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Rudolph Is Ready for Christmas! Make Your Own Beaded Reindeer Keychain!
With his bright red nose, big brown antlers, and cheerful little smile, Rudolph is ready to spread some Christmas cheer! This adorable beaded reindeer is a fun Christmas craft that brings one of the season's favorite characters to life using colorful pony beads. Follow our free pattern to make your own little red-nosed reindeer!
Looking for Christmas ornaments you can make with pony beads? Rudolph would love a place on your Christmas tree! He also makes a cute reindeer keychain for your keys, backpack, or purse, and adds a playful touch to Christmas packages and gifts.
Rudolph doesn't have to fly solo. Imagine a whole team of beaded reindeer hanging from your Christmas tree, each with its own personality! Imagine his cheerful little face peeking out from the Christmas tree, dangling from a backpack, or bringing a smile to someone who receives him as a gift. And with Santa's whole reindeer team to keep him company, who knows how many little reindeer might find their way into your Christmas celebrations?
If you make this project please share your photos with us. With your permission we'll add it to the page and credit it to you.
Here is a fun idea for taking these easy to make characters to another level. Combine several Christmas pony bead characters into a handmade garland, holiday swag or ornament strand. Mix Santas with elves, reindeer, Grinch, Christmas trees and other holiday designs, then hang them from ribbon or cord, place them into greenery, or space them along a strand of Christmas lights. A beaded Christmas garland can drape across a mantel or doorway, decorate a wall or window, or wrap around a Christmas tree. It could even become a group project, with each person making a different character to add to the finished Christmas decoration.
Hot glue guns were originally developed for industrial use, not crafting. Hot-melt adhesives offered manufacturers a fast way to bond materials without waiting for a liquid glue to dry. Smaller, easier-to-use glue guns eventually brought the same idea into homes and craft rooms. Hot glue works a little differently from many familiar adhesives: the glue stick is melted inside the gun, applied while hot, and forms its bond as it cools and hardens—one reason it became such a useful tool for projects that need to stay put without a long drying time.
1 - Lanyard Hook
OR
1 - Key Ring
Cord - Approximately 2 yards
There are lots of different types of cord you can use for your beaded reindeer. We prefer cord about 1 1/2mm to 2mm thick because it helps your keychain keep its shape and multiple cords can fit into the bead hole. Alternatively, you can use a thinner cord and weave a little wire or a pipe cleaner into your keychain for extra support.
Monofilament Cord
OR
2mm Metallic Cord
22 - Dark Brown Pony Beads
39 - Medium Brown Pony Beads
10 - Beige Pony Beads
1 - Red Pony Bead
1 - Clear Pony Bead
Glue (We used super glue.)
Scissors
Ruler or Measuring Tape
1. Locate the halfway point of your 2 yards of cord and fold it in half. Attach the folded cord to your key ring or lanyard hook using a lark's head knot as shown in the photo. You should now have two cords hanging from the key ring.
2. Begin with the clear pony bead at the top of your reindeer. Unlike the other rows, this bead is threaded vertically. Pass both cords downward through the hole of the clear bead so that it sits directly below your key ring or lanyard hook. This bead forms the connection between the hook and the top of your reindeer.
3. Using the reindeer bead diagram at the bottom of these instructions, begin weaving the remaining rows. For each row, thread the beads onto one cord, then pass the other cord back through the same beads from the opposite direction.
Note: The tension of your cord does make a difference. The rows should sit snugly together without being pulled so tightly that your reindeer begins to curl or twist. If a row doesn't sit straight, loosen it, straighten the beads with your fingers and pull the slack out again.
The antlers can get pretty confusing so they have their own diagram to help you follow their shape and bead placement. Use this illustration along with the main reindeer pattern.
4. Continue following the reindeer diagram, working through the antlers first and then the rest of Rudolph, as illustrated.
5. When you reach the bottom of the reindeer and finish the final row, tie the two cord ends together securely using a surgeon's knot or double knot. Apply a small drop of glue to the knot to help keep it from coming undone. Trim the excess cord after the glue has dried.
Your beaded Rudolph reindeer is ready to bring a little Christmas cheer to a backpack, set of keys, Christmas tree, or holiday gift!
The illustration below uses red and blue to show how each side of your cord is woven through the beads. Click the image to see the larger diagram.
Looking for more Christmas pony bead projects? Here are more free patterns to make for ornaments, keychains and handmade Christmas decorations.
