This keychain is a bold coral letter N with a small spring garden on top. One large cream daffodil sits at the upper left corner, and two smaller daffodils cluster on the lower right leg. Three sage green leaves tuck in around the flowers, and a gold key ring hangs from the top left corner.
The letter is solid single crochet worked in rows, so the fabric shows neat horizontal ridges. One round of single crochet edges the outline. Each daffodil has six pointed cream petals around a ruffled yellow cup.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished letter measures 3.2 in (8.1 cm) wide and 3.8 in (9.7 cm) tall, not counting the ring. The large flower is about 1.3 in (3.3 cm) across, and each small flower is about 1 in (2.5 cm).
You crochet the letter flat, from the bottom up, as one piece:
- Make two separate lower sections.
- Join them into full-width rows at the middle.
- Split into two upper sections.
- Add one border round.
- Sew on the appliqués and attach the ring.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 3.2 in x 3.8 in (8.1 cm x 9.7 cm)
- Skill level: Easy to intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: DK (light #3)
- Hook: 3.5 mm (E-4)
- Number of pieces: 1 letter base, plus 3 flowers and 3 leaves sewn on as appliqués
- Layout: A single letter N, used flat as a keychain charm
- Piece size before border: 15 sts x 18 rows = 3 in x 3.6 in (7.6 cm x 9.1 cm)
- Border depth: 1 round of sc, which adds 0.1 in (0.3 cm) on each edge
Materials
Use a smooth DK cotton or cotton blend. Cotton keeps the stitches crisp and holds up to everyday keychain wear.
- Coral (main color): 10 g, about 23 m
- Cream (petals): 4 g, about 9 m
- Butter yellow (flower cups): 2 g, about 5 m
- Sage green (leaves): 2 g, about 5 m
All quantities include a margin for your gauge check and yarn tails.
Tools:
- 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- 1 in (2.5 cm) gold split key ring and one small gold jump ring
- Flat-nose pliers
- Stitch markers
- Rust-proof pins and a gridded blocking mat
- Scissors
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
- inc – 2 sc in the same stitch
- MR – magic ring
- FLO / BLO – front loop only / back loop only
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- RS – right side
Special stitch – sc2tog: Insert the hook in the next st, yarn over, and pull up a loop. Insert the hook in the following st, yarn over, and pull up a loop. Yarn over and draw through all 3 loops. This removes 1 st.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 20 sc x 20 rows = 4 in (10.2 cm). That’s 5 sts and 5 rows per inch.
The stitch gauge and row gauge are the same. This matters for the border, which places 1 sc in each row end and 1 sc in each stitch.
Test piece first. Section 1, the lower left leg, doubles as your swatch.
Checkpoints:
- After Section 1 (Row 7): 1 in (2.5 cm) wide x 1.4 in (3.6 cm) tall
- After Row 11: 3 in (7.6 cm) wide x 2.2 in (5.6 cm) tall
- After Row 18: 3 in x 3.6 in (7.6 cm x 9.1 cm)
- After the border: 3.2 in x 3.8 in (8.1 cm x 9.7 cm)
Too big? Change to a 3.25 mm or 3 mm hook.
Too small? Change to a 3.75 mm hook.
Right width but too tall? Keep the same hook and pull each loop up a little shorter.
The Letter N
The letter sits on a 15-stitch grid:
- Columns 1–5: left leg
- Columns 6–10: gaps and diagonal
- Columns 11–15: right leg
The diagonal grows out of the right leg at the bottom and out of the left leg at the top. Every increase and decrease goes at the inner edge, the edge facing the gap.
The ch 1 at the start of each row does not count as a stitch.
Section 1: Lower Left Leg
Row 1: With coral, ch 6. Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (5 sts)
Rows 2–7: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (5 sts)
Fasten off and set aside. Measure this piece against the first checkpoint: 1 in x 1.4 in (2.5 cm x 3.6 cm).
Section 2: Lower Right Leg and Diagonal
This section starts as a 5-stitch leg and widens toward the left. Odd rows begin at the inner (left) edge, and even rows end there.
Row 1: With coral, ch 6. Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn. (5 sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (5 sts)
Row 3: Ch 1, inc in first st, sc in each remaining st. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 4: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 5: Ch 1, inc in first st, sc in each remaining st. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 6: Ch 1, sc in each st to the last st, inc in last st. Turn. (8 sts)
Row 7: Ch 1, inc in first st, sc in each remaining st. Turn. (9 sts)
Across Rows 1–7, the lower gap measures 5, 5, 4, 4, 3, 2, and 1 sts wide. Do not fasten off.
Section 3: Joined Middle
Place Section 1 to the left of Section 2. Line up the bottom edges, with the RS of both pieces facing you.
Row 8 (joining row): Ch 1, sc in each of the 9 sts of Section 2. Ch 1 to bridge the gap. Sc in each of the 5 sts across the top of Section 1. Turn. (9 sc + 1 ch + 5 sc = 15 sts)
Row 9: Ch 1, sc in each st across, working 1 sc in the bridging ch. Turn. (15 sts)
Rows 10–11: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (15 sts)
You should now be at column 15, the right edge.
Section 4: Upper Right Leg
Row 12: Ch 1, sc in the first 5 sts (columns 15 to 11). Leave the rest unworked. Turn. (5 sts)
Rows 13–18: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (5 sts)
Fasten off.
Section 5: Upper Left Leg and Diagonal
Row 12: Join coral in the first st of Row 11 at the left edge (column 1). Ch 1, sc in the same st and in the next 8 sts. Leave column 10 unworked; this st is the bottom of the upper gap. Turn. (9 sts)
Row 13: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in each remaining st. Turn. (8 sts)
Row 14: Ch 1, sc in each st to the last 2 sts, sc2tog. Turn. (7 sts)
Row 15: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in each remaining st. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 16: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (6 sts)
Row 17: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in each remaining st. Turn. (5 sts)
Row 18: Ch 1, sc in each st across. (5 sts)
Fasten off. Across Rows 12–18, the upper gap measures 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, and 5 sts wide, which mirrors the lower gap.
