Bring the circus to your keys with this adorable Crochet Lion Drummer Keychain! This tiny marching band leader features a classic red uniform, a majestic mane, and a mini drum. Perfect for circus lovers, keychains, or whimsical gifts, this intermediate pattern is a delight to make.
Create Your Own Miniature Circus Mascot
This delightful amigurumi project blends fine details with simple stitches. Crafting this tiny lion allows you to practice color changes, small-scale assembly, and embroidery. It makes a wonderful handmade charm, bag accessory, or personalized gift for musicians and circus enthusiasts.
Fingering weight yarn in Yellow, Red, White, Blue, Black, and Rust Brown
1.5mm crochet hook
5mm safety eyes
Fiberfill stuffing
Keychain ring
Miniature drumsticks (or toothpick ends) and glue
Tapestry needle
Abbreviations
MR: Magic Ring
sc: single crochet
inc: increase
dec: decrease
ch: chain
sl st: slip stitch
BLO: back loops only
Instructions
Head: Using yellow yarn, start with a magic ring. Round 1: 6 sc in MR (6). Round 2: 6 inc (12). Round 3: (1 sc, inc) x6 (18). Round 4: (2 sc, inc) x6 (24). Round 5: (3 sc, inc) x6 (30). Rounds 6-11: 30 sc. Insert safety eyes between rounds 8 and 9, spaced 5 stitches apart. Round 12: (3 sc, dec) x6 (24). Round 13: (2 sc, dec) x6 (18). Stuff firmly. Round 14: (1 sc, dec) x6 (12). Fasten off and weave in ends.
Mane: Attach rust-brown yarn to the front loops of the head boundary. Work loop stitches or simple ch-3 picots in each stitch around the face to create a full, fluffy mane.
Body & Jacket: Start with yellow yarn for the legs (make two, joining them with 2 ch). Change to red yarn for the jacket body. Rounds 1-8: Work 18 sc around the joined body. Embroider gold horizontal bars across the chest. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing to the head.
Hat (Shako): In red yarn, Round 1: 6 sc in MR. Round 2: 6 inc (12). Round 3: BLO 12 sc. Rounds 4-6: 12 sc. Change to black yarn: Round 7: 12 sc. Fasten off. Add a small yellow embroidered button to the front and a blue yarn plume to the side.
Drum: In white yarn, Round 1: 6 sc in MR. Round 2: 6 inc (12). Change to red: Round 3: BLO 12 sc. Round 4: 12 sc. Change to blue: Round 5: 12 sc. Fasten off. Embroider white zigzag lines on the red section and glue a printed ‘CIRCUS DRUMMER’ paper band onto the top if desired.
Assembly: Sew the head to the body. Attach the hat to the top of the head. Position and sew the arms to the sides holding the miniature drumsticks. Secure the drum to the front of the body. Attach a keychain ring securely to the top of the hat.
