Crochet Mushroom Keychain Tutorial | Cute Beginner Crochet Project

If you’ve been scrolling through social media lately, you’ve probably noticed the explosion of adorable crochet keychains hanging from bags, backpacks, and keys everywhere. Among all the miniature amigurumi-style accessories taking over the handmade world, the crochet mushroom keychain stands out as one of the most charming and satisfying little projects you can make. It’s compact, it’s cute, it’s quick to finish, and it makes an incredibly thoughtful handmade gift.

Whether you’re completely new to crochet or you’ve been crocheting for years and just want a quick weekend project, this tutorial is going to walk you through everything you need to know to make your very own crochet mushroom keychain from scratch. We’ll cover the materials, the basic stitches you’ll need to know, and then go step by step through the entire pattern — including the cap, the stem, the assembly, and the finishing touches.

Let’s get into it.

Why You’ll Love This Project

Before we jump into the pattern itself, let’s talk about why the crochet mushroom keychain deserves a spot on your project list.

First, it’s genuinely beginner-friendly. The entire project uses only a handful of basic crochet stitches — primarily single crochet and slip stitch — so even if you just learned to crochet last week, you can absolutely make this. There are no complex stitch combinations, no confusing construction, and no tricky shaping.

Second, it works up fast. Most crocheters finish an entire mushroom keychain in under two hours. Some people whip them out in 45 minutes once they’ve made a couple. That makes this the perfect project for when you want the satisfaction of completing something without committing to a multi-week undertaking.

Third, the customization potential is enormous. Once you know the basic pattern, you can change colors to make classic red-and-white toadstools, pastel cottagecore mushrooms, spooky Halloween-themed varieties, or even galaxy-colored fantasy mushrooms. You can add embroidered faces, tiny flowers, or decorative stitches on the cap. You can attach them to keychains, bag charms, zipper pulls, or even earring hooks.

And finally, they make wonderful gifts. A set of three or four mushroom keychains in coordinating colors, packaged in a little pouch or tied with ribbon, costs almost nothing to make but looks genuinely special. People absolutely love receiving handmade items, especially ones this cute.

Materials You’ll Need

Gathering your materials before you start will make the whole process much smoother. Here’s what you’ll need for one mushroom keychain.

Yarn: You’ll need a small amount of yarn in two colors — one for the mushroom cap and one for the stem. Worsted weight yarn (size 4) works beautifully and is the easiest to work with for beginners. The amounts are tiny — we’re talking scraps, really — so this is a perfect stash-busting project. Classic colors are red for the cap and cream or white for the stem, but truly any combination works. Some popular combinations include brown and tan for an earthy forest mushroom, purple and lilac for a fantasy vibe, or pastel pink and white for a soft cottagecore aesthetic.

Crochet Hook: A 3.5mm or 4mm hook works well with worsted weight yarn for amigurumi-style projects. You want to go down one hook size from what the yarn label suggests, which creates a tighter fabric that keeps your stuffing inside and gives the finished piece a firm, clean shape.

Polyester Fiberfill: A small pinch of stuffing is all you need. You can find fiberfill at any craft store, and a single bag will last you through dozens of these little projects.

Keychain Ring and Jump Ring: These are available in bulk online or at craft stores for very little money. The keychain ring is the part that clips onto keys or a bag. The jump ring connects it to your crocheted piece.

Yarn Needle: You’ll need a blunt-tipped tapestry needle for sewing pieces together and weaving in your ends.

Scissors: Any small pair works.

Safety Eyes (Optional): 6mm or 8mm black safety eyes give your mushroom a face and add a ton of personality. You attach these before closing the piece up, so make sure you have them ready before you start stuffing.

Stitch Marker: A simple split-ring stitch marker or even a small piece of contrasting yarn will help you track the beginning of your rounds.

Basic Stitches You’ll Need to Know

This pattern uses just a few stitches. If you’re a true beginner, it’s worth spending ten minutes practicing these before you dive into the pattern.

Magic Ring (also called a Magic Circle): This is how you start crocheting in the round without leaving a hole at the center. To make a magic ring, wrap the yarn around two fingers to form a loop, insert your hook through the loop, pull up a loop of working yarn, chain one to secure, and then work your stitches into the ring. When you pull the tail end, the ring closes. If the magic ring feels too tricky at first, you can chain two and work your first round of stitches into the second chain from the hook — it’s a fine alternative.

