Embroidery Library - Machine Embroidery Designs Inspired Project Page

Embroidered Keychains

Click on the image to the right
to see the free video tutorial, or
read below for written instructions.

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To find the in-the-hoop keychain designs, visit www.EmbLibrary.com!

When you download a keychain design you'll find three files. Two of the files end with "_DL" -- that stands for "dieline." The dielines are what we'll use to cut the fabric to the exact shape of the keychain.

If you have embroidery software, open the dieline files and print them at full size.

Next we'll cut the fabric shapes. Choose the fabric that you want to use to make the keychain -- we're using a sturdy woven cotton.

Spray a piece of medium-weight cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive.

Smooth the fabric for your keychain on top of the stabilizer.

Place the paper template on top, and cut out the shape. Do this for the front dieline, and the back dieline too.

If you don't have embroidery software, then you can embroider the dielines directly onto the fabric and stabilizer. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together, and embroider the dieline files.

Then cut out the shapes.

Now that the fabric is cut to the exact size of the keychain, we're ready to embroider the design.

Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer.

Load the full embroidery file to your machine. That's the file that begins with "X" followed by 4 numbers.

Embroider the design. The first thing to embroider will be another dieline. This traces the area where you'll place your front fabric piece.

Spray the backside of the front fabric-and-stabilizer piece with a bit of temporary adhesive.

Place the fabric right inside the sewn dieline.

Continue embroidering the design. Other elements of the design will sew.

On the color change sheet you'll see a note that says "back piece tack down." When you get to this step, stop the machine and remove the hoop.

Spray the backside of the fabric-and-stabilizer for the back of the keychain with a bit of adhesive.

Place that fabric-and-stabilizer piece on the back of the embroidery, right inside the dieline.

The next steps will be seen from both sides of the keychain, so we want our bobbin thread to match the top thread. Wind a bobbin with the thread that you're using in the top.

Attach the hoop to the machine again, and continue embroidering the design.

The next thing to sew will be the tackdown stitch, which binds the back fabric to the front of the design. And finally, a satin stitch border.

Remove the stabilizer from the hoop and gently tear the excess away.

Add a small eyelet to the outer edge of the keychain, right next to the satin stitch border. You can buy eyelets (and keyrings) from most craft and fabric stores.

Cut a small "x" through the layers of fabric and stabilizer with a craft knife, and tape the eyelet into place. Be careful not to cut any of the stitches.

Tap the eyelet into place.

Add a keyring, and the keychain is complete!

Some keychain designs have a pocket for lipstick. Those are constructed in largely the same way, with just one difference. The back piece will be seen from both sides. To prepare the fabric for the back piece, we'll make a "sandwich" of fabric and stabilizer.

Spray the wrong sides of two pieces of fabric with spray adhesive.

Place a piece of cutaway stabilizer one piece of the fabric, and smooth it down.

Place the wrong side of the second piece of fabric on top, and smooth it in place.

Place the paper template on top (or embroider the dieline file with your machine, whichever you prefer).

Cut out the shape.

Then, follow the same steps as before. Load the full embroidery design into your machine. That's the one that begins with a "X" followed by 4 numbers. The first thing to sew will be another dieline.

Place the front fabric piece inside the sewn dieline.

Continue embroidering the design. Stop the machine right before you reach the step on the color change sheet that says "front piece top border."

The next steps will be seen from both the front and the back of the keychain. Wind a bobbin with the same thread that you're using in the top.

Continue embroidering the design. The front piece top border will sew next, and then the dieline for the back piece.

After the dieline for the back piece has sewn, stop the machine and remove the hoop.

Spray the edges of the back fabric piece with a bit of temporary adhesive.

Place that fabric on the backside of the embroidery, right inside the dieline.

Continue embroidering the design. The next thing to sew will be the tack down stitch, and finally, the satin stitch border.

Remove the stabilizer from the hoop and gently tear the excess away.

Cut a small "x" on the outer edge of the keychain.

Tap a small eyelet into place.

Add a keyring....

...and you have a fantastic keychain, with a pocket to tuck in lipstick or chapstick.

Enjoy this fun and fashionable project! To find in the in-the-hoop keychain designs to use with this project, click here.

Click here for a printable version of these project instructions.

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