Terracotta Blossom Letter W Keychain Crochet Pattern

This keychain is a chunky letter W made of tiny lacy hexagons in warm terracotta, with a little cream garden on top. Each hexagon has an open spoke center, so the letter looks light and patterned while still holding its shape.

The palette is terracotta for the letter, cream for the flowers and buds, golden yellow for the knotted flower centers, and olive green for the leaves and stems. The look is cottage-style and works well as a bag charm, a key fob, or a monogram gift.

This pattern uses US crochet terms. The finished keychain measures 4 1/4 in (10.8 cm) tall and 4 7/8 in (12.4 cm) wide, not including the ring.

You’ll make 14 small hexagons, whipstitch them into a W, and work one round of single crochet around the outline. Then you’ll crochet the flowers, buds, and leaves, sew them on, and embroider the stems and centers.

Finished Size and Construction

• Finished size: 4 1/4 in (10.8 cm) tall x 4 7/8 in (12.4 cm) wide
• Skill level: Intermediate (small motifs, neat seaming)
• Terminology: US
• Yarn weight: Super fine (#1) cotton, light fingering or size 3 crochet thread
• Hook: 2.0 mm
• Number of pieces: 14 hexagons, 3 flowers, 2 buds, 4 leaves
• Layout: 5 offset columns of 4, 2, 2, 2 and 4 hexagons
• Piece size: each hexagon is 1 in (2.5 cm) flat side to flat side and 1 1/8 in (2.9 cm) point to point
• Size before border: 4 in (10.2 cm) tall x 4 5/8 in (11.7 cm) wide
• Border depth: 1/8 in (0.3 cm) on each edge

Materials

Use a smooth mercerized cotton. It gives crisp stitch definition and blocks flat. Avoid fuzzy or very stretchy yarns, because they blur the lacy spokes.

• Terracotta (main color): 20 g / 70 m
• Cream: 5 g / 15 m
• Golden yellow: 2 g / 5 m
• Olive green: 3 g / 8 m

These quantities include a safety margin of about 15%.

Tools:
– 2.0 mm crochet hook
– Fine tapestry needle and a sharp embroidery needle
– 1 in (2.5 cm) gold split key ring with about 3/4 in (1.9 cm) of chain and a jump ring
– Small flat-nose pliers
– Scissors, rust-proof pins, and a blocking mat
– Spray bottle
– Clear fabric glue (optional, for securing ends)

Abbreviations (US Terms)

• ch: chain
• sl st: slip stitch
• sc: single crochet
• hdc: half double crochet
• dc: double crochet
• sc2tog: single crochet 2 together
• sp: space
• st(s): stitch(es)
• MR: magic ring
• BLO: back loop only

Special stitch: 4-dc cluster. Yarn over and insert the hook in the stitch. Yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops. Repeat 3 more times in the same stitch (5 loops on the hook). Yarn over and pull through all 5 loops.

Gauge and Checkpoints

Make one test hexagon before anything else. The whole letter depends on this one measurement.

• After Round 1: the spoke circle measures about 1/2 in (1.3 cm) across.
• After Round 2: the hexagon measures about 7/8 in (2.2 cm) flat side to flat side.
• After Round 3: the hexagon measures 1 in (2.5 cm) flat side to flat side.
• After joining: the letter measures 4 in (10.2 cm) tall x 4 5/8 in (11.7 cm) wide.
• After the border: the letter measures 4 1/4 in (10.8 cm) tall x 4 7/8 in (12.4 cm) wide.

If your hexagon is too big, go down to a 1.75 mm hook. If it’s too small, go up to a 2.25 mm hook.

A difference of just 1/16 in (0.2 cm) per hexagon adds up to 1/4 in (0.6 cm) over a 4-hexagon column, so match the gauge before you continue.

Hexagon Motif (Make 14)

Use terracotta.

Round 1: Make a MR. Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1). [Dc in ring, ch 1] 5 times. Pull the ring closed and join with a sl st in the 3rd ch of the beginning ch-4.
(6 dc, 6 ch-1 sps)

These six dc are the spokes that make the open center.

Round 2: Sl st into the first ch-1 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc) and work (dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the same sp. Then work (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in each of the next 5 ch-1 sps. Join with a sl st in the top of the beginning ch-3.
(24 dc, 6 ch-2 corner sps)

This is a growth round, and its own complete count is 24 dc. The corner groups sit right next to each other, which makes the six flat sides.

