A crochet purse is the rare project that's fast, cheap, and genuinely useful the moment you weave in the last end. The 20 patterns below are all free on the designer's own site, and I've picked ones people actually carry — coin purses that live in a jacket pocket, clutches for a night out, crossbody bags for hands-free errands — not fragile display pieces. Skill levels run from "your first project after a scarf" to a beaded lace bag worth blocking properly, so there's something here whether you have an afternoon or a rainy weekend.
Every entry notes the yarn weight, hook, rough finished size and closure, so you can match a pattern to your stash and your skill before you commit. Most are single- or double-skein makes in cotton, which washes well and holds a bag's shape far better than acrylic.
Coin purses & small pouches
Small, quick, and the perfect palate-cleanser between bigger projects — or a thoughtful little gift with a gift card tucked inside.
Easy Crochet Coin Purse — Crochet Dreamz. A 4.25-inch worsted-cotton purse worked in single crochet and a modified puff stitch with a sew-in kiss-clasp, using only about 40 yards. The clasp gives it a satisfying professional snap.
Trinity Stitch Coin Purse — The Blue Elephants. A textured little purse worked flat in trinity stitch, then folded and seamed with a button-and-flap closure. A great way to practice the sc3tog cluster on something small.
Easy Crochet Drawstring Pouch — Sunflower Cottage Crochet. A beginner spiral pouch in aran cotton with twin drawstring ties, about 4.5 by 7 inches. Worked in the round with no seaming — ideal for a very first bag.
Hexagonal Coin Purse — byGoldenberry. An eco-friendly sport-weight coin purse with a clever hexagonal-twist drawstring top, around 3 inches wide. Front-post stitches give the sides their structure.
Easy Crochet Zipper Pouch — Oombawka Design Crochet. A 10-by-7-inch pouch crocheted directly onto a 9-inch zipper — no fiddly hand-sewing the zip in afterward. Aran cotton, single crochet in the round. If you like small home makes, our crochet coaster patterns use the same tidy technique.
Clutches & evening purses
Structured, a little dressy, and faster than they look.
Coco Crochet Clutch — HanJan Crochet. An 8.5-by-6-inch clutch in cotton held double, using an easy sc/dc crossover stitch worked in rounds. Add a zip or clasp for a polished finish.
Carlisle Clutch — A Box of Twine. A beginner clutch in bulky cotton cord with a wood toggle button, roughly 10.5 by 7 inches, using only chain, single and double crochet. The chunky cord means it works up fast.
Ballroom Purse — My Hobby is Crochet. A dressy nylon-rope purse with a ball-stitch flap, tuck-lock clasp and a detachable gold chain strap — clutch by night, mini shoulder bag by day, about 9.5 by 8.5 inches.
Luxe Summer Handbag — Crochet Dreamz. A structured 9.25-inch bag in bulky cotton with a cluster-stitch body, gold chain strap and tuck-lock closure, built over plastic canvas so it holds its shape. Reads far more "boutique" than "handmade."
Everyday & crossbody purses
The ones you'll actually reach for on a Tuesday.
Casual Crossbody Bag — Moogly. A herringbone-hdc crossbody in bulky cotton-nylon with a button closure and a 47-inch strap, about 7.5 by 8 inches. Moogly's tutorials are some of the clearest on the web.
Wristlet with 3 Pockets & Zipper — Nicki's Homemade Crafts. A worsted thermal-stitch wristlet whose double-thick fabric needs no lining, with three pockets, an optional zipper and a wrist strap. A brilliant introduction to the thermal stitch.
Written On My Heart Crossbody — Kirsten Holloway Designs. An intermediate crossbody built from three textured 12-inch squares with a brass buckle, finishing around 17 by 18 inches. Cluster, post and shell stitches make the fabric dense enough to carry real weight.
Ginter Crossbody — Rebekah Haas Crochet. A DK-cotton crossbody in a raised back-loop shell stitch with a button closure — compact, refined, and a lovely showcase for a single skein of nice cotton.
