Crochet Octopus Keychain Free Pattern

This crochet octopus keychain is proof that the most crowd-pleasing projects are often the simplest ones. Made entirely in one piece — no sewing, no assembly, no frustration — it uses just 30 yards of DK cotton and a 3mm hook, which means a single skein of scrap yarn can produce an entire set of keychains in an afternoon. All eight arms curl naturally as you work, giving the finished octopus that unmistakably adorable personality without any extra effort on your part.

Thirty yards of scrap cotton, one afternoon, and one very loveable finished keychain.

The finished octopus measures approximately 2 inches wide and 1.5 inches tall — the ideal size for clipping onto keys, school bags, pencil cases, and zip pulls without being in the way. This pattern also makes an outstanding handmade gift. Teachers, coworkers, friends, craft market browsers — every single person who spots one of these little charms immediately wants their own. Once you make your first, you will understand why.

Everything You Need to Get Started

One of the best things about this project is how little you need to make it. The full supply list is short enough to fit in a small project bag, and the yarn requirement is so low that scrap yarn from almost any other cotton project will do the job.

• DK Weight Cotton Yarn (Category 3) Approximately 30 yards per octopus. Cotton is the right choice here — it holds its shape beautifully at this scale, keeps the body firm without excessive stuffing, and washes well if the keychain is for a child. A soft milk cotton or any smooth DK cotton will work perfectly.
• 3mm Crochet Hook (US C-2 / D-3) This size pairs with DK cotton to give you a tight, dense fabric — essential for a small stuffed piece so the filling does not show through. If your tension is loose, size down to a 2.75mm.
• One Pair of 6mm Safety Eyes Black safety eyes give the octopus its personality. They are inserted and locked from the inside during Round 7, before the opening closes completely. If making this for a very young child, embroider the eyes with black yarn instead.
• Key Ring with Chain A standard split key ring works well. Linking two short chains together with a pair of pliers gives you more length and a more polished final look.
• Fiber Fill Stuffing, Locking Stitch Markers, and Tapestry Needle Stuff lightly — this is a keychain, not a plush toy. The stitch marker tracks your round starts throughout the head, and the tapestry needle weaves in the yarn tails to finish. A small amount of black yarn or embroidery thread completes the smile.
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Crocheting the Octopus Head

The head is worked in a continuous spiral from the top down. You will build it up with increase rounds, work a few straight rounds to establish the body, then decrease it back in to close the shape — leaving one strategic layer of unused loops at the very bottom that will anchor all eight arms.

Rounds 1–4 — Building the Crown

Rounds 5–6 — Working Straight (and Setting the Eyes)

Rounds 7–9 — Shaping, Stuffing, and Closing

Adding All Eight Arms

This is the step that makes the whole pattern — and it is far less complicated than it looks. You will be working into those 16 free front loops left at the base of Round 9. Each arm is simply a short chain worked back on itself, creating that characteristic natural curl. Join a fresh length of yarn here — or continue with the working yarn from a separate join if you prefer.

Starting the arms: Identify the tiny loop directly beneath the marked stitch (this is your first free loop) and the 16th free loop on the opposite side. Insert your hook through both loops at once, pull the yarn through, and make a slip stitch to join and anchor your yarn.

Repeat the arm sequence until all 8 arms are finished. After the 8th arm, slip stitch to the last remaining free loop on the head, then slip stitch to the base of the first arm to complete the circle. Fasten off, leaving a 12-inch yarn tail.

The Finishing Steps

Cinching the Base Closed

Add a little more stuffing through the bottom opening at this stage — once the base is cinched shut you cannot add more without reopening it. Using the 12-inch tail you fastened off at the end of Round 9, thread your tapestry needle and run a whip stitch through the front loop of each stitch around the bottom opening. Pull firmly to draw the opening closed. If any small gaps remain where stuffing peeks through, use the remaining tail to work a few tiny stitches across them, then bury the tail completely inside the head.

The Face and the Key Ring

Thread a small length of black yarn onto your tapestry needle and embroider a simple curved smile directly below the safety eyes — a single long stitch curved gently upward at each end. A tiny drop of fabric glue at each end of the smile, once dry, will hold the curve in place permanently.

Using the 12-inch tail left at the base of the arms, bring the needle up to the top of the head and use it to firmly stitch the key ring to the crown, working through the chain link several times for security. Once the key ring is fixed, bury the remaining tail inside the head. Your octopus keychain is complete and ready to use.

Five Tips for a Perfectly Finished Octopus

• Keep your tension tight and consistent Work with slightly tighter tension than you normally would for DK yarn — your hook should not glide through the stitches without resistance. A tighter fabric means the stuffing stays inside rather than peeking through the gaps, and the finished octopus will hold its round shape better over time.
• Always use locking stitch markers, never split ring markers This pattern requires moving a marker up on every single round. A locking marker clicks in and out of any stitch in a second. A split ring marker will snag the yarn and slow you down. If you only own split ring markers, a small loop of contrast yarn makes a perfectly functional substitute.
• Add the safety eyes early — do not wait Round 7 is your last comfortable opportunity to position the eyes. By Round 8 the opening is already narrow, and by Round 9 it is almost completely closed. Set the eyes during Round 6 or immediately after — test the position before locking the washers, because there is no correcting them once they are clicked into place.
• Understuff rather than overstuff the head This is a keychain, not a plush toy. A lightly filled octopus looks more refined, hangs better from a key ring, and keeps its round shape more reliably than one packed with stuffing. Fill to about 60% of what feels full, then step back and assess the shape before closing.
• Use cotton yarn, not acrylic, for the best results Cotton has almost no stretch, which means the arms hold their curl naturally and the body does not distort over time from being attached to keys. Acrylic yarn at this scale can look fuzzy and the arms may not curl as reliably. If you only have acrylic, add a tiny drop of fabric stiffener to the arms after finishing to encourage the curl.

Getting the yarn weight right for a small amigurumi piece makes a significant difference to the finished result. DK weight (Category 3) is the industry standard for small crocheted accessories and keychains because it produces the right balance of stitch definition, fabric density, and quick working speed. For a clear breakdown of every yarn weight category and what it means for your gauge and finished piece, the Craft Yarn Council's official yarn weight system is the most authoritative reference available.