Macrame Mermaid Tail Keychains

Make a splash with dip-dyed Macrame Mermaid Tail Keychains!

Macrame is such a fun craft for tweens, teens, and adults alike. It may look complicated at first, but it's actually really pretty simple. These Macrame Mermaid Tail Keychains are so easy to make using macrame rope and can be dip-dyed to fit your personality using Unicorn Spit. Not only are they fun and satisfying to make for yourself, but the keychains also make great handmade gifts!

To make your own Macrame Mermaid Tail Keychains, you will need these supplies:

• 6mm Macrame Rope
• Measuring Tape
• Scissors
• Tape
• D Ring
• Unicorn Spit
• Small Mixing Cups
• Craft Sticks

Use sharp scissors to cut one length of macrame rope measuring 48". Separate the rope at the top end, and wrap the three cord ends with a piece of tape to keep them from fraying. Do the same for the bottom end of the rope.

Instead of using three lengths of rope, unravel this one piece of rope into three pieces. For this project, I like the look of the separated rope better than using whole pieces, but you could definitely use three pieces of 3mm macrame rope instead if you would like to skip this step.

Tie the three ropes onto the straight part of the D ring using a Lark's Head Knot. To do this, fold the single rope in half, lining up the ends. Place the folded end behind the ring, and fold the ends over the front. Bring the ends through the "loop" and pull to create the knot at the top. Repeat for all three ropes.

Use tape to secure the D ring to your workspace. You could also pin it down or use a clipboard.

For this project, we are going to be using diagonal double half hitch knots to get the macrame design. It may look complicated at first, but it's actually quite simple. I will walk you through it, one step at a time.

Step 1: 

Start with the first string on the left side. Fold it over the string to the right, making a "4". Bring the end of the second string up and through the triangle of the "4". Hold the end of the first string, and pull the end of the second string to bring the knot to the top.

Step 2: 

Bring the string on the right over to make a "4" over the string on the left. Bring the left string up and through the "4". Hold the end of the right string and pull the end of the left string to make a knot at the top.

Step 3: 

Leave the string on the far left laying straight out. Use the second string to connect to the one next to it, repeating the two knots shown in steps 1-2.

Step 4: 

Starting with the end string on the right, make the same knots as steps 1-2, but in the opposite direction. Bring the string from the right over to make a backwards "4" over the string on the left. Loop the left string up and through the "4". Hold the end of the right string andd pull the left string to pull the knot tight at the top. 

Bring the string on the left over to make the backwards "4" over the string on the right, and loop that end up and through to make the second knot.

Step 5: 

Repeat step 3, but in the opposite direction. Bring the string from the right over to make a backwards "4" over the string on the left. Loop the left string up and through the "4". Hold the end of the right string andd pull the left string to pull the knot tight at the top. 

Bring the string on the left over to make the backwards "4" over the string on the right, and loop that end up and through to make the second knot.

Step 6: 

Your project should now have two strings going down the center, with mirroring diagonal knots on each side. Lay the center strings down straight. Bring the string from the right over to make a backwards "4" over the string on the left. Loop the left string up and through the "4". Hold the end of the right string andd pull the left string to pull the knot tight at the top. 

Bring the string on the left over to make the backwards "4" over the string on the right, and loop that end up and through to make the second knot.

Step 7: 

Row one of your macrame mermaid tail is complete! Lay all the strings out straight so that you can see where to start the knots for the next line.

Step 8: 

Repeat steps 1-6 to make 6 complete lines of knots. If you want a longer keychain, you can make 7-8 lines instead. 

Step 9: 

Once the lines are completed, you need to move the strings to the center to finish the design. Start by knotting the first two left strings with a diagonal double half hitch knot (steps 1-2). 

Step 10: 

Next, repeat the knots in steps 1-2, but combine the two strings on the left to knot with the next string on the right.

Step 11: 

Repeat steps 9-10 to tie the knots on the right-hand side, but make the knots in the opposite direction. Once completed, all of the strings should be in the center, similar to the image above.

Step 12: 

Cut a piece of macrame rope measuring 20" long to make the wrap for the keychain. Separate the three parts of the rope (save the other two pieces for other keychains). 

1. Lay the string vertically over the top of the macrame.
2. Bring the end of the string up, and bend it to the right where the bottom knots are.
3. Hold the vertical string in place so that the end is above the wrap area, and the loop is underneath.
4. Wrap the string tightly around the bottom knots a few times.
5. Bring the end down through the loop below the wrap.
6. Pull the top end and the bottom end of the string at the same time, pulling the loop up and under the wrapped string.
7. Trim the top part of the string off at the top of the wrap, and carefully hide any ends underneath using the end of your scissors.
8. Leave the bottom end of the string hanging down with the rest of the ends.

Step 13: 

Cut the ends off the keychain so that they are about 4-5" long. They will be trimmed later, so you don't need to cut it perfectly. Using a macrame brush, comb out the ends to make a single fringed layer. If you don't have a brush or comb for macrame, no problem! Toy brushes (like this Shopkins one) will work great!

Step 14: 

Once smooth, use sharp scissors to carefully cut the frayed ends into the shape of a mermaid's tail.

After you get the hang of making the knots, these Macrame Mermaid Tail Keychains come together quickly! Even though they are made the same way, they each come out looking a little bit unique. That's one of the perks of creating something handmade, right?!

Step 15: 

To add some color to the Macrame Mermaid Tail Keychains, all you need is a little bit of Unicorn Spit. It comes in so many vibrant colors, and works great for this project!

1. Lay down something to protect your workspace and wear gloves if you are worried about staining your hands. Unicorn Spit is washable, but it can stain.
2. Fill a small mixing cup about halfway with water.
3. Add in some Unicorn Spit in the color of your choice.
4. Mix the water and dye together well using a craft stick.
5. Soak the macrame keychain in cold water so that it is completely wet.
6. Dip the keychain into the mixing cup, putting it into the dye as far up as you want the color to go.
7. Gently pull the keychain up out of the dye, but leave the bottom (up to the wrap) in the dye. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
8. Remove the keychain from the dye and rinse under cold water. Gently squish the keychain to remove excess dye and rinse until the water runs clear.
9. Press the keychain between two towels to remove excess water, and hang to dry.

Once dry, comb the "tail" of the keychain out. Reshape and trim the ends as necessary. Isn't that pop of color from the Unicorn Spit so fun?!

These dip-dyed Macrame Mermaid Tail Keychains are such a simple project, and come together quickly. I love that you can easily change the colors of the dye to make each one unique! As always, I would love to see your creations! Share yours on Instagram, Facebook, or leave a comment/photo on the project pin on Pinterest! #AFMCrafts

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