Round 3 (trim round): Ch 1. Work sc in each dc around, and work 3 sc in each ch-2 corner sp. Join with a sl st in the first sc.
(24 sc worked 1 per existing dc + 18 sc added in corner sps = 42 sc)

Side count: Each side has 8 sts including both corner sts, which are the middle sc of each 3-sc corner group. That’s 6 sts between the corners plus the 2 corners. Corners are shared between sides, so the total is 6 x (8 − 1) = 42 sc. ✓

Fasten off and leave a 12 in (30.5 cm) tail on about half the hexagons for seaming. Weave in the remaining tails. Steam each hexagon flat before joining.

Make All Pieces

• Terracotta: 14 hexagons
• Cream: 2 small flowers, 1 large flower, 2 buds
• Golden yellow: used for embroidery only
• Olive green: 4 leaves, plus embroidered stems

Layout grid: The hexagons have flat tops. Each column is offset half a hexagon from its neighbor. “Row” numbers below are measured in half-hexagon steps from the top.

Col A   Col B   Col C   Col D   Col E
 A1                              E1    <- top tips
 A2              C1              E2
 A3      B1      C2      D1      E3
 A4      B2              D2      E4    <- bottom tips

Here’s how the columns sit:

• Columns A and E: 4 hexagons each, full height. These are the outer strokes.
• Columns B and D: 2 hexagons each. They start 1 1/2 hexagons below the top.
• Column C: 2 hexagons. It starts 1/2 hexagon below the top, which forms the center peak.

Because the columns are offset, column C ends 1 hexagon above the bottom tips. That leaves the notch under the center of the W.

Joining

Method: Whipstitch with a terracotta tail through the BLO of the Round 3 stitches. Place two hexagons right side up and edge to edge. Join one side of each, stitch for stitch: all 8 sts, corner to corner. That’s 8 stitch pairs per seam.

Seams (23 total):

• Within columns (bottom edge to top edge): 3 in A, 1 in B, 1 in C, 1 in D, 3 in E. That makes 9.
• Between A and B (diagonal edges): A2–B1, A3–B1, A3–B2, A4–B2. That makes 4.
• Between B and C: B1–C1, B1–C2, B2–C2. That makes 3.
• C to D and D to E: mirror the two lists above, for 3 + 4.

Tension: Pull each whipstitch just snug, so the edges meet without puckering. Too tight curls the letter, and too loose leaves gaps where three hexagons meet. Work the vertical seams first, then the diagonal seams.

Size checkpoint: Lay the letter flat. It should measure 4 in (10.2 cm) from the top of A1 to the bottom of A4. Width across the outer points should be 4 5/8 in (11.7 cm).

Border

Border gauge: One sc round adds about 1/8 in (0.3 cm) on every edge. That gives 4 1/4 in (10.8 cm) x 4 7/8 in (12.4 cm).

Outline facts:

• 14 hexagons have 84 sides.
• 23 seams use up 46 of those sides.
• That leaves 38 outer edges, each with 6 sts between its corners.

The outline has 38 vertices:

• 22 convex corners. These are free points that belong to 1 hexagon.
• 16 junctions. These are inner angles where 2 hexagons meet. Each junction has 2 corner sts side by side, one from each hexagon.

Border round: Attach terracotta in any st along the top edge of A1. Ch 1 and work around the whole letter as follows:

• Each outer edge: 1 sc in each of the 6 sts between the corners. That’s 6 sc per edge.
• Each convex corner: 3 sc in the corner st.
• Each junction: sc2tog over the two corner sts.

Join with a sl st in the first sc. Total: 228 + 66 + 16 = 310 sc.

• Outer edges: 38 x 6 = 228 sc, worked 1 per existing st.
• Convex corners: 22 x 3 = 66 sc, which is 22 existing sts + 44 added.
• Junctions: 16 sc2tog, each reducing 2 sts to 1. That’s 32 sts worked as 16.

Why the math works: The 3-sc groups add fullness so the convex points can turn outward. The sc2tog removes fullness so the junctions can turn inward. Convex corners minus junctions is 22 − 16 = 6. That matches the 6 outward turns a closed hexagon-based outline needs. If both counts are right, the border lies flat.

Fasten off and weave in the end.

