Cute & Easy Crochet Keychain — FREE Pattern

If you’ve been looking for the perfect beginner-friendly crochet project that’s quick to finish, incredibly satisfying to make, and adorable enough to show off or give as a gift, you’ve found it. This Chubbies Crochet Keychain pattern is exactly what you need. These little chubby charms are worked in the round, stuffed lightly, and finished with a keychain ring so you can take your crochet art everywhere you go. Whether you’re brand new to crochet or a seasoned maker looking for a fast and fun project between bigger pieces, this pattern is going to become one of your all-time favorites.

Let’s dive into everything you need to know — materials, stitches, step-by-step instructions, tips for customizing, and ideas for using your finished keychains.

What Are Chubbies?

Chubbies are tiny, plump, round crochet figures that have taken the handmade community by storm. Their charm lies in their simplicity — they’re essentially small amigurumi-style balls with a little personality added through color, facial features, and accessories. Because they’re worked with basic stitches in a small number of rounds, they’re ideal for learning in-the-round crochet, practicing the magic ring, and getting comfortable with increases and decreases.

As keychains, Chubbies are endlessly practical. You can attach them to backpacks, tote bags, lanyards, zipper pulls, or car keys. They make fantastic last-minute gifts, party favors, craft fair items, or simple acts of kindness. Once you make your first one, you’ll want to make one in every color.

Materials You’ll Need

Before we get into the pattern itself, let’s talk about what you’ll need to gather. The great news is that this project uses very little yarn, so it’s a wonderful way to use up scraps from your stash.

Yarn: You can use almost any weight of yarn for this project, but the recommended choice is a DK weight or worsted weight yarn in whatever color or colors you love. A single Chubby keychain uses only a small amount — often less than 10 grams — so this is the perfect scrap-busting project. Cotton yarn gives a slightly stiffer, more structured result, while acrylic yarn tends to be softer and squishier. Both work beautifully.

Crochet Hook: The hook size should correspond to your yarn weight. For DK weight, a 3.5mm or 4.0mm hook works well. For worsted weight, try a 4.5mm or 5.0mm hook. Going down a hook size from the yarn’s recommendation creates a tighter fabric that holds stuffing in better, which is ideal for amigurumi-style projects.

Polyfill Stuffing: A small amount of polyester fiberfill stuffing is all you need to give your Chubby its signature round, plump shape. Don’t overstuff — the goal is firm but not stretched. You want the stitches to stay closed and the shape to be round and pleasing.

Safety Eyes: Two 6mm or 8mm black safety eyes give your Chubby personality. Make sure to insert these before you finish stuffing and closing the piece, because once the opening is too small, it’s difficult to attach them safely. If you’re making these for young children or babies, you can embroider eyes instead using black yarn or embroidery floss for a completely safe alternative.

Yarn Needle: A blunt tapestry needle or yarn needle is essential for weaving in ends and optionally embroidering details.

Scissors

Keychain Ring or Split Ring: A standard 25mm keychain ring or a smaller 20mm split ring works perfectly. You’ll attach your finished Chubby using a short loop of yarn or a small piece of chain.

Stitch Marker: A locking stitch marker or even a scrap piece of yarn to mark the beginning of each round is helpful, especially for beginners.

Abbreviations & Stitches Used

This pattern uses US crochet terminology.

MR — Magic Ring (also called Magic Circle)
ch — chain
sl st — slip stitch
sc — single crochet
inc — increase (2 single crochets in the same stitch)
dec — decrease (invisible decrease: insert hook into the front loop of the next two stitches, yarn over and pull through both loops, yarn over and pull through remaining two loops)
st(s) — stitch(es)
BLO — back loop only

Gauge

Exact gauge isn’t critical for this project, but for reference, using worsted weight yarn and a 4.0mm hook, the finished Chubby keychain should be approximately 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter. If you want a larger or smaller Chubby, simply adjust your hook size or yarn weight accordingly.

