A Little Lanyard Tutorial

I'm trying my hand at tutorials, and I thought I'd put one together for lanyards~quick and easy, also a great gift!

Let's jump right in. . .gather your supplies. Fabric and supplies given are enough to make 2 lanyards.

•8 charm squares (5" x 5" squares)

•Thread to match fabrics (bobbin thread needs to match your top thread)

•1/3 yard lightweight fusible stabilizer (I like Pellon 950F)

•Fabric marking tool (be sure it's water or air soluble)~nothing permanent

•2 large metal lobster swivel clasps (E50H~42mm x 25mm); I bought mine here.

•General sewy/quilty stuff (mat, ruler, rotary cutter, iron, sewing machine)

Stack the 8 charm squares one atop the next~nice and even. With your rotary cutter slice at the 2 1/2" mark.
Now you have 2 stacks of rectangles 2 1/2" x 5". Set one group aside.
With the remaining stack sew short ends together to form a 2 1/2" x 36 1/2" strip.

Press seams open~this will evenly displace the bulk of the seams.

Cut 2 strips of the fusible stabilizer 2 1/2" by the width (it comes on a 22" bolt). Ensure the "fusible" side of the stabilizer is laying against the wrong side of your fabrics. Place the stabilizer 1/4" to the inside of the strip and fuse to fabric.

When you near the opposite end of the strip cut the stabilizer 1/4" shy of the end of the strip.

Turn strip over with the right side facing you and press well, again.

Next, with wrong sides facing, press the strip in half along it's length.

Open your strip up and find the center line.

Along one length press outside edge in to meet the center line. Press well.

Repeat for other side.

Fold in half along original press line to bring the two folded edges together. Press well.

Slip the swivel clasp over one end of the strip.

Open up both ends of the strip, just enough for those raw edges to lay flat. Pin right sides together.

Stitch the two ends together~don't run over your pins.

Press your seam open. Fold and press along the center and bring the two folded edges together again.

To this point, your lanyard should look like this. Let's topstitch!

For top stitching, increase your stitch length to 3.0. We'll stitch the open ends first. Stitch 1/8" from the edge. Move your swivel clasp along the length of the lanyard as you stitch.

Backstitch to secure stitches.

Turn the lanyard over, and topstitch along the opposite length.

Press to set the stitches. Next, decide where you'd like the clasp to lay on your lanyard. Finger press in place.

Measure 3/4" from the point at which your clasp lies and using your fabric pen mark the measurement.

If your machine has a needle down function, set it now. Sew through all layers as indicated. From the mark sew 6 or 7 stitches away from the clasp along your previous topstitching. Pivot. Take 5 or 6 stitches across. Pivot. Come down toward the clasp 6 or 7 stitches. Pivot and across once again to the starting point. Pivot your needle to come across the diagonal of the box you've just formed. Pivot. Follow your topstitching one last time to the opposing corner, pivot your needle and come across the diagonal to form an "X" in the box. Done! Trim your threads and press to set your stitches.

Attach keys, identification badges or. . .

Have fun! Any questions, just shoot me an email! Happy stitching!