Crochet Apple Wallet: A Complete Guide to Making Your Own Adorable Coin Purse
There is something deeply satisfying about carrying a handmade accessory that makes people stop and ask, “Wait, did you make that yourself?” A crochet apple wallet is exactly that kind of project — small enough to finish in an afternoon, charming enough to use every single day, and impressive enough to make as a gift for someone you love. Whether you are a seasoned crocheter looking for a fun weekend project or an intermediate maker ready to try something beyond scarves and dishcloths, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about creating your very own crochet apple coin purse from start to finish.
From the materials you will need to the step-by-step instructions, from finishing tips to styling ideas, this post covers it all. By the time you reach the end, you will have a thorough understanding of how this project works, why it is so beloved in the crochet community, and how to customize it to make it your own.
Why Everyone Is Obsessed With the Crochet Apple Wallet
Before we dive into the how-to, let us talk about why this particular pattern has captured so many hearts. The crochet apple wallet sits at the intersection of functional and whimsical. It is small and lightweight, making it perfect for carrying coins, a folded bill or two, lip balm, earbuds, or even a spare key. But unlike a plain coin purse, it has personality. The round shape, the little stem, the tiny leaf — all of it comes together to create something that looks almost too cute to use.
This project has been circulating in crochet communities for years, and it continues to trend because it photographs beautifully, uses minimal yarn, works up quickly, and appeals to people of all ages. Teachers love receiving them as gifts. Kids beg their crocheting parents to make them in every color. Market vendors sell out of them at craft fairs because they are irresistible at the display table.
There is also a practical dimension to their popularity. A small zip-up or button-close apple purse tucks neatly into a larger bag, keeping small items from rattling around loose. Some people use them as cable organizers. Others use them as a travel pill case. The form is charming, but the function is genuinely useful.
Materials You Will Need
One of the best things about the crochet apple wallet is how little it demands in terms of supplies. You do not need a large yarn stash or a collection of specialty tools. Here is what you will want to gather before you begin.
Yarn: The main body of the apple calls for a worsted weight yarn in red, green, or yellow — whichever apple variety speaks to you. A single skein is far more than enough; you will use only a small fraction of it. You will also need a small amount of brown yarn for the stem and green yarn for the leaf, even if you are making a red or yellow apple body. These accent colors only require a few yards each.
Crochet Hook: A 3.5mm to 4.0mm hook works well with most worsted weight yarns for this project. Check your yarn label for the recommended hook size and stay close to that recommendation to achieve a firm, tight fabric that holds its shape.
Zipper or Button: Most crochet apple wallets use a small zipper, typically between 4 and 6 inches long, to keep the contents secure. You can find these at any craft store or online. Some makers prefer a snap button or a magnetic closure for a cleaner look and easier construction. Choose whichever closure suits your skill level and aesthetic preference.
Stuffing (Optional): If you want your apple to have a slightly three-dimensional, puffy appearance, a tiny bit of fiberfill stuffing around the closure area can help it maintain its round shape. This is entirely optional and many beautiful versions of this wallet are made completely flat.
Yarn Needle: You will need a blunt tapestry needle to weave in ends and sew the stem and leaf into place.
Scissors: A sharp pair of embroidery scissors makes clean cuts and is worth having on hand throughout the project.
Stitch Markers: Useful for keeping track of your rounds, especially if you are new to working in the round.
Understanding the Construction
The crochet apple wallet is typically worked in two separate circles that are joined together, with a zipper or closure sewn along the opening. Understanding the overall construction before you begin helps you see how all the individual steps connect.
You will start by crocheting two identical round pieces — these become the front and back of the apple. Each round piece is worked from the center outward, increasing stitches at regular intervals to keep the fabric flat. Once both circles are finished, you join them around the outer edge, leaving an opening at the top for the closure. The stem is a simple crochet chain or small tube worked separately and attached at the top. The leaf is a small pointed oval or teardrop shape, also worked separately and sewn into place alongside the stem.
Some patterns create the apple shape with a slight indent at the top, which gives it a more realistic silhouette. This can be achieved by simply pulling the yarn tightly at the top of one or both circles before fastening off, creating a gentle dimple. It is a small touch that makes a big visual difference.
Step-by-Step Pattern Instructions
Here is a beginner-friendly pattern that produces a finished apple wallet approximately 4 inches in diameter. All stitches are standard US crochet terms.
Abbreviations:
ch = chain, sl st = slip stitch, sc = single crochet, inc = increase (two single crochets in the same stitch), MR = magic ring
Making the Apple Body (Make Two)
Begin with a magic ring. If you are not comfortable with a magic ring, you can chain 2 and work your starting stitches into the second chain from your hook instead.
Round 1: Work 6 sc into the magic ring. Pull the tail to close the ring. You will have 6 stitches. Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of the round and move it up at the beginning of each new round.
Round 2: Work an inc in each stitch around. You will have 12 stitches.
Round 3: (1 sc, inc) repeat around. You will have 18 stitches.
Round 4: (2 sc, inc) repeat around. You will have 24 stitches.
Round 5: (3 sc, inc) repeat around. You will have 30 stitches.
Round 6: (4 sc, inc) repeat around. You will have 36 stitches.
Round 7: (5 sc, inc) repeat around. You will have 42 stitches.
At this point, check your circle against the finished size you want. If you would like a larger wallet, continue with one more increase round: (6 sc, inc) repeat around for 48 stitches. Otherwise, work one even round of sc around all 42 stitches to stabilize the edge.
Fasten off the first circle, leaving a long tail for seaming. Do not fasten off the second circle yet; you will use the working yarn to join the two pieces together.
Creating the Apple Indent
Before joining the circles, take a moment to create the characteristic dimple at the top of each piece. Thread your yarn needle with the starting tail from the magic ring and insert it from the front of the circle through to the back, then pull it gently through the center of the circle from the back. Pulling gently on this thread creates a slight indent. Tie it off securely on the wrong side of the fabric and trim. Repeat for both circles.
Joining the Two Circles
Hold both circles together with wrong sides facing each other. Using the working yarn still attached to the second circle, work a slip stitch or single crochet through both layers of fabric around the outer edge. This joins the two pieces together while also creating a neat finished edge.
Leave an opening of approximately 4 to 5 stitches at the top of the apple — this is where your zipper or closure will go. When you reach the end of the join, slip stitch to the first joining stitch and fasten off. Weave in the end securely.
Making the Stem
Using your brown yarn and a 3.5mm hook, chain 8 to 10 stitches. Turn and slip stitch back along the chain for a firm, cord-like stem. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Alternatively, you can work 4 to 6 sc in a tight tube by working back and forth on a very small number of stitches. Either method produces a convincing little stem.
Making the Leaf
Using green yarn, chain 8. Starting in the second chain from the hook, work: 1 sc, 1 hdc, 2 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc, then work 3 sc into the last chain to turn the corner. Continue back along the other side of the chain in the same sequence: 1 sc, 1 hdc, 2 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc. Slip stitch into the starting chain to close. Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing.
Attaching the Stem and Leaf
Position the stem at the top center of the apple, at the indent you created earlier. Use your yarn needle to stitch it securely through both layers of the wallet fabric. Attach the leaf beside the stem, angling it slightly to one side for a natural look. Stitch it firmly in place and weave in all remaining ends.
Attaching the Zipper
This step trips up many people for the first time, but it becomes easy with a little patience. Open the zipper fully. Align one side of the zipper tape along the opening at the top of your apple wallet, with the zipper pull on the outside of the wallet. Using a needle and coordinating thread, whipstitch the zipper tape to the fabric edge of the opening. Sew through both the zipper tape and the crochet fabric, keeping stitches close together for a secure hold. Fold the ends of the zipper tape to the inside and tack them down neatly. Repeat on the other side of the zipper. Close the zipper and test the opening to make sure everything aligns properly.
Tips for a Professional-Looking Finish
Even simple projects have details that separate a good result from a great one, and the crochet apple wallet is no different.
Tension matters enormously in this project. Because you are creating a small accessory that needs to hold its shape and keep contents inside, you want a firm, tight fabric. If your stitches are too loose, the wallet will look floppy and the interior will be visible through gaps in the fabric. Try going down half a hook size if this is a concern.
