10 rounds · filed under dense · 4 of them
Amigurumi · added 3 Oct 2026
Small crochet heart keychain with flower and leaf trim
Single crochet rounds build a dense, tight charm; a chained flower and flat leaf finish this mini heart keychain.
- Skill
- Beginner
- Time
- 1-2 hours
- Yarn
- Fingering
- Rounds
- 6
About this pattern
Single crochet worked round after round packs the loops close together, so the fabric comes out dense and firm rather than soft or stretchy. Each stitch locks against its neighbor, which is exactly what you want on something that gets clipped to keys and bags all day: it holds its shape under handling and does not sag or stretch out of round the way taller stitches would.
The piece builds outward from a magic ring in tight, closed circles, going from 6 stitches to 12 to 18, so it grows as a small flat-to-slightly-domed motif rather than a long tube. That shape is sized for a charm, not a toy, so once the rounds are done you attach the keychain ring and tuck on the separately made flower and leaf for a finished, pocket-sized accessory.
Feel free to adjust the pattern for size by increasing or decreasing the number of rounds or stitches.
Customize the colors and decorations according to personal preference.
The swatch in numbers
- Rounds
- 6
- Parts
- 3
- Level
- Beginner
- Time
- 1-2 hours
- Yarn
- Fingering
The yarn and the hook
- Thin yarn (preferably cotton yarn)
- Crochet hook (3.0 millimeters)
- Scissors
- Needle
- Keychain ring
- Silk yarn for the flower and leaf decorations
Stitches, spelled out
ch chain; st stitch; sl st slip stitch; sc single crochetDense; hdc half double crochetDense; dc double crochetDrape; inc increase; dec decrease; mr magic ringDense; fo finish off.
Tension and hand-feel
After round 1, the 6 single crochets should pull into a tight, closed circle with no visible gap at the center; lay it flat and check that it does not cup upward.
If the circle cups instead of lying flat, the stitches are too tight for the hook, so size up slightly; if it ripples at the edge, size down.
Making the Hat
Making the Flower
Using silk yarn, chain 3.
Join into a ring with a slip stitch into the first chain.
Chain 2, yarn over, pull through all loops on hook, slip stitch in the ring. Repeat from * to * four more times to create five petals.
Cut yarn, leaving a tail, and use the needle to secure and hide the yarn ends.
Making the Leaf
Chain 7.
Skip the first chain, make a single crochet in the next.
Make 5 half-double crochets, one in each of the next 5 chains.
Make a single crochet in the last chain.
Chain 2 and turn, repeating the stitches on the other side of the chain.
Cut yarn, leaving a tail, and use the needle to secure and hide the yarn ends.
How the texture is built
- Round 2 doubles every stitch (6 to 12), which is the sharpest increase in the piece and sets the tight curve right at the center where the magic ring sits.
- Round 3 spreads the increases out, working one plain single crochet before each increase stitch (12 to 18), which slows the growth rate and flattens the curve as the circle widens.
- Each round closes with a slip stitch join and a fresh chain 1 before the next round starts, keeping the rounds as distinct, level circles instead of a continuous spiral, which is what keeps the motif symmetrical rather than twisting off-center.
Putting the pieces together
If you swap the yarn
| Mercerized cotton, lace weight | Produces a smaller, even denser charm with a slight sheen; pair it with a hook a size down from the 3.0 millimeters called for to keep the stitches tight. |
|---|---|
| Acrylic, worsted weight | Makes a noticeably larger, puffier charm with a stiffer hand and less drape; move up to a larger hook so the stitches do not get locked too tight to work. |
| Bamboo-cotton blend, sport weight | Adds softness and a bit more drape to the main rounds while keeping a similar size to the original if you stay close to the 3.0 millimeter hook. |
Colorways
- Classic contrast Work the main rounds in red for the body, then use a yellow silk for the flower petals and a green silk for the leaf so the accents stand apart from the base.
- Soft tonal Work the main rounds in dusty pink, pair with cream silk for the flower petals and a sage silk leaf, keeping the whole charm in muted, closely related tones.
Washing and blocking
Hand wash the cotton body in cool water; cotton single crochet holds its shape well and will not go limp the way a looser fiber might.
Lay the piece flat to dry rather than hanging it, since a wet keychain charm can pull out of round under its own weight while damp.
Store the finished charm flat or loosely in a pouch rather than crammed in with keys, since the silk flower petals crush and lose their curl if pressed flat for long periods.
When it does not look right
- The round circle cups upward instead of lying flat
- The increase rounds are packed too tight for the stitch count; loosen your tension slightly on rounds 2 and 3 or move up a hook size.
- A visible hole remains at the very center after round 1
- The magic ring tail was not pulled snug before the first join; pull the starting tail tight and recheck before working round 2.
- The silk flower petals curl or flatten out of shape
- Silk yarn is slippery and the slip stitch at each petal base loosens easily; tighten that slip stitch and weave the tail through the base stitches to anchor the shape.
Close-ups
Questions people ask
Can this charm be made bigger than the sample size?
Yes, the notes allow for more rounds or stitches. Keep following the same pattern of doubling early and then spacing increases further apart, since that is what keeps the circle flat instead of ruffled.
Does the 3.0 millimeter hook work for the silk flower and leaf too?
It can, but silk is often finer than the main cotton, so the stitches may come out looser. If the petals feel floppy, drop to a slightly smaller hook for just that part.
Will the finished piece stretch out over time from being clipped to keys?
Single crochet worked in cotton has very little give, so the body of the charm keeps its density and shape even with regular handling. Only the hand-stitched attachment points, not the fabric itself, need occasional reinforcing.
How is the keychain ring attached once the rounds are finished?
Thread the cut tail onto the needle and stitch through the last round and the keychain ring a few times to anchor it firmly. Weave the end back through a few stitches afterward so it does not work loose.
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