Macrame keychains are fun little projects that use very little cord and can be finished without taking up an entire afternoon. These 19 cute designs and free patterns include simple options for beginners, along with flowers, beads, tassels, braided details, and playful shapes. Make one for your keys, add one to a handbag, or create a few small handmade gifts while using up leftover macrame cord from your craft box.
Blooming Trio Flower Macrame
The knotted texture runs through the full-length strap, with blossoms stacked along it. The arrangement gives this keychain a layered flower look.
In warm brown, moss green, and mustard, this keychain has the cozy feel of an autumn market. The colors work together in a simple seasonal mix.
The flower starts at its central petal cord, using a double half hitch. Tighten the knots with each loop, then stack 3-5 flowers on the keychain. Finish with a wrapped knot, leaving a loose tassel, using 2mm cotton cord.
The keychain takes under one hour to make and uses two shades, with the flower colors standing out more clearly against the base color. Attach the gold swivel clasp at the top. Image courtesy of the maker.
Macrame Keychain with a Coastal Coin
This beachy keychain has a sun-bleached finish and a diagonal diamond lattice. A coin or cowrie shell charm can sit among the knots. White, taupe, and warm gold give the keychain a grown-up look rather than a costume-like one.
A cord lattice leaves small gaps where a shell or coin charm can pass through. Cut 6-8 cords, attach them to a bar clasp, and work double half hitch knots in an alternating diagonal pattern.
A loose tassel gives the keychain its final shape. Finish the keychain with a tight wrap knot, and swap the charms for shells, coins, or beads as needed.
Macrame Keychain with Mermaid Scales
Bumpy, stacked rows create a scalloped pattern that resembles mermaid scales. The knot pattern has a higher difficulty, and the source opinion considers the extra effort worthwhile.
Seasonal variations can use blush pink, natural cream, or sage green as the color options. These shades give the keychain a range of seasonal looks.
Start with eight cords mounted on the clasp and work alternating square knots in even rows. Pull the knots snug to create the raised scale texture, keeping each row even.
The tassel is full and dense, while the keychain ends with a tight wrapped knot.
Chunky Handle
This thick, wide mini wrist strap uses a dense square-knot pattern that provides structure and weight, making it thicker and wider than a typical keychain. It can also serve as a bag handle.
Lavender, mauve, and deep purple give the wristlet a rich, quiet appearance. The palette keeps the color presence concentrated.
Use 4mm cord with six to eight strands, plus a contrasting cord. Mount the strands on the clasp, work continuous square knots for 12-15cm to form a thick strap, wrap the bottom section, and attach the second clasp.
Keep the knots snug so the strap holds its shape. The pattern can be resized for use as a bag handle.
Twisted Wreath
The loose wreath shape comes from a spiral twist, and the rope-like texture keeps the form easy to see. The movement of the knots gives the keychain a lively appearance.
The keychain set comes in sage, gray, peach, and cream. The colors give the twisted designs a soft mix of muted tones.
At the clasp, mount 2-3 strands of 4mm cord and work a continuous spiral knot while keeping consistent tension. A spiral knot is also called a half knot sinnet, and allowing the knot to twist naturally creates its shape.
Secure the base with a wrapped knot, then loop the keychain upward. Any wobble is immediately visible, so the project gives you practice with tension control.
Autumn Macrame Keychain with an Infinity Shape
Two stacked knotted loops create the keychain’s main detail. Together they form a figure-eight shape that resembles a sideways bow.
Mustard, terracotta, and olive give the keychain a fall color association. In the source opinion, the figure-eight shape works with any color story.
Split the keychain cords into two groups and work 3cm of square knots on each group. Mount six cords on the clasp, secure the base with a wrapped knot, then rejoin the loops in the lower section and knot the separate loops together.
A long, full tassel hangs underneath the keychain. The keychain photographs well, according to the source.
L-Shaped Sage Daisy Row
The mustard centers stand out against the sage green flowers. Unlike a straight-down keychain, this one has an L-shaped daisy row, with the flowers turning at the corner. The two-tone palette keeps the flowers visually distinct on the keychain.
Using cotton cord and a contrasting center color, make five-petal flowers and join them in an angled row. Leave cord tails to form a small tassel at the top corner.
At the top of the row, attach the clasp. Planning the shape is more advanced, but it produces a unique silhouette.
Macrame Keychain with a Mint Leaf
The pointed leaf shape comes from tapering knots. They narrow downward to give the keychain its leaf-like form. The keychain is soft mint, with a plant association that calls to mind herb sprigs.
The short fringe adds a simple finish to this cord design. Mount 4-6 cords on a clasp, work square knots across a wide row, and drop the outer cords every few rows. Let the knots taper into a pointed shape, then finish the tip with a wrapped knot.
After the shaping is learned, the pattern becomes repetitive. Vary the green shades to form a garden collection, and the pattern also supports batch-making.
Rainbow Braid
A thick braid shifts through purple, pink, blue, and coral in an ombre pattern. It is bolder than an ombre braid.
Wear this phone strap around your wrist to help prevent phone drops. Using pastel shades of chunky cotton yarn, cut four strands to wrist length and braid them tightly for the phone strap. Secure both ends with wrapped knots, then attach a swivel clasp.
Keep firm tension in the braid so it retains its shape. The design is for teens and phone-droppers.
