Cut about 12” [30.5 cm] of pastel paracord.

#@#

Now, attach it to a keyring with a lark’s head knot.
TIP: To make a lark’s head knot, fold the cord in half. Place your keyring over the fold. Grab the ends of the cord, bring them up and over the keyring, then through the fold of the cord. Pull and tighten the knot so it fits snug against the keyring. For this project, the cords do not need to be even.

#@#

Slide beads onto each cord as desired.
TIP: Run a toothpick (or pencil) through the hole of your chosen wood beads if they need to be opened a little more to fit your cord.

#@#

Tie a knot at the end of each cord. Trim excess cording.

#@#

ADULT: Use a lighter to lightly singe the ends to prevent fraying.

#@#

To make your monkey fist, start about 12” [30.5 cm] from one end of your remaining paracord. You will also need a larger wood bead handy.

#@#

With your working cord:
- Wrap the working cord around three fingers, vertically, until you have four wraps.
- Loosely wrap the working cord around the vertical wraps, horizontally, until you have four wraps. You will need to slide the cord between your fingers as you work around the wraps.
- Carefully slide the cords closer to the end of your fingers, but do not slide off yet, and be very careful not to lose the shape of your wraps.
- Slide the wood bead inside the wraps to help keep the shape of your monkey fist.
- Now, wrap your working cord around the back of your loops and through the top loops to the front. Take it down through the bottom loops and pull to the back.
- Take your working cord back up through the top loops to the front and again down to the bottom loops and pull through the back. Repeat until you have four total wraps.
- Slide the monkey fist off your fingers.
- Carefully pull the wraps to tighten your monkey fist. This will take patience as you will need to pull each wrap a few times to tighten until you have the shape of a monkey fist.
- Thread the starting end under the loops to the other side to make a hanger. Trim the excess cording flush to the wraps edge.
- ADULT: Use a lighter to singe the end.
- For the excess from your working cord end, tuck through adjacent wraps and trim excess cord.
- ADULT: Again, use a lighter to singe the end.

#@#

Slide the monkey fist hanger and the bottom loop of a plastic lanyard hook onto your keyring.

Share your project photos with #MakeItWithMichaels

Pastel Paracord Wood Bead Keychain

Instructions

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS