How to Make a Beaded Coin Purse | Three Methods That Work

Making a beaded coin purse requires choosing between bead embroidery on felt, beaded crochet, or hand-sewing beads onto a zippered fabric panel, with the kiss-lock clasp method being the most popular for US crafters.

A beaded coin purse looks like a tiny piece of jewelry you can carry — and it never needs a sewing machine to make. Whether you want a sparkly gift or a quick project from a kit, the process breaks down into three clear routes. The most common approach uses a kiss-lock clasp, seed beads, and wool felt, but crocheters have a faster path, and anyone with a zipper can sew a no-clasp version. Here’s how each one works and what you need to start.

What Materials Do You Need?

All three methods share a short materials list, though the clasp and crochet routes have a few extras. Buy a kit if you want everything in one box; otherwise, gather these from a craft store or online.

For first-timers, starting with a kit avoids guesswork on sizes. If you prefer buying your own parts, Dans le Lakehouse’s guide says the standard kit measures roughly 2 inches by 2.5 inches — a good reference size for any clasp you pick. Our curated roundup of the best beaded coin purses to buy or study includes finished options if you want to see the style up close before crafting.

Method 1: Bead Embroidery With a Kiss-Lock Clasp

Bead embroidery gives you the most control over the design and is the method taught in most US kits. Sew seed beads onto a felt panel, attach a lining, then stitch the finished piece to a metal clasp.

Step-by-step

1. Make a template. Trace the clasp onto paper, adding a 0.25–0.5 cm seam allowance. Cut the felt shape and a duplicate in lining fabric.
2. Bead the felt. Sew seed beads onto the felt panel, keeping beads away from the seam allowance and the clasp attachment zone. Work in rows or spirals — the stitch type (back stitch, peyote, brick) changes the pattern but not the method.
3. Attach the lining. Place felt and lining good-sides together. Sew around the edge, leaving a 1-inch gap for turning. Turn right side out and hand-stitch the gap closed.
4. Form the purse. Fold the beaded panel in half with good sides facing. Stitch the side seams using an “X” stitch or small running stitches.
5. Attach the clasp. Turn the purse right side out. Hand-stitch through the clasp’s pre-drilled holes using matching thread to hide the stitches. Work one side, then the other, checking the purse sits straight inside the clasp.

One common error: beading into the seam or the clasp area. Keep those zones clear — if beads block the needle, the clasp won’t fit flat.

Method 2: Beaded Crochet (No Clasp Sewing)

This method works entirely in single crochet stitches, with beads incorporated into the yarn as you go. It produces a tube-like purse that finishes with a plain edge and attaches to a clasp from the inside.

• Start with a magic circle of 8 single crochet stitches.
• Increase 8 stitches per row for 6 rounds until you have 56 stitches total. Stagger the increases — Paraligo’s tutorial notes that placing them where the previous round ended prevents a hexagonal shape.
• Crochet 20 rounds of single crochet (no increases), sliding a bead to the back of each stitch. When you slide a bead down near the hook, pull a loop and yarn over to lock it into the back.
• Finish with 56 plain single crochets — Round 21 holds no beads and forms the edge.
• Turn the project inside out to reveal the beads on the exterior.
• Attach to the clasp by back-stitching through the loops of the last round and the clasp holes. Leave a 3-stitch gap on each side of the frame joints so the needle can pass to the other side.

Method 3: Hand-Sewn Zipper Purse

This route skips the clasp entirely — you hand-sew beads onto two fabric panels, then attach a zipper with a back stitch. No machine needed, and the result is a soft, zippered pouch.

• Cut two fabric pieces (roughly 10 cm x 7 cm / 4″ x 2.75″). Water-soluble stabilizer makes tracing and trimming easier.
• Bead the fabric using the same embroidery techniques as Method 1, but leave a 2 cm border around each piece for zipper attachment and seam allowance.
• Hand-sew one fabric side to one zipper tooth using a back stitch. Fold the seam allowance, then stitch the top edge through both fabric layers and the zipper tape.
• Repeat for the second side. Fold the finished piece so the beaded sides face outward and the excess fabric sits inside.
• Sew the side and bottom edges with a back stitch, weaving between beads to hide the thread.

Tip: a zipper is more forgiving than a clasp — if your seam allowance is slightly uneven, the zipper still works.