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A very simple project for someone new to crochet is a coin purse. Cotton is a good yarn to use for this project as it does not have the elasticity of other yarns and will hold its shape once you have made your purse. You will need a thin crochet hook, UK size 3 or smaller is best, and some fine 4-ply or 3-ply cotton yarn (often found in 20g balls). Another advantage of using cotton yarn is that as a natural fibre it will hold a dye, so if you can only find white cotton, don't worry. You can always dye your coin purse a different colour later. You will also need a small zipper, approximately 3 inches (7.5cm) long.

Begin by making a chain. Tie a slipknot in one end of your yarn, leaving a tail of around 6 inches (15cm). Place the loop of the knot over the hooked end of the crochet hook and pull closed so that it is secure but not tight. Take the end of yarn attached to the ball, and wind it once around the head of the crochet hook above the slipknot loop, keeping the yarn in your hand to create tension. Hold the tail end of yarn in your other hand. Pull the crochet hook down, guiding the original slipknot loop upwards over the top of the hook and leaving the second loop of cotton yarn still on the crochet hook. This makes 1 chain stitch. Continue making a chain until it is approximately 3 1/4 inches (9cm) long.

Row 1 is made by crocheting either single stitches, doubles or trebles into the links of the chain. You will be working backwards along the chain that you have just created. Keeping the chain in one hand and the yarn in the other hand, to make a single stitch into the chain push the crochet hook into a link of the chain 1 link back from the loop currently around the crochet hook. Loop the yarn around the hook, and then pull it back through the chain link and also through the stitch sitting on the crochet hook. Repeat this in every chain link until you reach the end, make 1 chain stitch, turn the work around, and repeat again all the way back to make row 2.

To make a more open stitch design, you may want to work in double or treble stitches. To work a double stitch, push the crochet hook through the chain, wind the yarn around the hook and pull back through the chain only. Wind the yarn around the hook again, and then pull the hook back through the original stitch, leaving one stitch on the hook.

To make a treble stitch, wind the yarn around the hook before pushing it through the chain link, then wind it around the hook again. Pull the hook back through

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