Keychain Penguin Crochet Pattern — Old Library

There is something quietly magical about small things made by hand. A tiny penguin, no bigger than your thumb, dangling from a set of keys or tucked into a coat pocket — it carries a kind of warmth that no store-bought charm ever quite manages. This keychain penguin crochet pattern is one of those projects that feels deceptively simple at first glance, but by the time you finish the last stitch and weave in your final end, you realize you have made something genuinely charming. We are calling this design the Old Library, and the name suits it well. There is a certain quiet, bookish personality to this little bird — dignified, a little formal in its black and white coat, but with a soft belly and a curious tilt to its head that makes it impossible not to smile at.

Whether you are a seasoned crocheter looking for a weekend project, or someone who has just learned the magic loop and wants to try something small and satisfying, this pattern is written for you. We will walk through every step, every stitch count, and every shaping detail so that your penguin comes out plump, proportionate, and ready to live on a keychain for years to come.

About the Old Library Design

The Old Library penguin was inspired by the kind of creature you might imagine perched on a library shelf between two heavy volumes — patient, observant, and oddly wise. The color palette leans classic: deep charcoal or true black for the body, soft white for the belly, and a warm amber or orange for the beak and feet. You can of course adapt the colors. A dusty teal body with a cream belly gives a more vintage feel. A navy blue with a butter-yellow accent reads as playful and modern. A heathered gray with blush accents would make a lovely gift for someone who decorates in soft tones. The pattern structure stays the same regardless of your color choices, so treat the color notes as a starting point rather than a rule.

The finished penguin measures approximately 6 to 7 centimeters tall when stuffed firmly, which is exactly the right size for a keychain charm — substantial enough to feel satisfying in the hand, small enough not to weigh down your keys or clutter your bag.

Materials You Will Need

Before you sit down to crochet, gather everything so that you are not hunting for scissors mid-project. Here is what you need to complete the Old Library keychain penguin.

For yarn, you will want small amounts of worsted weight or DK weight yarn in your main color (the body, which we will call MC), a contrasting color for the belly panel (CC1), and a third color for the beak and feet (CC2). The quantities involved are truly small — this is an excellent stash-busting project. You likely need less than fifteen grams of your main color, less than five grams of the belly color, and just a few meters of the beak and feet color.

For the hook, a 3.5mm or 4mm crochet hook works beautifully with worsted weight yarn and produces a tight enough fabric that your stuffing will not peek through the stitches. If you are working with DK weight, lean toward the 3.5mm. Adjust as needed based on your personal tension.

You will also need polyester fiberfill stuffing, a yarn needle for seaming and weaving in ends, a pair of 6mm safety eyes (black is classic, though you could use a very dark brown for a warmer look), a small keyring or lobster clasp, and a short length of chain or jump rings if you want a bit of dangly distance between the charm and the ring itself. Optional but lovely: a tiny piece of stiff felt in orange or amber to reinforce the beak if you find that the crocheted beak does not hold its shape as firmly as you like.

One final note on materials: if this penguin is intended for a small child, skip the safety eyes and instead embroider eyes using black yarn. Embroidered eyes on a small child’s toy are always the safer choice.

Pattern Notes and Abbreviations

This pattern is written using standard US crochet terminology. Here is a quick reference for the abbreviations used throughout.

MR means magic ring. Ch means chain. Sl st means slip stitch. Sc means single crochet. Inc means increase, which is two single crochets worked into the same stitch. Dec means decrease, which is an invisible decrease worked over two stitches (insert hook into front loop of first stitch, then front loop of second stitch, yarn over, pull through both loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops). St means stitch. BLO means back loop only. FLO means front loop only. PM means place marker.

The penguin is worked in continuous rounds unless otherwise noted. Use a stitch marker to track the beginning of each round. When the pattern says to change color, do so at the last yarn over of the stitch before the new color begins.

The Pattern

Head and Body (worked as one piece, top to bottom)

We begin with the head and work continuously down into the body. This single-piece construction gives the penguin a smooth, seamless silhouette that looks far more polished than the alternative of sewing a separate head onto a body.

Start with your MC yarn.

Round 1: Make a magic ring, work 6 sc into the ring. Pull the tail to close. (6 sts)

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

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

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

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

Rounds 6 through 10: Sc in each stitch around. (30 sts, 5 rounds even)

At this point you have the rounded top of the head complete. This is the moment to attach your safety eyes. Place them between rounds 7 and 8, with approximately 8 to 10 stitches of space between them. The exact placement shapes the personality of your penguin more than any other detail, so take a moment to try different positions before committing.

Round 11: [Sc 3, dec] repeat 6 times. (24 sts)

Round 12: [Sc 2, dec] repeat 6 times. (18 sts)

Begin stuffing the head lightly at this point. You do not need to stuff it fully yet — just enough to hold the shape while you continue working.

Now we begin the body, which is wider than the head. The slight neck narrowing and body widening give the penguin its characteristic silhouette.

Round 13: [Sc 2, inc] repeat 6 times. (24 sts)

Round 14: [Sc 3, inc] repeat 6 times. (30 sts)

Round 15: [Sc 4, inc] repeat 6 times. (36 sts)

Rounds 16 through 22: Sc in each stitch around. (36 sts, 7 rounds even)

Round 23: [Sc 4, dec] repeat 6 times. (30 sts)

Round 24: [Sc 3, dec] repeat 6 times. (24 sts)

Round 25: [Sc 2, dec] repeat 6 times. (18 sts)

Add the rest of your stuffing now, filling the body firmly. A well-stuffed amigurumi holds its shape beautifully over time and survives the jostling of a keychain much better than one that is loosely filled.

