Pretty DIY Lanyard Tutorial – How to Sew a Lanyard!

Learn how to sew a DIY lanyard! The lanyard in this free sewing tutorial is double sided so you can use two coordinating fabrics to make it twice as nice.

My free Wrist Strap Keychain Tutorial has been so popular, that I thought I’d try something different but matching… a Lanyard! Of course a pretty one because the ones they try to sell you in the stores are usually just pretty sad.

This blog post has been converted to an optional PDF that’s optimized for printing. Find it here. The free DIY Lanyard Sewing Tutorial is all included in the blog post below and is totally free to read, print, and sew! Just hit CTRL +P on your computer to print. The Optimized for Printing PDF download for $2 is totally optional. Did you know you can get ALL the Optimized for Printing PDF files organized in a library for you to access anytime you want? Check it out.

To make one lanyard you’ll need:

• two 2 1/8″ x 40″ strips of fabric (one of each print)

• one 3.75″ x 2″ strip (there’s two in the picture but you only need one)

• one .75″ x 40″ strip of felt, thin cotton quilt batting, or fusible fleece

• one 1″ swivel snap clip

DIY Lanyard Sewing Instructions

1. Get started by pinning your two long strips right sides together along one long edge.

2. Sew the strips together using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

3. Press the seam allowance open, and then fold the top and bottom edges to the center so they just touch the seam allowance edges. Press.

4. Insert the strip of felt (or other stabilizer) inside one of the folded sides. It doesn’t matter which side… it should fit perfectly. Refold the strip and pin about every 6″.

5. Increase your stitch length to about a 3 and topstitch along both sides 1/8″ from the edge. If the top layer of your fabric wants to pull away while you are doing this part, try holding the strap firmly about 6″  in front of the presser foot as well as holding on to the strip from the back. Let your sewing machine feed the strip through evenly, but if you are holding firmly from both sides, the top layer won’t pull so much.

A walking foot also works great on straps like this.

6. Trim the ends of the strap to make them clean and even. Then slip the swivel hook on.

7. Set your stitch to the widest zig-zag you have. Form a circle with your strap by butting the ends right up against each other. Sew a zig-zag stitch down the center. Backstitch to hold it together during the next few steps.

Now take your 3.75″ x 2″ strip of coordinating fabric and fold the longer edges to the center. Press.

8. Arrange the lanyard with the swivel clip at one end near the zig-zag seam. Wrap the small strip around the seam, tucking the ends inside the lanyard.

9. Topstitch a square over your little piece. I like to use the topstitching lines on the strap as guides for the sides of my square. Be sure to neatly backstitch so this part holds.

10. And you’re done! Be sure to post pictures of your lanyards on Instagram and tag me @sewcanshe so I can see them!

Happy Sewing!

 xoxo,