hook through the front loops only of two consecutive stitches, yarn over, pull through both front loops (two loops on hook), yarn over, and pull through both loops. This creates a neater decrease than the traditional single crochet two together.

If any of these stitches feel unfamiliar, a quick search or a YouTube video demonstrating each one will have you up to speed in minutes.

Reading the Pattern

Crochet patterns use abbreviations to save space. Throughout this tutorial, you will see the following:

ch = chain
sc = single crochet
sl st = slip stitch
invdec = invisible decrease
st = stitch
sts = stitches
BLO = back loop only
MR = magic ring (also called magic circle)

The stitch count at the end of each round appears in parentheses, like (12 sts). This tells you how many stitches you should have in total when the round is complete. If your count does not match, go back and recount before moving forward.

Pattern: Classic Oval Coin Purse

Finished Dimensions: Approximately 4.5 inches wide by 3 inches tall (before zipper is added)

Gauge: 16 sc x 18 rows = 4 inches in single crochet (gauge is not critical for this project, but it does affect final size)

Step One: Make the Foundation Chain

Start with a slip knot on your hook. Chain 11.

This chain forms the long bottom edge of the oval base of your purse. The oval shape is created by working stitches around both sides of this foundation chain, which is a technique called working around a chain or the “oval bottom” method. It looks a little unusual the first time you do it, but the result is a beautifully flat, even oval.

Step Two: Build the Oval Base

Round 1: Starting in the second chain from the hook, sc in each of the next 9 chains. In the last chain, work 3 sc (this creates the curve at the far end of the oval). Now rotate your work and work back along the other side of the foundation chain. Sc in each of the next 9 stitches. In the very first chain (the one where you started), work 2 sc. Join with a sl st to the first sc. Place a stitch marker here. (24 sts)

This round establishes the oval shape. You are essentially stitching around the perimeter of that foundation chain, adding extra stitches at both ends to create the rounded corners.

Round 2: Sc in the first st. In the next st, work 2 sc (increase). Sc in the next 9 sts. Work 2 sc in each of the next 3 sts (these are the three stitches at the curve). Sc in the next 9 sts. Work 2 sc in each of the next 2 sts. Join with a sl st. (30 sts)

Round 3: Sc in the first 2 sts. 2 sc in the next st. Sc in the next 9 sts. [Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] three times. Sc in the next 9 sts. [Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] twice. Sl st to join. (36 sts)

Take a moment to look at your work. You should have a flat oval shape that lies neatly on a table without curling or buckling. If it is curling upward, try going up half a hook size. If it is ruffling or waving, go down half a hook size.

Step Three: Work the Sides

Now you will start building the walls of the purse upward from the base. From this point forward, you will work in the back loops only (BLO) for Round 4, then in both loops as normal for the remaining rounds. Working in BLO for just the first side round creates a clean, visible ridge that defines where the base ends and the sides begin — it gives the purse a crisp, polished look.

Round 4 (BLO): Sc in the BLO of every stitch around. Sl st to join. (36 sts)

Rounds 5 through 12: Sc in every stitch around, working through both loops. Sl st to join at the end of each round. (36 sts each round)

You will work these rounds steadily until your purse reaches a height of about 2.5 to 3 inches from the base ridge. Depending on your tension, this may take more or fewer rounds than listed. Measure as you go.

Step Four: Shape the Top Opening

For the last round before finishing, you will add two invisible decreases evenly spaced around the purse. This tightens the opening very slightly, which helps the purse sit neatly and makes it easier to attach the zipper.

Round 13: Sc 9, invdec, sc 16, invdec, sc 7. Sl st to join. (34 sts)

Fasten off and leave a long tail of about 10 inches for weaving in and finishing.

Step Five: Finishing the Body

Before adding the zipper, take care of your yarn ends. Thread your tapestry needle with the starting tail and weave it securely through several stitches on the inside of the purse. Do the same with your finishing tail. Trim any excess close to the fabric.

Turn the purse right side out if you have been working with the outside facing inward, or leave it as is if you worked with the outside facing out (most people naturally work this way when crocheting in the round).

Give the purse a gentle steam block or a wet block if you are using cotton. Wet blocking is simple: soak the purse in lukewarm water, squeeze out the excess gently (do not wring), and lay it flat to dry in the shape you want. Blocking evens out your stitches and gives a much more professional finish.

Step Six: Attaching the Zipper

The zipper is the most fiddly part of this project, but take your time and it will look wonderful. Here is how to do it cleanly and securely.

