Paracord keychains – quick and eye-catching projects

A keychain is the best first project: it uses less than a metre of cord, needs no sizing and comes out right the first time. If you have never woven anything, start here.

Five ideas

1. 1

   Classic cobra

   Thirty centimetres of cord, a key ring and ten minutes. The same weave as the bracelet, only shorter.

2. 2

   Snake knot

   Narrower and rounder than the cobra. Sits well in the hand, great for car keys.

3. 3

   Monkey fist

   A ball woven around a core. The most striking of the five, but it takes patience to tighten evenly.

4. 4

   Keychain with a carabiner

   A cobra finished with a carabiner — clip it to a backpack loop or a belt.

5. 5

   Two-colour braid

   Two shades alternating. The easiest way to make a keychain look like the work of someone experienced.

Finishing

Singe the ends with a lighter and press them flat with the metal side — not your finger. Molten nylon is around 200 °C.