How To Make a Quilted Keychain

Use quilting techniques to make a key chain in your favorite fabrics and colors.

Quilting can be for more than just bedspreads. In fact, you can make several useful things with quilting techniques, including key chains. Whether you want a key chain to match your favorite purse or you want to make use of fabric scraps left over from a previous project, make a cute rag-quilt key chain with a small amount of fabric and a few other inexpensive supplies.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton fabric
• Iron
• Spray starch
• Quilt batting
• Fabric marking pencil
• Ribbon
• Sharp scissors
• Lighter

Instructions

1. Measure and cut two 3-by-7-inch strips of cotton fabric and one 3-by-7-inch strip of lightweight quilt batting. Lightly spray all three strips with starch and iron them flat. Sandwich the batting between the other two strips, with the right sides of the cotton fabric facing out. Pin the layers together securely to prevent slippage during the sewing process.

2. 

   Draw diagonal parallel lines to create a diamond pattern.

   Mark half-inch seam allowances along each edge with a fabric marking pencil, creating a 2-by-6-inch rectangle in the center. Draw a design within the rectangle, such as a diamond, swirl or stripe pattern.

3. Quilt-stitch the inner design using a straight stitch, making sure your stitches stay within the center rectangle. Then stitch both long edges and one short edge of the rectangle, leaving one side open.

4. Cut 3 inches of grosgrain ribbon and hot-seal the edges with a lighter. Fold the ribbon in half and insert it into the open end of the rectangle below the seam allowance line. Pin the ribbon in place and sew the final edge.

5. Rag the edges by making a series of cuts perpendicular to the seam at quarter-inch intervals, making sure not to clip through the seam. Run the key chain through the washer and dryer and then brush any loose fibers from the ragged edges. Thread the ribbon loop onto a key chain ring.

References

• Quilting 101: Rag Quilts