Tiny Crochet Octopus Keychain 🐙 | Easy Amigurumi Tutorial

There is something undeniably charming about a tiny crocheted octopus dangling from your keys. It is soft, it is squishy, it has eight little legs and an expression that somehow looks both wise and slightly mischievous. If you have been wanting to try amigurumi — the Japanese art of crocheting small stuffed figures — this octopus keychain is one of the best places to start. The pattern is forgiving, the shape is simple, and the finished result is so cute that you will probably end up making a dozen of them before the week is out.

This tutorial walks you through every step from gathering your materials to attaching your keychain ring, and it includes tips along the way to help beginners feel confident and give more experienced crocheters a few ideas for customization. Whether you want to make a gift, decorate your bag, or simply enjoy a satisfying afternoon project, this little guy has you covered.

What Is Amigurumi and Why Is an Octopus a Perfect Starter Project?

Amigurumi (編み包み) literally translates to “knitted stuffed toy” in Japanese, though in practice the craft uses crochet almost exclusively. The defining characteristics of amigurumi are its round, chubby proportions, its use of single crochet worked in continuous rounds, and the way safety eyes give each creature a distinct personality. The style originated in Japan in the 1950s and has spread worldwide thanks to its accessibility — you do not need a lot of space, a lot of yarn, or a lot of time to make something genuinely delightful.

An octopus is ideal for beginners for a few reasons. The body is essentially one big round ball — a shape you will repeat in almost every amigurumi project you ever make, so mastering it here pays dividends forever. The tentacles are long, straight chains or simple tubes, which gives you practice with consistent tension without introducing complex shaping. There are no ears to sew on at awkward angles, no tiny fingers to stuff, and no fiddly color changes unless you want them. You can make a presentable, giftable octopus on your very first attempt.

Materials You Will Need

You do not need to rush out and buy expensive supplies. Most of what you need you may already have at home, and the rest is inexpensive and easy to find at any craft store or online.

Yarn: A small amount of worsted weight yarn (size 4) works beautifully for this project and is the easiest weight for beginners to handle. You can also use DK weight yarn with a slightly smaller hook for a daintier octopus. Choose any color you love — classic pink, deep teal, spooky purple, glow-in-the-dark yellow. For a single octopus you will use well under 50 grams, so this is an excellent stash-buster project.

Crochet Hook: A 3.5mm or 4mm hook is ideal for worsted weight. Going slightly smaller than the yarn label recommends helps create a tighter fabric so your stuffing does not show through the gaps.

Safety Eyes: 6mm safety eyes are a classic choice. If you are making this octopus for a baby or very young child, skip the safety eyes entirely and embroider the eyes instead with black yarn or embroidery floss, since safety eyes can be a choking hazard.

Polyfill Stuffing: Just a small pinch is needed for the body. Stuff it firmly enough that it holds its round shape without distorting the stitches.

Yarn Needle / Tapestry Needle: For weaving in ends and sewing the tentacles to the body.

Scissors

Stitch Marker: A locking stitch marker or even a piece of contrasting yarn to mark the beginning of each round.

Keychain Ring or Split Ring: A standard lobster clasp keychain or a simple split ring, available at craft stores or hardware stores. You can also use a cute swivel clip if you want the octopus to hang freely and spin.

Optional: A small length of chain, cord, or ribbon to connect the octopus to the ring if you want a bit of distance between them.

Abbreviations and Stitches Used

If you are new to crochet patterns, abbreviations can look intimidating. Here is every term used in this pattern spelled out clearly.

MR — Magic Ring (also called Magic Circle). A method of starting a round so there is no hole at the center. If you are not comfortable with the magic ring yet, you can chain 2 and work your stitches into the second chain from the hook instead.

sc — Single Crochet. The foundational stitch of amigurumi.

inc — Increase. Work two single crochets into the same stitch. This is how you make the fabric expand outward into a dome shape.

dec — Decrease (Invisible Decrease). Insert your hook through the front loops only of the next two stitches, yarn over, pull through both, yarn over, pull through both loops on hook. This creates a nearly invisible decrease compared to the standard sc2tog.

ch — Chain.

sl st — Slip Stitch. Used to join rounds if you are working joined rounds rather than continuous rounds.

FO — Fasten Off.

