While I’ve moved away from selling them, the pleasure of making a key fob from time to time remains. They are perfect for thoughtful teacher gifts, charming stocking stuffers, unique party favors, or just a little something special for yourself. The best part? You likely already have most of the supplies! All you need is some scrap fabric, batting remnants, and a key ring. So, gather your materials and let’s get started on making your own personalized key chains for key fobs!
PS – For your convenience, this tutorial is also available as a printable PDF, condensed into six beautifully formatted pages. Download it here.
Materials You’ll Need
- Two pieces of fabric scraps (approximately 3″ x 6″ each)
- Scrap batting (approximately 3″ x 6″)
- Key ring
- Sewing machine
- Thread
- Scissors or rotary cutter
- Iron
- Clips or pins
Sewing Instructions
- Prepare the Fabric Strip: Take your two pieces of fabric and sew them together along one of the short ends using a ¼” seam allowance. Press the seam open with your iron to reduce bulk and create a flat surface. This creates the base strip for your key chain for key fob.
- Fold and Press Lengthwise: Fold the fabric strip in half lengthwise, with the wrong sides facing each other. Press along the fold to create a crisp crease. This will serve as the center fold for your key chain for key fob.
- Insert the Batting: Open the folded fabric and place the batting inside, aligning it with the center crease. Ensure the batting is centered, leaving approximately ¼” of fabric overhang on both ends. This batting will give your key chains for key fobs a padded feel.
- Fold Bottom Edge Over Batting: Fold the bottom raw edge of the fabric up and over the batting. Press this fold to create a clean edge.
- Fold Top Edge and Press: Fold the top raw edge of the fabric down about ¼” over the batting, overlapping the previous fold. Press this top fold to secure it in place.
- Attach to Key Ring: Insert the folded fabric strip through the key ring, folding it in half around the ring. Use clips to hold the raw edges of the fabric together, ensuring they are aligned.
- Fold in Half: Fold the key fob in half at the key ring, aligning the two raw fabric ends together.
- Align and Pin Raw Ends: Slightly unfold the raw ends to ensure all 3″ of fabric are aligned. Gently move the batting aside so you don’t sew through it in the seam allowance. Pin the raw edges together.
- Sew the Loop Seam: Sew a ¼” seam across the pinned raw edges. This will create a closed loop for your key chain for key fob.
- Press Seam Open with Fingers: Use your fingers to gently press the seam open. This helps to reduce bulk and allows the key chain for key fob to lay flatter.
- Reposition Batting: Return the batting pieces to their original position within the fabric fold.
- Trim Batting if Necessary: If the batting pieces overlap after sewing the seam, trim them so they are butted against each other but not overlapping. This will prevent bulk in your finished key chains for key fobs.
- Refold Fabric and Clip: Fold the fabric back over the batting as it was originally, encasing the batting. Clip the edges together to hold them in place for the final stitching.
- Prepare to Topstitch: Bring your bobbin thread up through the needle plate, leaving about 5″ of both needle and bobbin thread. Start sewing approximately ⅛” from the edge around the entire loop. Move the hardware and clips as you sew.
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Bury Threads (Optional): For a cleaner finish, especially on visible seams, bury your threads instead of backstitching. Stop sewing about 2-3 inches before your starting point with the needle down. Gently pull one thread to bring the other to the same side. Tie a knot with both threads.
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Hide Knot: Thread a needle with both thread tails and insert it close to the knot, bringing it out 1-2 inches away, going only through the top layers of the key fob.
- Pop and Trim Threads: Gently pull the threads so the knot pops underneath the fabric. Trim the excess thread tails close to the fabric surface.
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Finish Topstitching: Continue stitching until you reach your starting point, completing the loop seam. Bury the threads at the end as you did before.
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Position Hardware: Arrange the key ring hardware in the middle of the fabric section. Clip the fabric around the hardware, centering it.
- Stitch Hardware Seam: Starting with about 5″ of bobbin and needle thread, stitch across the width of the key fob to secure the hardware. For extra security, stitch forward, backward, and then forward again. Bury the thread tails as previously described.
- Enjoy Your New Key Chain! Congratulations, you’ve created your own stylish key chain for key fobs!
Fair warning: making these key chains for key fobs can be quite addictive! Once you start, you might not want to stop.
Download the printable PDF for this tutorial here.
Happy Sewing!
