Introduction

This quick DIY project will show you how to make a keychain that’s perfect for keeping your keys from getting lost.

Get crafty

If you’re ready to start getting crafty, here’s what you’ll need:

• Keychain with a loop at the end
• Beads for decoration
• Wire cutters and pliers (if you’re using jewelry wire)
• Nylon-coated wire (if it’s not already on the keychain)

Project: Keychain

A keychain is a small charm that can hold your keys. You can buy them at craft stores or online, but you probably already have the materials to make one yourself. There are lots of different kinds of beads and other decorations that you can use to make your own personalized keychain.

Materials

Materials:

• Wire, about 6 feet long. I used 22 gauge wire, but you can use whatever thickness you want.
• Embroidery floss or strong thread to attach the beads to the keychain chain.
• Beads of your choice, at least 20 and up to 30 total (this depends on how long your wire is). You’ll need one bead per link in the chain (20 links), plus 3 extra beads (one for each end link). If you don’t have enough beads on hand, consider buying new ones—you’ll be making a lot of these!

Tools:

• Wire cutters

Tools

You will need the following tools:

• wire cutters
• pliers
• round nose pliers (for making loops and shaping wire)

The supplies you’ll need are as follows:

Instructions

• Make a loop in one end of the wire, then string on your beads. (You can also use colorful ceramic beads if you want.)
• Slide on the ring, forming a loop that’s just big enough to fit over your wrist comfortably. When it’s time to take off your keychain, simply pull down on this little tab until you can slide off the ring with your hand—no hassle whatsoever!
• Form another small loop at the other end of your wire, and cut off any excess length with flush cutters or side snips. Just be careful not to snip too close to where those loops are formed so they don’t come undone when you’re wearing it!

Make a loop in your wire.

• Using your round nose pliers, make a loop in the wire. It should be large enough to slide over the ring you will use as a keychain.
• Make sure that you wrap the loop tightly around your wire so that it doesn’t come loose and fall off while you are adding beads.

String the beads.

To string the beads, place them on a piece of wire. The length of your keychain will depend on how long you want it to be, but I would suggest between 6-7 inches (15-17 cm) for a shorter keychain and 10-11 inches (25-28 cm) for a longer one. Once you have decided how long you would like your keychain to be, cut several pieces of wire that length and lay them out next to each other in order to determine which colors/patterns work best together.

Next, string one bead onto each piece of wire using needle nose pliers by bending over the end of the wire so that it sits flush against the top of the bead and forming an L shape with both ends pointing away from each other (see image below). Make sure not to leave any excess space between each bead because this could cause problems when attaching them later! Once all beads are strung onto all wires, arrange them however you like by holding each group together at one end until secure and then placing another group on top so that both strings run parallel before securing again as above – just make sure there’s enough room between groups so nothing becomes tangled! Lastly, find something heavy enough to hold everything down while still remaining portable such as a book or thick cloth; if possible use something soft like fabric instead if possible so there won’t be any damage done over time – now go ahead try making one yourself!

Slide on the ring.

Slide the ring onto the keychain. Make sure you have your beads in the right order, and that they don’t fall off.

Form a loop and cut the extra wire.

If you’re going to make a keychain, you’ll need to use wire. You can buy it at your local craft store, or you can use old jump rings and cut them up with pliers or wire cutters. For this project, you’ll also need some beads. Beads come in many different sizes and shapes, but they’re all made of glass or plastic. The bigger the bead is, the more expensive it will be!

If you have enough wire left over to make a loop on both sides of your keychain (about an inch), then twist together two ends of wire so that they form a circle around one another (the ends should be pointing towards each other). Use pliers if necessary; otherwise use fingers like shown above if working with small amounts of material such as what’s shown here in this photo from our example where we used only half-inch lengths from each end leading back towards our clasp:

Fun keychains!

There are so many different ways you can use this keychain design to suit your needs. For example, you can make the same style with charms that represent something in your life.

You can also customize the colors and beads to match your mood. Green is an energetic color, so it might be nice for you to have a keychain made with green beads or even a green charm. Or maybe blue is more soothing for you—you could make a set of blue beads with matching charms and give one as a gift!

Or if this is just too much work (which I don’t think it will be), simply use these instructions as inspiration for creating your own unique piece of art—or gift idea—by making any kind of beadwork combination that speaks to your style!

Conclusion

Whether you’re making this keychain as a gift or just for yourself, it’s a great way to practice new skills and learn more about crafting! Happy DIYing!