Faux Leather Key Fob

Cute accessories are always fun to have whether it be jewelry or something you have hanging on your purse or bag or your keychain. 

I am always looking for new things to make with materials that I already have. Thanks to Pinterest and other crafters I follow I saw the key fobs that kept popping up so I thought I would give them a try. I did have to buy new supplies and a new tool but that is the fun thing about creating you always get to try something new. 

I already made acrylic keychains so making these key fobs with faux leather was the next step. They are pretty simple to make once you do a couple. I did a test one first and was really happy with how this test one came out and can’t wait to make more. Some of the videos that I have watched show adding heat transfer vinyl to the back to hide the material on the back. That is something I will try in the future but heat transfer vinyl isn’t something I normally work with.

Materials

• Faux leather - Amazon or Michael's
• Key fob pieces - Amazon or Michael's
• Pliers to squeeze the fob piece closed - Amazon or Michael's 
• Cricut maker
• Cricut Design Space - on phone, tablet or computer
• 12 by 12 pink fabric mat
• Brayer
• Rotary blade
• Bulldog clip to hold the cut piece even
• Exacto knife or scissors - to help trim or deal with random stray pieces
• Keys 

How to create

Creating the leather strap

1. Open Cricut Design Space and go to “shapes” and pick a rectangle.
2. Adjust the size of the rectangle to .90 inches wide by 4 inches long. Depending on the size of the metal piece you have adjust the sizing a bit.
3. Duplicate the shape as many times as needed.

Cutting the faux leather

1. Place the faux leather on the pink fabric mat. I prefer putting the pattern side down. This isn’t necessary you can do it with the fabric side down. Sometimes it varies, to be honest.
2. Take the brayer and apply some pressure when running over the leather to help adhere the sheet to the mat.
3. Turn on the machine and make sure that the rotary blade is on the clamp.
4. Load the mat into the machine. 
5. Go to “make it” 
6. Choose mat for any material option and click “continue”
7. Choose the material to work with. Normally I choose faux fur. You may need to play with the settings depending on the faux leather. Click “continue” when ready.
8. Pull the faux leather off the mat. If you need to keep scissors or an Exacto knife nearby just in case you need to cut extra off. 

Add the metal fob piece

1. Fold the faux leather strip in half.
2. Take the bulldog clip and clip it to the side to use it to hold the piece folded when attaching the metal piece.
3. Place the metal fob piece into the pliers and squeeze slowly closing it a little but not all the way.
4. Slide the leather piece into the metal piece and squeeze it closed nice and tight.
5. Give it a bit of a tug just to make sure it is nice and strong.
6. Repeat as needed.
7. Add keys and you are done!

If you have any questions or comments pop them in the box below - I would love to hear from you!