Free Crochet Crocodile Clutch Purse Pattern

Here's a free crochet crocodile stitch clutch pattern for you! This is an adorable crochet clutch, made from the crocodile stitch. My pattern comes with a two-part, complete photo tutorial!

Free Crochet Crocodile Stitch Clutch Purse Pattern with a full photo tutorial

I'm in Love with the Crochet Crocodile Stitch

Holy alligators! This is one cute purse! (Totally stealing from one of my readers right now who left a comment on my crocodile stitch tutorial with “holy alligators!” She's the clever one, not me, LOL.) But seriously, or not, the crocodile stitch makes an adorable purse, and I'm in love with this one I just made.

My Crocodile Stitch Photo Tutorial

If you've never done the crocodile stitch, you might want to check out the crocodile stitch tutorial I posted first for a step-by-step photo tutorial of how to “get er done,” if you know what I mean. The stitch is quite tricky and I found myself using several expletives to figure it out, mostly because I couldn't find a really good photo tutorial to follow online. Probably need to break down and buy a good crochet book soon, but I guess I'm too cheap!

So, here's the free crochet crocodile stitch clutch purse pattern for this lovely accessory!

Free Crochet Crocodile Stitch Clutch Purse Pattern

Free Crochet Crocodile Stitch Clutch Purse Pattern

Written and designed by Sara McFall of My Merry Messy Life

Abbreviations

  • ch = chain
  • hdc = half double crochet
  • sl st = slip stitch
  • st = stitch
  • sk = skip

Materials

The Pattern

Ch 36

Row 1:

  • In the third ch from the hook, work 2 hdc (in the same ch).
  • Ch 1, sk 2 ch and work 1 hdc
  • *Ch 1, sk 2 ch and work 2 hdc in the same ch
  • Ch 1, skip 2 ch and work 1 hdc*
  • Repeat from * all the way down, working 18 hdc total, ending with 1 hdc at the end.

Row 2 (crocodile stitch row):

  • Ch 1, turn
  • Work a crocodile stitch on the first set of hdc (using a front post technique, work 4 hdc on the first post from top to bottom, then 4 hdc on the second post from bottom to top)
  • Sl st on the next hdc post
  • Work a crocodile stitch on the next set of hdc
  • *Sl st on the next hdc post
  • Work a crocodile stitch on the next set of hdc*
  • Repeat from * the length of your work, working 6 crocodile stitches total and ending with a crocodile stitch.

Row 3 (foundation hdc row):

  • Ch 1, turn.
  • (Repeating what we did on row 1)
  • Work 2 hdc on the edge of the previous crocodile st.
  • *Ch 1, work 1 hdc in the middle of the crocodile st.
  • Ch 1, work 2 hdc at the top of the hdc.*
  • Repeat from * the length of the work, working 20 hdc total and ending with 2 hdc on the end.

Row 4 (crocodile stitch row):

  • Ch 1, turn
  • (Repeating what we did on row 2)
  • Work a crocodile stitch on the first set of hdc
  • Sl st on the next hdc post
  • Work a crocodile stitch on the next set of hdc
  • *Sl st on the next hdc post
  • Work a crocodile stitch on the next set of hdc*
  • Repeat from * the length of your work, working 7 crocodile stitches total and ending with a crocodile stitch.

Row 5 (foundation hdc row):

  • Ch 1, turn
  • (similar to row 3, but it starts and ends with 1 hdc instead of 2)
  • Work 1 hdc in the middle of the crocodile st
  • *Ch 1, work 2 hdc at the top of the hdc
  • Ch 1, work 1 hdc in the middle of the crocodile st*
  • Repeat from * the length of the work, working 18 hdc total and ending with 1 hdc on the end.

Row 6 (crocodile stitch row):

  • Ch 1, turn
  • Work a sl st on the first hdc post
  • *Work a crocodile stitch on the next pair of hdc
  • Work a sl st on the next hdc post*
  • Repeat from * the length of the work, working 6 crocodile stitches total and ending with a sl st
My hubby posing with the purse I made!

Then repeat rows 3-6 in that order like this until you make 18 rows:

  • Row 7 (foundation hdc row) – Repeat row 3
  • Row 8 (crocodile stitch row – 7 sts) – Repeat row 4
  • Row 9 (foundation hdc row, decreasing) – Repeat row 5
  • Row 10 (crocodile st row – 6 sts) – Repeat row 6
  • Row 11(foundation hdc row) – Repeat row 3
  • Row 12 (crocodile stitch row – 7 sts) – Repeat row 4
  • Row 13 (foundation hdc row, decreasing) – Repeat row 5
  • Row 14 (crocodile st row – 6 sts) – Repeat row 6
  • Row 15 (foundation hdc row) – Repeat row 3
  • Row 16 (crocodile stitch row – 7 sts) – Repeat row 4
  • Row 17 (foundation hdc row, decreasing) – Repeat row 5
  • Row 18 (crocodile st row – 6 sts) – Repeat row 6

The Back of the Crochet Crocodile Stitch Clutch Purse Pattern

  • Ch 33
  • In the third ch from the hook, work 1 hdc.
  • Work 1 hdc in each ch all the way down (30 chs total)
  • *Ch 1, work 1 hdc in each ch all the way down*
  • Repeat to make 15 rows (or if your tension, yarn or hook is different than mine, you might need more or less rows)
  • Whip stitch the front of the purse to the back.
The back of the crochet crocodile clutch purse

The Handle

  • Using a contrasting color, join at the side of the purse with a sl st, ch 1.
  • In the next space, work 1 hdc.
  • Work 1 hdc in each space around (I did 1 hdc on each hdc of the crocodile stitch, 1 in the middle, and 1 at the top of the single hdc – see the arrows in the picture below)
  • Join to the first ch 1 with a sl st and ch 1
Crochet Crocodile Stitch Clutch Purse - How to Crochet the Handle

Row 2 – work 1 hdc in each space around, join to the beginning ch 1 with a sl st and ch 1.

Row 3 – (the opening of the handle) work 1 hdc in each of the next 9 spaces, then ch 9 and skip 9 spaces.
Work 1 hdc in each of the next 18 spaces.
Chain 9 and skip 9 spaces, then work 1 hdc in each of the last 9 hdc.
(If your numbers don't work out exactly like mine, don't stress. Just make sure your handle is centered on the purse as best as possible.)

Crochet Crocodile Stitch Purse Pattern - Handle Tutorial

Row 4 –  work 1 hdc in each sp around, working 9-11 (depending on your tension) on the ch of the handle.  If you want your chain to be thicker, work another row, but I stopped at row 4.

Rosette –  I crocheted a rosette and wrapped it in a rectangle of hdc. I have a rosette tutorial here.

Free Crochet Pattern for a Wrapped Rosette
homemade crafts

This post was featured at Tip Junkie! Thank you!Merry Crocheting!

4 Comments

    1. Thank you! Yes, sorry about that. It doesn’t exist anymore and was slowing my whole website down so we had to get rid of it. On some computers, you can choose to remove the sidebars when printing.

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