This little charm puts a classic evil eye inside a soft mint flower. The center is a solid black pupil, then a light blue iris ring and a crisp white ring, all inside eight rounded green petals. A green crocheted loop at the top holds a small gold bead, and a pearl and a full mint tassel hang from the bottom.
The colors are fresh and calm: black, light blue, white and mint green, with gold and pearl accents. It looks like a boho bag charm, and it also works as a keychain or a zipper pull.
The pattern uses US crochet terms. The flower motif is 3 in (7.6 cm) across from petal tip to petal tip. With the loop, the hardware and the tassel, the whole charm hangs about 8.25 in (21.0 cm) long.
The charm is made in one piece, worked in the round. You work the eye in four rounds, then add a green dc round, a round of eight shell petals and a single crochet edging round. Last, you add a beaded hanging loop to the top petal and a pearl and tassel to the bottom petal.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size (flower): 3 in (7.6 cm) across, petal tip to petal tip
- Total hanging length: about 8.25 in (21.0 cm)
- Skill level: Easy
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: Sport weight (#2) cotton
- Hook: 2.5 mm (US B/1 to C/2)
- Number of pieces: 1 motif, plus a tassel and hardware
- Layout: Single motif, hung by a loop at the top petal
- Piece size: 3 in (7.6 cm)
- Size before border: 2.8 in (7.1 cm) after Round 6
- Border depth: 0.1 in (0.3 cm) on each side, one round of sc
Materials
Use a smooth, mercerized cotton in sport weight. Cotton shows each stitch clearly, and the petals keep their shape when the charm swings from a bag. Choose a matte black and a true white so the eye stands out from a distance.
Yarn (sport weight cotton, about 150 m per 50 g):
- Black: 2 g, about 6 m
- Light blue: 2 g, about 6 m
- White: 2 g, about 6 m
- Mint green: 8 g, about 24 m (motif, loop and tassel)
These quantities include a margin. The charm itself uses less, but the extra covers swatching, color changes and tassel trimming.
Tools and notions:
- 2.5 mm (US B/1 to C/2) crochet hook
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- 1 gold bead, 4 mm, with a hole wide enough for your yarn
- 1 gold jump ring, 6 mm
- 1 pearl bead, 8 mm
- 1 gold eye pin, 1.5 in (3.8 cm), and round-nose pliers
- 1 gold key ring or lobster clasp (optional)
- Cardboard rectangle 2.5 in (6.4 cm) tall, for the tassel
- Spray bottle, blocking mat and rust-proof pins
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- MR – magic ring
- rep – repeat
Special stitch – 9-dc shell: Work 9 dc into the same stitch. Each shell makes one full petal.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Exact gauge isn’t critical for a charm, but size matters if you want the flower to match the tassel and hardware. Make one test eye (Rounds 1–4) first and measure it flat.
Gauge: Rounds 1–4 = 1.4 in (3.6 cm) across.
Checkpoints:
- After Round 2: 0.7 in (1.8 cm) across
- After Round 3: 1.1 in (2.8 cm) across
- After Round 4: 1.4 in (3.6 cm) across
- After Round 5: 2 in (5.1 cm) across
- After Round 6: 2.8 in (7.1 cm) across, tip to tip
- After Round 7: 3 in (7.6 cm) across, tip to tip
If your test eye is larger than 1.4 in (3.6 cm), switch to a 2.25 mm hook. If it is smaller, switch to a 2.75 mm hook. If it cups, you are working the increases too tightly. If it ruffles, your tension is too loose or your stitch count is off.
Pattern: The Eye (Rounds 1–4)
Join each round with a sl st to the first st. For a clean color change, work the final sl st of the round with the new color: insert hook, yarn over with the new color and pull through.
Round 1 (black): Make a MR. Ch 1 (does not count as a st), work 8 sc into the ring. Pull the ring tightly closed. Sl st to first sc. [8 sc]
Round 2 (black): Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around. Join with sl st to first sc, changing to light blue. [16 sc]
The black center is now a solid disc, 0.7 in (1.8 cm) across. Fasten off black and leave a short tail.
Round 3 (light blue): Ch 2 (does not count as a st). Hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st; rep from * 7 more times. Join to first hdc, changing to white. [24 hdc = 16 worked 1 per st + 8 added]
Round 4 (white): Ch 1. Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st; rep from * 7 more times. Join to first sc, changing to mint green. [32 sc = 24 worked 1 per st + 8 added]
Check: the eye is now 1.4 in (3.6 cm) across and lies flat. Fasten off light blue and white.
Pattern: The Flower (Rounds 5–6)
Round 5 (green): Ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc in next st. Dc in next st, 2 dc in next st; rep from * 14 more times. Sl st to top of beginning ch-3. [48 dc = 32 worked 1 per st + 16 added]
This round makes the plain green band between the white ring and the petals. It should measure 2 in (5.1 cm) across.
Round 6 (green, petals): Ch 1, sc in same st as join. Skip 2 sts, 9-dc shell in next st, skip 2 sts, sc in next st; rep from * 7 more times, but leave out the final sc on the last rep and sl st to the first sc instead. [8 shells: 72 dc + 8 sc = 80 sts]
Each rep uses exactly 6 sts of Round 5: 1 sc, 2 skipped, 1 shell st, 2 skipped. Eight reps use 8 x 6 = 48 sts, so the last shell lands right next to the first sc. Each shell sits 3 sts from the sc on either side, so every petal is centered and the same size.
Check: the flower measures 2.8 in (7.1 cm) tip to tip. Count your petals: you need exactly 8.
Border: Edging Round (Round 7)
The border is a single round of sc that outlines each petal. It firms up the scallops and gives the finished charm its smooth, slightly raised rim.