BLO — Back Loop Only. Working through only the back loop of a stitch creates a visible ridge, sometimes used for decorative effect or structural shaping.

All rounds in this pattern are worked in a continuous spiral (not joined), which is the standard amigurumi method. Use your stitch marker to track the first stitch of each round.

Pattern: The Octopus Body

The body is worked from the top down, starting at the crown and ending at the open bottom where you will attach the tentacles.

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

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

Round 3: sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 stitches)

Round 4: sc 2, inc repeat around. (24 stitches)

Round 5: sc 3, inc repeat around. (30 stitches)

Round 6: sc 4, inc repeat around. (36 stitches)

Rounds 7–12: sc in each stitch around. (36 stitches — work even for 6 rounds)

This is the widest, roundest part of the body. At this point, place your safety eyes between rounds 9 and 10, roughly 8 to 10 stitches apart. Push the post of each eye through from the outside, then secure the washer on the inside. Once the washer snaps on, it cannot be removed, so take a moment to position the eyes exactly where you want them before committing.

After placing the eyes, you can also embroider a small smile using black embroidery floss or black yarn. A simple curved line of two or three stitches gives your octopus a cheerful personality.

Round 13: sc 4, dec repeat around. (30 stitches)

Round 14: sc 3, dec repeat around. (24 stitches)

Round 15: sc 2, dec repeat around. (18 stitches)

Now stuff the body firmly with polyfill. Push the stuffing all the way up into the crown and make sure the shape is round and smooth. Do not overstuff to the point of distorting, but do stuff firmly — a body that is too loosely packed will look saggy after a few weeks of use as a keychain.

Round 16: sc 1, dec repeat around. (12 stitches)

Do not fasten off yet and do not close the bottom. Leave the opening as is — you will attach the tentacles here.

Pattern: The Tentacles

An octopus has eight tentacles. Each one is made separately and then sewn or attached around the opening at the bottom of the body. You can make them as simple chains, as small crocheted tubes, or as slightly tapered tubes for a more realistic look. All three methods are described below so you can choose based on your skill level and the look you want.

Method One — Simple Chain Tentacles (Fastest, Great for Beginners)

Cut eight lengths of yarn, each about 6 to 8 inches long. Fold each piece in half and use a lark’s head knot to attach them around the bottom opening of the body, spacing them evenly. You can leave them straight or curl each one around a pencil for a few seconds to create a slight natural curve. Trim to an even length when finished.

Method Two — Crocheted Chain Tentacles (Easy, Looks Polished)

For each tentacle, leave a long starting tail, chain 15 to 20 (adjust for length preference), then single crochet back along the chain, working one sc into each chain. Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. The return row of single crochets makes the tentacle curl naturally into a beautiful gentle spiral without any effort on your part. Make eight of these and sew them evenly around the bottom of the body.

Method Three — Crocheted Tube Tentacles (Intermediate, Looks Most Professional)

For each tentacle, make a magic ring, sc 4 into the ring, then work in continuous rounds of 4 sc each for 10 to 15 rounds. Fasten off. Leave a tail for sewing. These tiny tubes are a little more time-consuming but they look wonderfully chubby and three-dimensional. Make eight and sew them evenly around the bottom edge of the body.

Whichever method you choose, spacing is everything. Before sewing anything permanently, hold the tentacles up to the body and eyeball the placement. Evenly spaced tentacles give a clean, professional finish.

Attaching the Keychain Ring

Before you close the bottom of the body completely with your tentacles, you need to attach the keychain hardware. There are two clean ways to do this.

Method One — Top Loop: Before fastening off at the very beginning of your project, cut a 10-inch length of yarn, fold it in half, and thread the folded end through the magic ring before pulling it closed. Thread a keychain ring onto this loop and tie a firm knot. Hide the tails inside the body as you stuff. This is the cleanest method because the attachment point is hidden inside the body and the ring emerges from the very top of the head.

Method Two — Sewn Loop: After finishing the body, cut a short length of yarn (about 8 inches), fold it in half, and use your tapestry needle to sew the folded end securely through several stitches at the very top of the body. Thread your keychain ring onto the loop and knot it firmly. Weave the tails inside the body to hide them. This method works even if you forgot to plan ahead before starting.

