A golden stripe, oversized stitched eyes, and a forked purple tail give this little crochet fish its expression. The stuffed body is worked from nose to tail in one piece. Flat fins keep the charm compact, and a reinforced yarn loop connects it to the keychain hardware.
Pattern status. This free pattern was drafted from the supplied design reference and has yet to be test crocheted. The cover is an AI-generated illustration of the intended look. Finished dimensions have yet to be measured.
Before You Start
| Project detail | Pattern information |
|---|---|
| Skill level | Confident beginner comfortable with working in the round, changing colors, and sewing small pieces |
| Terminology | US crochet terms |
| Construction | Stuffed body, two eye appliqués, one dorsal fin, two side fins, and two flat tail lobes |
| Finished size | Varies with yarn and tension. The body is 21 rounds long and 30 stitches around at its widest point. |
Materials and Tools
- Sport-weight cotton yarn in turquoise for the body and top fin. Use small amounts of golden yellow, violet, and magenta for the stripes and fins.
- Small amounts of black and white yarn for the eyes, plus orange for the mouth.
- A 2.5 mm crochet hook as a starting point, a locking stitch marker, a blunt yarn needle, scissors, and polyester fiberfill.
- A split key ring with a short chain and connector, or a clip with a closed attachment eye. Use smooth turquoise cotton yarn for the attachment loop.
Pick a hook that makes a firm fabric you can work into comfortably. Gently stretch the first few rounds. If large gaps open between stitches, try a smaller hook before continuing.
Stitches and Pattern Notes
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| MR | Magic ring |
| ch | Chain |
| sl st | Slip stitch |
| sc | Single crochet |
| hdc | Half double crochet |
| dc | Double crochet |
| inc | Work 2 sc into the same stitch |
| inv dec | Insert the hook through the front loops of the next two stitches, yarn over and pull through both front loops, then yarn over and pull through the two remaining loops |
| Rnd / Rnds | Round / rounds |
| st / sts | Stitch / stitches |
Work the body in continuous rounds, moving the marker to the first stitch each time. Square brackets enclose a repeat. Counts in parentheses give the number of stitches at the end of the round. Joining slip stitches in the fins and eyes are outside the stitch count.
Changing colors. On the last stitch before the change, use the new color for the final yarn-over and pull-through. Set the beginning of each stripe on the underside so the small step created by spiral rounds is less visible.
Free Crochet Fish Keychain Pattern
1. Crochet the Striped Body
Begin at the nose with turquoise. Work toward the narrow tail end.
- Rnd 1. 6 sc in MR. (6)
- Rnd 2. Inc in each st. (12)
- Rnd 3. [Sc, inc] 6 times. (18)
- Rnd 4. [2 sc, inc] 6 times. (24)
- Rnd 5. [3 sc, inc] 6 times. (30)
- Rnds 6–8. Sc in each st with turquoise. Change to yellow on the last stitch of Rnd 8. (30 per round)
- Rnds 9–10. Sc in each st with yellow. Change to turquoise on the last stitch of Rnd 10. (30 per round)
- Rnds 11–12. Sc in each st with turquoise. Change to violet on the last stitch of Rnd 12. (30 per round)
- Rnd 13. Sc in each st with violet. Change to turquoise on the last stitch. (30)
- Rnd 14. Sc in each st with turquoise. Keep turquoise through the end. (30)
- Rnd 15. [3 sc, inv dec] 6 times. (24)
- Rnd 16. Sc in each st. (24)
- Rnd 17. [2 sc, inv dec] 6 times. (18)
- Rnd 18. Sc in each st. (18)
- Rnd 19. [Sc, inv dec] 6 times. (12)
- Rnd 20. Sc in each st. (12)
- Rnd 21. Inv dec 6 times. (6)
Secure the color-change tails on the inside as you work. Begin stuffing after Rnd 18. Fill the nose and middle first, then add a little filling near the tail before Rnd 21. Fasten off, pass the tail through the front loops of the final 6 stitches, draw closed, and bury the yarn end.
