Harvest Acorn Bag Charm Free Crochet Pattern: Vintage Chenille Keychain

Harvest Acorn Bag Charm: A Cozy Little Autumn Treasure

If you have ever wanted to make something adorable with your own two hands but felt intimidated by big blankets and sweaters, this Harvest Acorn Bag Charm is the perfect first project for you. It is tiny, it works up in about an hour, and it uses only the most basic crochet stitches, so you can learn as you go without any pressure. The finished charm is a plump, egg-shaped acorn about 2.5 inches tall, with a soft ribbed texture in chocolate brown chenille and a snug caramel cap, topped with a curly little stem and a single oak leaf. Because it is made from plush super bulky chenille yarn, it feels velvety and squishy in your hand, like a tiny stuffed toy. Clip it to your bag, your keys, or a zipper pull, and you will have a little piece of vintage 1970s autumn nostalgia wherever you go.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Chenille plush yarn, super bulky (weight 6). You will need approximately 15 yards of chocolate brown (Color A), 10 yards of caramel (Color B), and a small amount (about 3 yards) of olive green (Color C) for the stem and leaf.
• Crochet hook: 5.0 mm (US size H-8), or whatever size you need to match the gauge below.
• Stitch marker: 1, to keep track of where each round begins.
• Polyester fiberfill: a small handful for stuffing the body.
• Tapestry needle: a large-eyed, blunt-tipped needle for sewing pieces together and weaving in ends.
• Scissors: any small sharp pair.
• Hardware: 1 small keyring or lobster clasp with a jump ring.
• Finished size: Acorn body approximately 2.5 in (6.5 cm) tall x 1.75 in (4.5 cm) wide; leaf approximately 1.5 in (4 cm) long; total charm length with hardware approximately 4 in (10 cm).

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

Do not worry if these look like a secret code. Here is every single abbreviation used in this pattern, explained in plain English as if you have never held a hook before.

• ch – chain. Make a loop of yarn on your hook, then pull the yarn through that loop. Each one you make looks like a tiny braid link.
• sl st – slip stitch. Insert your hook into the stitch, wrap yarn over the hook, and pull it straight through both the stitch and the loop on your hook at the same time. It makes a nearly invisible joining stitch.
• sc – single crochet. Insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over again, pull through both loops. One loop remains.
• hdc – half double crochet. Yarn over first, insert hook into the stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over again, pull through all 3 loops at once.
• hdc blo – half double crochet in the back loop only. Every stitch has two little loops at its top, a front one and a back one. For this stitch you insert your hook under only the back loop, then work a normal hdc. This is what creates the soft ribbed texture.
• sc2tog – single crochet 2 together. This is a decrease, meaning it turns two stitches into one. Insert hook into the first stitch, pull up a loop, insert hook into the next stitch, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all 3 loops.
• hdc2tog – half double crochet 2 together. Another decrease. Yarn over, insert hook into first stitch, pull up a loop, yarn over, insert hook into next stitch, pull up a loop (5 loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all 5 loops at once.
• st(s) – stitch or stitches.
• rnd – round. One complete circle of stitches worked around.
• magic ring – an adjustable loop of yarn that you crochet into, then pull tight so there is no hole in the middle. It is the standard way to start round amigurumi pieces.
• front loop / back loop – the two top strands of each stitch. The front loop is the one closer to you, the back loop is the one farther away.
• fasten off – cut the yarn a few inches from your work, then pull the tail all the way through the last loop to lock it.

Gauge

Gauge: 9 hdc blo x 8 rounds = 2 inches (5 cm) square.

Gauge simply means how big your stitches turn out. It matters because if your stitches are looser or tighter than the pattern expects, your finished acorn will come out bigger or smaller than the measurements listed above. To check your gauge, crochet a small flat swatch: chain 12, then work hdc blo rows until your swatch is about 2 inches tall. Lay a ruler across the middle and count how many stitches fit in 2 inches and how many rows fit in 2 inches. If you get more stitches than 9, your tension is tight, so try a larger hook. If you get fewer, try a smaller hook. Because this is a small charm, a tiny difference will not ruin it, but a quick swatch saves surprises.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use your stitch marker every single round. Because this pattern is worked in a continuous spiral, there is no seam to tell you where a round begins. Place the marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go, or you will lose your place.
• Do not pull your yarn too tight. Chenille yarn is fluffy and can snap or shed if you yank it. Keep a relaxed, even tension so the plush texture stays soft.
• Work the back loop only stitches carefully. Take a moment to look at the top of each stitch and find the back loop before you insert your hook. Going slowly here is what gives the acorn its vintage ribbed look.
• Stuff the body before the hole gets too small. The pattern tells you exactly when to stuff, at Round 12. Use small pinches of fiberfill and push them in with the back of your hook or a pencil eraser.
• Keep your starting tail long. A 6 inch tail gives you plenty of yarn to thread onto your tapestry needle later.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Notes: Work in continuous rounds. Do not join or turn unless the pattern says so. Place a marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you work. All hdc stitches in the body and cap are worked in the back loop only (blo).

