Penguins are made for keychains. Their shape is simple — a rounded body, a white belly, two wings, and an orange beak — which means they come together fast, need almost no yarn, and look adorable even when your colorwork is a little rough around the edges. A crocheted penguin keychain is a true stash buster: you can finish most of these in a single evening, and they work year-round as bag charms, backpack buddies, and stocking stuffers. Below are 10 genuinely free penguin keychain patterns — classic minis, a Christmas-hat penguin, a scarf-wearing one, and video walkthroughs — with notes on skill level and materials so you can pick the right one.
Which penguin keychain pattern should you pick?
A good penguin keychain is small (most of these finish between 5 and 11 cm), worked in tight single-crochet rounds so the fiberfill doesn’t peek through, and has a clear way to attach the key ring — usually a crocheted loop or a sewn-in jump ring at the top of the head. If you’re new to amigurumi, start with one of the beginner-rated patterns in DK or worsted yarn. If you want a gift-ready Christmas version, the Santa-hat penguin is the obvious pick. Here’s a quick guide:
| If you want… | Start with |
|---|---|
| The easiest first penguin | #2 — Crochetic’s easy penguin keychain |
| A quick, fairly easy mini | #7 — Stella’s little penguin (about 5 cm) |
| A Christmas gift penguin | #5 — the pink Christmas-hat penguin |
| A printable PDF to keep | #6 — Amanda Michelle’s free PDF on LoveCrafts |
| A step-by-step video | #10 — the YouTube walkthrough, or #7’s video tutorial |
| A tracked, interactive pattern | #9 — the free Ribblr ePattern |
| A penguin with personality | #3 — Punqa’s scarf-wearing penguin |
The 10 free crochet penguin keychain patterns
1. Small Amigurumi Penguin Keychain — Amivuistudio
A neat, compact penguin worked in blue, white, and yellow yarn with a 3–4 mm hook and 6 mm safety eyes. The full pattern is written out round by round on the page — head-body, legs, wings, and beak — and there’s a companion video tutorial from the same designer if you get stuck. A solid first choice if you like clear, table-formatted instructions. Free pattern at Amivuistudio
2. Easy Penguin Keychain — Crochetic
True to its name: a beginner-friendly penguin keychain in black, white, and yellow worsted yarn, worked with a 4 or 5 mm hook. The pattern spells out every piece — body, head, white belly, wings, beak — and the designer wrote it for crocheters who don’t have advanced skills yet. If you’ve never made a stuffed toy before, this is where to start. Pair it with our easy keychain roundup if you want more beginner makes. Free pattern at Crochetic
3. Penguin Keychain with a Scarf — Punqa
The character pick of the list. This free pattern makes a 9–11 cm penguin with a bright orange belly panel, chunky feet, and a little red scarf wrapped around its neck — the kind of detail that turns a simple amigurumi into a gift. The designer rates it beginner to intermediate (there’s color changing involved) and includes a dedicated keychain-loop section showing how to secure the ring at the top of the head. Uses sport or DK yarn with a 2–2.5 mm hook. Free pattern at Punqa
4. Penguin Keychain — Claireabelle Makes (design by craftbyrio)
A blue-and-white penguin designed by craftbyrio, published as a free step-by-step pattern. The beak, body, flippers, and belly are all worked separately and sewn on, which makes it a nice project for practicing assembly — and the designer’s note says it’s fun even if you’re pretty new to crochet. If you like penguin colorways beyond the classic black, this one is a sweet alternative. Free pattern at Claireabelle Makes
5. Christmas Penguin Keychain — Lovelycraft (design by rin.meow21)
A pink penguin wearing a little red Christmas hat with a yellow stripe — the only Christmas-themed design on this list, and a natural stocking stuffer. The free pattern is published in full on the page with materials (2.5 mm hook, Drops Safran-type yarn) and round-by-round instructions, including the hat. If you’re already in holiday-crafting mode, it pairs perfectly with our Christmas bag charm patterns. Free pattern at Lovelycraft
6. Mini Penguin Keychain — Amanda Michelle (free PDF on LoveCrafts)
The only printable PDF on the list: a free 6-page download with written instructions and a photo tutorial for the magic ring and color changes. It calls for worsted yarn in pink, white, and orange, a 2.25 mm hook, and 9 mm safety eyes, and the finished penguin stands about 6 cm tall. Rated beginner by the designer. If you like keeping patterns offline, grab this one. Free PDF on LoveCrafts
7. Little Penguin — Stella’s Yarn Universe
Stella’s free version of her little penguin is one of the most detailed write-ups on this list: full instructions with materials, techniques, and assembly notes, plus a free video tutorial for visual guidance. Inspired by Emperor penguin chicks, it finishes at about 5 cm — true keychain size — in DK yarn (black, white, grey) with a 2.5 mm hook and 5 mm safety eyes. It’s quick and fairly easy; you’ll want to know the magic ring, invisible decreases, and color changes. Free pattern at Stella’s Yarn Universe
8. Penguin Keychain — The Newlywed Pilgrimage
