Key Fob Tutorial

[cute2carry]

Key Fobs are definitely the rage. They’re not only really cute, but soooo functional as well. Slip them around your wrist, and you are hands-free to carry your bags, kiddos, etc.!

I make, and sell, quite a few in my shop and give many away as gifts. Here’s a tutorial to show you how you can make your own.

Items you’ll need:

2 strips of coordinating fabric 12″x 2.25″

2 strips of fusible interfacing (I use Pellon 809 DecorBond) 12″ x 1.25″

1 strip of PelTex 12″ x 1.25″ (I actually cut mine 1 3/16th”, or just a hair narrower than 1.25″. You’ll understand why later)

1 set of key fob hardware (I purchase mine online at ebay.)

Here are the interfacing strips:



Step 1) Fuse the interfacing strips to your fabric strips, by placing the Pellon 809 down the center of the fabric strip. There will be 1/2″ of fabric on each side. The edges of the Pellon will be your guide for stitching throughout the process of making your key fob.

Place fabric pieces right sides together and pin in place. Stitch down one edge of the Pellon. Iron the seam open.





Step 2) With the fabric wrong side up, iron each long side of the fabric strip inward at the edge of the Pellon. Fold in half lengthwise, wrong sides together and press.



Slip the Peltex into the middle of your fabric “sandwich”. Wrap the outside fabric’s seam allowances (the fabric that will be the main outer fabric of the key fob) around the Peltex. Pin the fabric”sandwich together. If you cut your PelTex as I do, it will be much easier to pin this since the seam allowances take up a bit of space inside the sandwich. Trust me; do as I say.





Step 3) Stitch the pinned edge together by topstitching. Be sure to catch the underside fabric! And go slowly, you’ll be stitching over the Peltex, and it’s a thick layer…but oh so worth it in the end.

Topstitch down the opposite side as well.









Step 4) At this point, you are just cleaning up the piece before attaching the hardware. Trim the edges (the short ends) even, and apply Fray Check generously to the raw edges. Really, don’t skip this part. It will give your key fob a cleaner looking end result and will give it more longevity.





Step 5) Attach the hardware with some pliers. Fold the fabric strip to meet at raw ends. Slip the hardware piece over both layers. It will be thick, so make sure that you have all of the layers neatly tucked in there. Use pliers to clamp the hardware shut in this order: middle, right side, left side. Otherwise you might clamp it shut unevenly. Clamp gently at first to be sure it stays positioned correctly. Then go back and finish it off with a nice, tight clamp!





I wrap a scrap piece of fabric around the hardware so that it doesn’t get scratched by the pliers.





Attach the O-ring and you are done!

[miss_k]

brilliant! those will make great stocking stuffers or add-ons to gifts that need just a little something more. nice work and thanks for sharing!

[Arin]

I really really REALLY like your key fobs.

When you look on eBay for the harware, which seller do you buy from?And is it the 1.25" size?

I want to make some for my mother-in-law and sisiter-in-law since they are FOREVER misplacing their keys; must run in the family lol.

I really like how you did the faric for the key fobs, they go PERFECT together.

Thank you so much for posting a tutorial 

[Ginger Child]

Thanks so much for the tutorial....these are so cute!!!!

[Arin]

I forgot to ask you, since I was snooping on your blog .... it is very nice by the way I was curious if you were going to do a tutorial for that SUPER cute iPod pouch you made??

[pandamayhem]

Wow, these are super cute! And I love the fabrics you used! Thanks for the tutorial ^_^

[DancinInTheDark]

I disagree-those are cute. I love those.  Thanks for the tut!

[TryEverything]

Wow this is such a great idea... I was struggling today with my keys as my pants didn't have any pockets and thought by myself what I could do with my keys.  Thank you so much for the tutorial !!!

[SeeMellySew]

Thanks for the tutorial! I can't wait to try some

If anyone is interested, I found this website to be the cheapest for the hardware (1.25" size only):

http://www.cdwplus.com/singleKEY.html#anchor64197 (fourth item down)

Shipping is free, yay! The cost for 10 is just $0.58 each! You do have to buy the O rings separately. I have ordered from this site before and it was really quick, and I couldn't find a better price anywhere.

Anyways, I love your key fobs, I hope mine end up looking half as nice as yours!

[ChrisM318]

OK, is that the size hardware needed?  I know dumb question, just wondering.