Round 26: [Sc 1, dec] repeat 6 times. (12 sts)

Round 27: Dec 6 times. (6 sts)

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

Belly Panel

The belly panel is worked flat as an oval and then sewn onto the front of the body. Using CC1.

Ch 4.

Row 1: Starting in the second chain from hook, sc 2, then work 3 sc into the last chain. Continue along the opposite side of the foundation chain: sc 1, then work 2 sc into the first chain. (8 sts, working in the round now)

Round 2: Inc, sc 1, inc 3 times, sc 1, inc 2 times. (14 sts)

Round 3: Sc 1, inc, sc 3, inc, sc 1, inc, sc 3, inc, sc 1. (18 sts)

Round 4: Sc in each stitch around. (18 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Pin the belly panel to the front of the body, centering it between rounds 14 and 24 approximately. The oval shape should sit naturally against the curve of the body. Sew it on with small, neat stitches around the perimeter, making sure to catch only the surface of the body stitches so that your needle does not push through to the inside. Weave in the end.

Wings (make two)

The wings are worked flat and give the penguin that characteristic stubby-armed look. Using MC.

Ch 2.

Round 1: Work 6 sc into the second chain from hook. (6 sts)

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

Rounds 3 and 4: Sc in each stitch around. (12 sts)

Round 5: [Sc 2, dec] repeat 3 times. (9 sts)

Round 6: [Sc 1, dec] repeat 3 times. (6 sts)

Do not stuff the wings. Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Flatten the wing so the decreases form a natural taper at the tip, and sew closed the bottom opening with a couple of stitches. Then attach each wing to the side of the body at approximately round 18, positioning them slightly toward the back so the penguin has a natural, slightly self-important forward lean when set down on a flat surface. Sew each wing on securely by running the yarn tail through the attachment point several times, then weave in.

Beak

The beak is a tiny triangle worked flat. Using CC2.

Ch 4.

Row 1: Sc in second chain from hook, sc 1, sl st in last chain. (3 sts)

Row 2: Turn, ch 1, sc 1, sl st 1. (2 sts)

Row 3: Turn, ch 1, sl st 1. (1 st)

Fasten off, leaving a tail. Fold the piece gently to create a slight three-dimensional point, and sew it to the center front of the head, positioned between the eyes and approximately two rounds below them. The beak should sit with its flat edge against the face and its pointed tip projecting forward slightly. If you find the crocheted beak too floppy, cut a small diamond of stiff felt, fold it in half, and tuck it inside before you sew the final edge closed.

Feet (make two)

The feet are simple flat ovals that sit at the bottom of the body. Using CC2.

Ch 5.

Round 1: Starting in the second chain from hook, sc 3, then work 3 sc into the last chain. Continue along the opposite side: sc 2, then work 2 sc into the first chain. (10 sts)

Round 2: Sc in each stitch around. (10 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a tail. Sew each foot flat against the bottom of the body, positioned just forward of center so the penguin tilts ever so slightly forward on its feet, which is exactly how real penguins stand.

Attaching the Keyring

Cut a length of yarn in your MC color approximately 20 centimeters long. Thread it through your yarn needle and pass it through the top of the penguin’s head several times to create a secure loop. If you are using a short length of chain, thread the yarn through one end link of the chain, then secure both ends through the top of the head and tie them off firmly with several knots before trimming and hiding the tail inside the head. Attach your keyring or lobster clasp to the other end of the chain. Pull gently to test that the attachment can bear the weight of the charm before considering the project complete.

Tips for a Beautiful Finish

The single most important thing you can do to elevate this pattern is to use a hook size that gives you a tight, dense fabric. Loose stitches allow the stuffing to show through and give the finished piece a pilled, uneven look over time. If you can see daylight through your stitches when you hold the work up to a window, go down one hook size.

Stuff the body and head more firmly than you think is necessary. Amigurumi softens slightly over time and with handling, and a firmly stuffed penguin will hold its shape on a keychain far better than one that has any give to it.

Take your time with the beak and eye placement. These two details define the expression of your penguin entirely. Experiment by pinning the beak in several positions and taking a photo of each before you commit — you will often find that your first instinct is not quite as expressive as what you discover after trying a few alternatives.

When sewing the belly panel, use the same CC1 yarn rather than a separate thread. Matching thread creates an invisible seam that looks professional and intentional, while a contrasting thread or too-thick yarn creates a visible outline that looks messy from a short distance.

Variations to Try

Once you have made your first Old Library penguin, you may find yourself wanting to make a dozen more. The basic pattern lends itself beautifully to small variations. A tiny crocheted scarf in a contrasting color, wrapped once around the neck and secured with a small knot, gives the penguin an immediately cozy personality. A miniature graduation cap made from a small square of black felt and a snippet of yarn creates a charming gift for a graduate. A pair of tiny felt glasses, bent from fine wire and resting on the beak, earns the design its name more completely than anything else.

You can also adjust the size by working with fingering weight yarn and a 2.5mm hook, which produces a penguin roughly half the size — delicate and miniature, almost too small to believe. Alternatively, working with bulky yarn and a 6mm hook gives you a penguin closer to 10 centimeters, which makes a wonderful bag charm or ornament.

A Few Final Thoughts

The Old Library keychain penguin is the kind of pattern that becomes a touchstone in a maker’s repertoire. It is small enough to carry in a project bag and work on wherever you find a few spare minutes. It uses up scraps of yarn that might otherwise languish at the bottom of a basket. It finishes quickly, which means you experience the satisfaction of a completed project without the long investment of a larger piece. And it makes a genuinely lovely gift — personal in a way that purchased gifts rarely are, handmade in a way that telegraphs care and attention without requiring a recipient to do anything with it except enjoy it.

Keep this pattern somewhere you can find it easily. You will use it more than once.