The Crochet Octopus Keychain is the perfect beginner-friendly crochet project that incorporates two styles of arms to choose from. The first is short and stubby featuring the popcorn stitch, the other option is long and curly.
Either way, the Crohet Octopus Keychain is so quick and fun to make that you’ll want to make some to share. And because it can be made in any color it’s perfect for using up scrap yarn. It’s listed as a keychain pattern, but it’s perfect by itself without a keychain as well.
Read on to learn more about the inspiration and yarn choice for the Crochet Octopus Keychain or scroll down to the bottom to find the free pattern.
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The Inspiration
I designed the Crochet Octopus Keychain several years ago and recently realized that I never posted it on the blog. Oops! But now that’s remedied. Yay!
The Crochet Octopus Keychain originally came about when one of my daughters requested it as a gift for her friend. Keychains are all the rage to have on your backpack here and she wanted an octopus for her friend who was having a hard time.
She showed me a big plush octopus with short stubby arms and asked if I could make something like it, but as a keychain. From this inspiration, the short, stubby-armed octopus was born. In my brain, an octopus has long, curly arms, so I also created this option as well. I’m excited to hear which of these you enjoy more. Happy Crocheting!
Some Fun Octopus Facts
On a side note, I have a few fun facts about octopuses that you might like to know as you’re making and sharing your own new octopus friends.
- Both octopuses and octopi are acceptable plurals for the word octopus although octopuses is more commonly used.
- You likely know that octopuses have eight limbs, but did you know they’re called arms, not legs or tentacles? However, I did find a couple of articles that said they use two of the arms like legs to walk around the ocean floor and six like arms to forage for food. Either way, they’re all full of suckers that help them with a variety of tasks like walking, grabbing things, and feeling out their environment. They can also taste with their arms!
- If an octopus loses an arm for some reason it can regrow it.
- An octopus has nine brains! One in its head and one in each of its arms. They are quite intelligent. They also have three hearts.
- Octopuses generally have a short life span as they die shortly after mating. The male typically dies a few months after mating and the female after laying eggs and watching them hatch.
- They defend themselves in a variety of ways by camouflaging themselves by changing their skin color, making colorful displays, ejecting ink into the water, hiding, and quickly jetting away to name a few. While they aren’t typically dangerous to people they are wild animals and will defend themselves.
These Keychain Patterns May Also Be of Interest!
The Yarn
The Crochet Octopus Keychain was made using Yarnspirations Caron Simply Soft. It’s a lighter worsted weight, size 4, acrylic yarn that comes in a wide range of colors and styles.
Ultimately I chose to use colors that both reminded me of the beach and played well together for pictures. The exciting part, however, is that because of the nature of the design the Crochet Octopus Keychain can be worked up in any color option. For this reason, it’s also great for using up scrap yarn. I think some of the next ones I’ll make will include using variegated and sparkly yarn.
More Things You Might Like to Know About This Yarn
- It is a well-known and often widely available yarn both online and in many craft stores, long loved by many crafters because of its softness, ease of care, and wide selection of colors including the regular simply soft solids, collection, heathers, tweeds, ombres, brites, stripes, paints, speckles, camos, party, marled, and several more.
- The solid-colored skeins have slightly more yards per skein so keep that in mind if you’re making something that takes more than one skein. Price per yard it’s a more economical option no matter which of the color variations you might choose.
- The biggest complaint that I hear about Caron Simply Soft yarn is that it can tend to split. Honestly, I must agree that this can be the case. When I first started using the yarn I had more trouble than I do now. Once I learned how my hook and crochet style interacted with the yarn I rarely have this issue.
- When it comes to acrylic yarn, it has become one of my go-to yarn over the years for making amigurumi as you’ll see if you spend any time working with my designs. I love the lighter worsted feel and how soft it is.
Substitutions
Any brand of worsted-weight acrylic yarn should work well for making the Crochet Octopus Keychain but note that due to variations among brands, the finished size may vary slightly.
If cotton yarn is preferred, this too should work fine. You can see the miniature versions of Crochet Octopus in some of the images. They were made using the same pattern, a 1.50 mm hook, and size 10 cotton crochet thread.
