Made and counted by Wren —

How to crochet a mini octopus keychain with tentacles

Worsted-weight yarn crochets a 24-stitch head and 9 tentacles into a mini octopus keychain.

IntermediateLevel

2-4 hoursTime

WorstedYarn

About this pattern

This pattern makes a small amigurumi octopus finished as a keychain. The head builds from a magic ring to 24 stitches by round 4, holds through round 9, then decreases back to 6 stitches by round 12 for a rounded shape; nine tentacles form in one worked strand of chains and double crochets. Black yarn eyes attach at round 7, and a keychain finding secures at the top. Yellow yarn runs throughout the body.

This mini octopus keychain works up as a single amigurumi head with nine chained tentacles attached at its base. The head starts in a magic ring at 6 stitches, doubles to 12, then increases to 18 and 24 stitches by round 4, holding steady at 24 stitches through round 9 before decreasing to close, keeping the body rounded rather than tapering. Tentacles form in one continuous pass: chains and double-crochet clusters looped nine times, then cut and sewn to secure. Black yarn eyes go on at round 7, two stitches apart, and a keychain finding attaches at the top for wearing or gifting.

The pattern

Written out round by round

Materials

Yellow worsted weight yarn (for the head and tentacles)
Crochet hook (size to suit your yarn)
Black yarn (small amount, for the eyes)
Stuffing (for the head)
Keychain finding (to attach at the top)
Yarn needle (for sewing eyes, closing the hole, and securing tentacle ends)
Scissors (for cutting yarn)

Abbreviations

sc = single crochet
inc = increase
dec = decrease
blo = back loops only
dc = double crochet

Head (Yellow Yarn)

Round 1Create a magic ring and make 6 single crochets (sc) inside it.

Round 2Increase in each stitch around (6inc), resulting in 12 stitches.

Round 3Repeat the pattern of (sc, inc) 6 times, for a total of 18 stitches.

Round 4Repeat the pattern of (2sc, inc) 6 times, for a total of 24 stitches.Rounds 5-9: Make 24 single crochets in each round for 5 rounds.

Round 10Repeat the pattern of (2sc, dec) 6 times, for a total of 18 stitches.

Round 11This round is a decrease round using only the back loop (BLO). Repeat the pattern of (sc, dec) 6 times, for a total of 12 stitches.Stuffing: Add stuffing to the octopus body.

Round 12Repeat the pattern of (dec) 6 times, for a total of 6 stitches.Finishing: Cut the yarn and sew the remaining hole closed.

Tentacles (Yellow Yarn)

Round 1Start with 2 chains.

Round 2Make 2 double crochets (2dc) in the next stitch. Repeat this pattern of (2 chains, 2 double crochets, 2 chains, slip stitch) until you have made 9 tentacles.Finishing: Cut the yarn and sew the loose end to secure the tentacles.

Assembly

Step 1Eyes: Using black yarn, sew two eyes onto the head on the 7th round, approximately 2 stitches apart.

Step 2Keychain: Attach the keychain to the top of the octopus.

Tester's notes

No specific hook size is given in the pattern; choose one that produces dense fabric on the 24-stitch rounds so stuffing does not peek through, then keep using it — swapping hooks mid-project changes gauge on a piece this small.

A stitch marker on round 1 of the magic ring makes it easy to track the round-1 start point through all 12 rounds of the head, since there is no seam line to reference otherwise.

Keep tension consistent across the 9 tentacles so all nine chain-and-double-crochet loops end at a similar length; unequal tension there is the most visible flaw on a finished piece this size.

Yellow yarn covers both the head and the tentacles, so no color change happens within the crochet itself — black yarn is added only afterward, by sewing rather than crocheting, for the eyes.

Stuff the head after round 11 (before closing with round 12), adding enough fill that the fabric feels firm to a light squeeze without stretching the stitches thin.

Work in progress

How to crochet a mini octopus keychain with tentacles — photo 2

How to crochet a mini octopus keychain with tentacles — photo 3

At a glance

Rounds	9
Parts	2
Level	Intermediate
Time	2-4 hours
Yarn	Worsted

Gauge check

After round 1, check that the 6 single crochets sit tight enough to fully hide the magic ring hole with no gaps between stitches.

If the ring shows through or the stitches splay apart, drop to a smaller hook; if the fabric puckers or curls tightly instead of lying in a flat disc, size up.

If something looks wrong

The head cups or bowls instead of sitting round.: The 6-12-18-24 stitch progression across rounds 1 through 4 has landed short from a missed increase; recount after each of those rounds and correct before continuing.
Tentacles come out uneven lengths.: The chain-2, 2 double crochet, chain-2, slip stitch sequence has been worked inconsistently across the 9 repeats; check each tentacle against the last before starting the next one.
The magic ring hole shows at the center of the head.: Round 1's 6 single crochets were pulled loose or the hook runs large for the yarn; pull the ring's tail tight before working round 2 and drop a hook size if gaps remain.
Eyes sit crooked or too close together.: Placement was judged by eye instead of measured; set both eyes on round 7, spacing them the stated 2 stitches apart with a marker or pin before threading the needle through.

Yarn substitutions

Cotton, worsted weight	Produces a firmer, less stretchy fabric than acrylic, so stitch definition on the 24-stitch head rounds shows more; a smaller hook than used for acrylic keeps stitches tight enough to hide stuffing.
Acrylic, worsted weight	Matches the typical weight assumed for this head and tentacle size; stays lightweight for a keychain and holds its shape with standard polyester stuffing.
Wool-blend, DK weight	Runs thinner than worsted, so the same round counts produce a smaller finished head and shorter tentacles; drop to a smaller hook to keep the fabric dense enough for stuffing to stay hidden.

Original pattern: https://crocheteverything.com/mini-octopus-keychain-crochet-pattern-with-tentacles/

FAQs

Questions

How small does the finished octopus end up?

The head tops out at 24 stitches per round by round 4 and holds that width through round 9 before decreasing back down to 6 stitches by round 12, giving a small, palm-sized body suited to a keychain. Exact finished dimensions depend on yarn weight and hook size, since the pattern does not specify inches.

Can the keychain finding be left off?

Yes. The keychain attaches as a separate step at the top of the finished octopus, so the head and 9 tentacles can be completed and stuffed without it for use as a plain amigurumi toy instead.

Why does the pattern use only one yarn color for the body?

Yellow yarn runs through both the head and the tentacles, so the color change to black happens outside the crochet itself, sewn on as eyes after round 7. This keeps the working pattern to a single color and avoids carrying a second strand.