Crochet Strawberry Keychain with a Leafy Cap

A strawberry isn't a ball: it's pointed at the bottom and round at the top. The pattern gets that shape by starting with very slow increases, only 3 per round, so the tip stays narrow. Then it switches to 6 per round to widen into the plump body, and closes at the top. White embroidered seeds and a leafy green cap make it unmistakable.

It's from Elise's beginner video on her lilthings channel.

Video tutorial by Elise on her YouTube channel, lilthings: watch "crochet easy strawberry tutorial🧸🍓how to crochet strawberry for beginner" on YouTube.

Written from the video tutorial.

Materials

• 5-ply milk cotton in strawberry red or pink, green and white
• 3.0 mm hook
• Stuffing and glue
• A stitch marker, scissors and a darning needle

Berry

Joined rounds, starting at the tip:

Rounds 2 and 3 are the point: only 3 increases a round. From round 4, increase rounds alternate with plain rounds, so the berry widens gently.

Stuff it firmly after round 12. After round 13, pull the tail through the last 6 front loops to close.

Seeds

With white yarn on the darning needle, stitch short single stitches all over the berry, spaced out like real seeds. Bring the ends out at the top and knot them there, where the cap will cover them.

Leafy cap

With green:

• Round 1: 10 sc in a magic ring, join.
• Round 2 (5 leaves): [chain 5; starting in the 2nd chain from the hook, work 1 sl st, 1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc back down the chain; skip 1 stitch of the ring; slip stitch in the next stitch] × 5.

Each leaf gets taller towards the ring, so it tapers to a point. Glue or sew the cap onto the top of the strawberry and add a keyring.

Tips

• Seeds after stuffing. The fabric is stretched then, so the seeds sit where they'll stay.
• Space the seeds randomly. Even rows of seeds look odd; real strawberries have them scattered.
• Cap leaves flat. Press each leaf flat before you attach the cap.

Frequently asked questions