everyone should own a handmade key chain

Category: DIY | October 25th, 2009

heart

I heart the weekends….I especially love Sundays. they make me happy. I love spending about half of my day at church and allll day with my husband (it’s the only day we both don’t work)….on a random/side note: I realized I need to post more often. if I want to keep y’all interested I need to step it up. : ) here’s a fun tutorial I did the other day with my friend ellen. her friend diana deane originally made one of these beauties for ellen and myself, so the idea and inspiration go out to her! not really sure how she did it, I kind of made up my own way and used my different materials…

* all you need is fun fabric, embroidery thread, embroidery needle (or a needle big enough to have that thread go through), scissors, pattern piece if you’d like, and plastic canvas (I used this because I had some randomly, but if not, you can use anything that’s sturdy or just a lot of fabric to make it thick)
materials

* use the pattern you want (I just cut mine out of cardboard) and trace/cut out a front and a back piece along with the plastic canvas for inside
heart pieces

* before you get started, cut a little whole in the two fabric pieces and canvas where the key ring loop thingy can go through.
cut hole

* layer them in a sandwich (hmm I’m hungry) and I used a glue stick to hold the pieces together (since pins wouldn’t work with the canvas). then start with the ring hole area.  I tied a knot at the end of my thread and started inside the heart so the knot wouldn’t show. make sure you pull the thread tight as you go so it makes enough room for the ring (on the first one I did, I didn’t do that. but it does go through…barely).
hole

* once you finish the hole, finish it off with knots and try to hide them as best as you can (I don’t know the secret to this otherwise I would tell you).
finished hole

* then start on the outside threading anywhere you’d like. I started at the bottom. again start the knot from underneath a fabric layer to hide the knot. I just went in, out, and around…in, out, and around…until you get alllll the way around. you can spread out your thread if you’d like of you can cover the entire thing like I did.
starting outside

* now if you are like me and don’t know how much thread to use : ) and you run out before you are done, then just simply tie another strand of thread to the first one and keep on going! I attempted to knot them underneath the fabric again. (there might be an extra bump there but it just adds character).
ran out of thread

* then again magically tie up the thread with knots and maneuver it underneath the fabric to hide the ends. and then you’re done!!!
ta da!

* you can use a key ring loop or one of these beaded snap fastener things. you can do any shape, any size, the sky is the limit!
key chain

here’s to a fabulous week ahead!!
peace and love
xox

* weekends are a bit like rainbows; they look good from a distance but disappear when you get up close to them.  -John Shirley