Blossom Initial M Keychain Crochet Pattern

This little letter M is made for clipping onto a handbag, key set, or zipper pull. It’s worked in soft dusty rose with a deep vertical rib. A small spray of flowers runs down the left leg: two cream five-petal blossoms with mustard centers, three sage green leaves, and tiny burgundy berries.

The style is cottage-romantic but tidy. The ribbed body looks almost knitted, one round of single crochet gives it a smooth outline, and a gold split ring with a short chain turns it into a keychain.

This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished letter measures 3 in (7.6 cm) wide and 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall, not counting the hardware.

You work the letter sideways in one piece, from the left edge to the right edge, in rows of single crochet through the back loop only. Each row runs the full height of the letter, so the ribs stand up vertically. The diagonal middle is shaped with short rows, increases, and decreases. One border round goes all the way around, and then you make the appliqués separately and sew them on.

Finished Size and Construction

• Finished size: 3 in (7.6 cm) wide x 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall
• Skill level: Easy-intermediate (short-row shaping, small appliqués)
• Terminology: US crochet terms
• Yarn weight: DK (#3 light), cotton or cotton blend
• Hooks: 3.5 mm (US E-4) for the letter; 3.0 mm for the appliqués
• Number of pieces: 1 letter body, plus 10 small appliqués sewn on top (2 flowers, 3 leaves, 5 berries)
• Layout: one single letter M; all appliqués are clustered on the left leg
• Size before border: 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide x 3 in (7.6 cm) tall
• Border depth: 0.25 in (0.6 cm) on every edge

Materials

Choose a smooth, firm cotton or cotton blend in DK weight. Cotton shows the ribs clearly and keeps its shape on a keychain that gets handled every day. The amounts below assume about 120 m per 50 g.

• Dusty rose (main color): 10 g, about 24 m
• Cream (flowers): 3 g, about 7 m
• Sage green (leaves): 2 g, about 5 m
• Burgundy (berries): 2 g, about 5 m
• Mustard yellow (flower centers): 1 g, about 2 m

All amounts include extra for a gauge test and sewing tails.

Tools:

• 3.5 mm (US E-4) and 3.0 mm crochet hooks
• Sharp tapestry needle
• Gold split keyring, 1 in (2.5 cm) across, with a chain about 1 in (2.5 cm) long
• 1 small gold jump ring and 2 pairs of flat-nose pliers
• Scissors, stitch markers, blocking mat, and rustproof pins

Abbreviations (US Terms)

• ch: chain
• sl st: slip stitch
• sc: single crochet
• hdc: half double crochet
• dc: double crochet
• sc2tog: single crochet 2 together. (Insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop) twice, yo, pull through all 3 loops.
• BLO: back loop only
• st(s): stitch(es)
• yo: yarn over

Special stitch: 4-dc bobble. (Yo, insert hook in the indicated st, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops) 4 times in the same st. You now have 5 loops on the hook. Yo and pull through all 5.

Position numbers. Each row runs up or down the height of the M. Stitch positions are numbered from 1 at the bottom edge to 15 at the top edge.

Gauge and Checkpoints

Gauge with the 3.5 mm hook in sc BLO rows: 5 sts and 6 rows = 1 in (2.5 cm). Measure stitches along a row, which runs up the letter. Measure rows across the ribs; every 2 rows make 1 visible rib.

Work Rows 1 to 5 as your test. They form the left leg of the letter, so if the measurements are right, just keep going.

Checkpoints:

• After Row 5: the left leg is 3 in (7.6 cm) tall and 0.83 in (2.1 cm) wide.
• After Row 10: the piece is 1.67 in (4.2 cm) wide. The lowest point of the V sits 0.8 in (2.0 cm) above the bottom edge.
• After Row 15: the piece is 2.5 in (6.4 cm) wide and 3 in (7.6 cm) tall.
• After the border: 3 in (7.6 cm) wide x 3.5 in (8.9 cm) tall.

If the leg is too tall, go down a hook size. If it’s too short, go up a hook size. If the height is right but the leg is too wide, work the turning chains more tightly. On a piece this small, even 0.125 in (0.3 cm) is noticeable, so start again rather than pushing on.

The Letter

Use dusty rose and the 3.5 mm hook. The ch-1 at the start of each row doesn’t count as a stitch. From Row 2 on, work every sc in BLO unless the pattern says otherwise.

Left Leg

Row 1: Ch 16. Hold the chain with the hook end at the bottom of the letter. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. (15 sc, positions 1 to 15. You end at the top.)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Sc BLO in each st across. (15 sc. You end at the bottom.)

