About This Pattern
This shark keychain is a small thing with a big smile. The body takes nine rounds, worked in plush yarn. A tail and one fin finish the shape. Two little legs in sneakers give it something to stand on. It fits into one evening, maybe two if you stop for tea. It needs a hook No. 3, some stuffing, and a bit of patience for the color change at round seven. Finished size is about 9cm tall.
In the basket
Abbreviations
- MR
- magic ring
- ch
- chain stitch
- sl st
- slip stitch
- sc
- single crochet
- dc
- double crochet
- hdc
- half double crochet
- inc
- increase
- dec
- decrease
- FLO
- front loop only
- (…)*n
- repeat instructions in parentheses n times
Little amigurumi shark keychain crochet pattern
Body
We start crocheting with light blue or dark blue color.
- Round 1cast on 2ch, in 2nd stitch from hook 6sc in MR (6)
- Round 26inc (12)
- Round 3(1sc, inc)*6times (18)
- Round 4(2sc, inc)*6times (24)
- Round 524sc (24)
- Round 65sc, FIN (sl st in FLO, 4ch, in 2nd from hook stitch sl st, dc, hdc, sl st in next FLO), 10sc, FIN, 5sc (24)Insert eyes between round 5 and round 6.Change to white yarn at the start of round 7.
- Round 7(2sc, dec)*6 (18)Stuff with hollofiber as you crochet round 8.
- Round 8(1sc, dec)*6times (12)
- Round 96dec (6), sl st, ch, cinch tight, hide yarn end.(6)
Tail
- Round 1join light blue (dark blue) yarn: 3ch, in 2nd from hook stitch sl st, sc, 4ch, in 2nd from hook stitch sl st, dc, hdc, sl st into body, hide yarn ends.
Fin
- Round 1join light blue (dark blue) yarn: 3ch, in 2nd from hook stitch sl st, hdc, sl st into body, hide yarn ends.
Legs in Sneakers
Make 2We start crocheting with white color.
- Round 1cast on 2ch, in 2nd stitch from hook 6sc in MR (6)
- Round 26inc (12)
- Round 3BLO 12sc (12)Change to light blue (dark blue) color for round 4.
- Round 46sc, change to white color 3dec (9)
- Round 5(1sc, dec)*3times (6)
- Rounds 6–86sc (6), sl st, ch, leave yarn end for sewing.(6)
More pictures
Before the first stitch
- Check you have both light or dark blue yarn and white yarn ready.
- Read through the Body rounds once, so the round 7 color change does not surprise you.
- Set out your 8mm eyes and markers before you start the first magic ring.
Minutes per piece
- Body about 2 hours, because it runs nine rounds with a color change and eye placement
- Tail, Fin, and Legs in Sneakers about 2-3 hours, because the small parts and two matching legs take careful, fiddly shaping
Where it ends up
- Clip it to a backpack zipper for school or work.
- Hang it from a keyring, paired with a plain lanyard.
- Give it as a thoughtful little handmade gift.
Joining up
- Step 1 Sew on legs
- Step 2 Embroider mouth, whites of the eyes
Small notes
- Finished size: about 9cm tall.
- Use a stitch marker at the start of every round. Plush yarn hides your stitches, and it is easy to lose the spiral.
- Insert the 8mm eyes between round 5 and round 6, before you close up the head. Snap the washers on tightly before stuffing.
- Change to white yarn right at the start of round 7. Keep tension even so the color line stays clean.
- All parts are crocheted in a spiral without joining, meaning do not make chain stitches at the beginning of the round.
- the beginning of the round, use a stitch marker to help avoid making mistakes in rounds.
- Working in continuous spirals with plush yarn makes it easy to lose your place, so mark the first stitch of every round.
- Make sure to snap the washers tightly on the 8mm safety eyes before stuffing and closing up the body.
- When making color changes for the sneakers, keep stitches snug so the white soles look crisp against the blue yarn.
- Stuff the head and body firmly, but avoid pushing hollofiber into the fins or tail to let them sit flat against the main body.
- Adding the mouth and the white highlights around the eyes first makes it easier to position the legs evenly afterward.
Little questions
What weight yarn works best for this pattern?
Super bulky plush yarn works best, as it gives the shark its cute, soft look and keeps the stitches quick to make.
Can I turn this shark into a keychain?
Yes, simply attach a metal keychain ring or lanyard clasp to the top fin or center top of the head after finishing.
How tall will the finished toy be?
When using plush yarn and a 3mm hook, the shark stands right around 9cm tall.
Do I need to sew the side fins on separately?
No, the side fins are worked directly into round 6 of the body using front loops, saving you extra assembly time.
Is this project good for beginners?
As long as you know basic stitches like single crochet, half double crochet, and double crochet, this pattern is very easy to follow.
Original pattern: https://craftwithnina.com/shark-keychain-free-amigurumi-crochet-pattern/
About the Author
Tamsin Okoro Who writes the patterns at Yarn Gallery, how a pattern gets from the hook to the page, and what this site will never do.
