DIY Garfield-Inspired Crochet Coin Purse: Easy Amigurumi Tutorial

ByLina Morgen

How to Crochet a Cute Garfield-Inspired Coin Purse: An Easy Amigurumi Tutorial

Are you looking for your next adorable crochet project? If you love characters with big personalities and a bit of attitude, you are going to adore this DIY crochet Garfield-inspired coin purse! This project is the perfect blend of “kawaii” aesthetic and practical utility. Whether you want to store your loose change, your earbuds, or even your favorite lip balm, this little orange kitty is ready to keep your essentials safe.

This amigurumi-style pouch is designed to be beginner-friendly. While it involves some basic shaping, the repetitive nature of the stitches makes it a relaxing project once you get into the groove. By the end of this tutorial, you will have a chunky, textured, and incredibly cute accessory that makes a fantastic handmade gift for friends, family, or even yourself!

Materials and Abbreviations

Before we dive into the stitches, let’s make sure you have everything you need on your crochet hook. Using the right tools will ensure your coin purse has a tight, professional tension so that small items don’t slip through the stitches.

Materials Needed

  • Yarn: Medium weight (worsted) yarn in the following colors: Orange (main body), Cream or Beige (mouth/details), Pink (nose), White (eyes), and Black (eyelids and tail stripes).
  • Crochet Hooks:
    • 3.5 mm (E/D) hook for the main body.
    • 3.0 mm (D/C) hook for the smaller details.
  • Zipper: One 4-inch (10 cm) zipper.
  • Safety Eyes: 1/2 inch (12 mm) safety eyes.
  • Other Supplies:
    • A yarn needle for sewing.
    • Embroidery thread (black and pink) for facial details.
    • A small piece of craft wire (to make the tail poseable).
    • Glue (fabric glue or hot glue works best).
    • Scissors.

US Crochet Abbreviations

This pattern uses standard US crochet terminology. Please ensure you are using US terms to avoid confusion!

  • ch: chain
  • sc: single crochet
  • inc: increase (2 sc in the same stitch)
  • dec: decrease (sc 2 stitches together)
  • sl st: slip stitch
  • hdc: half double crochet
  • dc: double crochet
  • mr: magic ring (amigurumi ring)
  • BLO: back loop only
  • FLO: front loop only

Step-by-Step Instructions

For best results, try to maintain even tension. Since this is a small item that will hold coins, a tighter stitch is always better!

The Main Body

Use a 3.5 mm hook and orange yarn.

We will start by creating a base using a chain to build a flat-bottomed pouch.

  • Round 1: Chain 11. Starting from the 2nd chain from your hook: 9 sc, 3 sc in the very last stitch, 8 sc, and 1 inc (22 stitches).
  • Round 2: 1 inc, 8 sc, 3 inc, 8 sc, 2 inc (28 stitches).
  • Round 3: 1 sc, 1 inc, 8 sc, [1 sc, 1 inc] repeat 3 times, 8 sc, [1 sc, 1 inc] repeat 2 times (34 stitches).
  • Rounds 4–14: Sc in each stitch around (34 stitches).
  • Round 15: Sl st in each stitch around to create a clean edge (34 stitches).

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. You will sew the zipper into the top opening later.

The Ears (Make 2)

Use a 3.0 mm hook and orange yarn.

  • Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring (6).
  • Round 2: [1 sc, 1 inc] repeat 3 times (9).
  • Round 3: [2 sc, 1 inc] repeat 3 times (12).
  • Round 4: [3 sc, 1 inc] repeat 3 times (15).
  • Rounds 5–6: 15 sc (15).
  • Round 7: Fold the ear in half (so the open ends meet) and crochet through both layers: 7 sc (7).

Leave a long tail for sewing. Once attached, you will embroider a small line in the center of each ear to give them character.

The Tail

Use a 3.0 mm hook and orange yarn.

  • Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring (6).
  • Round 2: 6 inc (12).
  • Rounds 3–4: 12 sc (12).
  • Round 5: [1 sc, 1 dec] repeat 4 times (8).
  • Rounds 6–20: 8 sc (8).
  • Round 21: 4 dec (4).

Fasten off. Before closing the hole completely, insert a piece of craft wire into the tail. This allows you to bend the tail into a cute, curved shape! Close the hole and use black embroidery thread to stitch a few small stripes along the tail.

The Nose and Eyes

Use a 3.0 mm hook.

The Nose

  • Round 1: Using pink yarn, 6 sc in a magic ring (6).
  • Round 2: 6 sl st (6).
  • Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing.

The Eyes (Make 2)

  • Round 1: Using white yarn, 6 sc in a magic ring (6).
  • Round 2: 6 inc (12).
  • Round 3: [1 sc, 1 inc] repeat 6 times (18).
  • Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing. Insert the 12 mm safety eyes into the center of these white pieces before sewing them to the face.

The Eyelids (Make 2)

Use a 3.0 mm hook and orange yarn.

  • Round 1: Chain 6. Starting from the 2nd chain from your hook: 4 sc, 3 sc in the last stitch, 3 sc, and 1 inc (12).
  • Round 2: 1 inc, 3 sc, 3 inc, 3 sc, 2 inc (18).

Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing. These will be placed partially over the eyes to give the character that signature “sleepy” look.

The Mouth

Use a 3.0 mm hook and beige yarn.

  • Round 1: Chain 25. Starting from the 2nd chain from your hook: 12 sc, 2 ch, 12 sc, and 24 sl st back along the chain to create a flat strip.

Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing.

Finishing

Now comes the fun part—bringing your little character to life! Assembly is key to making this look professional.

  1. Attach the Zipper: Take your main body pouch. Using a yarn needle and orange yarn, sew the zipper to the top edge (the opening). Make sure the zipper can move freely.
  2. Position the Face: Place the eyes (with safety eyes inserted) on the front of the body. Sew the white eye circles and the orange eyelids over them. The eyelids should sit slightly “heavy” to create the sleepy expression.
  3. Add the Nose and Mouth: Sew the pink nose between the eyes. Below the nose, sew the beige mouth strip.
  4. Add the Ears and Tail: Sew the ears to the top corners of the pouch. Attach the tail to the bottom of the pouch. Don’t forget to bend the wire inside the tail into a fun curve!
  5. Final Details: Use black embroidery thread to add the stripes to the tail and any extra facial details you like. Use a tiny bit of glue to secure the safety eyes if you want extra security.

Tips for Success

To ensure your crochet Garfield wallet turns out perfectly, keep these tips in mind:

  • Tension is Everything: Because this is a small container for coins, you want the stitches to be very tight. If you see gaps between your stitches, try using a smaller hook.
  • Working with Wire: When inserting wire into the tail, make sure the ends are tucked deeply inside and potentially covered with a little bit of glue. This prevents the sharp wire from poking through the crochet.
  • Yarn Choice: Using a cotton yarn (like Lily Sugar ‘n Cream) provides excellent stitch definition and makes the pouch more durable for everyday use. If you prefer something soft, an acrylic blend works great too!
  • The “Sleepy” Look: The secret to the character’s expression is the placement of the eyelids. Don’t be afraid to overlap them slightly over the top of the white eye circles.

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