Pattern Notes

This pattern is worked in continuous rounds (a spiral). Do not join rounds with a slip stitch unless specifically instructed. Use a stitch marker to track the beginning of each round.

The invisible decrease is strongly recommended over the standard single crochet decrease because it creates a smoother, less gappy surface, which looks more polished on the finished piece.

Leave a long tail when you fasten off to use for closing the opening and attaching any embellishments.

The Chubby Keychain — Free Crochet Pattern

Round 1

Start with a magic ring and work 6 single crochets into the ring. Pull the tail to close the ring. You now have 6 stitches. Place your stitch marker in the last stitch to mark the end of Round 1.

Round 2

Increase in every stitch around. Work 2 single crochets into each of the 6 stitches. You now have 12 stitches.

Round 3

Single crochet in the next stitch, increase in the next stitch. Repeat from to around. You now have 18 stitches.

Round 4

Single crochet in the next 2 stitches, increase in the next stitch. Repeat from to around. You now have 24 stitches.

Round 5

Single crochet in the next 3 stitches, increase in the next stitch. Repeat from to around. You now have 30 stitches.

Rounds 6, 7, and 8

Single crochet in each stitch around. You still have 30 stitches at the end of each round.

Attaching the Safety Eyes

Before continuing, this is the time to attach your safety eyes. Count 9 to 10 stitches from the center front of your work, place the eyes about 4 to 6 stitches apart, and secure the backs firmly. If you’re planning to embroider eyes instead, you can do this after closing the piece.

Round 9

Single crochet in the next 3 stitches, decrease over the next 2 stitches. Repeat from to around. You now have 24 stitches.

Round 10

Single crochet in the next 2 stitches, decrease over the next 2 stitches. Repeat from to around. You now have 18 stitches.

At this point, stuff your Chubby firmly with polyfill. This is your last easy chance to add stuffing before the opening becomes small. Make sure the shape is round and even.

Round 11

Single crochet in the next stitch, decrease over the next 2 stitches. Repeat from to around. You now have 12 stitches.

Round 12

Decrease over every 2 stitches around. You now have 6 stitches.

Add any additional stuffing at this point if needed.

Closing

Fasten off, leaving a long yarn tail of about 10 to 12 inches. Thread the tail onto your yarn needle and weave the needle through the front loops of the remaining 6 stitches, then pull gently but firmly to close the opening completely. Pull the tail through to the inside of the piece by inserting the needle back through the body and out the other side, then trim.

Attaching the Keychain Ring

There are a few ways to attach your finished Chubby to a keychain ring.

The simplest method is to cut a short length of yarn (about 6 inches), fold it in half, insert the folded loop through the top of your Chubby using a yarn needle or crochet hook, thread both ends through the loop to create a lark’s head knot, and then tie both ends through the keychain ring. Trim ends and apply a tiny drop of fabric glue if desired to secure the knot.

Another option is to crochet a small chain of about 8 to 10 stitches, fasten off, and use that as the attachment loop. This gives a slightly more finished look and keeps the yarn from wearing through over time.

You can also use a small jump ring from any craft store to attach a lobster clasp or hook, which makes the keychain more durable and easier to swap between bags.

Customizing Your Chubby Keychain

This is where things get really fun. The basic Chubby body is just the beginning. Here are some ideas for personalizing each one.

Color Play: Use self-striping yarn for an automatically colorful result. Work each round in a different color for a rainbow effect. Use two strands of different-colored yarn held together for a tweedy, textured look.

Cheeks: After completing the body, use a small amount of pink or peach yarn and a yarn needle to embroider small circles on either side of the face for rosy cheeks. You can also use a pink makeup blush and a cotton swab to add subtle color to the finished piece.

Mouth: Embroider a simple curved line with black embroidery floss or dark yarn for a smile. A few stitches go a long way.

Ears: Crochet two small ovals or half-circles separately and sew them to the top of the head to make animal versions. A few pink stitches in the center make perfect inner ears for a bunny or bear.