For a more polished look, thread the yarn loop through a small metal jump ring first, then through the keychain ring. This reduces wear on the yarn over time and prevents the ring from fraying the fibers.

Finishing Touches

Once the body is stuffed, the eyes are in, the tentacles are attached, and the keychain ring is secured, weave in all your remaining yarn tails. Thread each tail onto your tapestry needle and run it through several stitches in different directions inside the body so it cannot pull loose, then trim close to the fabric.

Give your octopus a gentle squeeze and check the overall shape. If the stuffing has shifted during assembly, you can redistribute it by massaging the outside of the body. If any tentacles look uneven, you can gently tug them to adjust before the yarn fully sets.

If you used the embroidered smile, now is the time to check that it reads clearly. Sometimes the expression shifts slightly during stuffing. A single extra stitch or a careful tug on the floss can make a big difference.

Customization Ideas

One of the great joys of amigurumi is that every small design choice makes your creation uniquely yours. Here are some ideas for taking your octopus in different directions.

You could use variegated or self-striping yarn for the body to create an automatically colorful octopus with no extra effort. Ocean-inspired colorways — the kind that shift from navy to turquoise to seafoam — make a particularly stunning finished piece.

Alternatively, make the tentacles in a contrasting color by switching yarn at round 13 of the body and working the decrease rounds in a second color. This gives the underside-of-the-tentacles look that real octopuses have, with a lighter color below.

Add a tiny crown using a scrap of gold yarn and a few simple stitches. A regal octopus wearing a crown is a perennially popular design on social media and makes an especially impressive gift.

Use glow-in-the-dark yarn for a Halloween version, or use red yarn with black eyes for a deep-sea vampire squid vibe. Use pastel yarn and attach a tiny bow to make a kawaii-style octopus that looks straight out of a Japanese stationery store.

You can also scale the pattern up or down by changing your yarn and hook size. Use bulky yarn and a 6mm hook for an oversized version that works as a plush toy. Use fingering weight yarn and a 1.75mm hook for a microscopic octopus that would make an extraordinary charm or earring.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

The magic ring keeps loosening. After pulling it closed, weave the starting tail through a few nearby stitches right away. The tail acts as an anchor and keeps the ring from sliding open.

My rounds are spiraling visibly. This is completely normal with amigurumi worked in the round. Placing your stitch marker carefully at the beginning of each round and counting consistently will keep it from becoming noticeable.

The eyes look off-center. Place them before the decreasing rounds while you still have plenty of fabric to work with. Hold the body up and look at it from arm’s length before snapping the washers on.

The tentacles are uneven lengths. Count your chains or rounds carefully on each one before cutting the yarn. It helps to make all eight in one session so your tension stays consistent.

The stuffing is showing through the stitches. Either the hook is too large for your yarn weight or the tension is too loose. Try going down one hook size. White polyfill can also look distracting through dark-colored yarn; black or grey stuffing is available and makes a significant difference with deeper shades.

A Few Words on Gifting and Sharing

This octopus keychain has become one of those perfect small gifts — the kind that costs almost nothing to make but carries a tremendous amount of handmade warmth. A little tag tied around one tentacle with the recipient’s name on it makes it feel like a finished product. A tiny hang tag printed with a care note (“Made with love. Spot clean only. Not for children under 3.”) adds a professional touch if you plan to sell them at craft fairs or on platforms like Etsy.

If you do sell or gift items made from this pattern, please keep in mind that while this tutorial is free for personal use, selling finished items made from an independent designer’s pattern usually comes with its own etiquette — if you purchased a paid pattern elsewhere, check the designer’s terms. For this tutorial specifically, you are welcome to sell finished items made from it.

Final Thoughts

There is something meditative about making amigurumi. The steady rhythm of single crochets, the slow emergence of a shape, the moment when a pair of small plastic eyes suddenly transforms a blob of yarn into a creature with personality — it is deeply satisfying in a way that is hard to explain until you experience it yourself.

The tiny crochet octopus keychain is small enough to finish in a single afternoon but detailed enough to feel genuinely accomplished when it is done. It is the kind of project you can make while watching a movie, sitting on a train, or spending a rainy afternoon at home. And once you have made one, you will understand why crocheters talk about not being able to stop.

Pick up your hook, find your favorite color of yarn, and start that magic ring. Your octopus is waiting.