How to Make a Pony Bead Owl - One Little Project

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Pony Bead Owl Keychain

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How to Make a Pony Bead Owl

This pony bead owl is so cute!! Use this simple pony bead owl pattern to make a cute keychain, bag charm, or ornament.

Active Time15

Total Time15

Yield: pony bead owl

Author: Debbie Chapman

Cost: $1

Equipment

Materials

Instructions

Step 1: Find what you need

Gather your supplies and materials.

Step 2: Organize your cord and beads

Cut a 4 foot (48 inch) piece of rattail cord.
Fold the cord in half and attach it to the keychain hardware using a lark's head knot. To do this slid the loop through the keychain, open the loop and bring it back around the keychain. Pull tight.
3 - Make another regular knot below the lark's head knot.
Then tape the keychain to your working surface. This will make it easier to add the beads.
Gather pony beads in brown, black, orange, and whatever colour you'd like for the chest of the owl. We're using mint green here.

Step 3: Add the first beads

To make this pony bead owl we’re going to be working with the ends of the cords, attaching the beads to both strands.
To form Row 1 add 5 brown beads to one of the cords.
Right or left, it doesn't matter, since it's the same pattern in either direction.
Now take the end of the other cord and push it through the opposite side of the beads until the first row is attached to both cord ends.
Pull the cord ends down and out until the beads are centered under the knots.

Step 4: Form the "ears"

To make one of the owl's "ears" add 1 brown bead to the right cord. Let it fall next to the first beads.
Take the same cord end and put it through the bead going in the opposite direction. Hold the bead in place next to the first beads as you pull the cord through.
Repeat on the left cord.

Step 5: Make the rest of the owl

For Row 2 add beads in this order: 1 brown, 1 white, 1 black, 1 brown, 1 black, 1 white, 1 brown. Connect the other cord just like you did for the first beads.
Pull the cord ends so this row of beads sits below the first.
Form the rest of the owl in the same way, following this pattern:
Row 3: 1 brown, 2 white, 1 orange, 2 white, 1 brown
Row 4: 2 brown, 4 mint green, 2 brown
Row 5: 2 brown, 5 mint green, 2 brown
Row 6: 2 brown, 4 mint green, 2 brown
Row 7: 2 brown, 3 mint green, 2 brown
Row 8: 2 brown, 1 mint green, 2 brown
Row 9: 1 orange, 2 brown, 1 orange

Step 6: Finish off the keychain

After you've add all the beads it often helps to readjust the rows, starting at the top. Pull on the side loops, going down row by row.
Once you're finished with adjusting the cords tie a knot in each cord as close to the last bead as possible.
Cut off the excess cord close to the knots.
Optional: Hold a lit BBQ lighter next to the cut cord ends for a second or two. This will melt the cord, stopping it from fraying.
Your pony bead owl is complete!

Video

Notes

Looking for more pony bead crafts? Here's a few of our favourites:

Pony Bead Pumpkins

Pony Bead Football

Beaded Pipe Cleaner Corn