Making the Crochet Octopus Keychain with different-sized yarns has not been tested, but should also likely work well, just make sure that any necessary hook size adjustments are made to accommodate the chosen yarn.
As always, I’d love to see/hear about your experiences with making the design and the products you chose to use. Tag me on social media using @jenhayescreations or #jenhayescreations.
The Pattern
Difficulty
Beginner
Materials
- Crochet Hook, Size E/4 (3.5 mm) (I use mostly Clover Amour hooks)
- Stitch Marker(s)
- Scissors
- Stuffing
- Pins
- Tapestry Needle
- Safety eyes, 8 mm (miniature version, 4 mm)
- Embroidery Floss, Black (DMC 310) and Pink (DMC 776 or DMC 956 ) – (optional)
- Embroidery Needle (optional)
- Dritz Disc Needle Pullers (optional)
- Chopstick, dowel, or something similar to help with stuffing small parts
- Keychain (optional)
- Yarnspirations Caron Simply Soft (worsted 4-Medium, 100% acrylic, 315 yds/288 m, 6 oz/170 g), Color (A) Orchid OR Robins Egg OR Strawberry, used approx. 20-25 yds/18-23 m
Gauge
Using hook size E/4 (3.5 mm) the first 5 Rnds of the body measure approximately 1 7/8 inches (4.8 cm) in diameter.
Finished Measurements
- Using hook size E/4 (3.5 mm) the Crochet Octopus Keychain measures approximately 2 inches (5.1 cm) tall and 6 inches (15 cm) in circumference.
- The miniature Crochet Octopus in the images was made using size 10 crochet thread and a 1.50 mm hook. The same pattern is used with a minor change: use 4 mm eyes. It measures approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) tall and 2.75 inches (7 cm) in circumference.
Design Notes
- The pattern is written in English using US crochet terminology.
- The pattern is written in continuous rounds, it will be helpful to place a stitch marker at the beginning stitch of the round and move it up at the start of each additional round.
- At the end of each round, the number of stitches for completion is noted in parentheses.
- Further design notes and tips will be provided throughout the pattern to help aid in construction.
- The yarn under method was used when designing this piece, the yarn over method can also be used and will likely create a slightly larger octopus.
- For reference when placing eyes and other facial features the starting stitch is at the back of the work.
- Caution! If using safety eyes, take into consideration who will be using the item. The use of safety eyes is not recommended for children under the age of three or for those prone to putting things in their mouths as they may cause a choking hazard. Crocheted or hand-embroidered eyes are a great alternative!
Abbreviations/Stitches Used
- BLO – work in the back loops only
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- FLO – work in the front loop only
- MR – magic ring (AKA magic circle, adjustable ring)
- pc – popcorn stitch
- Rnd(s) – round(s)
- sc – single crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 stitches together (use the invisible decrease unless otherwise directed)
- sl st – slip stitch
- st(s) – stitch(s)
- [ ] / ( ) – work instructions between brackets/parentheses as many times as directed
- * * – repeat instructions between asterisks as directed
- Some hand embroidery
Special Stitches
+ pc – popcorn stitch
With the working loop on the hook:
- Make 5 dc in the same stitch/space,
- Remove the hook from the working loop of the 5th dc (>Design Tip: If helpful lengthen the working loop a little so it doesn’t accidentally unravel),
- Insert the hook into the top of the first of the 5 dc from the front to the back of the work,
- Put the working loop back on the hook from the back of the loop to the front, and pull it through the first dc,
- Ch 1 to close the popcorn stitch.
>Design Note: When making the first pc stitch of the Rnd, start with a ch 3 (counts as the first dc), then 4 dc in the same st, insert the hook into the top of the ch 3, put the working loop back on the hook and pull it through the top of the ch, ch 1 to close the pc stitch.
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Body
>Design Note: The octopus keychain is created from the top down.
