This little letter J is open, lacy and light, with tiny daisies tucked along its curves. The stem and crossbar are filled with stacked V-stitches, and the curved hook at the bottom fans out in small triangles. A braided rim around the edge gives the letter a crisp outline.
The palette is soft: lavender for the letter, cream petals with sunny yellow centers, and sage green leaves. A gold keyring and short chain finish it, so it can clip onto a tote bag, backpack or set of keys.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished letter is about 4.2 in (10.7 cm) tall and 2.6 in (6.6 cm) wide. With the keyring and chain, the total length is about 6 in (15.2 cm).
Construction is simple. You work the stem in rows from the bottom up, widen the top rows into a crossbar, and then work the curved hook directly onto the bottom of the stem. A two-round border outlines the whole letter. After that, you sew on three small flowers and three leaves and attach the hardware.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size: 4.2 in (10.7 cm) tall × 2.6 in (6.6 cm) wide
- Skill level: Easy-intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Sport weight (#2) cotton
- Hook: 2.5 mm (US B/1 or C/2)
- Number of pieces: 1 letter, plus 3 flowers and 3 leaves as appliqués
- Layout: Single letter, with no joining between pieces
- Stem width before border: 1 in (2.5 cm)
- Size before border: 3.8 in (9.7 cm) tall × 2.2 in (5.6 cm) wide
- Border depth: 0.2 in (0.5 cm) on every edge
Materials
Use a smooth, tightly plied cotton or cotton blend at about 150 m per 50 g. Cotton keeps the lattice crisp and stands up to life on a keyring. Avoid fuzzy or very splitty yarns, because the open V-stitches need clean stitch definition.
- Lavender (main color): 8 g / 24 m
- Cream (petals): 3 g / 9 m
- Yellow (flower centers): 1 g / 3 m
- Sage green (leaves): 2 g / 6 m
All quantities include a small safety margin.
Tools:
– 2.5 mm crochet hook
– Tapestry needle
– Scissors
– Stitch markers (2–3)
– Gold split keyring, 1 in (2.5 cm)
– Short gold chain, 3–4 links, about 0.75 in (1.9 cm), with 2 jump rings
– 2 pairs of flat-nose pliers
– Rust-proof pins and a foam blocking mat
– Optional: a few drops of fabric stiffener
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sp – space
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
Special stitches:
- V (V-stitch): Work (dc, ch 1, dc) in the same stitch. Because both legs come from one point, the stitch opens upward into a V.
- fsc (foundation single crochet): Ch 2, insert hook in the 2nd ch from the hook, yo, pull up a loop, yo, draw through 1 loop (this is the “chain”), yo, draw through 2 loops. For each following fsc, insert the hook into the “chain” of the previous fsc and repeat. Each fsc adds 1 st to the end of the row.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 7 sc = 1 in (2.5 cm). One V-row plus one sc-row = 0.5 in (1.3 cm).
Treat the stem as your gauge test. Work Rows 1–5, then measure. The piece should be 1 in (2.5 cm) wide and about 1.15 in (2.9 cm) tall. If it’s correct, keep going.
Checkpoints:
– After Row 11 (stem): 1 in (2.5 cm) wide × 2.65 in (6.7 cm) tall
– After Row 14 (crossbar): crossbar about 1.9 in (4.8 cm) wide; body 3.3 in (8.4 cm) tall
– After the hook: band 0.5 in (1.3 cm) deep; whole piece 3.8 in (9.7 cm) × 2.2 in (5.6 cm)
– After the border: 4.2 in (10.7 cm) × 2.6 in (6.6 cm)
Too big? Go down to a 2.25 mm hook, or tighten the ch-3 turning chains.
Too small? Go up to a 2.75 mm hook. Don’t add stitches, because the stitch counts drive the shape.
Stem
With lavender:
Row 1 (RS): Ch 8, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn. (7 sc)
Row 2 (V-row): Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip next 2 sts, V in next st, skip next 2 sts, dc in last st, turn. (4 dc + 1 ch-1 sp)
Row 3 (sc-row): Ch 1, sc in first dc, 2 sc in next gap, sc in ch-1 sp of V, 2 sc in next gap, sc in top of turning ch, turn. (7 sc: 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1)
Rows 4–11: Repeat Rows 2–3 four more times. Do not fasten off.
