Making your own lanyards is a fun activity that almost anyone can master. When you create your own lanyards, you’ll have complete control over the colour, design, size and extra features. This is perfect if you need to customise your lanyard for a specific purpose.
If you’re struggling for inspiration, here are a few lanyard ideas to get you started.
- Create a short elasticated ruffle lanyard that can be worn around the wrist to keep your keys or key card handy.
- Create an open lanyard to hold your face mask when you’re not wearing it.
- Create colour coded lanyards for your children so they can keep track of their locker keys, school ID cards or other important items.
- Create a hiking lanyard with multiple clips to keep essential items close to hand.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. When you start to think about all the possibilities for lanyard usage, you’ll only be limited by your own imagination.
If you’re thinking about creating your own lanyards at home, read on to discover some of the easiest ways to achieve this.
Make a ribbon lanyard at home
To make a lanyard from a ribbon you will need a length of grosgrain or satin ribbon, a clasp, needle, thread and a lighter.
Start by cutting the ribbon to the length you want. Using an existing lanyard as a guide can help, but children may require a shorter lanyard, and a wrist lanyard will be even shorter. Burn the ends of the ribbon with the lighter to prevent it from fraying.
Next, create a loop with your ribbon so it will lay flat against your neck. The two ends of the ribbon should lay flat against each other. Push this through the end of your lobster clasp, fold it back, tuck the ends in and then pin it in place.
You’ll need to sew two lines, one close to the clasp and one at the end of the ribbon. Use a sewing machine or needle and thread. And there you have it, your own custom made lanyard!
Make a paracord lanyard at home
A paracord lanyard is popular with hikers and climbers as it’s an easy way to store a lot of paracord in a small space. You’ll need about 3-4 meters of paracord, scissors, a clasp and a lighter. See this guide.
Start by cutting your cord and burning the ends. Next, you need to find the centre of the length of rope and tie a simple overhand knot. Leave a 5-inch gap and then thread the lengths of rope through your clip or carabiner.
You will then need to learn the cobra stitch to tie the rest of the length of cord over the 5-inch length until you reach your overhand knot. Then, turn around and king cobra stitch over your existing cobra stitches. This should use up all of your cord. You can attach a clip to each end and you’ll always have a long length of paracord handy.
Make a beaded lanyard at home
To make a beaded lanyard, you will need some jewellery cord, beads, a clip and scissors. Cut the cord to length and then secure one end to the lobster clasp. Fill the cord with brightly coloured beads in whatever order you like. When you reach the end, tie the other end of the cord to the lobster clasp.
You can further customise this beaded lanyard by adding two clasps; one on each end of the cord. This will allow you to use it as a mask holder. You could also create a shorter one with elastic cord, to be worn around the wrist.
Whichever one you choose, have fun crafting!
