Pony Bead Possum Keychain - Pony Bead Keychain Patterns

Materials Needed:

• 1 - Lanyard Hook OR 1 - Key Ring

The lanyard or keyring are just a standard recommendation. If you are making an ornament out of this pattern you might want to use a decorative ornament hook instead, or even a jump ring and decide how to connect it later.

• Cord - 4 feet

  There are lots of different types of cord you can use for your beaded possum. Of all the different kinds of cords we've tried, a flat plastic lacing such as Rexlace (also called boondoggle or plastic lace) seems to work best on all of these types of patterns. It just seems to help the rows of beads sit neatly together without bunching or curling as easily and keeps your finished possum's shape better. Round cords, about 1 1/2mm to 2mm thick also work well and there is a plastic cord out there called pony bead cord that is supposed to be good but I haven't tried it so I can't say from experience. If all you have is a thinner cord, you can weave a little wire or a pipe cleaner into your possum to help it hold its shape.

  Monofilament Cord OR 2mm Metallic 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.

• 5 - White Pony Beads
• 10 - Black Pony Beads
• 19 - Pink Pony Beads
• 32 - Gray Pony Beads
• Glue (We used super glue.)
• Scissors
• Ruler or Measuring Tape

• Optional: For a stiffer beaded possum, you can include a piece of pipe cleaner or wire on the widest row of your project to help it 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 hanging from the key ring.

Note: If you are using a different type of connector for your possum, you can skip the lark's head knot. You'll still want to fold your cord in half so you have two even lengths to begin weaving your beads.

2. Using the pony bead possum diagram below as your guide, begin weaving the rows of beads, starting at the top of the possum. Thread the beads for the first row onto one cord, then pass the other cord back through those same beads from the opposite direction. Pull both cords until the beads sit together in a straight row beneath the connector.

Note: The tension of your cord does make a difference. The rows should sit together without being pulled so tightly that your possum begins to curl or twist. If a row doesn't sit straight, just loosen it, straighten the beads and pull the slack out again.

3. Continue working down through the possum pattern, following the bead colors and cord paths in the diagram. Each row is woven the same way, with the two cords passing through the beads from opposite directions.

4. If your beaded possum doesn't hold its shape well, you can weave a piece of pipe cleaner or wire through one of the widest rows to help it hold its shape.

5. When you finish threading through the final row, thread one of the cords back through the previous row so that both cord ends end up on the same side and next to each other. Tie the cords together securely using a surgeon's knot or a double knot. Apply a drop of glue to the knot to prevent it from coming untied and trim the excess cord after it's dry.

Your beaded possum keychain is now complete! You can attach it to your keys, hang it from a backpack or use it as a little decoration.

The illustration below uses red and blue to show you how each side of your cord is woven through the beads. It opens to a larger image if you click it.

Other Ideas and Uses for This Project

Make a pair of earrings using this pattern substituting seed beads or E beads and a small gauge wire instead of the pony beads and cord.

A beaded possum could also be a fun addition to a woodland animal collection or a nature-themed craft project. You could make several different animals and use them as decorations for a classroom or a nature study display.

Did You Know?

Possums and opossums are actually two different animals. The Virginia opossum is native to North America and is the only marsupial commonly found in the United States. True possums are native to Australia and nearby regions and look different than the American Opossum. Although the names are often used interchangeably, they refer to different groups of animals.