Crochet Koala Amigurumi Tutorial | Keychain | Boneka Rajut

There is something undeniably charming about a tiny crocheted koala dangling from a bag or tucked into a pocket. Whether you call it amigurumi, boneka rajut, or simply a crochet stuffed toy, the koala is one of those animals that translates perfectly into yarn form — with its rounded ears, button nose, and sleepy expression, it practically begs to be miniaturized and carried everywhere. This tutorial will walk you through making your own crochet koala amigurumi from start to finish, including how to turn it into an adorable keychain you can keep for yourself or give as a handmade gift.

This pattern is written for beginners who are comfortable with a magic ring and single crochet, but even if you are brand new to amigurumi, this guide will explain every step in enough detail to get you there. Let us get started.

What Is Amigurumi?

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of crocheting or knitting small stuffed animals and characters. The word combines “ami,” meaning knitted or crocheted, and “nuigurumi,” meaning stuffed doll. In Indonesia and among the broader Southeast Asian crafting community, these are lovingly called boneka rajut — literally “knitted dolls” — and they have become an incredibly popular craft for both hobbyists and small business owners.

The koala is a favorite subject for amigurumi makers worldwide because of its distinctive silhouette. Those big round ears and that wide, flat nose create an instantly recognizable shape that works beautifully at a small scale, which is exactly what you need for a keychain.

Materials You Will Need

Before picking up your hook, gather everything on this list. Having your supplies ready before you begin will make the whole process smoother and more enjoyable.

Yarn: You will need a light gray or blue-gray yarn for the body, a slightly darker gray for the ear accents, and a very small amount of black or dark brown for the nose area. For a keychain size amigurumi, fingering weight or sport weight yarn works beautifully, though you can also use DK weight if you prefer a slightly larger result. Brands like Paintbox Simply DK, Lion Brand Comfy Cotton Blend, or any local yarn that has a smooth, consistent twist are all excellent choices.

Hook: Match your hook size to your yarn. For fingering weight, a 2.0 mm to 2.5 mm hook is ideal. For DK weight, a 3.0 mm hook works well. Going down a hook size from what the yarn label recommends is standard practice in amigurumi — the tighter tension creates a denser fabric that keeps the stuffing from showing through.

Safety eyes: Two 4 mm or 6 mm black safety eyes. If you are making this for a very young child, embroider the eyes with black yarn instead, as safety eyes can be a choking hazard.

Polyfill stuffing: A small amount of polyester fiberfill. You do not need much for a keychain-sized piece.

Stitch markers: A few locking stitch markers or even small pieces of contrasting yarn to mark the beginning of each round.

Yarn needle: A blunt tapestry needle for sewing pieces together and weaving in ends.

Scissors

Keychain ring and lobster claw clasp: Available at any craft store or online. You will also want a short length of strong thread or thin cord to attach the ring to your finished koala.

Optional: A tiny bit of pink or dusty rose yarn or felt to add blush marks to the cheeks. A small piece of black felt for the nose if you prefer a flat felt nose over a crocheted one.

Stitch Abbreviations and Notes

This pattern uses US crochet terminology throughout.

Magic ring (MR) — a foundation ring you can pull tight to close the center of your work. If you are not comfortable with a magic ring, you can chain 2 and work your starting stitches into the second chain from the hook, though the magic ring gives a cleaner finish.

Single crochet (sc) — the main stitch used throughout this pattern.

Increase (inc) — two single crochets worked into the same stitch.

Decrease (dec) — an invisible decrease worked across two stitches. Insert your hook into the front loop of the first stitch, then the front loop of the next stitch, and complete the stitch as normal. This method is much less visible than a standard sc2tog.

Slip stitch (sl st) — used to join rounds or finish sections.

Chain (ch) — used for a starting chain or for creating the loop for the keychain attachment.

FO — fasten off, leaving a tail long enough to sew pieces together.

All pieces are worked in continuous rounds unless otherwise noted. Do not join at the end of each round; instead, place a stitch marker at the beginning of each round and move it up as you go.

Pattern Instructions

Part One: The Head and Body

For a keychain-sized koala, the head and body are worked as one continuous piece, starting from the top of the head and working down.

