How to Make a Beaded Butterfly Key Chain

In this short step-by-step tutorial, you will learn how to make a butterfly out of pony beads. It's very similar to make other animals as well.

Step 1: Supplies Needed

To make the butterfly key chain, you'll need:
scissors
pony beads (or similar type of bead)
office clamp (or strong tape)
braided cord (or other type of flexible thick cord)

Step 2: How to Braid the Chords

If you already understand how to braid, then just skip over this step, but instead you don't, here's how.

1. Clamp 3 strands of chord to a sturdy surface, if you want, tie a small loose knot for more strength.
2. Separate the 3 strands, one in each hand and the third within the fingertips.
3. Move the strand in your right hand over the middle one so that the right and the middle switch places.
4. Repeat step 2 but with the left hand, and repeat until the entire chord is braided.

If you want 2 different colors, than follow my instructions and braid both colors.

Step 3: Before the Beads...

When finished braiding the chords, tie a very small knot, and make sure it can sew through the beads.

Before you start applying the beads, remove the knots from the braids (if you chose to add strength). Tie a large knot to start the beads and keep them from separating.

Step 4: Apply the Beads

1. Start with putting 3 beads on one of the braided chords to make the body.
2. With the other braided chord, put it through the same 3 chords but the other direction, making the ends show through the opposite ends.
3. Pull the ends tight.
4. Push them up to the knot where the 2 chords are tied together.

Step 5: Making the Antennas

1. To make the antennas, start with lacing 2 black beads on one of the chords.
2. Push the 2 beads farther down the chord, but not all the way to the other end.
3. Apply another bead on the same strand.
4. Use the chord to lace through the first 2 beads.
(It will look like 2 flat beads and one on top standing on it's side.(
5. Pull tight, and push them up to the head to start the antennas.
6. Do these steps over on the other side with the other chord.

Step 6: Continuing With the Body

Continue the body, by stepping the 1st step over and couple times showing more body.

On to the wings!...

Step 7: Making the Wings

1. Depending on the size of the wings you want on your butterfly, apply beads for the wings.
2. I've added 15 for the top wings, and 10 for the bottom wings.
3. Wrap them in a circle.
4. Interlace the same chord again through the beads to create a full circle to keep the beads tight and in place.
5. Push the circle up to the body. (It'll be little difficult to trace them through the beads the second time.)

Step 8: Finishing the Body

After you finish the wings, continue the first step again, but this time decreasing the amount of beads from 4 to 2, making it look almost like a tail.

Step 9: Tieing It Off

Tie a square knot (the type that you start tieing your shoes with) at the end of the last beads to keep them in place to end the butterfly.

Step 10: The Loop for the Key Ring

Measure down about and inch from the tie you just tied to create a loop, and cut off the extra chord.
This loop will allow you to apply the key ring, but you can also apply the key ring to the small loop on the top where you started the head.