Handmade keychain ideas: perfect for novelties and gifts.
Keychains are used to hold keys together, but these days people also attach them to bags as charms or name tags.
They’re popular as novelties and gifts for friends, and they’re also trendy as merch for your favorite idols or characters.
In this article, we introduce handmade keychain ideas.
We’ve gathered ideas using a variety of materials, including shrink plastic, beads, resin, and fabric scraps.
We also showcase plenty of design ideas.
Feel free to use them as inspiration and give them a try!
Handmade keychain ideas: perfect for novelties and gifts (1–10)
Flower keychain made with colorful laces
Let’s make a cute flower keychain using colored cords sold at 100-yen shops.
First, prepare three colors of cord, and thread one color through the keychain hardware.
Using the threaded cord together with the remaining two cords, braid them so they form a flower shape.
Once you’ve made a few flowers, secure them with another cord and some glue so they don’t come undone.
Trim the excess cord to an even length, and you’re done! If you want to prevent the ends from fraying, it’s a good idea to apply a little glue.
Resin clay keychain
Resin clay is a type of clay that hardens as it dries and becomes stronger.
Because it’s clay, it’s easy to shape into your ideal form, and since you don’t need open flames—just a microwave or toaster—it’s safe and easy for children to handle, which is a nice bonus.
Let’s try making a keychain using resin clay.
The process is very simple! First, soak the amount of resin clay you want to use in water to soften it.
Shape it however you like, then let it air-dry until it hardens.
Finally, draw on it with a permanent marker and attach the keychain hardware, and you’re done.
You can make not only your favorite characters but also all kinds of fun motifs like food and vehicles.
[Punch Needle] Fluffy Keychain
![[Punch Needle] Fluffy Keychain](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sd4rgJdymRg/sddefault.jpg)
Here’s how to make an irresistibly cute, fluffy keychain that will have people saying, “Wait, is this handmade?” This time, we’ll use a punch needle.
First, draw your favorite design on the back side of punch-needle fabric with a fabric pen, then secure the fabric in an embroidery hoop.
A dedicated stand makes it easier to punch, so it’s recommended.
Next, thread yarn through the needle and, following your design, insert the needle straight into the fabric vertically.
Once all the punching is complete, cut out the piece leaving about a 1 cm margin around the design.
Snip the margin, fold it to the back, and glue it down.
Attach a ribbon and hardware, then finish by layering and gluing felt to the back.
It takes patience, but once you get the hang of it, you can adapt the method to all kinds of designs.
Super Simple Keychain
Let me share an idea for a keychain you can make just by cutting and sticking.
First, prepare the material you want to turn into a keychain.
You can use a character printed on a snack bag or even a sticker.
Stick the material onto origami paper and cut away any excess.
Place it on a piece of vinyl fabric cut a bit larger, then apply a shatterproof glass film on top.
After that, cut it into your preferred shape, punch a hole, and attach the keychain hardware—that’s it! When applying the shatterproof glass film, press it on slowly and carefully to avoid trapping air.
Rainbow Keychain
This is a rainbow-themed keychain.
Prepare several thick cords of different lengths, then wrap each one with a different color of yarn and glue it in place.
Once all are wrapped, stack and glue them from the shortest cord to the longest to form a rainbow.
When attaching the top cord, thread a ring through it, and finally attach the hardware to the ring to complete your keychain! Try making it with your favorite yarn—vivid colors or muted tones.
You can find yarn at 100-yen shops, so it won’t cost much, either.
Keychain made with marshmallow stickers
Let’s try making keychains using marshmallow stickers.
You can buy all the parts at a 100-yen shop.
There are two ideas: one is a keychain made by gluing stickers and decorative parts like beads onto a deco plate.
The other is a shaker keychain made by sticking fabric to the back of the sticker, trimming the excess, then placing the sticker and beads into a keychain kit.
Be sure to use your favorite marshmallow stickers and make it in whichever way you like!
Keychain made from bag webbing
If sewing is your hobby, you probably have bag webbing that’s too short to use but too good to throw away.
This idea shows how to turn that leftover webbing into a key holder.
Cut the webbing into a 20 cm piece, thread on the hardware, and sew the ends together.
Instead of just stitching them, wrap the joint with a 6 cm square of fabric and sew—that little accent gives it a stylish finish.
If you want it to look more like a store-bought item, adding a tag is also recommended!