Round 1: MR, 6 sc into the ring. (6 stitches)

Round 2: Inc in each stitch around. (12 stitches)

Round 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)

Round 4: (Sc 2, inc) repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)

Round 5: (Sc 3, inc) repeat 6 times. (30 stitches)

Rounds 6 through 11: Sc in each stitch around. (30 stitches, 6 rounds even)

This is the point where you want to place your safety eyes. Position them between rounds 8 and 9, approximately 6 to 7 stitches apart. The exact placement is up to you — closer eyes give a rounder, more babyish look, while eyes placed slightly farther apart read as a more grown-up koala. Once you are happy with the placement, attach the safety eye backing firmly on the inside.

Round 12: (Sc 3, dec) repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)

Round 13: (Sc 2, dec) repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)

Begin stuffing the head firmly at this point. You want it filled enough to hold its round shape without looking lumpy. Continue stuffing as you work the body.

Round 14: (Sc 1, dec) repeat 6 times. (12 stitches)

Round 15: Sc in each stitch around. (12 stitches) — this round forms the neck

Round 16: Inc in each stitch around. (24 stitches) — this begins the body

Round 17: (Sc 3, inc) repeat 6 times. (30 stitches)

Rounds 18 through 22: Sc in each stitch around. (30 stitches, 5 rounds even)

Round 23: (Sc 3, dec) repeat 6 times. (24 stitches)

Round 24: (Sc 2, dec) repeat 6 times. (18 stitches)

Add your final stuffing to the body here. The body should be a little less firm than the head — a slightly softer belly looks more natural and makes the finished koala easier to squish, which everyone loves.

Round 25: (Sc 1, dec) repeat 6 times. (12 stitches)

Round 26: Dec 6 times. (6 stitches)

Fasten off, leaving a short tail. Use your yarn needle to weave through the front loops of the remaining 6 stitches and pull tight to close. Weave in the end securely.

Part Two: The Ears

The koala’s ears are its most distinctive feature. Make two outer ears in light gray and two inner ears in dark gray, then join them together.

Outer ear (make 2 in light gray):

Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Round 2: Inc in each stitch. (12)
Round 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat 6 times. (18)
Round 4: Sc in each stitch around. (18)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Inner ear (make 2 in dark gray):

Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Round 2: Inc in each stitch. (12)
Round 3: Sc in each stitch around. (12)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail.

To assemble the ear, place the inner ear on top of the outer ear (wrong sides together) and whipstitch around the outer edge of the inner ear to attach it. The inner ear sits centered within the outer ear, leaving a border of light gray showing around the edges. Flatten the ear gently before sewing it to the head so it lies in that characteristic koala fan shape.

Position the ears on the top of the head, angling them slightly outward. Sew each ear securely to the head, stitching all the way around the base of the ear to keep it from flopping. The placement of the ears makes an enormous difference to the final look — ears placed too low make the koala look like a different animal entirely, so take your time here and pin them in place first if needed.

Part Three: The Arms and Legs (Optional for Keychain Version)

If you want your koala to be purely a head-and-body keychain ornament, you can skip the arms and legs entirely — plenty of makers do, and the result is still completely recognizable and adorable. If you want the full amigurumi look, here is how to make tiny limbs.

Arms (make 2):

Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Round 2: Inc in each stitch. (12)
Rounds 3 through 6: Sc in each stitch around. (12)

Stuff lightly. Flatten the open end and sew the arm closed using a flat seam through both layers, as if making a mattress stitch. Sew to the sides of the body at approximately round 18, angling them slightly forward.

Legs (make 2):

Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6)
Round 2: Inc in each stitch. (12)
Round 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat 6 times. (18)
Round 4: Working through back loops only, sc in each stitch. (18) — this creates the flat foot edge
Rounds 5 through 8: Sc in each stitch. (18)

The back loop round in round 4 creates a ridge that defines the foot. Stuff lightly and sew the leg flat. Attach to the lower body.

Part Four: The Nose

The koala’s nose is one of its most important features. You have two options here.

For a crocheted nose, use black or very dark brown yarn. MR, 8 sc into the ring. Fasten off and leave a long tail. Pull the magic ring closed to create a small oval shape. Sew this to the face centered between the eyes and about two rounds below them.

For a simpler felt nose, cut a small oval from black craft felt — approximately 1 cm wide and 0.7 cm tall. Use a needle and coordinating thread to stitch it securely to the face.

