Easy Crochet Keychain Series #1: Flower | Beginner DIY with T-Shirt Yarn
If you’ve ever wanted to learn crochet but felt intimidated by big, complex projects, keychains are the perfect place to start. They’re small, they work up fast, and when you’re done, you have something genuinely useful and cute to show for your effort. Welcome to the very first post in my Easy Crochet Keychain Series, where we’re kicking things off with a simple crochet flower keychain made with t-shirt yarn.
Yes, t-shirt yarn. That chunky, squishy, wonderfully forgiving material that makes every stitch look bolder and cleaner than it has any right to for a beginner. If you’ve struggled with thin yarn slipping off your hook or losing track of your stitches in a sea of fluff, t-shirt yarn is about to change everything for you.
Let’s get into it.
Why T-Shirt Yarn Is Perfect for Beginner Crochet
Before we even pick up a hook, let’s talk about why t-shirt yarn is such a fantastic choice for this project, especially if you’re new to crochet.
T-shirt yarn, sometimes called fabric yarn or jersey yarn, is made from strips of knit cotton fabric — often upcycled from old t-shirts, which is why it has that soft, stretchy, slightly tubular quality. It comes in a wide range of colors, it doesn’t fray, it holds its shape once crocheted, and best of all, it’s thick enough that you can actually see what your hook is doing at every step.
When you’re learning foundational stitches like the slip stitch, chain stitch, and single crochet, being able to clearly see each loop is genuinely important. With a thin lace-weight yarn, beginners often miscounted stitches, split the yarn with their hook, or insert into the wrong loop entirely. With t-shirt yarn, those problems mostly disappear. The stitches are big, bold, and forgiving.
It’s also worth mentioning that t-shirt yarn produces a slightly stiff, structured fabric when crocheted — which is ideal for a keychain. You want something that holds its flower shape rather than drooping or going limp over time. The natural density of fabric yarn means your finished flower will look neat and three-dimensional without any stiffening spray or blocking required.
If you want to make your own t-shirt yarn from old shirts at home, you absolutely can — there are great tutorials for cutting continuous strips from a t-shirt body. But if you’d rather just buy it ready-made, most craft stores and online shops carry it in gorgeous solid colors and prints.
What You’ll Need
Here’s the full supply list for this project. It’s short, which is one of the things that makes this such a great beginner pattern.
Materials:
- T-shirt yarn in your main flower color (approximately 10–15 yards)
- T-shirt yarn in a contrasting color for the flower center (a small amount, less than 5 yards)
- A crochet hook sized 6mm to 8mm (t-shirt yarn is forgiving, so don’t stress too much about the exact size — a 7mm hook is a great all-purpose choice)
- Scissors
- A yarn needle or tapestry needle for weaving in ends
- A keychain ring (these are available at craft stores, hardware stores, or in bulk online — the split ring style works best)
- Optional: a small jump ring if you want to connect the crochet piece to the keychain ring with a little extra loop
A note on hook size: T-shirt yarn is classified roughly as a bulky to super bulky weight, so hooks in the 6mm–10mm range are generally appropriate. For a tighter, firmer flower that holds its shape well, go slightly smaller. For a looser, fluffier look, go slightly larger. For this tutorial, I’m recommending 7mm as the sweet spot.
Understanding the Stitches Used
This pattern uses three basic crochet stitches. If you’ve never crocheted before, spend a few minutes practicing each one before starting the pattern — even just making a practice chain of 20 stitches and then ripping it out will help your hands understand the motions.
Slip Knot: This is how you attach your yarn to the hook to begin any crochet project. Make a loop, pass the tail end behind and through the loop, and pull it snug onto your hook.
Chain Stitch (ch): The chain stitch is the foundation of almost all crochet. With a loop on your hook, wrap the yarn over the hook (yarn over) and pull it through the loop. That’s one chain. Repeat for as many chains as the pattern calls for.
Slip Stitch (sl st): Insert your hook into the indicated stitch, yarn over, and pull through both the stitch and the loop already on your hook in one motion. This stitch is used to join rounds and move your working yarn without adding height.
Single Crochet (sc): Insert your hook into the indicated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (you now have two loops on your hook), yarn over again and pull through both loops. One single crochet made. This is the most versatile beginner stitch and the one we’ll use most in this pattern.
Half Double Crochet (hdc): Yarn over first, then insert your hook into the stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over and pull through all three loops at once. This stitch is taller than a single crochet and gives the petals a nice rounded shape.
The Pattern: Crochet Flower Keychain
This flower is worked in the round, starting from the center. Each petal is formed by working a combination of chains and stitches into the foundation round.
Finished Size: Approximately 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter, depending on your hook size and tension.
Abbreviations used:
- ch = chain
- sl st = slip stitch
- sc = single crochet
- hdc = half double crochet
- st = stitch
Step 1: Make the Magic Ring (or Chain Foundation)
A magic ring gives you a tightly closed center, which looks much neater on a small piece like this. However, if you’re brand new and find the magic ring tricky, you can substitute with a chain 3 joined into a ring with a slip stitch — it’ll work just fine.
Magic ring method: Make a loop with your yarn, insert your hook into the loop, grab the working yarn and pull up a loop, then chain 1. This is your starting point.
Chain ring method: Chain 3, then slip stitch into the first chain to form a ring.
Step 2: Work the Center Round
With your main color yarn, work 6 single crochets into the center of your ring. When you’ve completed all 6, slip stitch into the first single crochet to close the round.
You should now have a small, tight circle with 6 stitches.
Pull the tail of your magic ring (if you used one) to tighten the center hole closed. Weave in that tail end or hold it along the back as you work the next round to secure it.
