This little letter M keychain is a flat teal panel with a crisp mustard edge and a tiny sunflower on one leg. It works up quickly, it’s easy to personalize, and it’s sturdy enough to clip onto a bag, a key ring, or a zipper pull.
The letter is deep teal. Mustard yellow is used for the border, the hanging loop, and the petals. The flower center is chocolate brown, and the two small leaves are soft sage green. The teal body is worked in a simple mini mesh of single crochet and chain-1 spaces. The chain spaces stack into a neat grid of tiny holes, which gives the letter its textured, slightly airy look.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished keychain measures about 3 in wide x 3 1/4 in tall (7.6 x 8.3 cm), not counting the split ring.
Construction is simple. You work two short legs separately, join them into one wide panel, and then split the top into two peaks. One round of mustard single crochet outlines the whole letter. A chain loop holds the ring, and the sunflower and leaves are sewn on last.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 3 in wide x 3 1/4 in tall (7.6 x 8.3 cm)
- Skill level: Advanced beginner
- Terminology: US
- Yarn weight: DK (light, #3) cotton
- Hook: 3.25 mm (US D-3)
- Number of pieces: 1 letter panel, plus 1 sunflower and 2 leaves sewn on as appliqués
- Layout: Single piece, with no panels to join
- Letter size before border: 2 3/4 in wide x 3 in tall (7.0 x 7.6 cm)
- Border depth: 1/8 in (0.3 cm) on every edge
- Sunflower: about 1 in (2.5 cm) across
- Leaves: about 3/4 x 3/8 in (1.9 x 1.0 cm) each
Materials
Use a smooth mercerized or soft matte cotton in DK weight. Cotton holds its shape on a keychain, doesn’t pill much, and shows the mesh texture clearly. Avoid fuzzy yarns, because they hide the holes and blur the outline of the letter.
- Teal (letter body): 10 g, about 24 m
- Mustard (border, loop, petals): 6 g, about 14 m
- Brown (flower center): 2 g, about 5 m
- Sage green (leaves): 2 g, about 5 m
These amounts include a margin for a gauge check, yarn tails, and one restart.
Tools:
- 3.25 mm (US D-3) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- 1 in (2.5 cm) gold split key ring
- Scissors
- Stitch markers (2)
- Blocking mat and rustproof pins
- Spray bottle with water
- Ruler or tape measure
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sl st – slip stitch
- sk – skip
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
Special stitch: Mini Mesh. Work sc in each sc and ch 1 over each ch-1 sp. Each sc counts as 1 st, and each ch-1 sp counts as 1 st. Every row starts and ends with an sc, so every row count is odd. The sc always sit on sc and the chains always sit over chains, so the holes line up in straight vertical columns.
Mesh row (used throughout): Ch 1 (does not count as a st), turn, sc in first sc, ch 1, sk ch-1 sp, sc in next sc; repeat from * across.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 11 sts and 12 rows = 2 in (5.1 cm) in Mini Mesh.
That’s 5.5 sts and 6 rows per inch. Your first leg is your gauge test, so make it first and measure it before going on.
Checkpoints:
- Leg after Row 6: 5 sts wide = about 7/8 in (2.2 cm)
- Leg after Row 7: 7 rows tall = about 1 1/8 in (2.9 cm)
- Panel after Row 8: 15 sts wide = 2 3/4 in (7.0 cm)
- Panel after Row 15: 2 1/2 in (6.4 cm) tall
- Letter after Row 18: 2 3/4 x 3 in (7.0 x 7.6 cm)
If your leg is too big, switch to a 3.0 mm hook. If it’s too small, switch to a 3.5 mm (US E-4) hook. Width matters most, because the border counts assume 5 sts per leg and 15 sts across.
Letter M Body
Use teal. Odd-numbered rows are RS rows and run right to left when the RS faces you.
Right Leg
Row 1 (RS): Ch 6, sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, sk next ch, sc in next ch; rep from * once more. (5 sts: 3 sc, 2 ch-1 sps)
Rows 2–6: Work the Mesh row. (5 sts)
On this leg, the right edge is the outer edge. The left edge, where odd rows end, is the inner edge.
Row 7 (RS, increase): Ch 1, turn, sc in first sc, ch 1, sk ch-1 sp, sc in next sc; rep from * once more, but work the final sc as (sc, ch 1, sc) in the last sc. (7 sts: 5 worked 1-per-existing-st + 2 added at the inner edge)
Fasten off.