Free Phone Pouch — Spotted Horse Design Co. A beginner color-block phone crossbody, about 6.5 by 3.5 inches, worked from a simple graph — big enough for a large phone plus a card or two. Great scrap-buster.
Granny squares, boho & statement purses
When you want the bag itself to be the outfit.
Granny Square Bag — Viv's Crochet. Three cotton granny squares whip-stitched into a roomy two-color bag with a strap, around 10 inches square, with a video tutorial. The classic that never dates.
Flower Granny Square Bag — Jo to the World Creations. Thirteen flower granny squares slip-stitch joined into a bold 16-inch four-color bag. A slow-burn project that eats stash yarn beautifully — pair it with a matching crochet rose pin.
Urban Nomad Boho Bag — Make & Do Crew. An intermediate boho bag in weight-4 cotton with double-crochet clusters, swishy fringe, a button closure and three strap options, in two sizes up to 13.5 by 16 inches.
Beaded Hobo Bag — Croyden Crochet. A beginner-friendly single-crochet hobo bag studded with 500 beads and closed with a magnetic snap, about 10.5 by 8 inches plus a 22-inch strap. Pre-string the beads and the rest is easy.
Antique Lace Wedding Bag — Kirsten Holloway Designs. An advanced thread-lace bag in size-10 cotton with 70 pearl beads and crocheted rosettes, about 9 by 7 inches. Heirloom territory — this is the one you block and photograph. If fine thread is your thing, our crochet bracelet patterns work at a similar gauge.
Owl Purse — Hooked on Homemade Happiness. A quick, kid-sized owl purse worked from two circular panels with crocheted eyes and beak and a foundation-single-crochet strap. The most gift-able make on the list for a little one.
Tips for crocheting a purse that lasts
- Choose cotton for structure. Acrylic stretches and sags under keys and a phone; cotton or a cotton blend holds a bag's shape and only stiffens with use. Bulky cotton "cord" yarns give the most structure for the least effort.
- Line anything you'll carry daily. A simple fabric lining stops small items falling through the stitches and doubles a bag's lifespan. Even a fat quarter and some hand-stitching is enough.
- Reinforce the straps. Straps take all the strain. Work them in a tight single crochet, hold the yarn double, or crochet around a length of cotton webbing — a stretched-out strap is the most common way a crochet bag dies.
- Add a real closure. A magnetic snap, sew-in purse frame or zipper turns a pretty pouch into something you'll trust with your cards. They cost a couple of dollars and lift the whole project.
- Block flat pieces before seaming. Granny squares and lace panels sit crooked until blocked. Wet-block them square first and the finished bag looks bought, not homemade.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best yarn for a crochet purse?
Cotton or a cotton blend in worsted or bulky weight. It resists stretching, holds structure, washes cleanly and gives crisp stitch definition. Bulky "cord" cotton (like Bernat Maker Home Dec) is especially good for structured bags because the stiffer plies keep walls upright. Save soft acrylic for scarves.
Do I need to line a crochet purse?
Not always, but it helps. Dense stitches like single crochet or the thermal stitch make a fabric solid enough to skip lining for casual use. For anything holding small items — coins, cards, lip balm — a fabric lining prevents them slipping through and makes the bag last much longer.
How long does it take to crochet a purse?
A small coin purse or pouch takes an evening. A everyday crossbody in bulky cotton is usually a weekend. Multi-square or thread-lace bags (the flower granny bag, the antique lace bag) are multi-day projects — plan them like a small blanket rather than a quick make.
Can I crochet a purse without a pattern?
For a basic pouch, yes — chain to your desired width, work single crochet rows to twice the height, fold, seam the sides and add a strap. But the patterns above solve the tricky parts (shaping, closures, strap attachment) so your first few bags come out even and sturdy while you learn how they go together.
Once you've made a purse or two, keep the momentum going: our free crochet bag patterns roundup scales everything up to totes and market bags, crochet backpack patterns go hands-free, and crochet bookmarks are the perfect five-minute palate cleanser between bigger makes.
