Make a fuse bead keychain
A small motif, a fused hole and an ordinary split ring
A fuse bead keychain is the same idea as a hanging ornament, only smaller and with a metal ring instead of a long string. A name, a heart, a star or a mini Santa all work. It has to survive a pocket and knocking against keys.
Quick answer
Keep the motif within about eight to fourteen beads, leave two pegs empty at the top and iron both sides until the rim of the hole is smooth. When the plastic is cold, put a split ring or a jump ring through the hole. Do not iron the metal in. A filled 30×30 board is too big for a keyring.
How to make the keychain
Keep it small
Midi beads are about 5 mm, so ten beads are about 5 cm. That is a good upper limit. Larger pieces catch in a pocket and tear the hole. A name on one row, a heart or a simple figure is enough.
Make a strong hole
Leave two pegs empty at the top, with at least two beads of thickness around them. Keys tug harder than a tree string. Iron both sides, as in the ironing guide, until the rim is smooth. Do not punch a hole afterwards.
Add the ring once it is cold
An ordinary split ring or an open jump ring is enough. Twist the ring through the hole. Do not glue it, and do not leave it on the board under the iron. The metal gets hot and the plastic sticks at an angle.
Can you make a name keychain with fuse beads?
Yes. Type the name in the designer so it becomes beads, and leave two empty pegs above the first letter or in a small loop over the word. Short names in capitals stay under 5 cm. A long name on one row becomes a stick that snaps in a pocket. Split it onto two rows then, with the hole centered above.
Does a fuse bead keychain work as a gift?
Yes, precisely because it is small. A mini Santa in December, an egg at Easter or a bat at Halloween is a clear gift without weighing down a bag. The same motif can hang on the tree if you thread a string instead of a ring. To put it on the fridge, that is a magnet, and then you do not need a hole.
Related guides
How to start with fuse beads
Start a fuse bead project with 5 mm midi beads, a pegboard, parchment paper and a dry iron. A first Perler or Hama piece takes about an hour.
Hang fuse beads on a Christmas tree
Iron a Santa, a painted egg or a bat, leave a hole and thread a ribbon. How to hang fuse beads on a Christmas tree, Easter twigs or for Halloween.
Guide to Perler Bead Color Families
Compare basic, neon, translucent, glitter, and specialty bead types.