2. Make Two Crochet Eyes
- Rnd 1. With black, work 6 sc in MR. (6)
- Rnd 2. Inc in each st with black. Join with a sl st to the first sc, fasten off black, and join white with a slip stitch in any sc of Rnd 2. (12)
- Rnd 3. Ch 1, which does not count as a stitch. Starting in the same stitch where white was joined, work [sc, inc] 6 times. Join with a sl st to the first white sc. (18)
Leave a long white sewing tail. With separate white yarn, embroider a tiny highlight on the upper front side of each black pupil. Secure the highlight ends on the back before attaching the eyes.
3. Crochet the Top and Side Fins
Make one in turquoise for the dorsal fin and two in magenta for the sides. All three use the same 11-stitch oval.
Ch 6. Starting in the second chain from the hook, work 1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, and 1 hdc in the next four chains. Work 3 sc in the last chain. Rotate to work along the unused loops on the opposite side of the chain. Work 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 hdc, and 1 sc across the four remaining chain positions. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (11 sts)
Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. The first and last sc sit together at the narrow base. Keep this end toward the body when positioning the fins.
4. Make the Forked Tail
Make two flat violet lobes. Ch 7. Starting in the second chain from the hook, work 1 sc in the first usable chain, 1 hdc in the next, 1 dc in each of the next 2 chains, and 1 hdc in the next chain. Work 3 sc in the last chain. Rotate and work 1 hdc, 1 dc in each of the next 2 chain positions, 1 hdc, and 1 sc along the unused loops. Join with a sl st to the first sc. (13 sts)
Fasten off with a long sewing tail on each lobe. Hold the narrow ends together and join them with two or three stitches. Spread the wide ends into a V. Leave at least one sewing tail free to attach the fork to the body.
How to Assemble the Fish Keychain
- Pin the eyes. Decide which side is the top, keeping the stripe joins underneath. Pin one eye on each side of the turquoise face, with the centers around Rnds 5–6 and the outer edges just before the yellow band. Check the placement from the front before sewing through the white border with matching yarn.
- Embroider the mouth. Use orange yarn to make two or three short horizontal stitches at the center of the nose, just below the center of the starting ring. Pull the ends through the body and trim them once secure.
- Sew on the fins. Pin the turquoise fin along the top centerline around Rnds 11–14. Angle its tip toward the tail. Place a magenta fin on each lower side just behind the yellow stripe, around Rnds 11–13. Catch both edge stitches at each fin base and a few nearby stitches on the body. Pass back along the base to secure it.
- Attach the tail. Center the joined purple bases over the closed rear end. From the side, one lobe should point up and the other down. Stitch through both lobe bases and several stitches surrounding the closure so the tail stays centered.
- Add the keychain hardware. With a doubled strand of smooth turquoise cotton, sew three passes through the connector eye and around three neighboring body stitches just in front of the dorsal fin. Keep enough slack for the connector to move. Tie the ends securely at the base and bury them inside. Give the chain a gentle tug and check that the loop stays in place without pulling the body out of shape.
Troubleshooting
| If you notice | Try this |
|---|---|
| The stripe has a visible step | Rotate the fish so the beginning of each round sits underneath before positioning the eyes and fins. |
| The eyes overlap the yellow band | Shift them one round toward the nose or use a slightly smaller hook for the eye appliqués. |
| The tail twists | Align the lobe bases before joining them. Then spread the sewing stitches around the rear closure. |
| The keychain leans to one side | Check that the loop sits on the top centerline. Test the hang before burying the sewing ends. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I crochet the fish with worsted-weight yarn?
Yes. Use a hook that gives you dense stitches. Thicker yarn will generally make a larger charm, so check that the ring or clip suits the finished piece.
Can I embroider the eyes directly onto the fish?
Yes. Mark two matching circles on the face, fill each with black satin stitches, and add the white outlines and highlights afterward.
How do I make the fish in one color?
Work the body in the same color from Rnd 1 to Rnd 21. Keep the shaping and stitch counts as written, then use contrasting yarn for the eyes and fins.