You now have 5 stacked V-stitches separated by sc bars, with 7 sc at the end of Row 11. The stem should measure 1 in (2.5 cm) × 2.65 in (6.7 cm).
Crossbar
Row 12 (extension row): Ch 4, sc in 2nd ch from hook and next 2 ch (3 sc), sc in each of the 7 sc, then work 3 fsc off the end of the row, turn. (13 sts: 3 + 7 + 3)
Place a marker in the free underside of each extension so you can find these edges later.
Row 13 (V-row): Ch 3 (counts as dc), *skip 2 sts, V in next st, skip 2 sts, dc in next st; repeat from * once more, turn.
The dc sts land on stitches 1, 7 and 13, and the V-stitches land on stitches 4 and 10. (6 dc + 2 ch-1 sps)
Row 14 (sc-row): Ch 1, sc in first dc, 2 sc in gap, sc in ch-1 sp, 2 sc in gap, sc in next dc (or turning ch on the last repeat); repeat from * once more. (13 sc: 1 + 6 + 6)*
Fasten off. The crossbar is about 1.9 in (4.8 cm) wide, and the body is 3.3 in (8.4 cm) tall.
Hook
The hook is worked into the bottom edge of the stem and extends to the left.
Row H1 (RS): Rotate the piece so the free loops of the Row 1 foundation chain face up. Join lavender at the bottom-right corner. Ch 1, sc in each of the 7 free loops, working right to left. Then ch 14 for the inner edge of the hook. (7 sc + 14 ch)
Row H2 (fan row): The first 3 ch from the hook count as a dc and form the hook tip. Work V in 6th ch from hook, skip 2 ch, dc in next ch, skip 2 ch, V in next ch, skip last 2 ch. Dc in sc7 (the bottom-left corner of the stem), skip 2 sc, V in sc4, skip 2 sc, dc in sc1 (the bottom-right corner), turn.
The pattern runs over 19 positions: dc–V–dc–V–dc–V–dc. (10 dc + 3 ch-1 sps)
Row H3 (outer edge): Ch 1, sc in first dc, 3 sc in gap, 2 sc in ch-1 sp, 3 sc in gap, sc in next dc (or top of tip turning ch on the last repeat); repeat from * twice more. (28 sc: 1 + 9 + 9 + 9)*
The inner edge has 19 positions and the outer edge has 28 sc. Those 9 extra stitches on the outside bend the band into the J curve. The V-stitches open up into fan-like triangles as the band curves. Fasten off.
The band is 0.5 in (1.3 cm) deep. Gently curl it upward with your fingers. The whole piece should now be about 3.8 in (9.7 cm) × 2.2 in (5.6 cm).
Border
Border gauge: one sc for each sc row-end, 2 sc for each dc row-end, and 1 sc for each stitch along finished edges.
Round 1: With RS facing, join lavender in the top-left corner st of Row 14. Ch 1 and work clockwise:
- Crossbar top: 3 sc in first st, sc in next 11, 3 sc in last st. (17)
- Right crossbar end: 1 sc in the end of Row 14, 2 sc in the end of Row 13, 1 sc in the end of Row 12. (4)
- Right underside: 1 sc in each of the 3 fsc “chains.” (3)
- Stem right side: 16 sc down Rows 11–1 (five dc-row ends at 2 sc each, plus six sc-row ends at 1 sc each). Then 1 sc in the end of Row H1 and 2 sc in the end of Row H2. (19)
- Hook outer edge: 2 sc in first H3 st, sc in next 26 sts, 2 sc in last H3 st. (30)
- Tip: 3 sc around the post of the tip turning ch. (3)
- Hook inner edge: sc in each of the 11 free loops of the H1 chain. (11)
- Stem left side: 16 sc up Rows 1–11. (16)
- Left underside: 1 sc in each of the 3 free loops of the Row 12 chain. (3)
- Left crossbar end: 1 + 2 + 1 sc. (4)
Sl st to the first sc. (110 sc)
Check: 17 + 4 + 3 + 19 + 30 + 3 + 11 + 16 + 3 + 4 = 110.
