Easy Beaded Flower Keychain (Step by Step Tutorial)

Step by Step Tutorial

Materials

• Assorted pony beads (25 beads total)
• Curling ribbon, elastic string, or other cord (approximately 2 feet long)
• Scissors
• 1 keychain or jump ring

Instructions

Step 1 | Cut Your Ribbon

Measure and cut a length of curling ribbon about 2 feet long. This will give you plenty of material to work with for your keychain.

Step 2 | Tie the Keychain

Fold your curling ribbon in half and slide the keychain on to the halfway mark. Use a square knot to tie the ribbon onto the keychain. 

Step 3 | Choose the Beads

This is the fun part! You’ll need 6 petal beads for each flower and 1 center bead. For the vines connecting the flower, you’ll need 4 more beads. Choose colors that match your vibe!

Step 4 | Start Beading

Slide 2 beads in the petal color for your first flower onto one end of the ribbon. 

Take the other end of the ribbon and insert it through the beads in the opposite direction. 

This is what you should be working with: 

Then, pull both ends so that the beads slide toward the keychain. Tighten and loosen the strings until you get the beads to lie flat just below the keychain. That’s your first row!

Step 4 | Follow the Chart

Now, you’re going to keep using that technique of crossing the ribbon ends through the beads to bead the rest of your flower. 

This diagram shows you how many beads go in each row. For each row, slide that number of beads onto your string, then cross the other side through and pull until that row lays flat against the row above. 

Step 5 | Tie It Off

Once you’ve beaded the final row, you can finish off with a square knot. I like to knot the ribbon 2 or 3 times to make sure that it doesn’t slip. 

Once you’re sure it’s secure, cut the ends short. Your flower keychain is ready to hand on your Jansport and head to school!

Pro Tips

Embrace Color: Feel free to experiment with different patterns! You can also find all kinds of pony beads, from glow in the dark to neon to glitter. 

Use Tension Wisely: While stringing your beads, ensure you’re not pulling the string too tight. This causes the rows to curve up on the outside and create a hole in the middle of your project. Play around with loosening and tightening the strings to get each row to lay neatly under the row above.

Plan Your Design: I like to lay my beads out on the table before I start so that I can see how the colors look together. This also keeps me from running into a problem later, like running out of a certain color.

Share and Enjoy: These keychains make perfect gifts for family and friends. The ones I saw were retailing for 22 bucks, so it’s a gift you can be proud of!