This little crochet jellyfish has a round head, a ruffled skirt and five tentacles that curl all by themselves. It works up quickly in cotton, so you can make a whole sea of them for keys, bags and backpacks.
This easy free jellyfish keychain pattern has every round written out below, with photos and a diagram that shows where each tentacle goes. Prefer paper? Download the free printable PDF at the end.
Materials
- Cotton medium worsted weight yarn
- A 2.75 mm (size C) crochet hook
- 6 mm safety eyes
- A keychain ring
- Polyester fiberfill
- Scissors and a yarn needle
- A paper clip (optional, to help attach the keychain)
Skill level
This is an easy pattern and a lovely first amigurumi. The head is a simple ball in single crochet, the skirt is one round of half double crochet, and the tentacles are short chains that curl as you work them.
Abbreviations (US terms)
| MR | magic ring |
|---|---|
| ch | chain |
| sc | single crochet |
| hdc | half double crochet |
| inc | increase: 2 sc in the same stitch |
| dec | decrease: sc 2 stitches together |
| slst | slip stitch |
| BLO | back loops only |
| st | stitch |
New to the magic ring? Our free crochet stitch guide shows it step by step with photos.
Pattern
The number in brackets at the end of each round is your stitch count.
Body
- Round 1Make 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
- Round 2Inc in each stitch around. (12)
- Round 3(sc, inc) 6 times. (18)
- Round 4(sc 2, inc) 6 times. (24)
- Rounds 5 to 8Sc in each stitch around. (24)
- Round 9(sc 2, dec) 6 times. (18)
- Round 10(sc, dec) 6 times, in BLO. (12)
- Round 11Dec 6 times. (6)
Finish the body:
- Attach the keychain in the middle of the magic ring. A bent paper clip pushed through the ring helps pull the keychain through.
- Place the safety eyes 6 stitches apart, between rounds 7 and 8.
- Stuff the body firmly.
- Sew the body closed and weave in the tail.
The eyes are easiest to fit while the opening is still wide, so you may like to place them before you crochet the last rounds.
Skirt
The skirt is worked into the loops left free on the underside by the back loop round.
- Insert your hook under a free loop, from the outside going in.
- Pull up a new loop with your working yarn and ch 1.
- Make 3 hdc in the next stitch, then slst in the stitch after. Repeat 9 times around.
- After the last slst, cut the yarn, leaving a tail, and weave it into the body.
Small tentacles (make 3)
- StartMake a slip knot and ch 11.
- Row 1Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, sc 8 across, 2 sc in the last stitch. (11)
- FinishCut the yarn, leaving a tail for sewing.
Large tentacles (make 2)
- StartMake a slip knot and ch 14.
- Row 1Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook, sc 11 across, 2 sc in the last stitch. (14)
- FinishCut the yarn, leaving a tail for sewing.
Assembly
Sew the tentacles to the underside of the body, as the diagram shows: the 2 large tentacles side by side in the middle, curling away from each other, and the 3 small tentacles around them, one at the front and one at each back corner, each curling outward.
Tips for a perfect jellyfish
- Stuff the head firmly so it stays perfectly round.
- Count your back loop round carefully: its free loops are where the skirt goes.
- Sew the tentacles through the bottom stitches only, so the skirt still flares out.
- Make a few in different colors: lilac, mint and lime look lovely together.
Questions
Is this jellyfish pattern good for beginners?
Yes. It is an easy pattern: a small ball in single crochet, one round of half double crochet for the skirt and five short tentacles.
How do the tentacles curl?
Each tentacle is a chain with single crochet worked back along it and 2 sc in the last stitch. Working tightly along the short chain makes it twist into a spiral by itself.
How do I attach the keychain?
Attach it in the middle of the magic ring at the top of the head. A bent paper clip pushed through the ring makes it easy to pull the keychain through.
Can I sell the jellyfish I make?
Yes. You are welcome to sell the finished jellyfish you make from this pattern, and a credit to Crochet Simplified with a link to crochetsimplified.com is appreciated. Please do not share, copy or sell the pattern itself.
Is there a printable version?
Yes. The free PDF has the whole pattern with the photos and the tentacle diagram. Download it, open it on your phone or print the pages you need.
Using this pattern
This pattern is for your personal use. You may not copy, share, translate, resell or publish this pattern or its photos, in print or online, in whole or in part, free or paid.