Once the nose is attached, use a yarn needle and black yarn to embroider a small “Y” shape beneath the nose — a short vertical line coming down from the center of the nose, then two short diagonal lines spreading outward from the bottom. This gives the koala its classic expression. Keep the stitches tiny; less is more here.

Part Five: Adding the Keychain

Once your koala is fully assembled, making it into a keychain is the easiest part of the whole project.

Cut a length of sturdy thread or thin waxed cord, approximately 8 to 10 cm long. Thread it through the top of the koala’s head — you can either pass it through the crocheted fabric between stitches at the very crown, or work a small crocheted loop into the top of the head before you close it up.

To make a crocheted loop, before you pull the head closed in round 26, chain 8, slip stitch into the base of the chain to form a loop, then continue closing the head as normal. This gives a neat, integrated attachment point.

Once your cord or loop is in place, thread it through the lobster claw clasp and the keychain ring, then knot or crimp it securely. A dab of clear-drying craft glue over the knot will prevent unraveling over time, especially if the keychain will see daily use.

Finishing Touches and Customization

The beauty of amigurumi is how much room there is for personalization. Here are a few ideas to make your koala uniquely yours.

Adding blush marks to the cheeks transforms the expression completely. Use a small amount of pink yarn and a yarn needle to take three or four tiny horizontal stitches on each cheek, just below and to the outside of the eyes. Alternatively, a blush brush and a tiny amount of pink eyeshadow applied directly to the yarn surface creates a soft, diffused glow that many makers prefer.

Changing the yarn color opens up a world of possibilities. While gray is the classic koala color, there is nothing stopping you from making a pastel lavender koala, a warm cream koala, or even a deep charcoal koala with high-contrast accents. The pattern works in any color.

If you are making these as gifts or to sell, consider adding a tiny gum leaf to the koala’s hands. A small crocheted leaf in green yarn, attached between the two arms, adds an instantly recognizable and sweet detail.

For a more polished keychain presentation, consider using a solid metal keyring rather than a split ring, and pairing it with a quality lobster clasp. These small hardware upgrades make handmade keychains look significantly more professional.

Tips for Amigurumi Success

Tension consistency is the single most important skill in amigurumi. Uneven tension creates gaps in your fabric and an uneven surface, so practice your gauge before starting the actual project. Try swatching a small circle and check that no stuffing would poke through between the stitches.

Always count your stitches at the end of every round. It takes only a few seconds and saves enormous frustration later. A missed increase or accidental extra stitch can throw off the shape of the whole head.

When sewing on pieces like ears and arms, use a pin or even a small piece of tape to hold the piece in place before committing to sewing. Walking around the room with your koala and looking at it from different angles is genuinely helpful before you start stitching.

Fasten off and weave in ends extremely securely. A keychain gets tugged and handled constantly, so take a few extra minutes to run your tail back and forth through the fabric in different directions before trimming.

Why Make Amigurumi Keychains?

Beyond the joy of making something with your hands, crocheted amigurumi keychains are one of the most practical and rewarding small craft projects you can take on. They use very little yarn — often less than a single skein — and they work up quickly once you know the pattern, making them ideal for craft fairs, online shop inventory, or a stash of heartfelt gifts ready to go whenever you need one.

In the boneka rajut community, koala keychains have become particularly popular because of their crossover appeal — they charm children and adults alike, they photograph beautifully for social media, and they are compact enough to mail flat in a bubble envelope. If you are building a small handmade business or a crafting community, this is an excellent pattern to have in your repertoire.

They also make wonderful teaching projects. If you have a friend or family member who wants to learn to crochet amigurumi, this koala is forgiving and satisfying enough to keep a beginner motivated while being complex enough that they genuinely learn something.

Final Thoughts

Making a crochet koala amigurumi keychain is one of those projects that delivers an outsized amount of delight for the time and materials invested. From the first magic ring to the moment you clip the lobster clasp onto your bag, you are working with a pattern that has real personality and charm baked right into its structure.

Take your time with the ear placement. Take your time with the face embroidery. The few extra minutes you spend getting the expression just right are the minutes that transform a nice little craft project into something someone will keep for years. That little koala, with its round ears and soft belly and sleepy nose, carries a surprising amount of warmth for something