Chain (ch): The most fundamental crochet stitch. Insert hook into a loop, wrap yarn over hook, pull through.

Single Crochet (sc): Insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.

Increase (inc): Work two single crochets into the same stitch. This is how you make your circle grow larger.

Decrease (dec) or Invisible Decrease: Insert hook through the front loops only of the next two stitches, yarn over, pull through both front loops (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all loops. This creates a tidy decrease without the typical “hole” of a standard sc2tog.

Slip Stitch (sl st): Insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook in one motion.

That’s genuinely all you need. If you can do these, you can make this mushroom.

Understanding the Pattern Notation

Crochet patterns use shorthand, so here’s a quick guide to what you’ll see:

• MR = Magic Ring
• sc = single crochet
• inc = increase (2 sc in one stitch)
• dec = decrease (sc2tog or invisible decrease)
• ch = chain
• sl st = slip stitch
• ( ) = work the stitches inside parentheses the number of times indicated
• [ ] = total stitch count at end of round

Rounds are worked continuously (in a spiral) unless otherwise noted. Place your stitch marker at the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go.

The Crochet Mushroom Keychain Pattern

Part One: The Mushroom Cap

Start with your cap color.

Round 1: Make a magic ring. Work 6 sc into the ring. Pull the tail to close the ring. [6]

Round 2: Inc in each stitch around. [12]

Round 3: (sc 1, inc) repeat 6 times. [18]

Round 4: (sc 2, inc) repeat 6 times. [24]

Round 5: (sc 3, inc) repeat 6 times. [30]

At this point you should have a small flat circle with 30 stitches. This is the top of the mushroom cap.

Round 6: Work 1 sc in each stitch around. [30]

Round 7: Working in back loops only, work 1 sc in each stitch around. [30] — This creates a defined edge that will become the brim of the mushroom cap.

Round 8: (sc 3, dec) repeat 6 times. [24]

Round 9: (sc 2, dec) repeat 6 times. [18]

Before continuing, this is the moment to insert your safety eyes if you’re using them. Position them between Rounds 7 and 8 of the cap, spacing them about 4 to 6 stitches apart, looking outward from the underside. Secure the washers on the inside.

Round 10: (sc 1, dec) repeat 6 times. [12]

Lightly stuff the cap at this point. You want it to hold its dome shape but not be overstuffed — a little goes a long way with these small pieces. The cap should feel firm but not stretched.

Round 11: Dec 6 times. [6]

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Use your yarn needle to close the remaining hole by running the tail through the front loops of the 6 remaining stitches and pulling tight. Weave in the tail on the inside.

Part Two: The Mushroom Spots (Optional but Adorable)

If you want the classic white-spotted toadstool look, make two or three tiny circles before you assemble everything.

With white yarn, make a magic ring and work 6 sc into it. Pull tight to close. Fasten off with a long tail. Make two or three of these. Using your yarn needle, sew these flat circles onto the top of the mushroom cap in whatever arrangement you like. The classic look is one large spot on top and two smaller ones flanking it. You can also use a contrasting yarn color and simply embroider French knots or small satin-stitch circles directly onto the cap.

Part Three: The Mushroom Stem

Switch to your stem color.

Round 1: Make a magic ring. Work 6 sc into the ring. [6]

Round 2: Inc in each stitch around. [12]

Round 3: (sc 1, inc) repeat 6 times. [18]

Round 4: Working in back loops only, sc in each stitch around. [18] — This creates the brim/flange at the top of the stem that will tuck under the cap.

Rounds 5 through 8: Sc in each stitch around (4 rounds total). [18 each round]

Round 9: (sc 1, dec) repeat 6 times. [12]

This is the time to add your stuffing to the stem. Again, use just a small amount — you want the stem to hold its cylindrical shape without being lumpy.

Round 10: Dec 6 times. [6]

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Close the hole the same way you closed the cap, weaving in the end on the inside.

Part Four: Adding a Face (Optional)

If you didn’t use safety eyes, now is a lovely time to embroider a sweet little face onto the front of the stem or the underside of the cap. Use black embroidery floss or a thin black yarn for best results.

For eyes, two small vertical straight stitches or tiny “X” shapes look adorable. For a smile, a simple curved backstitch creates a sweet expression. You can also add rosy cheeks using pink embroidery floss with a few small satin stitches, or use a light pink colored pencil or blush to add a soft blush effect once the piece is done.

Part Five: Assembly

Now it’s time to put the mushroom together.