Border gauge: Sc worked into the tops of the shell dc sits flush with the petal edge and adds 0.1 in (0.3 cm) on each side.
Round 7 (green): Ch 1 (does not count as a st). Sc in each of next 4 dc, 3 sc in next dc (the 5th, center dc of the shell), sc in each of next 4 dc, sl st in next sc between petals; rep from * 7 more times. The final sl st lands in the first sc of Round 6. Fasten off and weave in the end.
Count per petal: 4 + 3 + 4 = 11 sc, plus 1 sl st = 12 sts.
Round total: 88 sc + 8 sl st = 96 sts. The 88 sc are 72 worked 1 per dc + 16 added (2 extra at each petal tip).
Why the math works: Each shell has 9 dc, so working sc into all 9 keeps the petal edge the same length. The petal tip is a tight outer curve, so it needs extra stitches. Working 3 sc in the center dc adds 2 sts per petal, so the edge can go around the tip without pulling. The sl st sinks into the sc in the dip between petals, so each dip stays sharp. The edging adds 0.1 in (0.3 cm) on each side, so 2.8 in + 0.2 in = 3 in (7.6 cm).
Hanging Loop with Gold Bead
Choose the petal that will be the top. Thread the 4 mm gold bead onto the mint green yarn and slide it well down the yarn, out of the way.
- Join green with a sl st in the center sc of the top petal (the middle sc of the 3-sc group).
- Ch 4. Slide the bead up to the hook and ch 1 to lock it in place. This is the stem.
- Ch 30, then sl st into the ch that locks the bead to form the loop.
- Ch 1, work 42 sc over the loop (around the chain, not into it). Sl st to first sc.
- Fasten off. Weave the end down through the stem chains and into the back of the petal.
The stem is about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) long, and the loop hangs about 1.5 in (3.8 cm). The sc worked over the loop turns it into a thick, round cord.
Pearl Drop and Tassel
Tassel:
- Wrap mint green yarn 25 times around the 2.5 in (6.4 cm) cardboard.
- Slide an 8 in (20.3 cm) strand under the wraps at the top and tie it tightly. Leave the tails long.
- Cut the wraps along the bottom edge and remove the card.
- Wrap a 12 in (30.5 cm) strand tightly around the tassel 0.25 in (0.6 cm) below the top tie. Wrap 5–6 times, knot it and hide the tails inside the tassel.
- Trim the bottom so the tassel measures 2.5 in (6.4 cm) from top to bottom.
Assembly:
- Find the bottom petal, directly opposite the top petal (4 petals away).
- Open the 6 mm jump ring and pass it through the center sc of the bottom petal.
- Thread the pearl onto the eye pin. Turn a loop above the pearl with round-nose pliers.
- Hook the top loop of the eye pin onto the jump ring and close the ring.
- Tie the tassel’s top tails through the bottom loop of the eye pin. Knot twice and tuck the tails into the tassel.
The jump ring and pearl add about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) between the flower and the tassel.
Final Blocking
- Before you add the tassel, lightly mist the flower until it is damp but not wet.
- Pin it face up on the blocking mat. Put one pin in the center of the black disc.
- Pin each petal tip so the flower measures 3 in (7.6 cm) tip to tip in both directions.
- Pin the dip between each pair of petals so all the dips are even.
- Let it dry completely, at least 2–3 hours.
- Unpin it, then add the jump ring, pearl and tassel.
- Steam the tassel lightly from above (do not touch it with the iron) and smooth the strands with your fingers.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- Black center is solid, with no hole at the magic ring.
- Round counts match: 8, 16, 24, 32, 48, 80, 96.
- The blue and white rings are even all the way around, with no jog at the color changes.
- There are exactly 8 petals, all the same size.
- Each petal has 3 sc at its tip and a sharp dip between petals.
- The flower measures 3 in (7.6 cm) tip to tip.
- The loop is firm and the gold bead does not slide.
- The top and bottom petals are directly opposite each other, so the charm hangs straight.
- The jump ring is fully closed.
- The tassel is 2.5 in (6.4 cm) long and evenly trimmed.
- All ends are woven in on the back.
Troubleshooting
The center has a hole. Pull the magic ring tighter, then weave the black tail around the ring once more before trimming.
The eye cups like a bowl. You are missing increases or crocheting too tightly. Recount Rounds 3 and 4 against 24 and 32.
The flower ruffles. Round 5 may have extra stitches. Recount to 48 dc. A smaller hook for Round 6 also helps.
There are 7 or 9 petals. Round 5 has the wrong count, or you skipped 1 or 3 sts instead of 2. Undo Round 6 and recount.
Petal tips look pointed or tight. Make sure you work the 3 sc into the center dc only, not the 4th or 6th.
The color change shows a step. Always change color on the joining sl st, and start each round in the joining st.
The charm hangs crooked. The loop and the jump ring are not on opposite petals. Count 4 petals from the top and move the jump ring.
The tassel is messy. Steam it, comb the strands with your fingers and trim again.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press out the water in a towel and dry flat. Remove the charm from the bag before washing, and keep the gold hardware dry so it does not tarnish.
Final Notes
Here is how the size builds. The black center is 0.7 in (1.8 cm), the blue ring takes it to 1.1 in (2.8 cm) and the white ring to 1.4 in (3.6 cm). The green band brings it to 2 in (5.1 cm), the petals to 2.8 in (7.1 cm) and the edging to 3 in (7.6 cm). Add the loop, the pearl and the 2.5 in (6.4 cm) tassel, and the charm hangs about 8.25 in (21.0 cm).
If your first test eye measures 1.4 in (3.6 cm), the later rounds should land on their sizes too. Make one for your favorite bag, then try other petal colors for gifts.
Happy crocheting!