10 Free Crochet Butterfly Keychain Patterns for Cute Spring Charms
A crochet butterfly makes one of the prettiest quick keychains: it works up fast, uses up small amounts of yarn, and finishes as a bright little charm that looks lovely on keys, bags, and zippers. Below you’ll find 10 genuinely free butterfly keychain patterns — every one verified free on the designer’s page — grouped by construction style so you can pick the one that fits your yarn, hook, and skill level.
Can you turn any small crochet butterfly into a keychain?
Yes — any small butterfly (about 5–8 cm / 2–3 in across) converts to a keychain. Work the butterfly as written, weave in the ends, then attach a split ring through the top of the body or through a short chain loop. Most of the patterns below include keyring instructions directly. Two entries — the Bella Coco folded butterfly and the Ribblr mini butterfly — are presented by their designers as a motif or mini amigurumi rather than a keychain, so the article notes the simple keyring step needed to convert them.
Quick picks: which butterfly keychain should you make?
| Pattern | Best for | Format | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Crochet Butterfly (Chai Coffee Crochet) | Fastest beginner make | Written blog pattern | Beginner |
| Belle the Butterfly (DIY Fluffies) | Keychain-size or plush version | Written pattern + video | Easy |
| Crochet Butterfly (Bella Coco Crochet) | Simplest folded butterfly | Written blog pattern | Beginner |
| 3D Butterfly Keychain (Delilla Craft) | Eye-catching statement charm | Video tutorial | Beginner |
| Mini Butterfly (The Rustic Rose) | Interactive ePattern | Ribblr ePattern | Intermediate |
Stuffed amigurumi butterflies
These butterflies have a small stuffed body, which gives them a soft, rounded shape that holds up well on keys and bags. They use a little stuffing and a few sewn joins, but the pieces are small and quick to finish.
1. Small Crochet Butterfly — Chai Coffee Crochet
A free mini butterfly pattern from Shama Mohammed at Chai Coffee Crochet, sized around 2.5 inches. The designer describes it as an easy pattern for beginners and explicitly suggests turning it into a butterfly crochet keychain or bag charm. It works up in under an hour and is a good stash-buster for leftover yarn. Get the free pattern on Chai Coffee Crochet.
2. Belle the Butterfly — DIY Fluffies (Mariska Vos)
A free butterfly pattern from Mariska Vos with a full video alongside the written instructions. The designer notes she made the small keychain-size version from sport-weight cotton yarn — the same pattern also works in bulky chenille for a plush version. A good pick if you want one pattern that covers both a keychain and a soft toy. Get the free pattern on DIY Fluffies.
3. Sweet & Simple Butterfly — Tiny Bug Series (video)
A free, beginner-friendly video pattern for a tiny butterfly, with the wings crocheted together with the body so there is less assembly. The designer suggests using the finished butterfly as a keychain, bag charm, or bookmark, and adds flower embroidery and French knots for detail. It works up in under an hour. Watch the free tutorial on YouTube.
4. Mini Butterfly — The Rustic Rose (Ribblr)
A free mini butterfly ePattern on Ribblr by The Rustic Rose, listed at a price of $0.00. Note that this listing is a mini amigurumi rather than a keychain-specific pattern — add a keyring through the top of the body to use it as a keychain. It is the one intermediate-level entry on this list, and it needs a free Ribblr account to open. Get the free pattern on Ribblr.
Flat and folded-circle butterflies
These butterflies are flat or folded rather than stuffed, so they need no filling and finish fast. They are the best choice if you want a lightweight charm that sits flat against a bag.
5. Crochet Butterfly — Bella Coco Crochet
A free folded-circle butterfly pattern from Bella Coco Crochet, worked with chain and treble stitches only, with UK terms switchable to US terms on the page. The designer presents it as a brooch or embellishment, so add a jump ring and keyring to convert it into a keychain. Beginner level. Get the free pattern on Bella Coco Crochet.
6. Easy Crochet Butterfly Keychain — Urbaki (Jesna Althaf)
A full pattern published openly on Urbaki, credited to designer Jesna Althaf. Four assembled circle wings and a body make a butterfly around 2.25–2.75 inches in worsted yarn — a quick scrap-yarn win. Beginner-friendly. Get the free pattern on Urbaki.