A beginner-friendly penguin keychain published with a full step-by-step walkthrough, including photos of eye placement and beak shaping. The design starts in grey yarn with a magic ring and uses basic stitches throughout — magic ring, single crochet, increases, decreases, and slip stitches — so it’s a genuine first-amigurumi project. A good pick if you like learning from detailed, explicitly beginner-oriented walkthroughs. Free pattern at The Newlywed Pilgrimage
9. Penguin Amigurumi Keychain — Ribblr (free ePattern)
A free interactive Ribblr ePattern for a penguin keychain — the designer picked pink as the primary color but notes you can choose any colors you like. You get row-by-row progress tracking, built-in stitch tutorials, and automatic US/UK term conversion, which is genuinely handy for your first amigurumi. You’ll need a free Ribblr account to use the interactive version; makers rate it easy to follow. The designer also lets you sell finished makes. Free ePattern on Ribblr
10. Mini Penguin Amigurumi — Step-by-Step Video Tutorial
If you learn better by watching, this free YouTube tutorial walks through a mini penguin keychain from start to finish: body, flippers, belly, and assembly, with the full round-by-round pattern in the description. The finished penguin also works as a Christmas tree ornament. Materials are simple — one main color plus yellow and white yarn, 3 and 3.5 mm hooks, and black beads for the eyes. Free video tutorial on YouTube
What do you need to make a crochet penguin keychain?
Penguin keychains are some of the cheapest projects in crochet — most need only a few grams of black, white, and yellow or orange yarn. Three small choices make a big difference in how your penguin turns out.
| Supply | What to choose |
|---|---|
| Yarn | DK or worsted cotton or acrylic gives crisp, defined stitches; the listed patterns use anything from sport weight to worsted. Keep the same weight for all colors so the pieces fit together. |
| Hook | Go 1–2 sizes smaller than the yarn label suggests (e.g. 2–2.5 mm for DK). Tight stitches keep the stuffing hidden and give amigurumi its firm shape. |
| Eyes | 5–9 mm safety eyes are standard across these patterns; embroider the eyes with black yarn if the penguin is a gift for a small child. |
| Hardware | A small split ring or lobster clasp, plus a jump ring. Attach through a reinforced stitch at the top of the head — not through a single loose stitch. |
How to turn a penguin amigurumi into a keychain
Nearly all of these patterns are designed as keychains already, but the method is worth knowing for any amigurumi you want to convert. Thread a length of strong yarn or thread through the top of the head (the magic ring center works well), loop it around a small metal split ring or lobster clasp, and sew it down with several passes — doubling the stitches so the penguin can’t twist off. Punqa’s pattern includes exactly this as a dedicated keychain-loop step. For a bag charm instead of a keychain, swap the split ring for a lobster clasp, as shown in our cat, owl, and frog keychain roundups.
Penguins sit nicely in the growing winter corner of the site: if you liked this list, you’ll also find winter-ready makes in our bee and easy keychain collections — and the Christmas bag charms are already proving popular as the holidays approach.
How long does a crocheted penguin keychain take to make?
Keychain-sized amigurumi like these are generally one-sitting projects. A simple mini can take under an hour; designs with colorwork, sewn parts, or accessories like a scarf or hat take one to two evenings. If you’re new to amigurumi, pick a beginner-rated pattern like Crochetic’s or Amanda Michelle’s — fewer pieces means less assembly time.
What yarn and hook size work best for a penguin keychain?
Most of these designers use DK or sport-weight cotton or acrylic yarn with a 2–2.5 mm hook; the worsted-weight versions use a 3–4 mm hook. The key rule for amigurumi is to crochet tighter than the yarn label suggests — that’s what keeps the fiberfill from showing through the stitches.
How do I attach a keychain ring to a crocheted penguin?
Sew a small loop of strong yarn through the top of the head, thread it through a metal split ring or lobster clasp, and secure it with several stitches — reinforced, not a single pass. Some patterns, like Punqa’s, include a dedicated keychain-loop section. Make sure the attachment point sits at the penguin’s balance point so it hangs straight.
Are these penguin keychain patterns really free?
Yes — as of October 12, 2026, all 10 patterns linked above are free. Eight are published in full on the designer’s website, one is a free PDF download, one is a free interactive ePattern (Ribblr asks for a free account), and one is a free video tutorial. I don’t include patterns I couldn’t verify as free.
Can a beginner crochet a penguin keychain?
Absolutely — penguins are one of the friendliest first amigurumi. Crochetic, Amivuistudio, Claireabelle Makes, Amanda Michelle’s PDF, and The Newlywed Pilgrimage are all aimed at beginners, and the Ribblr ePattern has built-in stitch tutorials. You’ll want to know the magic ring, single crochet, increases, and decreases — everything else can be learned on the project itself.
