Tapestry crochet zipper pouch with cats

Here is a free crochet pattern for a tapestry crochet zipper pouch with cats. I made it for my crochet hooks, but it would work great as a crochet zipper pouch for pencils or pens. The pattern includes detailed photo instructions and it explains how to adjust the size of this pouch.

It is a beginner friendly tapestry crochet project that is quick to make. If you haven’t tried tapestry crochet before, you can take a look at my tutorial here.

You can find my other free patterns here.

Good luck!

Tapestry crochet zipper pouch with cats

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PDF crochet pattern: Tapestry crochet zipper pouch with cats

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Materials

Yarn: any thin yarn will work. I used DIAMOND mercerized cotton 100% 8/4 50g. Colors: 1361 (grey) and 3803 (light lilac).
Hook: as suggested on your yarn label. I used a 2.0 mm hook.

Abbreviations (US terms)

ch: chain
sl st: slip stitch
sc: single crochet
msc: modified single crochet
prev: previous
st: stitch

Notes

The size of my pouch is 16.0 x 6.5 cm. The pattern explains how to adjust the size of the pouch.

For this pattern you should be familiar with the tapestry crochet (you can find the tutorial here). Photo instructions below show how to make a zipper pouch. This pattern uses a modified single crochet: make a single crochet back loop only, just instead of yarning over for the last step, yarn under (see the tutorial here).

You will work in continuous rounds, which means that in the end of a round you don’t join with a slip stitch, but instead continue making modified single crochets in the top of the first stitch of the round. Remember to use a marker showing the beginning of each round. Follow the color chart showing how you should change colors.

You can find a tutorial showing how to sew in a zipper and attach lining here.

Pattern

Start by chaining 52 with light lilac yarn.

Round 1: To make the first round, you will work down the chain, then turn and work in the other side of the chain. Make sc in every st of the chain starting from the second chain from your hook. Turn. 1 sc in the end of the chain, make sc in every st (starting with the one you have just worked into; now that st has 3 sc in total) until you come back to the beginning of the chain. 1 sc in the end of the chain. In total you should have 104 st. Don’t join with a sl st, instead continue with the next round.

Now add grey yarn and follow the color chart for all rounds until the end.

Round 2-17*: msc in every st of the prev round.

*When you have 4 stitches left in round 17, make a sl st in the back loop only in the last 4 stitches to even out the edge. Fasten off and sew in a zipper.

Color chart

How to read the chart

Each square represents a stitch and its color. In each round you have 104 stitches. The chart above shows only one half of the pattern, the front side of the pouch (columns 1-52 in the chart). Columns 53-104 are the same as column 1, which means they are all light lilac. Rows represent rounds. For each round you have to read the row in the chart from right to left.

How to adjust the size

How to adjust the size of the pouch

If you want to adjust the size of your pouch, in the color chart add the same number of columns to the left and to the right from the picture with cats (increasing the length) and the same number of rows below and above the picture with cats (increasing the height). In this example I added four columns (8, 9, 49 and 50) and two rows (2 and 18) indicated in red. These columns and rows should be made with light lilac yarn.

Notice that now on the front side of your pouch you have 56 stitches. This means that in each round you will have 112 stitches. To begin the pouch, you need to chain the same number of chains as there are columns on one side of your pouch. In this example, you would chain 56 and start working in the second chain from your hook.

Even though all stitches in row 2 are light lilac, I recommend introducing the grey yarn in round 2. This will help to keep the same thickness of fabric.

Photo instructions for the tapestry crochet zipper pouch with cats

Round 1

1. Start by chaining 52 with light lilac yarn. You will start working in the second chain from your hook.

2. So, make a single crochet in the second chain from your hook.

3. Keep making single crochets in every stitch until the end of the row.

4. Then make one single crochet in the end of the chain.

5. Turn your work and make one more single crochet in the same stitch.

6. Then continue making single crochets in every stitch until you reach the end.

7. Make one single crochet in the end of the chain. In total you should have 104 stitches.

Round 2

8. Don’t join with a slip stitch. Instead insert your hook in the top of the first single crochet of the first round grabbing just the back loop.

9. Yarn over.

10. Pull the through. Now you have two loops on your hook. In round 2 you have to introduce the grey yarn. So, take your grey yarn and put it behind your hook and in front of the light lilac yarn like it is shown in the picture.

11. Yarn under the light lilac yarn.

12. Pull the yarn through. Notice how the grey yarn is wrapped around with the light lilac yarn.

13. Then insert your hook in the next stitch grabbing just the back loop.

14. Yarn over the light lilac yarn.

15. Pull the yarn through. Now you have two loops on your hook.

16. Yarn under the light lilac yarn.

17. Pull the yarn through. You have just made a modified single crochet. Don’t forget to put a market indicating the first stitch of this round.

18. The 15th stitch in round 2 should be grey. So, don’t complete the 14th stitch, stop when you have two loops on your hook, because you need to change yarn color.

19. Put the grey yarn up and yarn under.

20. Pull the yarn through. Now your grey yarn is ready to use.

21. Make the next stitch with the grey yarn.

22. The 23rd stitch in round 2 should be light lilac. So, start making the 22nd stitch with the grey yarn, but stop when you have two loops on your hook, because you have to change yarn color.

23. Then put the light lilac yarn up and yarn under.

24. Pull the yarn through. The light lilac yarn is ready to use again.

25. The 30th stitch in round 2 should be grey. So, complete the 29th stitch with the grey yarn.

26. Continue to follow the color chart until the end of the round.

Round 3

27. To start round 3, remove the marker and continue making modified single crochets.

28. In round 3, the 14th stitch should be grey. So, complete the 13th stitch with the grey yarn.

29. Then start making in the 14th stitch with the grey yarn, but stop when you have two loops on your hook. The next stitch is light lilac and you have to change yarn color again.

30. So, complete the 14th stitch with the light lilac yarn.

31. Start making the 15th stitch with the light lilac yarn, but stop when you have two loops on your hook.

32. The 16th stitch is grey. So, complete the 15th stitch with the grey yarn.

33. Continue working in the same way following the color chart.

Round 17

34. In round 17, stop when you have four stitches left. You will even out the edge.

35. So, put the grey yarn aside, insert your hook in the next stitch grabbing just the back loop and yarn over.

36. Pull the yarn through. Now you have two loops on your hook.

37. Pull the first loop through the second one. You have just made a slip stitch back loop only.

38. Make three more slip stitches back loop only in the last three stitches of this round. Fasten off. You can find a tutorial showing how to sew in a zipper and attach lining here.