Step 3: Change Colors for the Petal Round
If you want a two-toned flower with a contrasting center, now is the time to switch colors. Cut your current color, leaving a 4-inch tail, and attach your new petal color with a slip stitch into any stitch from the previous round.
If you prefer a single-color flower, simply continue with the same yarn.
Step 4: Make the Petals
This is the fun part. Each petal is worked as its own little unit, directly into each of the 6 stitches from your center round. You’ll make 6 petals total, one per stitch.
For each petal:
Into the next stitch, work the following sequence:
- Chain 3
- 1 half double crochet into the same stitch
- 1 single crochet into the same stitch
- Chain 3
- Slip stitch into the same stitch (back at the base)
After completing that sequence, slip stitch into the next stitch to move to the next petal position. Repeat the entire sequence for each of the remaining 5 stitches.
When you’ve worked all 6 petals, slip stitch into the base of your first petal to close.
You should now have a lovely little flower with 6 rounded, slightly puffy petals standing up from the center. The combination of the chain 3 and the half double crochet creates a curved, natural petal shape that looks much more complicated than it actually is.
Step 5: Fasten Off and Weave In Ends
Cut your yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail. Pull the tail through the last loop on your hook to fasten off — this is just like tying a knot to secure your work.
Thread your yarn needle with the tail and weave it through several stitches on the back of the flower to hide it. Do the same with any other loose ends from color changes.
Trim any excess.
Step 6: Attach the Keychain Ring
This is the final step, and it’s simpler than it sounds.
Using your yarn needle and a short length of the same yarn, stitch through one of the petals (or through the space between two petals at the top of the flower) several times to create a small loop, then tie that loop onto your keychain ring. Alternatively, use a jump ring: simply open the jump ring, pass it through a stitch at the top of your flower, then pass the keychain ring through the jump ring and close it. This method is especially neat and secure.
If you want to attach the keychain ring directly without extra hardware, you can also chain 5, slip stitch into the first chain to form a small loop, and then stitch that loop firmly to the back of your flower before fastening off. The chain loop is strong enough to hold a keychain ring.
Troubleshooting Common Beginner Issues
My flower is curling or cupping: This usually means your tension is too tight. Try going up one hook size, or consciously relax your grip on the yarn as you work. T-shirt yarn is forgiving and a looser tension often actually looks better.
My petals are uneven: This happens when the stitches in the center round are uneven or when you accidentally skipped or repeated a stitch. Count carefully after each round. With t-shirt yarn, the thick stitches are easy to spot, so go back and recount if something looks off.
I can’t find my stitches: This can happen if your t-shirt yarn is very dark or has a busy pattern. Try holding your work up to a light source, or place a stitch marker (a small piece of contrasting yarn works) into the first stitch of a round to track where it begins and ends.
My flower center has a hole: Either your magic ring wasn’t pulled tight enough, or you used the chain ring method with too many chains. Three chains is the right amount for a small tight ring.
Ways to Customize Your Crochet Flower Keychain
One of the absolute best things about this pattern is how much room there is to make it your own. Here are a few ideas:
Add more petals. Instead of 6 single crochets in the center round, try 8 to get an 8-petaled flower. Or work 5 for a slightly wider petal shape with more breathing room between each one.
Layer your petals. Work two petal rounds in slightly different colors — the second petal round goes into the spaces between petals from the first round. This creates a layered, dimensional rose effect that looks gorgeous.
Use variegated t-shirt yarn. Some t-shirt yarns come in gradient or multi-color versions. These produce an ombre effect across your petals that makes every single flower unique.
Add a button to the center. Sew a large shank button or a flat decorative button into the center of your flower over the single crochets for a chic mixed-media look.
Make it a bouquet keychain. Crochet three small flowers in different colors and attach all of them to the same keychain ring with different length loops so they hang at varying heights.
Turn it into other accessories. The flower itself works beautifully as a brooch (just sew a pin back to the back), a hair clip ornament, a bag charm, or even a zipper pull. The same pattern serves all of these without any changes.
Why Keychains Are the Best Beginner Crochet Projects
I want to spend a moment on this because I think it genuinely matters, especially if you’re someone who’s tried to learn crochet before and given up.
Big projects are discouraging. You pick up a blanket pattern, you spend two hours crocheting, and you have about 4 inches of fabric to show for it. That disconnect between effort and visible progress is one of the main reasons people abandon crochet early.
Keychains solve this entirely. You can complete one in 20 to 45 minutes. You can start and finish in a single sitting. The moment you’re done, you have a complete, polished, functional object. That feeling of completion is incredibly powerful when you’re learning something new, because it gives your brain proof that you can actually do this.
There’s also something wonderful about having a handmade keychain that goes everywhere with you. Every time you grab your keys, you see your own work. Every time someone asks about it, you get to say “I made it.” That small daily reinforcement of your new skill does a surprising amount for your confidence.
What’s Coming Next in the Series
This is just the beginning. The Easy Crochet Keychain Series is going to work through all sorts of designs — from simple shapes like hearts and stars to more detailed patterns like tiny animals, food shapes, and seasonal decorations. All of them will be beginner-friendly, all of them will be quick, and most of them will feature approachable materials like t-shirt yarn, chunky cotton, or other easy-to-work yarns.
If you make this flower keychain, I’d absolutely love to see how it turns out. Share your photos and tag them so the community can see your work — there’s nothing more encouraging for a beginner than seeing the range of beautiful things people create from the exact same simple pattern.
Save this post for later, because once you make one flower keychain, you’ll want to make ten more. Fair warning.
Happy crocheting!