Bow: Make a tiny granny square or a crocheted bow and attach it to the top or side of the head for a sweet, feminine look.

Hat or Crown: A mini top hat or a tiny crocheted crown takes only a few extra minutes and elevates the keychain into a full character.

Seasonal Themes: Make pumpkin Chubbies in October using orange yarn and add a tiny green stem. For winter, make them in white with a carrot-colored nose for a snowman effect. For spring, use pastel colors and add tiny floral details.

Fruit and Food Versions: Work the body in red and add a small green leaf at the top for a strawberry. Use yellow yarn for a lemon, green for a lime, or brown with a darker spot for a chocolate chip cookie. The possibilities are truly endless.

Tips for Beginners

If this is one of your first amigurumi or in-the-round projects, here are a few tips to help you succeed.

Starting with a magic ring can feel tricky at first. If you’re struggling, you can chain 2 and work your 6 single crochets into the second chain from the hook instead. It creates a tiny hole at the center but works just as well for small projects like this.

Count your stitches at the end of every round. It only takes a moment and saves you a lot of frogging (unraveling) later. One missed increase or decrease can throw off the whole shape.

Use a contrasting color scrap of yarn as your stitch marker rather than a plastic one if you don’t have any on hand. Just loop it around the last stitch of the round and move it up as you go.

When doing the invisible decrease, make sure you’re inserting the hook into the front loops only of the two stitches. This is what makes the decrease nearly invisible on the surface of your work.

Practice keeping an even tension. If you crochet very tightly, the surface will be firmer and you’ll be able to use a slightly larger hook than recommended. If you tend to crochet loosely, go down a hook size to keep the stuffing from showing through.

Ideas for Gifting and Selling

Chubbies make wonderful handmade gifts for just about anyone. Make a matching set in someone’s favorite colors, their school or team colors, or colors that reflect their personality. Pair a Chubby keychain with a handwritten card for a thoughtful, personal touch that cost very little to make.

If you’re interested in selling handmade items at craft fairs, Etsy, or local markets, Chubby keychains are excellent sellers. They’re affordable to produce, quick to make in batches, and appeal to a wide audience — from kids to adults. Because they use so little yarn, you can make a variety of colors and styles without spending much money on materials.

When selling items made from this free pattern, be sure to credit Chubbiesbyash as the original pattern designer. Many designers request this as a courtesy, and it’s simply good practice in the handmade community to acknowledge the creative work of others.

Caring for Your Chubby Keychain

Most acrylic yarn Chubbies can be hand washed in cool water with a small amount of gentle soap, then reshaped and air dried. Avoid wringing or twisting the piece, as this can distort the shape and potentially cause the safety eyes to loosen over time.

Cotton Chubbies are slightly more durable for washing but may take longer to dry thoroughly. Make sure the stuffing dries completely to prevent any mustiness.

If you’re making Chubbies to use outdoors frequently — attached to outdoor gear or a backpack that gets rained on — consider spraying the finished piece lightly with a fabric protector spray to extend its life.

Why You’ll Love This Pattern

The beauty of this pattern is in how much joy it creates for so little effort. In under an hour, you can go from a ball of yarn to a finished, adorable little charm that makes you smile every time you reach for your keys. It’s the kind of project that feels rewarding from the very first stitch, and that reward doesn’t diminish after the hundredth Chubby — if anything, making them gets more satisfying as your skills improve and your creativity with customization expands.

This pattern is free because the goal is to share the joy of crochet as widely as possible. Whether you’re crocheting alone on a quiet evening, teaching a beginner friend, hosting a crochet night with a group, or just looking for something to do with your hands while watching your favorite show, this Chubby keychain pattern is always the right answer.

Share your finished Chubbies on social media and tag Chubbiesbyash — the crochet community loves seeing how makers interpret patterns and put their own creative spin on a design. Your version might just inspire someone else to pick up a hook for the very first time.

Happy crocheting, and enjoy every stitch.