First, measure your zipper against the opening of your purse. A 6-inch zipper typically works perfectly for a 36-stitch opening, but this can vary depending on your gauge. If your zipper is slightly longer than the opening, that is fine — you can tuck the extra length inside or trim it down (seal melted synthetic zippers with a lighter at the cut end so they do not unravel).

Open the zipper halfway. This gives you a flap on each side to work with and makes it much easier to manipulate.

Pinning: With the right side of your purse facing up, lay the zipper face-down along the inside top edge. The zipper teeth should be pointing inward, toward the body of the purse. Pin the zipper tape to the inside of the top edge of the purse, aligning it as evenly as possible along the rim. Do both sides before you sew either one.

Sewing: Thread your sewing needle with a double strand of thread in a matching color. Use a whipstitch or a simple running stitch to sew the zipper tape to the inside of the purse, catching the top row of crochet stitches as you go. Aim to keep your stitches evenly spaced — about 3 to 4mm apart — and pull the thread firmly but not so tightly that it puckers the fabric.

Once both sides of the zipper are attached, test the zipper by zipping and unzipping a few times. Everything should move smoothly. If you notice any puckering or bunching, remove the stitches in that section and re-sew with a bit more ease.

Finish with a knot on the inside of the purse and trim the thread.

Customizing Your Coin Purse

One of the best things about a simple pattern like this is how endlessly customizable it is. Here are some ideas to make your coin purse uniquely yours.

Color changes: You can work stripes into the side rounds by simply switching yarn colors at the start of a new round. Carry the unused color up the inside of the purse or cut and rejoin each time — both approaches work well.

Texture: Try working the side rounds in a textured stitch instead of plain single crochet. Moss stitch (alternating sc and ch 1, skip 1), half double crochet, or even a simple ribbing pattern (working in BLO for every round) all give interesting surface texture.

Size adjustments: To make a larger purse, simply add more chains to your foundation chain (odd numbers work best) and increase proportionally at the ends of your oval. To make a smaller purse — a tiny coin pouch for earbuds, for example — start with 7 chains and reduce your rounds accordingly.

Embellishments: A simple embroidered initial on the front face of the purse is elegant and personal. Small crocheted flowers, buttons, or fabric patches also look wonderful. Add these before attaching the zipper for easiest access.

Lining: For an extra-polished finish, cut a piece of fabric slightly smaller than the interior of the purse, fold the raw edges under, and hand-stitch it to the inside. This covers your yarn ends and gives the interior a lovely, gift-worthy look.

Tips for Crochet Beginners

If this is one of your first crochet projects, here are a few things that will make the process go more smoothly.

Keep your tension consistent. Tension — how tightly or loosely you hold the yarn — affects the size and look of your stitches. It takes practice to find your natural tension, and it tends to even out as you work.

Count your stitches at the end of every round, at least while you are still getting comfortable with working in the round. Catching a mistake at the end of round 3 is much less painful than discovering it at round 10.

Do not skip the slip stitch join at the end of each round. It closes the round neatly and gives you a clear starting point for the next round.

If your oval is not lying flat, the most common cause is incorrect stitch counts at the curved ends. Go back to round 1 and recount, making sure you have exactly 3 stitches in the curve at each end.

Use good lighting. Crochet is much more enjoyable, and mistakes are much easier to spot, when you can clearly see what you are doing.

Caring for Your Finished Purse

Cotton yarn is wonderfully practical because it is machine washable. Turn the purse inside out before washing and use a mesh laundry bag to protect the zipper. Wash on a gentle, cold cycle and air dry. Do not put it in the dryer — the heat can shrink cotton yarn significantly.

If your purse gets a little misshapen over time from use, a quick wet block will bring it right back to its original form.

Making It a Gift

A crocheted coin purse makes a genuinely lovely handmade gift. Tuck a small gift card inside, or fill it with wrapped chocolates, a pretty lip balm, or earrings. The fact that it is handmade adds a personal touch that store-bought packaging simply cannot replicate.

If you are making several as gifts, set up an assembly line: crochet all the purse bodies in one session, then do all your blocking at once, and finish with a zipper-attaching session while you watch something on television. With practice, you can complete the crochet portion of each purse in about an hour.

Final Thoughts

This coin purse pattern is one of those projects that rewards you immediately. The construction is logical, the results are neat and satisfying, and once you have made one, the variations are practically endless. It is also a wonderful project to share — teaching someone else to crochet their first coin purse is a genuinely enjoyable experience, and the finished object gives them something tangible and useful to take home.

Whether you are making this for yourself or for someone you care about, enjoy the process. There is real value in sitting down with a ball of yarn, a hook, and an afternoon — and ending up with something beautiful.