I've been having so much fun packing up little keychain kits for you to use with my free Wrist Strap Keychain Tutorial, that I thought I'd try something different but matching... a Lanyard! Of course a pretty one because the ones they try to sell you in the stores are usually just pretty sad. The free tutorial is below, and check the SEWCANSHE Shop to see what kits are available. I can do a few kits to match the keychains, but I don't have enough of all the fabric types and prints to do lanyards in everything. Especially with the Japanese fabrics.
So, to make one lanyard you'll need:
- two 2 1/8" x 40" strips of fabric (one of each print)
- one 3.75" x 2" strip (there's two in the picture because I'm putting two in the kit so you'll have a choice)
- one .75" x 40" strip of felt
- one 1" swivel snap clip
Of course, the kit comes with all of this and I'm in the process of adding more and more fabric combos as I sort through my stash.
Get started by pinning your two long strips right sides together along one long edge.
Sew the strips together using a 1/4" seam allowance.
Press the seam allowance open, and then fold the top and bottom edges to the center so they just touch the seam allowance edges. Press.
Insert the strip of felt inside one of the folded sides. It doesn't matter which side... it should fit perfectly. Refold the strip and pin about every 6".
Increase your stitch length to about a 4 and topstitch along both sides 1/8" from the edge. If the top layer of your fabric wants to pull away while you are doing this part, try holding the strap firmly about 6" in front of the presser foot as well as holding on to the strip from the back. Let your sewing machine feed the strip through evenly, but if you are holding firmly from both sides, the top layer won't pull so much.
Trim the ends of the strap to make them clean and even. Then slip the swivel hook on.
Set your stitch to the widest zig-zag you have. Form a circle with your strap by butting the ends right up against each other. Sew a zig-zag stitch down the center. Backstitch to hold it together during the next few steps.
Now take your 3.75" x 2" strip of coordinating fabric and fold the longer edges to the center. Press.
Arrange the lanyard with the swivel clip at one end near the zig-zag seam. Wrap the small strip around the seam, tucking the ends inside the lanyard.
Topstitch a square over your little piece. I like to use the topstitching lines on the strap as guides for the sides of my square. Be sure to neatly backstitch so this part holds.
And you're done! Be sure to post pictures of your lanyards in our flickr pool so everyone can see them on the front page of SewCanshe.com! I'll try to put kits in the shop using my favorite fabric combinations, but if you have any requests with fabric you've seen me use, send me an email and I'll see what I can put together.
Happy Sewing!