Round 2 (braided rim): Sl st loosely in the back loop of each st around. (110 sl sts) Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Why the math works: Each edge count comes straight from the rows or stitches beneath it, so nothing is guessed. The crossbar corners take 3 sc so they lie flat at 90°. The 2-sc increases at each end of the hook’s outer edge add extra length where the curve is tightest. The inner chain edge gets exactly one sc per loop, so the inside of the curve doesn’t flare. The slip-stitch round sits on top of the sc round and forms the raised, braided outline. Together the two rounds add 0.2 in (0.5 cm) to every edge, which brings the letter to 4.2 in (10.7 cm) × 2.6 in (6.6 cm).
Flowers (Make 3)
Center: With yellow, make a magic ring and work 5 sc into it. Pull the ring closed and sl st to the first sc. (5 sc) Fasten off.
Petals: Join cream in any sc. (Ch 2, 2 dc, ch 2, sl st) in the same st, sl st in next st; repeat from * 4 more times, working the last sl st into the joining st. (5 petals)*
Fasten off, leaving a 6 in (15.2 cm) tail for sewing. Each flower is about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across.
Leaves (Make 3)
With sage green, ch 6. Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, work sc, hdc, dc and hdc in the next 4 ch. In the last ch, work (sc, ch 2, sc) to make the pointed tip. Rotate the leaf and work hdc, dc, hdc and sc in the free loops on the other side. Sl st to the first sc. (10 sts + 1 ch-2 tip)
Fasten off, leaving a sewing tail. Each leaf is about 0.6 in (1.5 cm) long.
Final Blocking
- Wet the letter (not the flowers), then roll it in a towel to remove excess water.
- Pin the stem straight, and check that it’s 1.4 in (3.6 cm) wide including the border.
- Pin the crossbar flat and level, with its corners square.
- Ease the hook into a smooth upward curve. Pin the tip so it rises level with the lower third of the stem.
- Open each V-stitch with a pin so the triangles show clearly.
- Check the overall size: 4.2 in (10.7 cm) × 2.6 in (6.6 cm).
- If you like, dab on a few drops of fabric stiffener for extra body. Let the piece dry completely.
- Sew on the appliqués:
- Flower 1 sits at the right end of the crossbar, with its leaf pointing right.
- Flower 2 sits on the right edge at mid-stem, with its leaf angled down and right.
- Flower 3 sits at the hook tip, with its leaf pointing down.
Tuck each leaf partly under its flower before stitching.
9. With pliers, open a jump ring and pass it through the top border at the center of the crossbar. Add the chain, then attach the keyring with the second jump ring.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- The stem shows 5 stacked V-stitches, and the crossbar shows 2.
- The hook has 3 fan triangles and curves up smoothly.
- Round 1 of the border has exactly 110 sc.
- The braided rim is even, with no gaps at the corners.
- The finished size is 4.2 in (10.7 cm) × 2.6 in (6.6 cm).
- The flowers are firmly sewn, with no loose petals.
- All ends are woven in on the WS.
- The jump rings are fully closed with no gaps.
Troubleshooting
Stem leans or twists: Your turning chains are probably uneven. Make every ch 3 the same tension, and block the stem straight.
Hook won’t curve enough: Check that Row H3 has 28 sc. Then pin the curve tighter while blocking, and add stiffener if needed.
Hook ruffles: Your outer edge has too many stitches, or you used 3 sc instead of 2 in the ch-1 spaces. Recount Row H3.
Border puckers at corners: Make sure each crossbar corner has 3 sc. The slip-stitch round may also be too tight, so loosen it or go up a hook size for Round 2.
V-stitches look closed: The ch-1 is too tight. Pull it up slightly, and pin each V open during blocking.
Flowers cup: The petal chains are too tight. Steam the flowers lightly and press them flat.
Care
Spot clean or hand wash in cool water, then reshape and lay flat to dry. Keep the metal hardware dry where you can, so it doesn’t tarnish.
Final Notes
The measurements build on each other. The 7-stitch stem is 1 in (2.5 cm) wide, and five V-and-sc row pairs take it to 2.65 in (6.7 cm) tall. The 13-stitch crossbar brings the body to 3.3 in (8.4 cm). The curved hook band adds 0.5 in (1.3 cm), for a size of 3.8 in (9.7 cm) × 2.2 in (5.6 cm). Finally, the 110-stitch border adds 0.2 in (0.5 cm) on every side, for a finished letter of 4.2 in (10.7 cm) × 2.6 in (6.6 cm).
If you check your gauge on the stem and count each row, the letter will come out the right size. Then add three daisies and a gold ring, and your keychain is ready to use.
Happy crocheting!