Rows 3 to 5: Repeat Row 2. (15 sc each.) Row 5 ends at the top.

Middle V

These rows form the diagonal middle of the M. Their bottom edges step down toward the center. Their top edges step down slightly to make the notch between the peaks.

Row 6: Ch 1, turn. Sc BLO in the next 9 sts (positions 15 to 7). Leave the last 6 sts (positions 6 to 1) unworked; they form the inner edge of the left leg. (9 sc, positions 7 to 15.)

Row 7: Ch 1, turn. Work 2 sc BLO in the first st (positions 6 and 7), then sc BLO in the next 7 sts (positions 8 to 14). Leave the last st unworked. (2 + 7 = 9 sc, positions 6 to 14.)

Row 8: Ch 1, turn. Sc2tog BLO over the first 2 sts (positions 14 and 13 become position 13). Sc BLO in the next 6 sts (positions 12 to 7). Work 2 sc BLO in the last st (positions 6 and 5). (1 + 6 + 2 = 9 sc, positions 5 to 13.) This is the center row.

Row 9: Ch 1, turn. Sc2tog BLO over the first 2 sts (positions 5 and 6 become position 6). Sc BLO in the next 6 sts (positions 7 to 12). Work 2 sc BLO in the last st (positions 13 and 14). (1 + 6 + 2 = 9 sc, positions 6 to 14.)

Row 10: Ch 1, turn. Work 2 sc BLO in the first st (positions 15 and 14). Sc BLO in the next 6 sts (positions 13 to 8). Sc2tog BLO over the last 2 sts (positions 7 and 6 become position 7). (2 + 6 + 1 = 9 sc, positions 7 to 15.) You end at the bottom of the row, at position 7.

The V now dips to position 5, which is 0.8 in (2.0 cm) above the bottom edge. The top notch is 2 sts deep, about 0.4 in (1.0 cm).

Right Leg

Row 11: Ch 7, turn. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in the next 5 ch (6 sc, positions 1 to 6). Then sc BLO in the 9 sts of Row 10 (positions 7 to 15). (6 + 9 = 15 sc.) The 6 sts worked into the chain hang free and make the gap between the legs.

Rows 12 to 15: Ch 1, turn. Sc BLO in each st across. (15 sc each.)

Fasten off and weave in the tail on the back. Check the Row 15 measurements.

Border

Border gauge: keep the 3.5 mm hook and work snugly. Along stitch edges, working 1 sc per st gives 5 sc per 1 in (2.5 cm), which matches the body. Along row ends, working 1 sc per row end gives 6 sc per 1 in (2.5 cm). This keeps the short top and bottom edges firm without ruffling.

Corner rules: each outer corner gets 3 sc in the corner st. Each inner corner gets one sc2tog worked across the corner. In the table below, corners have their own lines and are not included in the edge counts.

With the right side facing, join dusty rose with a sl st in the bottom-left corner (position 1 of the foundation chain). Ch 1 (doesn’t count), then work clockwise around the letter:

Segment	Where you work	Stitches
Bottom-left corner	foundation loop, position 1	3 sc
Left outer edge	foundation loops, positions 2 to 14	13 sc
Top-left corner	foundation loop, position 15	3 sc
Top edge	ends of Rows 2 to 14	13 sc
Top-right corner	Row 15, position 15	3 sc
Right outer edge	Row 15, positions 14 to 2	13 sc
Bottom-right corner	Row 15, position 1	3 sc
Right leg bottom	ends of Rows 14, 13, 12	3 sc
Right leg inner corner	end of Row 11 (position 1)	3 sc
Right leg inner edge	Row 11 chain loops, positions 2 to 5	4 sc
Inner corner	position 6 loop + end of Row 10	1 sc2tog
V, right side	end of Row 9	1 sc
V point	end of Row 8	3 sc
V, left side	end of Row 7	1 sc
Inner corner	end of Row 6 + Row 5, position 6	1 sc2tog
Left leg inner edge	Row 5, positions 5 to 2	4 sc
Left leg inner corner	Row 5, position 1	3 sc
Left leg bottom	ends of Rows 4, 3, 2	3 sc

Join with a sl st to the first sc. (78 sts total.)

Why the math works: the edge stitches add up to 13 + 13 + 13 + 3 + 3 + 4 + 4 + 1 + 1 = 55. The seven 3-sc corners add 7 x 3 = 21, and the two sc2tog add 2, so 55 + 21 + 2 = 78. Each 3-sc group adds 2 extra sts to turn an outer corner. Each sc2tog takes away 1 st to pull an inner corner in. That keeps the border flat. The border adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm) on every side, so 2.5 in (6.4 cm) becomes 3 in (7.6 cm), and 3 in (7.6 cm) becomes 3.5 in (8.9 cm).

