This pony bead football is super cute and SO EASY to make! It’s such a fun sports craft for kids, perfect for the Super Bowl, football season, or any time you want to cheer on your favourite team.
Make a football pony bead pattern in the typical brown and white, or use your team colours! Whether you love playing football or just watching the NFL, this beaded football makes a great keychain or backpack charm.
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How to Make a Pony Bead Football
Materials:
- Free Printable Pony bead football pattern
- Split ring keyring
- Rattail cord (or other beading string)
- Pony beads (54 main colour [red], 24 stitching colour [white])
Equipment:
Check Out The Video Tutorial:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Attach the cord to the keyring
- Cut a 5 foot (60 inches) piece of rattail cord.
- CAUTION - This step must be completed by an adult and is only required if you're using cord that frays at the end. If you're melting the ends, the cord must be made of nylon and be able to melt. Carefully hold a BBQ lighter over the cut end for about 3 seconds to melt the end of the cord.
- Press the lighter against the side of the melted cord to flatten it down.Repeat, melting the other end of the cord to finish it off.
- Fold the cord in half.
- Put the loop down through the split ring keyring and bring the ends back through the loop (creating a lark's head knot).
- Pull the cords tight to secure it on the keyring and then tape the keyring to your working surface.
Step 3: Organize the beads and add them to the string
- Arrange your beads in the football pony bead pattern. This is optional, but we find it helpful to set up the pattern ahead of time so you can add them onto the keychain easily.If you don't want to lay out the beads ahead of time you can follow our free printable pony bead football pattern (find the link in the materials list above, or below the tutorial).Either way, use the following pattern to make the football:Row 1: 2 redRow 2: 3 redRow 3: 5 whiteRow 4: 7 redRow 5: 2 red, 4 white, 2 redRow 6: 4 red, 1 white, 4 redRow 7: 3 red, 3 white, 3 redRow 8: 4 red, 1 white, 4 redRow 9: 2 red, 4 white, 2 redRow 10: 7 redRow 11: 5 whiteRow 12: 3 redRow 13: 2 red
- To make this pony bead football we're going to be working with the ends of the cords, attaching the beads to both strands.
- To start, add the first row of beads (2 red) to the right cord.Since this is a symmetrical shape you can also start by putting beads on the left cord -- whatever is more comfortable for you. The order of beads will be the same in either direction.
- Now take the end of the left cord and push it through the left side of the beads until the first row is attached to both cord ends.You can do this one bead at a time until you feel more comfortable pushing the string through multiple beads.
- Pull the ends of the cords, so that the beads come closer to the keyring.
- As you get closer to the split ring you'll want to pull the string down and out to arrange the beads in the center.
- Pull tight so that the beads are next to the cord loop.
- Add the next row of beads (Row 2: 3 red) to the right cord, and, again, bring the left cord through the row of beads.This idea will be repeated for each row of the football.
- Pull the cords so that the 2nd row of beads is snug against the first.You don't want the cord so tight that the beads buckle (they should form a relatively straight row), but it shouldn't sag either.(You can go back at the end and adjust the rows if necessary, by pulling on the cord at the sides of the football.)
- Continue adding the beads in the pattern and method listed above.
- Repeat until all 13 rows are added and the football is complete.
Step 4: Finish off the keychain
- Adjust the cords as needed and then tie the cords into a knot below the last row.Our single knot felt secure, but you can do a double knot if needed.
- Cut off the cord about 1/2 inch below the knot.
- Your pony bead football keychain is complete!
Helpful Tips:
- If you’re using a cotton string, don’t burn the ends. Instead, you can wrap a small piece of tape around the cord ends to make stringing the beads easier.
- After finishing the football pattern, personalize your pony bead football! Add letter beads for initials or numbers for a jersey number!
Download our free printable pony bead football pattern:
Click on the link or image below to download our free, printable pony bead football template! The PDF file will open in a new window.
Then simply follow along with the pattern on your device’s screen, or print the template on 8.5 x 11 (letter size) printer paper.
>>> Pony Bead Football <<<
What colours are best for a pony bead football?
We love the look of the brown and white football – it represents the classic look of the ball and, of course, looks the most like a real football.
But beaded football keychains are the perfect way to incorporate your team’s colours into a craft! You can also make one in your best friend’s favourite colours.
What are pony beads?
Pony beads are plastic beads that are donut, or barrel, shaped. The standard size of a pony bead is 6 x 9mm, and they have a large 4mm hole, making them perfect for kids arts and crafts.
Pony beads are great for making bracelets, necklaces, and keychains, like this pony bead football. You can also add them into your hair or onto your shoelaces!
What type of string is used to make a pony bead football?
We used a 1.5mm rattail cord to make our pony bead footballs. This cord was just thin enough to go through the pony bead twice, so we recommend using 1mm string if you can find it.
The rattail cord is sturdy enough to use for a keychain, but also smooth enough that the beads go on easily. If you don’t have this specific string you can also used elastic beading string or waxed jewelry cord.
Ribbon, yarn, cotton twine, or embroidery thread would also would work well to make a pony bead keychain.
This pony bead football is so cute! It’s such a fun and easy Super Bowl craft, and a great activity for football families to make. You can even make football pony bead keychains for a team fundraiser!
Here’s even more bead craft ideas:
3 Strand Pipe Cleaner Bracelets
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon |  Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound |  Amazon Canada
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