Acorn Body (Chocolate Brown, Color A)

Rnd 1: Make a magic ring, ch 1, work 6 hdc into the ring. Pull the ring closed. (6 hdc)

Rnd 2: 2 hdc blo in each st around. (12 hdc)

Rnd 3: [2 hdc blo in next st, hdc blo in next st] around. (18 hdc)

Rnd 4: [2 hdc blo in next st, hdc blo in next 2 sts] around. (24 hdc)

Rnds 5–10: Hdc blo in each st around. (24 hdc)

Rnd 11: [Hdc2tog blo, hdc blo in next 2 sts] around. (18 hdc)

Rnd 12: [Hdc2tog blo, hdc blo in next st] around. (12 hdc)

Stuff the body firmly with fiberfill, shaping it into a rounded egg.

Rnd 13: Hdc2tog blo around. (6 hdc)

Fasten off, leaving a 6 in (15 cm) tail. Thread the tail through the remaining 6 sts and pull closed. Weave in the end.

Cap (Caramel, Color B)

With the right side of the body facing you, join Color B with a sl st to any front loop of Rnd 10 of the body. (Working into the front loops leaves a crisp line where the cap meets the body.)

Rnd 1: Ch 1, hdc in each front loop around Rnd 10. (24 hdc)

Rnd 2: Hdc blo in each st around. (24 hdc)

Rnd 3: [Hdc2tog blo, hdc blo in next 2 sts] around. (18 hdc)

Rnd 4: [Hdc2tog blo, hdc blo in next st] around. (12 hdc)

Rnd 5: Hdc2tog blo around. (6 hdc)

Fasten off, leaving a 6 in (15 cm) tail. Thread the tail through the remaining 6 sts and pull closed. Weave in the end.

Stem (Olive Green, Color C)

Row 1: Ch 6. Sl st in the 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (5 sl sts)

Fasten off, leaving a 4 in (10 cm) tail. Sew the stem to the top center of the cap, curling it slightly for a vintage look.

Oak Leaf Appliqué (Olive Green, Color C)

Row 1: Ch 8. Sc in the 2nd ch from hook, sc in the next ch, hdc in the next ch, dc in the next 2 chs, hdc in the next ch, sc in the last ch. (7 sts)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn. Sc in the first st, [ch 2, sl st in the same st] for the first point, sc in the next st, [ch 2, sl st in the same st] for the second point, sc in the next st, [ch 2, sl st in the same st] for the third point, sc in the next st, [ch 2, sl st in the same st] for the fourth point, sc in the last st. (4 points)

Fasten off, leaving a 6 in (15 cm) tail. Sew the leaf to the front of the acorn just below the cap, angling it slightly. Weave in the end.

Assembly and Finishing

Attach the hardware: Open the jump ring by twisting the ends apart (do not pull them straight apart, or it will not close cleanly). Slip the jump ring through the top of the stem and through the loop of your keyring or lobster clasp, then twist it closed again.

Shape the acorn: Gently roll the body between your palms and use your fingers to nudge the stuffing into an even egg shape. Press the cap down so it sits snugly.

Weave in the ends: Thread each remaining tail onto your tapestry needle, poke it into the inside of the acorn, and run it through a few stitches before trimming. This hides the tail so it cannot work loose.

Blocking: This is optional for a small charm. If your leaf curls, mist it lightly with water, pin it flat on a towel, and let it dry completely. Do not wet the chenille body, since plush yarn can mat; simply fluff it with your fingers instead.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors: Try a cream body with a soft taupe cap for a winter version, or a rust body with a mustard cap for a warmer autumn palette. Any super bulky chenille works beautifully.
• Make it bigger or smaller: Use a larger hook and bulkier yarn to make a full-size decorative acorn, or a smaller hook and thinner yarn for a tiny earring-sized charm. Just remember that changing the hook changes the finished size.
• Swap the hardware: Instead of a keyring, sew a small safety pin or a length of ribbon to the back so it can clip onto a bag strap or a zipper pull.
• Add a little sparkle: Sew a single tiny bead or a French knot onto the leaf for a vintage detail, or make two leaves and layer them for extra charm.