Crochet Halloween Ghost and Mini Pumpkin – Amigurumi Keychain

🎥 Prefer watching? If you learn better by video, you can find the full step-by-step video tutorial embedded at the bottom of this article!

Hello, my wonderful crochet family! Autumn is officially in the air, and you know what that means: it is time to break out our favorite autumn-hued yarns, cozy up with a hot cup of tea, and dive headfirst into the magical, slightly spooky world of Halloween crafting. There is something profoundly satisfying about working up miniature amigurumi projects during the spooky season. They work up in a flash, they make incredible handmade gifts, and let us be honest—they are an absolute joy to collect. If you have been looking for the ultimate autumnal accessory to hang from your backpack, toss onto your rearview mirror, or clip onto your favorite everyday tote bag, your search officially ends right here.

Today, we are diving deep into the charming world of the “Crochet Halloween Ghost and Mini Pumpkin – Amigurumi Keychain | NHÀ LEN” project. This delightful video tutorial guides us through crafting two iconic symbols of the Halloween season: a wonderfully friendly, round little ghost and a plump, textured mini pumpkin complete with a cute green stem. Designed with accessibility and speed in mind, this project is beginner-friendly while still holding plenty of charm for advanced crocheters who love quick, satisfying makes. Best of all, because these little cuties are scaled down to keychain size, you can whip up an entire haunted village of ghosts and pumpkins in just a single weekend!

Whether you are prepping for craft fairs, looking for fun party favors, or simply treating yourself to some seasonal dopamine crafting, this project hits every single note. In this comprehensive, step-by-step blog post, we are going to break down everything you need to successfully tackle this pattern. From gathering your supplies and mastering essential stitches to step-by-step assembly guides, customization tips, and a thoroughly detailed FAQ section, we will ensure your crochet hooks are ready to cast some seriously cute spells. So, grab your yarn and your favorite crochet hook, get comfortable, and let’s make some spooky-sweet magic together!

What You’ll Need

Before we cast any magical crochet spells, we need to gather our tools. One of the best things about amigurumi keychains is that they are fantastic stash-busters. You do not need massive skeins of yarn; this is the absolute perfect time to raid your scrap basket for those leftover bits of white, orange, green, and black yarn.

Yarn: Sport weight, DK, or light Worsted weight cotton or acrylic yarn in White (for the ghost), Bright Orange (for the pumpkin), Olive or Sage Green (for the pumpkin stem), and a tiny scrap of Black (for embroidering the facial features). Cotton yarn gives a wonderfully defined stitch structure, while acrylic offers a softer, squishier feel.
Crochet Hook: An ergonomic crochet hook sized appropriately for your chosen yarn. Typically, a 2.0mm, 2.5mm, or 3.0mm hook works wonderfully for amigurumi keychains to ensure your stitches are tight enough that the stuffing doesn’t peek through.
Polyfill Stuffing: A small amount of hypoallergenic polyester fiberfill to give your ghost and pumpkin their delightful, plump little bellies.
Keychains / Findings: Metal keychain rings, lobster clasps, or jump rings to transform your finished amigurumi into functional accessories.
Tapestry Needle: A blunt-tipped yarn needle for weaving in ends, sewing pieces together, and embroidering facial details.
Scissors: A sharp pair of crafting scissors for clean yarn snips.
Stitch Markers: Essential for keeping track of your rounds in continuous spiral amigurumi construction.
Optional Embellishments: Fabric glue, black felt, embroidery floss, or safety eyes (tiny 4mm or 5mm) if you prefer safety eyes over embroidery.

