Get ready to show off your wild side with the Leopard Clutch! I am a huge fan of animal prints, and want to add leopard spots to just about everything that I crochet. Pair that with purses, and you have me sold! Bags are some of my favorite accessories to add to my favorite outfits. If you’re looking for a bold splash of color to your wardrobe, then this free tapestry crochet clutch pattern is perfect for you! Soon you’ll want to add crochet animal print to all of your projects!
Scroll down to get the free crochet clutch pattern, or you can find a printable discounted PDF version of this pattern available in my Etsy and Ravelry stores. It’s also available with 29 other patterns in the E’Claire Makery Fall Fashion Bundle for just $15!
Want to save this pattern for later? Save it to your favorite Pinterest Board! (Save it from mine here!)
Construction
The Leopard Clutch is the perfect pattern to practice crochet color work! It has a simple beginner friendly construction, so that you can focus on making your clutch without needing to know anything complicated. It’s worked flat in a rectangle to make it easy to carry yarn, and not have to do any added techniques beyond half double crochet. If you’re new to tapestry crochet, then this free pattern will help you learn it!
Want a printable version of this pattern? Find a printable discounted PDF version of this pattern available in my Etsy and Ravelry stores!
To make this color work design, I used the Leopard Stitch, a stitch pattern that I created this summer. This pattern uses a repeat of doing the stitch pattern twice across and then twice upward. If you’ve like to practice the Leopard stitch pattern before you start this project, you can find the full tutorial for it here on my blog at: Leopard Stitch Tutorial.
There’s also a tutorial on my Youtube channel for this pattern that walks you through everything you’ll need to make it! I walk you through everything from how to change colors, how to read a chart, and other tapestry crochet techniques. You can find it on my channel at: Leopard Clutch Free Pattern Tutorial.
New to Tapestry Crochet or Crochet Crochet Color Work?
When I was first learning how to do crochet color work, I often felt so lost having to learn how to do color changes and reading crochet graphs. It can seem so intimidating to learn a new crochet skill! If you’re new to tapestry crochet or color work, then I’ve got just the resource for you.
Here on my blog, I’ve got a two free crochet tutorial for how to do tapestry crochet and intarsia crochet, which are the two most common crochet color work techniques. They’ll walk you through what each technique is, how to read crochet graphs, how to change colors in crochet, and a bunch of other tips I have for color work! You can find them here on my blog at:
– The Beginner’s Guide to Tapestry Crochet: (This technique is used when you would like to carry your yarn, and the color work is close together. I used this technique for the Leopard Clutch.)
– The Beginner’s Guide to Intarsia Crochet:This technique is used when you don’t want to carry your yarn, and instead would like to use yarn bobbins.)
I’ve also created a step by step tutorial for how to crochet this clutch pattern or to do the stitch pattern! You can find them on my Youtube channel at:
– Leopard Clutch Step by Step Tutorial
The Yarn
To make the Leopard Clutch, you’ll need a few different worsted weight yarns. I used We Crochet Upcycle Reserve for my main color, because it’s a nice sturdy wool yarn that is great for purses. For the yarn colors for the spots, I think We Crochet’s Wool of The Andes Tweed in Willies Heather and Sarsaparilla. The tweed speckles compliment the wool of the Upcycle Reserve so well!
You can also use any other yarns that you have in your stash! When I made mine, I used the We Crochet Upcycle Reserve, some left over Lion Brand Basic Stitch yarn, and some black yarn from my stash. This makes a great stash buster project.
Gauge: 14 hdc x 9 rows = 4”/10 cm
Supplies:
- Worsted Weight 4 yarn in the following amounts/colors
- (MC) We Crochet Upcycle Reserve (100% recycled wool; 210 yds/100 g skein)
- 1 skein Amarillo (You can also substitute this yarn for any worsted weight yarn)
- (CC1) Any worsted weight 4 yarn in Black – 75 yards
- (CC2) Any worsted weight 4 yarn in Brown – 75 yards
- (MC) We Crochet Upcycle Reserve (100% recycled wool; 210 yds/100 g skein)
- US Size K (6.5mm) crochet hook
- Yarn needle
Abbreviations:
- Ch = chain
- Hdc = half double crochet
- St = Stitch
- RS = Right Side
- WS = Wrong Side
Pattern Notes:
- This pattern is made using US crochet terminology.
- Ch 1 at beginning of row does not count as a stitch.
- The pattern involves color changes using tapestry or intarsia crochet. Experience with color work is recommended, but if you’re a beginner to tapestry crochet than you can totally do it! For a tutorial on how to do tapestry crochet, check out my Beginner’s Guide to Tapestry Crochet. For the tutorial for how to do intarsia crochet, check out my Beginner’s Guide to Intarsia Crochet.