Fasten off and weave in the ends on the back.

Appliqués

Use the 3.0 mm hook for all appliqués. Leave an 8 in (20.3 cm) tail on each one for sewing.

Large Flower (make 1, cream)

Rnd 1: Make a magic ring, ch 1, work 5 sc in the ring. Pull it tight and join with a sl st to the first sc. (5 sc.)

Rnd 2: *(Sl st, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 2, sl st) in the next st; repeat from * 4 more times. (5 petals.) Fasten off. The flower is about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across.

Small Flower (make 1, cream)

Rnd 1: Make a magic ring, ch 1, work 5 sc in the ring. Join with a sl st. (5 sc.)

Rnd 2: *(Sl st, ch 1, 2 hdc, ch 1, sl st) in the next st; repeat from * 4 more times. (5 petals.) Fasten off. The flower is about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.

Centers: with mustard, work 5 French knots in the center of the large flower and 3 in the small one. Wrap the needle twice for each knot.

Leaf (make 3, sage green)

Ch 6. Sl st in the 2nd ch from the hook, sc in the next ch, hdc in the next ch, dc in the next ch, 3 hdc in the last ch. Now work along the other side of the chain: dc in the next ch, hdc in the next ch, sc in the next ch, sl st in the last ch. Ch 2 for the tip, then sl st in the first sl st. (4 + 3 + 4 = 11 sts, plus the ch-2 tip.) Fasten off. Each leaf is about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) long.

Berry (make 5, burgundy)

Ch 3. Work a 4-dc bobble in the 3rd ch from the hook, then ch 1 to lock it. Fasten off. Shape it into a ball about 0.25 in (0.6 cm) across.

Arranging and Sewing

All appliqués go on the left leg. Sew them on from the bottom layer up:

1. Leaves. Sew one near the top, angled up and to the right. Sew one near the middle, pointing out past the left edge. Sew one lower down, pointing down and to the left. Stitch each leaf along its center line.
2. Large flower. Place it 1.25 in (3.2 cm) below the top edge, covering the bases of the leaves and slightly overlapping the left border. Sew around the center ring.
3. Small flower. Place it directly below the large flower, with the petals just touching. Sew around the center.
4. Berries. Sew 3 berries above the top leaf and 2 at the lower right of the small flower.

Keep your stitches small on the back so the ribs stay clean.

Keyring

Open the jump ring with the pliers and pass it through 2 border sts at the top of the right leg, near its inner corner. Add the end of the chain, then close the ring completely.

Final Blocking

1. Mist the letter with cool water until it’s damp, not wet.
2. Lay it right side up on the blocking mat.
3. Pin the four outer corners to a 3 in (7.6 cm) x 3.5 in (8.9 cm) rectangle.
4. Pin the V point and the inner bottom corners so the gap between the legs is straight.
5. Pin the top notch so the two peaks are level.
6. Lift the flower petals gently so they cup a little.
7. Let it dry completely, then remove the pins.

Final Quality-Control Checklist

• The letter measures 3 in (7.6 cm) x 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
• The ribs run straight on both legs.
• The border has 78 sts and lies flat.
• Both legs are 5 rows wide.
• The top notch and the V point both line up on Row 8.
• Each flower has 5 petals and a neat center.
• All 3 leaves and 5 berries are sewn on firmly.
• The jump ring is fully closed.

Troubleshooting

The ribs look faint. Work in BLO on every row from Row 2 on.

The V is lopsided. Recount Rows 6 to 10. Each row should have 9 sc.

The gap between the legs is crooked. The Row 11 chain was too tight. Redo that row with a looser chain.

The border ruffles. Work it more tightly, or switch to the 3.0 mm hook.

The border cups. Check that each outer corner has 3 sc.

The flowers flop forward. Sew around their centers more firmly.

Care

Take the keyring off first. Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press out the water in a towel, and dry flat.

Final Notes

Here’s how the measurements connect. At 5 sc and 6 rows per inch, each 15-st row is 3 in (7.6 cm) tall. Fifteen rows make 2.5 in (6.4 cm) of width. The 78-stitch border adds 0.25 in (0.6 cm) to every edge, which gives a finished letter of 3 in (7.6 cm) x 3.5 in (8.9 cm). Check each stage as you go, and your keychain will match.

Happy crocheting!