Crochet Abbreviations

To ensure you can follow along smoothly with both the video tutorial and any written pattern adaptations, here are the standard US crochet terminology abbreviations that you will encounter throughout your ghost and pumpkin crafting journey:

ch: Chain stitch
sc: Single crochet stitch
inc: Single crochet increase (work two single crochet stitches into the same stitch to expand your piece)
dec: Single crochet invisible decrease (work two single crochet stitches together through the front loops only to shrink your piece seamlessly)
hdc: Half double crochet stitch
dc: Double crochet stitch
sl st: Slip stitch
FLO: Front loops only
BLO: Back loops only
st(s): Stitch(es)
Rnd(s): Round(s)
FO: Fasten off

Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s break down the creation process into logical, easy-to-follow sections. Remember that amigurumi is typically worked in continuous spirals without joining rounds, so having a trusty stitch marker handy is your absolute best friend!

Part 1: The Friendly Ghost

The Magic Ring: Using your white yarn and appropriate hook size, start by creating a magic ring. Work 6 single crochet (6 sc) stitches directly into the ring, then pull the tail tight to close the center hole. (6 sts)
Expanding the Head: For Round 2, work an increase (inc) in every single stitch around. This will double your stitch count. (12 sts)
Building Shape: For Round 3, work *1 sc, then 1 inc* and repeat that sequence all the way around the circle. (18 sts)
Growing the Body: For Round 4, work *2 sc, then 1 inc* and repeat around. (24 sts)
Maintaining Height: For Rounds 5 through 9 (5 full rounds), work 1 single crochet in every single stitch around (24 sc per round). This creates the straight upper body tube of our friendly ghost.
Adding Character: Take a moment right here before closing up to embroider your ghost’s cute little sleeping or smiling face using your black yarn and tapestry needle. French knots or simple V-shaped sleepy eyes add immense charm.
The Wavy Skirt Base: To give the ghost its classic flowing bottom edge, work your final round using a combination of stitches. For example, working into the front loops only or alternating slip stitches, single crochets, half double crochets, and double crochets across the bottom creates those lovely little spectral ripples.
Stuffing and Closing: Lightly stuff the upper head and body with polyfill stuffing—don’t overstuff, or it will look lumpy! Weave your yarn tail through the remaining stitches to cinch the base closed securely, and weave in your ends.

Part 2: The Mini Pumpkin

The Magic Orange Ring: Grab your bright orange yarn and form a magic ring. Work 6 single crochet stitches into the ring and pull tight. (6 sts)
Increasing the Pumpkin Base: Work an increase in every stitch around for Round 2. (12 sts)
Rounding Out: Work *1 sc, 1 inc* around for Round 3. (18 sts)
Expanding the Belly: Work *2 sc, 1 inc* around for Round 4. (24 sts)
Working the Height: Work 1 single crochet in each stitch around for Rounds 5 through 8 (4 rounds total). This forms the main pumpkin body cylinder.
Decreasing the Shape: Start closing the sphere by working *2 sc, 1 dec* around for Round 9 (18 sts), then stuff the pumpkin firmly with polyfill.
Final Closure: Work *1 sc, 1 dec* for Round 10 (12 sts), and a final round of decreases (6 dec) to close up the top. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for shaping the pumpkin ridges.
Sculpting the Ridges: Thread your long orange tail onto your tapestry needle. Pass the needle straight down through the center of the pumpkin and pull tight around the outside to create the iconic pumpkin indentations. Repeat this 4 to 6 times around the perimeter to get that classic ribbed pumpkin look.

Part 3: The Pumpkin Stem and Assembly

Crafting the Stem: Using your sage or olive green yarn, chain 4 stitches. Starting in the second chain from the hook, work slip stitches back down the chain. This creates a tiny, curly, textured little stem. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.
Attaching the Stem: Securely sew the green stem to the top center of your sculpted orange pumpkin, hiding any closure holes underneath.
Adding Keychain Hardware: Take a sturdy jump ring or securely sew a piece of matching yarn/twine through the top of your ghost’s head and the top of your pumpkin’s stem, connecting them directly to your metal keychain ring or lobster clasp. Double-check all knots to ensure your new keychain is durable enough for daily adventures!

Customization Tips

One of the absolute greatest joys of crochet is making a pattern uniquely your own. While the classic white ghost and bright orange pumpkin are timeless Halloween staples, there are endless ways to put your personal creative spin on this NHÀ LEN tutorial project.

