Leather adds a classy look to keys in this project. Because this is a leather-working craft, you will need specialized tools, including a leather punch tool and a mallet or hammer that will not damage the leather.
Craft-store leather comes in a variety of colors, so you may customize your key fob to match any style. In this tutorial, the front and back of the leather is used to create a subtle, two-toned fob, but you may use any color combination.
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Materials
- 5x5 inch or larger piece of leather, with different shade/color on opposite side
- Ruler
- Pen or fabric marker
- Shears/heavy-duty scissors
- Key ring
- Leather punch
- Rubber or rawhide hammer/mallet
- Small decorative rivets
- 5x5 inch or larger piece of leather, with different shade/color on opposite side
- Ruler
- Pen or fabric marker
- Shears/heavy-duty scissors
- Key ring
- Leather punch
- Rubber or rawhide hammer/mallet
- Small decorative rivets
DIY Everywhere
Instructions
1. Measure and cut off a leather strip 5 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Decide which side you want facing out. This is Side 1.
2. Fold it in half so the ends meet and Side 1 faces out. Hold it in place with your fingers.
3. Cut a small leather piece slightly smaller than the face of the folded leather strip. This will be adhered to the center of the fob later.
4. Open the long strip and slide the key ring onto the middle of the leather. Fold over the leather again so Side 1 is showing.
5. Take the small piece of leather and place it with the opposite shade (Side 2) face up on the center of the front of the folded strip. Note where the bottom of the small strip is. Slightly up from there is where you will punch the first hole for a rivet. Make a mark there on the outside of the folded strip.
6. Punch a hole through the mark. Stick the pen tip through the hole to mark the strip underneath.
7. Open the strip and punch the inside hole.
8. Make two marks on Side 2 (the different shade) of the small strip, one corresponding to the bottom hole in the folded leather. The other mark should be near the top of the small piece.
9. Punch the marks.
10. Line up the bottom holes of the small and the folded leather pieces. Place the pen through the top hole of the small piece to mark the folded piece underneath.
11. Punch a hole through the mark on the folded piece.
12. Place a rivet through the back of the bottom holes. Add the top part of the rivet.
13. Place the rivet on a hard work surface and hit it with the hammer.
14. Repeat Steps 13 and 14 for the top hole.
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