When sewing in your zipper, use a thread color that coordinates with your yarn rather than trying to match it exactly. The stitching will be minimally visible, but a close match looks intentional and neat.
Do not skip the indent step. It is such a quick technique and it makes the difference between a circle and an apple. That small dimple does all the visual work of communicating the shape.
If you are gifting this wallet, consider stuffing it lightly with tissue paper for presentation so the recipient can see the three-dimensional shape right away. It photographs beautifully this way too.
Customization Ideas
Part of what makes this project so endlessly fun is how many ways you can adapt it. Here are some ideas to inspire your own variations.
Color choices are the most obvious place to start. A bright red apple is classic, but a golden yellow apple has a vintage charm, and a granny smith green version is fresh and unexpected. You could even make a gradient apple using self-striping or ombre yarn for a modern twist.
Appliqué details can take your apple to the next level. A tiny crocheted worm peeking out of one side is a crowd favorite, especially for kids. You can make the worm with a few rounds of a small tube in a soft pink or beige yarn, add two tiny eyes with embroidery thread, and sew it into place.
Size variations are easy to achieve by simply adding or removing increase rounds. A larger version with more rounds makes a roomy pouch that can hold a phone or sunglasses. A smaller version works beautifully as a gift card holder or a tiny purse for a child’s play accessories.
Texture and yarn type can shift the whole feel of the project. A cotton yarn gives a crisp, clean look perfect for a practical everyday purse. An acrylic blend is soft and lightweight. A chenille or velvet yarn creates a plush, luxurious version that looks like a decorative object as much as a functional accessory.
Common Questions and Troubleshooting
My circles are not lying flat — they are cupping or ruffling. If your circle cups inward, you are not increasing enough. If it ruffles and flares, you are increasing too often. Count your stitches carefully at the end of each round to make sure you are hitting the correct stitch count before moving on.
My zipper is puckering or the wallet looks uneven after sewing it in. This usually happens when the zipper is longer than the opening or when the stitches are uneven. Measure your opening before purchasing your zipper, and try to keep your whipstitches at a consistent spacing as you sew.
The stem keeps flopping over and not standing upright. Make sure you are sewing it through both layers of the wallet fabric and pulling the stitches firmly. A stem that is only attached through one layer tends to flop. You can also stiffen it slightly with a dab of fabric stiffener if needed.
I cannot get my magic ring to close tightly. This is a very common frustration for newer crocheters. Pull the tail end of the yarn firmly while holding the ring closed. If it still will not cooperate, the chain-2 alternative method is equally valid and produces a similar result.
Gifting and Selling Your Crochet Apple Wallets
If you fall in love with this project — and most people do — you will quickly find yourself making more than one. The crochet apple wallet is an ideal item to sell at craft fairs or on handmade marketplaces. It is fast to make, inexpensive in materials, appealing to a broad audience, and easy to display attractively. A small wicker basket filled with apple wallets in a rainbow of colors is practically irresistible to a passing customer.
For gifting, think about pairing the wallet with something thematically related. A teacher gift that includes the apple wallet alongside a small candle or a gift card to a bookshop is thoughtful and memorable. For a child, fill the apple with a few coins and a folded note — it becomes a keepsake as much as a practical item.
If you are selling, be sure to price your work honestly. Account for the cost of yarn, the zipper, and most importantly your time. A handmade item with this level of detail and charm is worth more than people sometimes expect to pay, and the right customers will absolutely understand that value.
Final Thoughts
The crochet apple wallet is one of those projects that reminds you why you fell in love with making things by hand in the first place. It is small but mighty, simple but clever, and it brings a smile to the face of almost everyone who sees it. Whether you are making it for yourself, for a teacher, for a craft fair table, or just because you have a bit of red yarn and an afternoon to spare, this project delivers on every level.
Take your time with it. Enjoy the process of working those rounds and watching the circle grow. Take a moment to appreciate the leaf and stem when you sew them on. And when you zip it up for the first time and hold a tiny crocheted apple in your hand, let yourself feel the satisfaction of having made something genuinely delightful from nothing more than string, a hook, and a little bit of patience.
Happy crocheting.