First, let’s talk about color palettes. Who says ghosts always have to be stark white? You can easily whip up pastel pink, lavender, mint green, or gothic black ghosts for a modern aesthetic. For your mini pumpkins, try experimenting with heirloom pumpkin colors like soft sage green, creamy antique white, muted mustard yellow, or deep, rich burgundy. Adding a tiny dab of blush powder or pink acrylic paint to the cheeks of your ghost and pumpkin gives them an irresistibly sweet, rosy-cheeked expression that will melt anyone’s heart.

Second, consider adding playful accessories! You can crochet a tiny witch hat using scrap black yarn and a pop of purple or orange, then stitch it at a tilt onto your ghost’s head. Alternatively, you can wrap a tiny strip of scrap yarn around the base of your pumpkin to act as a rustic faux-vine, or crochet a miniature candy corn charm to hang alongside your keychain set. The possibilities are truly as boundless as your imagination, making this a wonderful project to experiment with different yarn weights and hook combinations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this crochet tutorial beginner-friendly?

Yes, absolutely! The “Crochet Halloween Ghost and Mini Pumpkin – Amigurumi Keychain | NHÀ LEN” video tutorial is wonderfully paced and uses basic amigurumi stitches like single crochet, increases, and decreases. Even if you are relatively new to working in the round, the clear visual guidance makes it easy to follow along.

What type of yarn is best for amigurumi keychains?

Mercerized cotton yarn or sport/DK weight cotton blends are generally considered the gold standard for amigurumi keychains. Cotton provides firm, crisp stitch definition, resists fuzzing over time, and holds its shape exceptionally well when tossed around in pockets or hanging from bags.

What size crochet hook should I use?

It is recommended to use a hook size that is 1 to 2 sizes smaller than what is recommended on your yarn label. For example, if your yarn calls for a 4.0mm hook, try using a 2.5mm or 3.0mm hook. This creates tight stitches that prevent the white or orange polyfill stuffing from showing through.

How do I make the pumpkin look ribbed?

The ribbed texture is achieved by taking a long yarn tail after stuffing and closing your pumpkin, then wrapping the yarn tightly around the vertical outside of the sphere and anchoring it through the center hole multiple times. This sculpts the classic indentations.

Can I use safety eyes instead of embroidery?

Yes, you can use tiny 4mm or 5mm safety eyes. However, if you plan to give these keychains to young children or want them to be completely secure without hard plastic parts, embroidering the eyes with black yarn or embroidery floss is the safest and easiest route.

How long does it take to make one keychain set?

Once you get the hang of the pattern, a skilled crocheter can whip up a ghost and a mini pumpkin in about 45 minutes to an hour total. They are true instant-gratification projects!

How do I attach the keychain hardware securely?

You can use a split ring or jump ring attached directly through a sturdy stitch at the top of the amigurumi head, or you can anchor a small loop of extra-strong nylon thread or yarn securely through the interior stuffing during assembly, tying it off to the metal keychain finding.

Can I sell items made from this tutorial?

While you should always check the specific creator guidelines on the NHÀ LEN video page regarding copyright and commercial sales, generally, handmade items crafted from free video tutorials can be sold in small quantities as long as you credit the original designer for the pattern.

How do I wash my amigurumi keychain if it gets dirty?

Because keychains live on bags and keys, they can pick up dust and dirt. Spot cleaning with a damp cloth, a tiny drop of gentle laundry detergent, and warm water is recommended. Avoid fully submerging them in water if metal hardware or cardboard/felt elements are attached.

What should I do if my magic ring keeps unraveling?

Magic rings can be tricky for beginners! If your magic ring falls apart, you can easily substitute it by chaining 2 stitches, and working 6 single crochets into the very first chain from the hook. Pull the tail tight, and you have a secure alternative starting circle!

Watch the Full Tutorial

Watch the step-videovideovideovideo-step video below and follow along at your own pace!