Left Leg
Rows 1–6: Work the same as Right Leg Rows 1–6. (5 sts)
On this leg, the inner edge is the right edge, where odd rows begin.
Row 7 (RS, increase): Ch 1, turn, (sc, ch 1, sc) in first sc, ch 1, sk ch-1 sp, sc in next sc; rep from * once more. (7 sts: 5 worked 1-per-existing-st + 2 added at the inner edge)
Don’t fasten off. The yarn is now at the outer left edge.
Joining Row and Upper Body
Row 8 (WS, joining): Ch 1, turn, and work the Mesh row across all 7 sts of the Left Leg. Ch 1. Then, with the Right Leg’s RS also facing away from you, sc in the first (inner) sc of Right Leg Row 7 and continue the Mesh row across. (15 sts: 7 + 1 + 7)
The single ch-1 bridges the 1-st gap and closes the bottom notch into a narrow point. Below it, the notch is 5 sts (7/8 in / 2.2 cm) wide for 6 rows and then 1 st wide at Row 7. This stepped shape forms the pointed inner arch of the M.
Rows 9–15: Work the Mesh row. (15 sts)
Check: the panel should be 2 3/4 in (7.0 cm) wide and 2 1/2 in (6.4 cm) tall.
Left Peak
Number the Row 15 sts 1–15, starting from the edge where Row 15 ended (the left edge).
Row 16 (WS): Ch 1, turn, sc in st 1, ch 1, sk ch-1 sp, sc in next sc; rep from * twice more, ending in st 7. Leave the remaining sts unworked. (7 sts)
Row 17 (RS): Ch 1, turn, sk first sc and next ch-1 sp, sc in next sc, ch 1, sk ch-1 sp, sc in next sc; rep from * once more. (5 sts)
Row 18: Work the Mesh row. (5 sts) Fasten off.
Right Peak
Row 16 (WS): Leave st 8 (a ch-1 sp) unworked. Join teal with a sl st in st 9, ch 1, sc in same st, ch 1, sk ch-1 sp, sc in next sc; rep from * twice more, ending in st 15. (7 sts)
Row 17 (RS): Work the Mesh row over the first 5 sts only, leaving the last 2 sts unworked. (5 sts)
Row 18: Work the Mesh row. (5 sts) Fasten off.
The top V dip is now 1 st wide at Row 16 and 5 sts wide at Rows 17–18. Weave in all teal ends on the WS.
Border
Use mustard, with the RS facing.
Border gauge: Work 1 sc in each st along the top and bottom edges and 1 sc in each row-end along the sides. A Mini Mesh st is about 0.18 in (0.5 cm) wide and a row is about 0.17 in (0.4 cm) tall, so 1 sc per st or row-end lies flat without ruffling or cupping. Each outer corner gets 3 sc in 1 st, which adds the 2 extra sts the corner needs to turn.
Round 1: Join mustard with a sl st in the last st of Right Peak Row 18 (the top right corner). Work counterclockwise:
- Right Peak top (5 sts): 3 sc in the corner st, sc in next 3 sts, 3 sc in last st. (9 sc)
- Top dip: On the Right Peak’s inner edge, sc in the row-end of Row 18, the row-end of Row 17, the 2 unworked sts of Row 16, and the row-end of Row 16 (5 sc). Sc in center st 8 of Row 15 (1 sc). On the Left Peak’s inner edge, sc in the row-end of Row 16, the 2 exposed sts of Row 16, and the row-ends of Rows 17 and 18 (5 sc). (11 sc)
- Left Peak top (5 sts): 3 sc in first st, sc in next 3 sts, 3 sc in last st. (9 sc)
- Left outer edge: 1 sc in each row-end from Row 18 down to Row 1. (18 sc)
- Left Leg bottom (5 foundation chs): 3 sc in first ch, sc in next 3 chs, 3 sc in last ch. (9 sc)
- Bottom notch: On the Left Leg’s inner edge, 1 sc in each row-end of Rows 1–6 (6 sc), 2 sc under the 2 increased sts of Row 7, and 1 sc in the row-end of Row 7. Then 1 sc under the joining ch-1 of Row 8. Mirror this on the Right Leg: 1 sc in the Row 7 row-end, 2 sc under the increased sts, and 1 sc in each row-end of Rows 6–1. (19 sc)
- Right Leg bottom (5 foundation chs): 3 sc in first ch, sc in next 3 chs, 3 sc in last ch. (9 sc)
- Right outer edge: 1 sc in each row-end from Row 1 up to Row 18. (18 sc)
Sl st to the first sc. Total: 102 sc.
