If you’re looking for easy handmade pouches, you might be surprised to hear they all started with a motorway service station toilet and a chocolate bar.
The short version is this: I got stuck in a traffic jam, desperately needed the loo, and discovered it cost a euro. Naturally, I didn’t have one. After buying a chocolate bar just to get cash back, I walked back to the car thinking, “I really need one of those little coin holders that clips onto your keys.” Being me, though, I didn’t stop there. Instead of buying one, I immediately started planning a crochet fish with a tiny coin purse inside.
If you’re wondering how a toilet break ended with a crochet fish, I shared the whole slightly ridiculous (but nonetheless funny) story over on my Substack. You can read it here.
The funny thing is, the fish wasn’t the end of the journey. It was the beginning.
Somewhere on the drive home, my creative brain quietly went to work. If I could solve one little annoyance with a handmade pouch, what else could I fix? Tangled cables. A handful of cards for quick errands. Jewellery that always seems to disappear into the bottom of a bag. Or those tiny emergency essentials that you never need… until you really, really do.
By the time I got home, one little fish had turned into a whole family of tiny organisers, each with its own job to do. Apparently, my creative brain doesn’t make things just because they’re pretty. It makes things because they’re useful… and then insists they should be pretty as well.
So, let me introduce you to the fabulous five. They may be small, but they definitely pull their weight.
The coin Fish
Craft: Crochet
It all began with a missing euro coin.
One rather frustrating stop at a motorway service station ended with me buying an overpriced chocolate bar just to get enough change for the toilet. Somewhere on the drive home, the annoyance had already started transforming itself into an idea. If you’ve never read the full story, you can find it on my Substack—it still makes me laugh.
Instead of buying a coin holder for my keys, I crocheted a little fish with a tiny coin purse tucked inside. It holds just enough change for those unexpected moments, but somehow it became much more than a practical solution.
Looking back, I think that little fish woke something up in me. It reminded me that even the most irritating little moments can become the beginning of something creative. What started out as a grumble turned into one of my favourite handmade projects, and it’s probably the craft I’ve received the most compliments on.
Now, every time I pick up my keys, that cheerful little fish is there waiting for me. It reminds me of a funny story, makes me smile, and quietly proves that life’s little inconveniences sometimes come disguised as inspiration.
And because so many people have asked, I’ll be sharing the pattern very soon, so your keys can have their own little fish, too.
The Quick Errand Purse
Craft: Sewing
If I’m only nipping into the bakery or popping to the supermarket for milk, taking my whole handbag feels a bit like bringing a suitcase on a day trip. All I really need are a couple of cards, a little cash, and my keys.
That’s where this tiny purse comes in. It slips onto my keyring, so everything I need is together in one place. No rummaging through the depths of my handbag, no wondering which pocket I tucked my bank card into this time. It’s small enough to fit into a coat pocket, but surprisingly roomy thanks to the clever little pockets inside.
One of my favourite things about this project is how little fabric it uses. It’s the perfect excuse to dive into the scrap basket and pair together prints that might otherwise never see the light of day. Every purse ends up with its own personality, and somehow they’re all just a little bit happier than a plain wallet from the shops.
This is one of those projects that’s quick to sew, satisfying to finish, and genuinely useful every single day. I’ll be sharing the full pattern and tutorial soon, along with a few different fabric combinations that completely change its look.
The Tiny Treasure Pouch
Craft: Sewing/Felting
There are two types of people when they travel. Those who carefully pack their jewellery… and those who arrive to find three necklaces have somehow braided themselves into one impossible knot.
I’m firmly in the second group.
For years I’d drop earrings, rings and necklaces into whatever little pouch happened to be nearby, hoping for the best. It never ended well. Earrings lost their partners, necklaces became a puzzle worthy of an escape room, and finding the pair I actually wanted usually involved tipping everything onto the bed.
This little jewellery organiser solves all of that. Necklaces stay fastened to their own loops, rings have a safe place to sit, earrings stay together, and there’s even a zipped pocket for the tiny bits and pieces that have a habit of disappearing.
It’s one of those projects that opens up to reveal a surprising amount of storage, yet folds into a neat little bundle that slips easily into a handbag or suitcase. I also love that it’s another brilliant scrap-buster. Mixing beautiful fabrics, soft linings and pretty fastenings means every organiser feels completely unique.
Like all my favourite projects, it earns its place. Instead of spending the first ten minutes of every trip untangling jewellery, I can get on with the important business of deciding where we’re going for coffee.
The full tutorial, along with a few ideas for adapting the layout to suit your own jewellery collection, will be coming soon.