Hold the stem so the flange (the round brim you created in Round 4 of the stem) faces upward. Hold the cap so the opening faces downward. The flange of the stem should fit up into the hollow underside of the cap.

Using your yarn needle and a length of the cap color or stem color (whichever is less visible), whipstitch the stem to the cap by sewing through the edge stitches of both pieces all the way around. Pull your stitches snugly so the join is firm and doesn’t leave a gap. Weave in all ends securely.

Your mushroom is now assembled. Take a moment to look at it and see if the face (if you added one) is positioned the way you want. The classic placement has the face looking out from the front of the stem.

Part Six: Attaching the Keychain Hardware

Cut a short length of yarn — about 8 to 10 inches. Thread it through the top of the mushroom cap at the very center using your yarn needle, passing through from inside the cap to the outside. Thread a jump ring onto the yarn, then bring both ends together and tie a secure knot. You can reinforce this with a small dab of fabric glue or clear nail polish if you want extra security. Clip your keychain ring onto the jump ring, and you’re done.

Alternatively, if you have a short piece of chain, a lobster clasp, or a swivel clip, you can use those instead for a more polished, boutique look.

Tips for Making Your Mushroom Keychain Even Better

Working amigurumi-style pieces in the round takes a little practice, and there are a few things that will help you get a cleaner result.

Tension matters more than you might think for small items. Consistent, firm tension creates a piece that looks professional and keeps the stuffing from peeking through the stitches. If your stitches look loose or you can see gaps, try going down another half millimeter in hook size.

When you fasten off, always leave a longer tail than you think you’ll need. It’s much easier to trim a long tail than to re-thread a short one. A tail of at least 6 inches gives you plenty of room to sew, secure, and weave in comfortably.

The invisible decrease really does make a noticeable difference in amigurumi. The standard sc2tog leaves a slightly gappy, visible decrease line, while the invisible decrease creates a smooth surface. Take the extra moment to do it correctly and your finished piece will look much neater.

If you’re making several of these as gifts or to sell, consider making them assembly-line style — make all your caps first, then all your stems, then do all the assembly at once. It’s surprisingly faster than finishing one mushroom completely before starting the next.

Blocking isn’t typically necessary for small amigurumi pieces, but if your cap edges are curling in a way you don’t like, a light spritz of water and a gentle reshape followed by air drying can help the piece settle into a rounder, more even shape.

Ideas for Gifting and Displaying Your Mushroom Keychains

Once you’ve mastered the basic pattern, you’ll probably find yourself making these in batches. They are genuinely hard to stop making. Here are some fun ideas for what to do with your growing collection.

A set of mushrooms in a woodland color palette — deep red, warm brown, pale cream, soft orange — makes a beautiful gift set. Tie them together with a bit of twine and tuck them into a kraft paper bag with some tissue paper. Add a handwritten tag and you have a gift that feels thoughtful and personal without taking hours to assemble.

You can also skip the keychain hardware entirely and use these as bag charms, attached to a zipper pull or D-ring with a small carabiner. They look especially sweet on tote bags and canvas backpacks.

If you’re feeling festive, a Halloween-themed mushroom with a black cap dotted in orange, or a Christmas version in green with a red stem, can be hung as a tiny ornament. Just replace the keychain hardware with a ribbon loop.

For younger kids, you might skip the keychain altogether and instead sew a loop of ribbon to the top so they can hang their mushroom from a bulletin board or use it as a bag tag for a school backpack. Just be sure to attach everything very securely if it’s going to a child.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different yarn weight? Absolutely. DK weight yarn with a 3mm hook will create a slightly smaller, more delicate mushroom. Bulky yarn with a larger hook produces a chunkier, more playful version. Just adjust your hook size down from the yarn label’s recommendation to keep the fabric tight.

What if I don’t have a magic ring? Chain 2 and work your first round of stitches into the second chain from the hook. It leaves a slightly larger hole at the center, but it’s completely functional and many beginners find it easier.

How do I keep the keychain attachment secure? Double the yarn when attaching the hardware, knot it multiple times, and add a small amount of clear-drying fabric glue for peace of mind.

Can I sell these? Yes, this is an original pattern tutorial shared freely, and the mushrooms you make are yours to do with as you like, including selling. Handmade crochet keychains like these do very well at craft fairs and on platforms like Etsy.

My mushroom looks lopsided. What went wrong? The most common cause is inconsistent tension or miscounting rounds. Place your