DIY Leather Key Fob Gift Idea with Cricut

Make a DIY Leather Key Fob for a gift or for a new accessory for yourself! Any of these unique styles can be cut with a Cricut Explore Air or a Cricut Maker! Check out the video or written instructions to make your own!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.

Hey guys! I hope you’re having a great week! I’m gearing up to attend the Cricut Mountain Make-a-thon next week in Salt Lake City and I cannot wait! One of the items we are supposed to bring with us is 1 of our favorite materials to cut with a Cricut. Eeeek how do I choose just one?! I mean, it’s like picking a favorite child! (Too dramatic?) While I haven’t totally decided yet, one of my favorites is definitely the Cricut faux leather; I fell in love with it when I first tried it on my no-sew fall pillow. It came in so handy when I needed a gift idea to make for Ryan for our 3 year anniversary gift (the traditional 3 year gift is leather); I used it to make him a DIY leather key fob. This was such a quick and easy DIY that I made several of them to give as gifts and (one then for me!) The DIY leather key fob can even be personalized by using Cricut pens!

UPDATE: Since I originally made these, I’ve become addicted to making leather keychains with my Cricut! I added some more styles to the bottom of this post that I made with my Cricut Maker. I also made these fun DIY Faux Leather keychains for Dad that you can find here!

DIY Leather Key Fob Tutorial

Supplies

• Key fob templates
• Cricut Explore Air 2 or Cricut Maker
• Standard grip cutting mat
• Pebbled Faux Leather sampler pack (I used both the black and blue colors)
• Faux leather in silver, brown and beige
• Cricut black pens (optional for personalization)
• Paper crafting set
• Clear Gorilla Glue
• Rivets
• Key rings

Directions

Open key fob templates in Cricut Design Space.

Select your design and set the dial on the Cricut to Custom and select Faux Leather. If you want to personalize your DIY leather key fob then load a Cricut pen into the machine as well and press Go.

Here’s how all 3 of the templates look once they have been cut:

Note: Although there are 3 different styles, most of the DIY leather key fob instructions will apply to all of them.

Using the Piercer from the paper crafting set, poke holes where the rivet will go. Make the hole large enough for the rivet base to fit through, but it should fit very snugly. 

Slide the key ring onto the key fob. Push the longer end of the rivet through all layers from the back of the key fob. Place the rivet top over the rivet base, place the rivet mallet directly on top of the rivet and strike the mallet (I used the rubber handle of a hammer to strike the mallet and set the rivets).

And that’s it. It really IS that easy!

I  used a Cricut pen to personalize one for Ryan with his initials.

The next style is a little different, you will have 3 pieces of faux leather and instead of using a rivet you will secure the keychain with a simple stitch. If you plan to add text to the inside of key fob like I did, select 2 different colors in Design Space (the template is already set up that way) since the back of the key fob will need to be placed upside down on the cutting mat to write on the inside.

First, insert the small black faux leather piece into the slot on the front of the DIY leather key fob. Secure it in place with some glue and allow to dry overnight.

Make holes for where you will stitch with the piercing tool.

With a large needle and black embroidery floss, start the stitch on the inside of the back of the key fob so that the knot will be hidden inside.

Bring the needle through the other hole, slide on the key ring and then stitch through the back of the top side of the key fob. Finish the stitch by going back through from the front of the top of the key fob to the inside. Tie in a knot and cut off excess embroidery floss.

Add some glue in between the front and back of the DIY leather key fob and hold together overnight (a bobby pin worked great!)

I personalized this one with our anniversary date inside so that it didn’t interfere with the design.

Here are a few more styles of leather key fobs I made with my Cricut Maker! You can find the cut files for these designs here.

From left to right:

Monogram Keyfob

Additional Supplies

• Everyday Iron-on in Silver
• EasyPress 2

Directions

Use the same supplies and follow the same instructions as the brown key fob above. Cut the iron-on letters for your monogram key fob (remember to mirror!) Weed excess material.

Set the EasyPress to 280º F. Position the monogram onto the key fob and press for 30 seconds. Allow to cool before peeling back the iron-on lining.

Mosaic Iron-on Keyfob

Additional Supplies

• Holographic Mosaic Iron-on in Seaglass
• EasyPress 2

Directions

Use the same supplies and follow the same instructions as the tan key fob above, except both the front and back of this style is the same color. There are 2 of the smaller pieces to cut, one for the faux leather and one for the iron-on. Cut the mosaic iron-on and weed excess material.

Set the EasyPress to 280º F. Position the mosaic iron-on onto the small strip and press for 30 seconds. Allow to cool before peeling back the iron-on lining.

Metallic Color Block Keychain

Additional Supplies

• Everyday Iron-on in Gold
• EasyPress 2

Directions

Use the same supplies and follow the same instructions as the blue key fob above, except glue this one together instead of using a rivet. Cut the gold iron-on and weed excess.

Set the EasyPress to 280º F. Position the metallic iron-on onto the leather and press for 30 seconds. Repeat on opposite side. Allow to cool before peeling back the iron-on lining.

Which style would you want to make? Pimp your keys! 😉