Using Color (A)
- Rnd 1: 6sc in MR. (6sts)
- Rnd 1 alternative: If preferred, ch2 and then 6sc in 2nd chain from hook. (6sts)
- Rnd 2: 2sc in each st around. (12sts)
- Rnd 3: [Sc in the next st, 2sc in next st] 6 times. (18sts)
- Rnd 4: Sc in the next st, 2sc in the next st, [sc in the next 2sts, 2sc in the next st] 5 times, sc in the next st. (24sts)
- Rnd 5: [Sc in the next 3sts, 2sc in the next st] 6 times. (30sts)
- Rnds 6-10: Sc in each st around. (30sts for 5 Rnds)
- Rnd 11: [Sc in the next 3sts, sc2tog] 6 times. (24sts)
- Rnd 12: Sc in the next st, sc2tog, [sc in the next 2sts, sc2tog] 5 times, sc in the next st. (18sts)
Insert the safety eyes. The suggested placement is between Rnds 9 and 10 approximately 5sts apart.
- Rnd 13: [Sc in the next 7sts, sc2tog] 2 times. (16sts)
>Design Option: If preferred, the mouth and other facial features can be added now while the bottom of the Crochet Octopus Keychain is open, or it can be done after the legs have been added as noted below under “Add Facial Features.”
Firmly stuff and shape the body and continue to do so as the pattern progresses.
- Rnd 14: Working in the BLO: [Sc in the next 2sts, sc2tog] 4 times. (12sts) >Design Tip: Use a regular sc decrease when working in the BLO. Use a separate stitch marker to mark the front loop of the first st of Rnd 13 for later reference when making the arms.
- Rnd 15: [Sc in the next st, sc2tog] 4 times. (8sts)
- Fasten off leaving a long tail to close up the hole. Close the hole with a tapestry needle stitching only through the front loops until the hole pulls nicely closed, secure, and weave in the end.
Adding the Arms
Image Right: Bottom view of the short, stubby-arm octopus.
There are two different arm options to choose from: long curly arms and short stubby arms.
Using Color (A) for either option
Option 1: Long Curly Arms
- Rnd 1: Working in the front loops not used in Rnd 14 of the body: Sl st into the previously marked st, *ch 9, working in the back bars of the ch: 2hdc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in the next 7ch, on the body: sl st in the next 2sts,* repeat from * to *, with the last sl st into the same st as the first st to join. (8 legs)
- Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Option 2: Short Stubby Arms
>Design Note: The short, stubby arms are created using popcorn (pc) stitches. See the images below and the directions under “Special Stitches” for help with making the pc stitch.
Image Center: The working loop is placed back on the hook and pulled to its regular size.
Image Right: The working loop is pulled through the dc and a ch is made to complete the pc stitch.
- Rnd 1: Working in the front loops not used in Rnd 14 of the body: Sl st into the previously marked st (doesn’t count as a st), pc in the same st, [skip the next st, pc in the next st] 7 times, skip the next st, sl st into the same space as the initial sl st to close the Rnd (doesn’t count as a st). (8 pc and 8 skipped sts)
- Rnd 2: Ch 1, using the ch that closed each pc stitch: [Sc2tog] 4 times.
- Sl st to the first st and fasten off leaving a long tail to close up the hole. Close the hole with a tapestry needle, secure, and weave in the ends.
Add Facial Features
- Using embroidery floss in desired colors and an embroidery needle, stitch a mouth, cheeks, eyelashes, and other desired facial features. Pictured, the mouth is centered between the eyes, the top points between Rnds 10-11 and the bottom point between Rnd 11-12. >Design Tip: For thicker lines use 6 strands of floss and 3 strands for thinner lines.
Add a Keyring
- If using, attach a keyring to the top center of the octopus’ body.
Reach Out, Share, and Follow Along!
As always, I’d love to see your creation if you’re willing to share! Comment below or tag me on social media. You can find me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram (tag @jenhayescreations and use the hashtag #jenhayescreations to show off your work and have a chance to be featured), and stay tuned to find me in the future on YouTube!
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Copyright and Use Policy
This pattern and its photos are copyright of Jennifer Hayes (Jen Hayes Creations) and are for personal, non-commercial use only. You may not copy, sell, republish, distribute, or translate my patterns, photos, or tutorials in part or whole. Share this pattern on social media by using the social sharing buttons or a link to the pattern. You are welcome to sell any finished items produced from this pattern. Please credit Jen Hayes Creations as the designer and include a link to the pattern listing if selling the finished piece online. Thank you!
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