The only tools you will need are wire cutters. For wire, try to find 20-22 gauge to make sure your keychain will last, but the wire is easy to bend without tools. Melted Bead Keychains from Sugar Bee Crafts You can experiment with melting different plastic beads using muffin tins in a 400-degree oven. They can also be melted on an old baking sheet on parchment paper as long as they will stay in place. In all cases, be safe and use old pans that are no longer used for food—just in case the plastic sticks or forms a residue on the pan. Check the melting beads frequently to be sure they are not burning or causing fumes, and do this with the windows open. They can also be melted outdoors on the barbecue or in a toaster oven. Follow the tutorial below to make this beaded lizard or find other great patterns for pony beads that aren’t limited to animals. You will find fruit, popular cartoon, and video game characters, or shapes such as hearts, stars, and flags. Beaded Lizard Keychain from The Spruce Crafts DIY Tassel Keychain from Made in a Day Keychains are a natural use for the plastic disks. You don’t even have to drill a hole after melting. Just leave a single bead out of the pattern near the edge to slip a large jump ring or key ring into place. Kids will love the wide variety of colors that fuse beads are available in, plus now they are available in two different sizes. The smaller size fuse beads allow older children to make more complex patterns.
