Beaded Black Cat Key Chain Pattern - Fun Beaded Halloween Key Rings

Materials Needed:

• 1 - Lanyard Hook OR 1 - Key Ring

• Cord - Approximately 2 yards

  There are lots of different types of cord you can use for your beaded black cat. We prefer cord about 1 1/2mm to 2mm thick because it helps your cat keychain keep its shape. Alternatively, you can use a thinner cord and weave a little wire or a pipe cleaner into your keychain for extra support. Either method works, so experiment to see which you prefer.

  Monofilament Cord OR 2mm Metallic Cord OR 1mm Black Jute or Hemp Cord OR 1.5mm Leather Necklace Cord OR 1.5mm Satin Rattail Cord OR 1/8" Satin Ribbon

  For ours, we used 1.5mm black cotton jute type cord.

  Helpful Hint: If your cord end frays easily, try dipping the end of your cord into a little melted wax and smoothing it out with your fingers. This helps prevent fraying and creates a stiffer end for threading through your beads.

• 2 - Yellow Pony Beads (For the eyes.)
• 53 - Black Pony Beads (For the cat's body, head and tail.)

These are the colors we used. You can make your beaded black cat in traditional Halloween colors or try orange, lime green, purple, or whatever colors are perfect for you!

• Glue (We used super glue.)
• Scissors
• Ruler or Measuring Tape

• Optional: For a stiffer beaded cat, you can include a little wire or a pipe cleaner with your cord to help the cat keep its shape.

  Beading Wire OR Pipe Cleaners

Instructions

1. Locate the halfway point of your cord or lacing and fold it in half. Attach the folded cord to your key ring or lanyard hook using a lark's head knot as shown in the photo. You should now have two cords of about the same length hanging from the key ring.

2. Using the bead diagram for the black cat keychain below, begin weaving the rows of beads. Pass one cord through the row of beads, then pass the other cord through the same beads from the opposite direction as shown in the illustration. Pull both cords until the new row rests against the previous one. Continue following the pattern to form your beaded black cat.

The diagram below shows how the two ends of the cord are threaded through the beads to make your black cat pony bead keychain. Click the diagram to open a larger version in a new window whenever you need a closer look.

3. When you've finished weaving your black cat, the two cord ends should meet at the beginning of the cat's tail. Tie them together using a double knot or surgeon's knot. Apply a little glue to the knot to prevent it from unraveling. Once the glue has dried, trim the excess cord.

Optional: Weave a piece of wire or a pipe cleaner through one of the widest rows near the top of your beaded cat to help it hold its shape.

You can also follow this same pony bead cat pattern using seed beads or E beads to create smaller versions. These little beaded cats would make a fun pair of Halloween earrings or a necklace pendant!