7. Crochet Keychain Butterfly — Ngochan Crochet (video)
A beginner-friendly video tutorial with the full written pattern in the video description, worked in two or three cotton colors. The folded-petal construction gives a neat, symmetrical butterfly, and the rounds are written out in full, so you can follow along without guessing. Watch the free tutorial on YouTube.
Character and 3D statement butterflies
Want a butterfly with more personality? These three are bigger, bolder makes — beaded, character-style, or accessorized — that stand out on a bag or make fun gifts.
8. 3D Butterfly Keychain — Delilla Craft (video)
A free video tutorial for a 3D beaded butterfly keychain, with a glow-in-the-dark yarn option. The design adds antennae, beads, and a chain, so it reads as a finished piece of bag jewelry rather than a plain motif. Beginner level. Watch the free tutorial on YouTube.
9. Worm Butterfly Doll — (video)
A character-style butterfly doll with a worm-shaped body, wings, and a hat, worked with beads. The video tutorial is free and includes a chapter on keychain attachment, so the finishing step is shown rather than left to guesswork. Beginner level. Watch the free tutorial on YouTube.
10. Butterfly Keychain — Hobbysel (video)
A free step-by-step video tutorial for a butterfly keychain with a mini hat accessory, beaded details, and a section on making the keychain chain itself. Beginner-friendly, with multilingual abbreviations in the description. Watch the free tutorial on YouTube.
What yarn is best for a crochet butterfly keychain?
Cotton yarn is the most practical choice for a butterfly keychain: it holds its shape, shows stitch definition on the wings, and stands up to daily use on keys. Sport-weight or DK cotton gives a neat mini size, while worsted-weight cotton makes a slightly larger, sturdier charm. Soft acrylic works too, but it can stretch and go limp over time, so cotton is the safer pick for a charm that gets handled every day.
How do you attach a keychain ring to a crochet butterfly?
Thread an open split ring through the top of the butterfly’s body, or through a short chain loop if the pattern includes one. For extra security on gifts and craft-fair items, add a small jump ring between the butterfly and the split ring, and put a tiny dab of clear-drying craft glue on the finishing knot. Check the attachment with a firm tug before calling it done.
Do I need to stuff a crochet butterfly keychain?
Only the amigurumi-style butterflies in this list need stuffing — a small pinch of polyester fiberfill in the body is enough. Flat and folded-circle butterflies need no stuffing at all, which makes them the fastest option. If you want a stuffed look without sewing, choose one of the flat designs and add a second layer of wing for padding instead.
More crochet keychain patterns
Butterflies pair well with the rest of the keychain collection: see the free bee keychain patterns, free mushroom keychain patterns, and free cat keychain patterns for more small animal and nature charms. For general technique help, the easy keychain patterns for beginners roundup covers the basics, and the free bag charm patterns collection has more quick charms for bags and gifts.
How long does it take to crochet a butterfly keychain?
Most of the patterns on this list work up in under an hour. The two patterns that state a time — the Chai Coffee mini butterfly and the Tiny Bug Series butterfly — both say under an hour. Flat and folded butterflies are the fastest; stuffed and beaded designs take a little longer.
What yarn is best for a crochet butterfly keychain — cotton or acrylic?
Cotton is the most practical choice: it holds its shape, shows stitch definition on the wings, and stands up to daily use on keys. Sport-weight or DK cotton gives a neat mini size, while worsted-weight cotton makes a slightly larger, sturdier charm. Soft acrylic works too, but it can stretch and go limp over time.
How do you attach a keychain ring to a crochet butterfly?
Thread an open split ring through the top of the butterfly’s body, or through a short chain loop if the pattern includes one. For extra security, add a small jump ring between the butterfly and the split ring, and put a tiny dab of clear-drying craft glue on the finishing knot. Check the attachment with a firm tug before calling it done.
Do I need to stuff a crochet butterfly keychain?
Only the amigurumi-style butterflies on this list need stuffing — a small pinch of polyester fiberfill in the body is enough. Flat and folded-circle butterflies need no stuffing at all, which makes them the fastest option.
Can I sell crochet butterfly keychains I make from these patterns?
It depends on each designer’s policy, so check the pattern you use. Some designers allow selling finished items, and some do not. The patterns linked here are free to make for personal use; selling rules vary by designer.