The Handbag Helper
Craft: Sewing
Have you ever noticed that the bigger the handbag, the smaller your chances of finding what you’re actually looking for?
Mine has an uncanny ability to swallow the things I use most. My phone always ends up at the very bottom, my lipstick disappears into another dimension, and my charging cable somehow wraps itself around everything else in the bag.
That’s why I love the idea of a handbag helper. Instead of letting all those everyday essentials roam freely, it gives them a proper home. My phone sits in its own pocket, my lipstick is exactly where I expect it to be, there’s a little loop for my charging cable, and a pen is always within easy reach.
The best part is that it hangs from the inside of the bag, so everything stays upright and easy to grab. Even better, when I swap handbags—which usually involves forgetting something important—I can simply lift the whole organiser out and move it across in seconds.
I haven’t made my own version just yet, but this project has definitely earned a place on my ever-growing list of crafty solutions to everyday annoyances. Naturally, I’ll be adding a few tweaks of my own, and once I’ve tested it properly, I’ll share the pattern here.
The Tiny Emergency Purse
Craft: Sewing
I’m not particularly accident-prone. Once you have children though, you somehow become the person who’s expected to carry the solution to every little crisis.
Even though the giant nappy bag is long gone, I seem to have held onto some of its habits. My emergency purse feels a bit like its dwarf cousin. Instead of nappies and wipes, it carries the grown-up essentials: a couple of plasters, painkillers, lip balm, a hair tie, tissues, hygiene pads and a few tampons. Most days it quietly sits at the bottom of my handbag doing absolutely nothing, which is exactly how I like it.
Of course, there was the day I discovered why everything really does need its own little pouch.
I was standing at the checkout when my handbag tipped over. Out spilled the usual collection of receipts and loose change… followed by what felt like half a packet of tampons, enthusiastically rolling off in every possible direction. Under the shelves, towards the automatic doors, and—because life enjoys good timing—straight towards the feet of the people patiently waiting behind me.
Let’s just say I’ve never gathered my belongings quite so quickly.
Since then, everything has had its place. My emergency essentials stay neatly tucked away. I can find what I need in seconds, and there are no more surprise performances in the supermarket.
It’s funny how such a tiny purse can bring such a disproportionate amount of peace of mind. Hopefully it stays forgotten most of the time—but when it’s needed, I’m always grateful it’s there.
Why Tiny Handmade Purses Are My Favourite Scrap-Busting Project
Looking back, I think I’ve accidentally become the tiny purse person. Every Christmas or birthday, I seem to end up making another little purse. The fabrics change. The colours change. The purpose changes. But somehow there’s always another tiny organiser under the tree.
The funny thing is, I hardly have any left to photograph. They’ve all wandered off to live with friends and family. Once people have one, they seem to want another. I’ve lost count of how many have told me I should start selling them. Maybe they’re onto something.
One of the reasons I love making them is that they’re wonderfully satisfying projects. Once you’ve worked out the measurements, they come together surprisingly quickly. They’re also a brilliant way to use up those odd pieces of fabric that are too pretty to throw away but too small for bigger projects. Tiny purses give those scraps a second chance.
I also love that no two are ever quite the same. Changing the fabric can completely transform the look. A purse can go from rustic and cosy to bright and cheerful, all with a few different fabric choices.
More than anything, though, they’re useful. Every one solves a small everyday problem. Whether it’s keeping coins together, organising jewellery, taming handbag chaos or carrying emergency essentials, they all earn their place.
Maybe that’s why I keep coming back to them. They’re quick to make, practical to use and always appreciated as gifts. Best of all, they turn forgotten fabric scraps into something that makes people smile every time they reach for it.
Which One Would You Make First?
When I made that little crochet fish, I thought I was simply solving a problem. I had no idea it would change the way I looked at crafting.
Now, whenever a small inconvenience pops up, my creative brain quietly gets to work. Sometimes the solution is sewn. Sometimes it’s crocheted. Occasionally it’s felted. But more often than not, it ends up becoming another little organiser that earns a permanent place in my bag.
That’s what I love most about these tiny purses. They aren’t just pretty projects. Each one has a purpose and makes everyday life a little easier. Plus all those precious fabric scraps get used up! They are just brilliant little and thoughtful presents. Judging by the number that have disappeared into the hands of friends and family, I’m clearly not the only one who thinks so.
This collection is really only the beginning. Over the coming months, I’ll be sharing patterns, tutorials and a few new ideas. Whenever I find a one of those little irritations that can be solved in a crafty way.
I’d love to know if you have one of those small handmade items you couldn’t imagine being without. Or perhaps you’ve just found your next project. Either way, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.