Why the math works: The edges contribute 86 sts (5 + 11 + 5 + 18 + 5 + 19 + 5 + 18). Each of the 8 outer corners gets 3 sc in 1 st instead of 1 sc, which adds 2 sts per corner. That’s 16 extra sts, and 86 + 16 = 102. The border adds 1/8 in (0.3 cm) on every edge, so the 2 3/4 x 3 in (7.0 x 7.6 cm) letter becomes 3 x 3 1/4 in (7.6 x 8.3 cm).
Hanging Loop
Don’t fasten off. Sl st along the top to the center sc of the Left Peak’s outer corner group. Ch 8, then sl st in the same sc. Work 12 sc into the ch-8 loop and sl st to its base. The loop is about 1/2 in (1.3 cm) long. Fasten off and weave in the end.
Sunflower Appliqué
Round 1 (brown): Make a magic ring, ch 1, work 10 sc in the ring, pull it closed, and sl st to the first sc. (10 sc) The center is about 3/8 in (1.0 cm) across. Fasten off.
Round 2 (mustard, petals): Join mustard with a sl st in any sc. Ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, sl st in next sc of Round 1; rep from * 9 more times, working the last sl st into the joining st. (10 pointed petals)
Fasten off, leaving a 10 in (25.4 cm) tail for sewing. The flower is about 1 in (2.5 cm) across.
Leaves (Make 2)
Use sage green.
Ch 6. Working along one side of the chain: sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch, 3 sc in last ch. Working along the other side of the foundation: hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch, and sl st to the first sc. (11 sts)
The foundation chain forms a raised center rib that looks like a leaf vein. Fasten off, leaving an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail.
Attaching the Appliqués
- Place the sunflower on the Left Leg. Its center should sit about 1 1/4 in (3.2 cm) above the bottom edge, with the petals slightly overlapping the left border.
- Tuck the rounded ends of both leaves under the lower petals. Angle one leaf down to the left and the other down to the right.
- Whipstitch around the outer edge of each leaf, going through the teal fabric only. Then sew the flower down around the brown center and at the base of each petal, leaving the petal tips free.
- Weave all tails into the mesh on the WS.
Final Blocking
- Mist the keychain lightly until it’s damp but not soaked.
- Lay it RS up on the blocking mat.
- Pin the 4 bottom corners and the 4 peak corners so the letter measures 3 x 3 1/4 in (7.6 x 8.3 cm).
- Pin the bottom notch point and the top dip point so both inner edges are straight.
- Gently nudge the petals open with a fingertip.
- Let it dry completely, remove the pins, and put the split ring through the loop.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The letter measures 3 x 3 1/4 in (7.6 x 8.3 cm).
- Both legs and both peaks are 5 sts wide before the border.
- The mesh holes run in straight vertical columns.
- The border has 102 sc and lies flat with no ruffles.
- All 8 outer corners are crisp.
- The sunflower has 10 even petals with free tips.
- No sewing stitches show on the RS.
- The split ring closes fully and the loop is firm.
Troubleshooting
- Holes drift diagonally: You worked sc into a ch-1 sp. Always work sc into sc.
- Panel gets narrower toward the top: You skipped the last sc of a row. Count 15 sts on every full row.
- Border ruffles: Your tension is too loose. Go down one hook size for the border only.
- Border cups: You skipped a row-end. Recount each side against the totals.
- Notch looks blunt: Pull the sc under the Row 8 ch-1 firmly, and pin the point while blocking.
- Petals curl: Mist the petals again and pin them flat until dry.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press out the water in a towel, and dry flat. Don’t tumble dry, because heat can shrink the cotton and distort the letter.
Final Notes
Every size in this pattern comes from the gauge. At 5.5 sts and 6 rows per inch, each 5-st leg is 7/8 in (2.2 cm) wide. The 15-st panel is 2 3/4 in (7.0 cm) wide, and 18 rows make it 3 in (7.6 cm) tall. One round of 102 sc adds 1/8 in (0.3 cm) all around, so the finished letter is 3 x 3 1/4 in (7.6 x 8.3 cm). If your first leg matches its checkpoint, every count after it will fall into place. Make one for each favorite initial and add a sunflower to every bag you own.
Happy crocheting!