How to make acrylic keychains with cricut?

Acrylic keychains are a popular DIY project that can be easily customized to fit your style. They are made by cutting designs out of acrylic sheets and adding keychain hardware for easy attachment to your keys or bags. Making acrylic keychain with a Cricut machine offers several benefits, including precision cutting, faster production times, and the ability to create intricate designs. In this article, we'll walk you through making acrylic keychains with a Cricut machine, from preparing the design to adding the finishing touches.

Materials needed

To make acrylic keychains with a Cricut machine, you will need the following materials:

• Acrylic sheets

You can purchase acrylic sheets in various colours and thicknesses at craft stores, hardware stores, or online.

• Cricut machine

You will need a Cricut machine, such as the Cricut Maker or Cricut Explore Air 2, to cut the acrylic.

• Fine point blade

You will need a fine point blade to cut the acrylic sheets precisely. The blade can be purchased separately or as part of a Cricut machine bundle.

• Cutting mat

You will need a cutting mat to hold the acrylic sheets in place while cutting them. The standard grip mat is recommended for cutting acrylic.

• Keychain hardware

You will need keychain hardware, such as split rings or lobster clasps, to attach to the acrylic keychain.

Other helpful materials to have on hand include:

• Weeding tools

You may need weeding tools like a hook or scraper to remove any excess vinyl or acrylic from the design.

• Adhesive vinyl

If you plan on adding vinyl to your acrylic keychain, you will need adhesive vinyl in the colour of your choice.

You can purchase these materials at craft stores, online retailers, or directly from Cricut. It's important to make sure you have the correct type of materials for your specific Cricut machine model to ensure optimal cutting results.

Preparing the design

When choosing a design for your acrylic keychain, it's important to keep in mind the size and shape of the keychain. Designs with too much fine detail or text may not cut accurately, so simple designs with bold lines work best. You can create your own design using software such as Adobe Illustrator, or you can use a pre-made design from Cricut Design Space or other design websites.

• Importing the design into Cricut Design Space

Once you have a design in mind, you can import it into Cricut Design Space. You can upload an image file of your design or search for pre-made designs in the Cricut Design Space library. Once you've chosen a design, you can customize it by changing the size, colour, or shape.

• Resizing and adjusting the design as necessary

To ensure that your design fits within the parameters of the acrylic sheet, you may need to resize or adjust the design. In Cricut Design Space, you can adjust the design size by dragging the corners of the design box or by entering specific measurements. You can also use the "weld" feature to join any overlapping lines in your design. This will ensure that your design cuts smoothly and without any gaps.

It's important to remember the size of the keychain hardware you will be using and to leave enough space around the design for the hardware to attach to the keychain. Once you're happy with your design, you can move on to the cutting process.

Cutting the acrylic

Before cutting your acrylic sheet, you'll need to set up your Cricut machine. Ensure your machine is plugged in and connected to your computer or mobile device. Open Cricut Design Space and select the appropriate machine model. Load the fine point blade into the machine and place the standard grip cutting mat on the machine's cutting surface. You can get custom keychains from Vograce.

• Preparing the acrylic sheet

Next, prepare your acrylic sheet for cutting. Remove any protective film on both sides of the sheet. Use painter's tape to secure the edges of the acrylic sheet to the cutting mat, ensuring it's flat and doesn't move during cutting. You can also apply transfer tape to the front of the acrylic sheet if you add adhesive vinyl to your design.

• Cutting the acrylic using the Cricut machine

Once your Cricut machine is set up and your acrylic sheet is secured to the cutting mat, you can begin the cutting process. In Cricut Design Space, select "Make It" and follow the prompts to load the mat into the machine. Ensure the cut settings are set to "Acrylic," and adjust the pressure and blade depth if necessary. Once you've double-checked all settings, click "Go" to start the cutting process.

After the machine finishes cutting the acrylic sheet, carefully remove the sheet from the mat. Use weeding tools to remove any excess acrylic or vinyl from the design, ensuring not to damage the cutout design. Once your design is clean and ready, you can add the keychain hardware.

Adding the keychain hardware

When it comes to adding hardware to your acrylic keychain, there are various options to choose from. Depending on your preference, you can use split rings, jump rings, lobster clasps, or other hardware. Ensure the hardware you choose is the appropriate size for your acrylic keychain and that it's durable enough to withstand daily use.

Adding the hardware to the acrylic keychain

To add the hardware to your acrylic keychain, drill a small hole near the top of the acrylic design using a drill or a rotary tool. Make sure the hole is big enough to fit your chosen hardware. Once the hole is drilled, add your hardware by attaching it to the hole using pliers or your fingers. Make sure the hardware is secure and won't come off easily.

If you're using a lobster clasp or other hardware that opens and closes, make sure it's facing the right direction so that it's easy to attach to a keyring or bag. You can also add additional embellishments, such as beads or tassels, to your keychain to give it a unique look.

Finishing touches

After adding the hardware to your acrylic keychain, add some finishing touches to make it look polished and professional. Use fine-grit sandpaper or a polishing cloth to smooth out any rough edges or burrs from drilling the hole in the acrylic sheet. This will give your keychain a smoother, more polished look.