Flowers, Buds and Leaves

Small flower (make 2, cream):

• Round 1: MR, ch 1, 10 sc in ring. Join. (10 sc)
• Round 2: [Sl st in next st, (ch 2, 2 dc, ch 2, sl st) in next st] 5 times. (5 petals)

Each finished small flower is about 3/4 in (1.9 cm) across.

Large flower (make 1, cream):

• Round 1: MR, ch 1, 10 sc in ring. Join. (10 sc)
• Round 2: Ch 1, [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] 5 times. Join. (15 sc)
• Round 3: [Sl st in next st, (hdc, 2 dc) in next st, (2 dc, hdc) in next st] 5 times. Join. (5 petals, 3 sts each)

The finished large flower is about 1 1/4 in (3.2 cm) across.

Centers: With golden yellow, work 5–7 tight French knots in the middle of each flower.

Bud (make 2, cream): Ch 3. Work a 4-dc cluster in the 3rd ch from the hook, then ch 1 to close. Fasten off and leave a tail. Each bud is about 1/4 in (0.6 cm).

Leaf (make 4, olive green): Ch 6. Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, work:

• sc, hdc, dc, hdc in the next 4 chs
• (sc, ch 1, sc) in the last ch
• along the other side of the chain: hdc, dc, hdc, sc
• sl st to the first sc

Each leaf is about 5/8 in (1.6 cm) long.

Placement:

1. Center one small flower on A1 and one on E1.
2. Center the large flower over the seam between B2 and C2, which is the lower center.
3. Embroider a curved olive-green stem in chain stitch from under the A1 flower down onto A3. Add a bud at the end of the stem and a leaf partway along it.
4. Embroider a stem on D1/E2 rising toward the E1 flower. Add a bud at the end and a leaf partway along.
5. Tuck one leaf at the lower left of the large flower. Place the other leaf on a short stem to its right.

Sew everything down with matching thread through the back loops only, so the stitches don’t show on the back.

Ring: Open the jump ring with pliers and pass it through the border at the top point of A1. Attach the chain and split ring, then close the jump ring.

Final Blocking

1. Pin the bordered letter, before adding the flowers, face up on a blocking mat at 4 1/4 in (10.8 cm) x 4 7/8 in (12.4 cm).
2. Pin every convex point, plus each top tip and bottom tip.
3. Mist it until damp, not soaked.
4. Gently open the spoke centers with a fingertip.
5. Let it dry completely, at least 4 hours.
6. Unpin it and check both measurements again.
7. Sew on the flowers, buds, and leaves after blocking, so the petals stay rounded and dimensional.

Final Quality-Control Checklist

• Every hexagon measures 1 in (2.5 cm) flat side to flat side.
• Each hexagon has 6 open spokes and 42 sc in Round 3.
• All 23 seams are joined over 8 stitch pairs, with no gaps at junctions.
• The border has 310 sc, with 3-sc points and sc2tog junctions.
• The finished size is 4 1/4 in (10.8 cm) x 4 7/8 in (12.4 cm).
• There are 3 flowers, 2 buds, and 4 leaves, all firmly secured.
• The jump ring is fully closed.
• All ends are woven in and trimmed.

Troubleshooting

• Hexagon cups: Check that there’s no extra chain between corner groups in Round 2. Go up a hook size for Round 3.
• Hexagon ruffles: Make sure each corner has exactly 3 sc, not more.
• Letter curls after joining: Your whipstitch is too tight. Redo the seam with a looser pull.
• Border waves at the points: Check that each junction has an sc2tog and not 2 separate sc.
• Border pulls the points in: You may have skipped a 3-sc group at a convex corner.
• Petals flop: Tighten your tension on the flower rounds, or go down a hook size for the flowers only.
• Ring tears the border: Pass the jump ring through both loops of 2 border sts, not just one.

Care

Spot clean with mild soap and cool water, then press flat with a towel and dry it pinned to shape. Don’t machine wash or tumble dry, because the appliqués can shift.

Final Notes

The measurement chain is short and reliable:

• One hexagon at 1 in (2.5 cm)
• Four hexagons tall at 4 in (10.2 cm)
• Five offset columns at 4 5/8 in (11.7 cm) wide
• Then a 1/8 in (0.3 cm) border on each edge for 4 1/4 in (10.8 cm) x 4 7/8 in (12.4 cm)

Check the size at every stage and the letter will lie flat and crisp, ready for its little flowers.

Happy crocheting!