- Want to avoid crochet mistakes while crocheting this pattern? Learn how to avoid them with my post on my blog: 10 Mistakes Common Mistakes Crocheters Make and How to Avoid Them.
- Color changes happen in the middle of the rows in this pattern. The color changes are indicated in the written pattern by a new color in parentheses (for example: (MC) sc 1, (SC) sc 2
Chart Notes:
- Each square on the chart represents 1 stitch.
- The chart is read starting from right to left, and alternating starting on each side of the chart.
- All odd numbered rows are right side rows, and all even rows are wrong side rows.
Leopard Stitch Chart:
Leopard Clutch Video Tutorial:
Leopard Clutch Pattern
Find a printable discounted PDF version of this pattern available in my Etsy and Ravelry stores. For detailed instructions on how to make this pattern, check out my Youtube tutorial at: Leopard Clutch Free Pattern Tutorial.
STARTING WITH MC, CH 2
ROW 1 [RS]: (MC) ch 42, starting in third ch from hook, hdc 40 [40 sts]
ROW 2 [WS]: (MC) hdc 40 [40 sts]
ROW 3 [RS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, *hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 2, (MC) hdc 3, (CC1) hdc 2, (MC) hdc 4, (CC1) hdc 4, (MC) hdc 4, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 4 [WS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 3, (CC1) hdc 2, (CC2) hdc 2, (CC1) hdc 2, (MC) hdc 2, (CC1) hdc 1, (CC2) hdc 2, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 1, (CC2) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 1, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 5 [RS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 1, (CC2) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 2, (CC1) hdc 1, (CC2) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 3, (CC1) hdc 2, (CC2) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 3, (MC) hdc 2, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 6 [WS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 3, (CC1) hdc 4, (MC) hdc 4, (CC1) hdc 3, (MC) hdc 3, (CC1) hdc 2, (MC) hdc 1, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 7 [RS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 20, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 8 [WS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 4, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 10, (CC1) hdc 4, (MC) hdc 1, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 9 [RS]:(MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 2, (CC2) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 2, (MC) hdc 3, (CC1) hdc 2, (MC) hdc 3, (CC1) hdc 1, (CC2) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 3, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 10 [WS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 3, (CC1) hdc 1, (CC2) hdc 2, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 1, (CC2) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 2, (CC1) hdc 2, (CC2) hdc 3, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 1, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 11 [RS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 1, (CC2) hdc 3, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 3, (CC1) hdc 2, (MC) hdc 3, (CC1) hdc 2, (MC) hdc 4, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 12 [WS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 14, (CC1) hdc 2, (CC2) hdc 2, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 1, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 13 [RS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 2, (CC2) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 12, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 2, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 14 [WS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 1, (CC2) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 2, (CC1) hdc 5, (MC) hdc 4, (CC1) hdc 4, (MC) hdc 1, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 15 [RS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 9, (CC1) hdc 2, (CC2) hdc 2, (CC1) hdc 2, (MC) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 3, (MC) hdc 1, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 16 [WS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 5, (CC1) hdc 1, (CC2) hdc 4, (CC1) hdc 2, (MC) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 3, (MC) hdc 4, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 17 [RS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 3, (CC1) hdc 1, (CC2) hdc 2, (CC1) hdc 1, (MC) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 2, (CC2) hdc 3, (CC1) hdc 2, (MC) hdc 5, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 18 [WS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 6, (CC1) hdc 2, (CC2) hdc 1, (CC1) hdc 3, (MC) hdc 2, (CC1) hdc 2, (MC) hdc 4, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 19 [RS]: (MC) ch 2, turn, hdc 9, (CC1) hdc 4, (MC) hdc 7, repeat from * once [40 sts]
ROW 20-24: ch 2, turn, hdc 40 [40 sts]
ROWS 25-42: Repeat rows 3-19
ROW 43: ch 2, turn, hdc 40 [40 sts]
Fasten off yarn and weave in ends.
ASSEMBLY
To assemble/seam the pattern, start by folding the rectangle (wrong sides together) to where the bottom edge lines up right below the first set of spots. Pin the sides together. Then taking CC2, sc along each edge to seam each side up. If you’d like, You can also sc around the top of the clutch to give it the same style and border.
I hope that you love your new Leopard Clutch! If you make a Leopard Clutch of your own, be sure to tag me on social media, @eclairemakery and use #eclairemakery so that I can share your projects. I can’t wait to see what you make!
Happy stitching,
Claire
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