Woven Keychain in Earth Tones
Its woven surface is textured but simple, so this versatile keychain can work with different styles. Olive, tan, rust, mauve, and deep brown sit side by side. Across the full length, the pattern is a square knot with a tight texture.
A cotton cord with a 3mm diameter forms 8-10cm of continuous square knots. Mount four cords on the clasp, finish the keychain with a wrapped knot, and add a full tassel with an even trim.
Making these keychains in batches lets you use different colors across the set. That approach supports both gift stock and craft-fair stock.
Celtic Knot Heart
The woven cord technique uses a nontraditional Celtic knot base to form a heart. Its interlocking loops resemble both a Celtic knot and a Chinese knot, with an intricate, rope-like texture.
Pink and cream or green and cream give the keychain two-tone color options. The two-tone colors place more emphasis on the pattern.
Use two different-colored cords, fold them together, and weave interlocking loops from the outside inward. Pull each pass snugly, but observe a few loops before the final pull because the technique requires practice.
A long tassel placed underneath gives the design a striking appearance. Finish the keychain by securing it with a wrapped knot.
Ombre Braid
A four-strand braid and minimal knotting keep this project simple. In the list comparison, it is the easiest project, while still giving the keychain a polished appearance.
The materials stay low in cost, while dusty rose, cream, and taupe give the keychain an expensive appearance. These soft colors make the combination feel quiet and finished.
Start with four chunky cotton strands in coordinating shades, each 40cm long, using 2-3 shades. Loop the braid through the swivel clasp and keep even tension as you braid the strands tightly. Secure the ends with a tight wrap knot.
This project is fast, soft, and giftable. Trim the fibers for a clean finish.
Petite Macrame Keychain with Daisy Chain Detail
Three tiny flowers are stacked to create the mini flower motif. Each flower has five petals, with a pearl bead placed in its center.
Rainbow color options give the keychain plenty of variation. Use different colors for friends, and the set becomes a group of nonmatching keychains.
For the flowers, use fine cotton cord in a user-selected color and make five-petal flowers by crochet or knotting with a picot stitch. Connect the flowers with short cord lengths, stack three of them, and thread a pearl bead into the center of each flower before closing it.
A loose tassel finishes the bottom, while a swivel clasp attaches at the top. The keychain also functions as a bag charm.
Bow-Tied
Between the knotted top and the tassel, a cord bow resembles gift ribbon. It gives the keychain its bow-and-tassel construction.
For party favors, this design can take on either jewel tones or pastel colors. Both color groups suit the style.
Two contrasting strands add color to the four cords as they are mounted on the clasp. Make a short square-knot section at the top, gather the cord ends into a bow, and leave the tassel loose.
Keep the bow loops even as you tie them. A rainbow set can be produced in one afternoon.
Braided Wristlet
The wristlet is made from a chunky braid with a clip. It clips onto a bag strap or a zipper pull, where it works as a grip aid. The neutral beige wristlet works with any bag, keeping the attachment easy to pair with different styles.
At the top, attach the swivel clip to a long piece of thick cotton cord folded in half, then secure it with a wrapped knot. Leave the ends at the bottom and work the loop with either a braid knot or a spiral knot.
Use the two tails below the loop to form tassels. The wristlet makes bag grabbing easier.
Sweetheart Charm Heart Macrame
The keychain uses tight rows of square knots to form a heart, with the rows curving into the heart shape. The knotting stays structured across the full design.
A sun charm and a butterfly charm turn the keychain into a mini collage. Both charms attach to the Sweetheart Charm keychain, which also attaches to keys.
The tails form a full tassel after the bottom is secured with a wrapped knot. With 4-6 cords folded over the clasp, work horizontal double half hitch rows, decreasing the cords downward on each side to make the heart point.
Extra charms can be added with jump rings, making this keychain an option for a best friend or little sister.
Sunny Daisy
A wooden bead sits in the center of the large flower, above a full tassel skirt. This keychain is larger than a petite daisy version, resembles a bag charm, and is more than a simple keychain.
The flower center uses a natural wood bead. Rust, mustard, dusty pink, and gray color options pair with the bead.
The tassel skirt hangs beneath the flower, with 5-6 cotton cord lengths attached to create the lower detail. Make the flower with 5-6 petals, thread a wooden bead through its center, close the final stitch, and secure the skirt.
The tassel can be trimmed evenly or left textured for different finishes. The design functions as a statement piece.
Knotted Pom
The cord keychain has a round coil at the top and a braided tassel at the bottom. The coil is also called a monkey’s fist or coin knot, with a long braid sitting below the knot.
Cream, tan, cocoa, and sage give the keychain different color options. Changing the colors changes the character of the keychain.
Around the knotted top, wrap the cord in a figure-eight several times, then weave a second pass through it. Tighten the knot from the outside inward to form a rounded ball, leaving cord for the tassel. The wrap pattern becomes repetitive after memorization, and a keyring attaches at the top of the keychain.
Classic Macrame Keychain with One Daisy
A single daisy gives this keychain its focus, with white petals around a mustard center. A short, colorful tassel sits above the flower. The tassel color can be swapped for pink, sage, or dusty blue to add variation.
White or cream cord forms the flower, finished with a contrasting yellow center. The daisy has five or six petals, crocheted with a simple stitch from a starting ring, with a picot or puff stitch option. Either four or five cord lengths sit beneath it, the cord base is wrapped tightly, and a loose tassel hangs below.
Trim the tassel evenly when you finish. The source describes this macrame keychain as a beginner pattern.