How to make a macramé key chain

Jazz up a purse or clutch with a handmade macramé key chain. Use any color scheme to complement or contrast what you're carrying. These key chains are bright enough to catch the eye when you're looking for lost keys and bulky enough to stop them from sliding down into a car seat.

The tutorial uses cotton cord, but crafters also use nylon, silk and other materials. Attach the key chains minus the keys to other things such as belt loops for a fashion statement, or tie it to the rearview mirror in the car.

Materials
- Cotton cord, blue and purple
- Scissors
- Lobster-clasp key ring

Instructions
1. Cut 18 inches of purple cord and 18 inches of blue cord. Line them up next to each other horizontally, with the purple above the blue. Fold once so all four ends meet. Smooth out the cord.

2. Squeeze the top cord loop together and insert it through the bottom loop of the lobster clasp. Pull the cord through approximately 2 inches.

3. Feed the length of the trailing cord through the 2-inch loop from step 2. Pull snug. Arrange the cord so the trailing cord is vertical. The cord should be purple, blue, blue, purple.

4. Bring the right purple strand (P1) left, across both blue strands. Bring it under the second purple strand (P2).

5. Bring P2 behind the blue strands and over P1. Pull the purple strands to tighten the knot.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until there are 4 inches left of trailing cord. Tie a knot in each strand, close to the base of the macramé pattern. Trim the excess so the strands are approximately 1 to 1 ½ inches long.

7. Unravel the trailing cords and fluff them.