Letter total: 35 + 46 + 60 + 35 + 46 = 222 sts.
Daffodils (Make 1 Large, 2 Small)
Rnd 1: With yellow, make a MR. Ch 1, 6 sc in the ring. Sl st to the first sc. (6 sts)
Rnd 2 (cup): Ch 1. Working in FLO, inc in each st around. Sl st to the first sc. (12 sts) Fasten off yellow.
Rnd 3: Join cream in any free back loop of Rnd 1, behind the cup. Ch 1. Working in the BLO of Rnd 1, inc in each st around. Sl st to the first sc. (12 sts)
Rnd 4 (petals):
- Large flower: Sl st in next st, ch 6. Starting in the 2nd ch from hook, work sl st, sc, hdc, dc, dc. Sl st in next st. Repeat from * 5 more times. (6 petals)
- Small flower: Sl st in next st, ch 5. Starting in the 2nd ch from hook, work sl st, sc, hdc, dc. Sl st in next st. Repeat from * 5 more times. (6 petals)
Each petal uses 2 sts, so 6 petals x 2 = 12 sts. The sl st at each tip pulls the petal into a point. Fasten off and leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail.
Leaves (Make 3)
- With green, ch 8.
- Starting in the 2nd ch from hook, work sl st, sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc. Work 3 sc in the last ch.
- Rotate and work along the other side of the chain: hdc, dc, dc, hdc, sc, sl st.
- Ch 2 for the tip, then sl st in the first sl st.
That’s 6 + 3 + 6 = 15 sts plus the ch-2 tip. The foundation chain forms a center vein. Each leaf is about 0.9 in (2.3 cm) long. Fasten off and leave a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail.
Border
Work the border before you sew on the appliqués.
Border gauge: 1 sc in each st and 1 sc in each row end. Both match the square 5-per-inch gauge.
Border round: Join coral in the top left corner st. Work clockwise around the outline:
- Top of the left section: 3 sc in the corner st, 3 sc, 3 sc in the corner st. (9 sc)
- Down the upper gap’s left side (row ends of Rows 18–12): 7 sc
- Bottom of the upper gap (free st in column 10 of Row 11): 1 sc
- Up the right leg’s inner edge (row ends of Rows 12–18): 7 sc
- Top of the right leg: 9 sc, with 3 sc in each corner st
- Right outer edge: 18 sc
- Bottom of the right section: 9 sc, with 3 sc in each corner st
- Up the lower gap’s right side (row ends of Rows 1–7): 7 sc
- Top of the lower gap (free loop of the bridging ch): 1 sc
- Down the left leg’s inner edge (row ends of Rows 7–1): 7 sc
- Bottom of the left leg: 9 sc, with 3 sc in each corner st
- Left outer edge: 18 sc
Sl st to the first sc. (102 sts)
Why the math works:
- The edges made of row ends and gap stitches take 18 + 7 + 1 + 7 + 18 + 7 + 1 + 7 = 66 sc.
- The four 5-stitch ends add 20 more, for 86 base sts.
- Each of the 8 corner sts already counts once in its 5-st edge. The 2 extra sc in each corner add 16, for a total of 102.
The border adds 0.1 in (0.3 cm) on each side. That takes the letter from 3 in x 3.6 in (7.6 cm x 9.1 cm) to 3.2 in x 3.8 in (8.1 cm x 9.7 cm). Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Final Blocking
- Mist the letter lightly until damp.
- Pin it RS up on a gridded mat, with a pin at each of the 8 outer corners.
- Square it to 3.2 in x 3.8 in (8.1 cm x 9.7 cm), with straight-sided triangle gaps.
- Mist the flowers and leaves, pinch every tip to a point, and let everything dry.
- Sew the large flower over the top left corner, with one leaf beneath it pointing down-left.
- Sew one small flower 0.6 in (1.5 cm) above the bottom border on the right leg. Overlap the second small flower just above and to the left of it. Add one leaf above the pair and one at the bottom right.
- Stitch through the centers and petal bases only, so the tips stay free.
- Open the jump ring, pass it through the top left border corner, add the split ring, and close the jump ring fully.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The letter measures 3.2 in x 3.8 in (8.1 cm x 9.7 cm).
- Both legs are 5 sts wide and 18 rows tall.
- The border has 102 sts and lies flat.
- All 8 outer corners are sharp.
- Each flower has 6 pointed petals and a raised cup.
- All three leaves show a center vein.
- The jump ring is fully closed.
Troubleshooting
The border ruffles: You probably added extra stitches. Work exactly 1 sc per row end.
The border pulls in: Your tension is too tight, or you skipped some row ends. Recount each edge against the list.
The diagonal edges look jagged: Keep all incs and sc2togs at the inner edge only.
The flower cup lies flat: Work Rnd 2 in FLO and Rnd 3 in the remaining BLO.
The petals curl: Re-block them and pin each tip.
Care
Spot clean with mild soap and cool water, then press flat and air dry. Remove the metal rings before soaking.
Final Notes
Each stage builds on the measurement before it:
- The test leg confirms gauge at 1 in x 1.4 in (2.5 cm x 3.6 cm).
- Row 11 confirms the 3 in (7.6 cm) width.
- Row 18 gives 3 in x 3.6 in (7.6 cm x 9.1 cm).
- The 102-stitch border finishes the letter at 3.2 in x 3.8 in (8.1 cm x 9.7 cm).
If every checkpoint matches, your daffodils will sit just right.
Happy crocheting!