Learn How to Make a Lanyard -
A Beaded Neck Lanyard

Making lanyards is easy! Learn how to make a lanyard using easy jewelry beading techniques to make a bead lanyard with a simple beaded lanyard pattern.

Making a Neck Lanyard

To make our first neck lanyard, we'll keep it simple.

We'll use lanyard making supplies that you can get from most arts and craft stores.

This easy beginner beading tutorial shows you how to make a bead lanyard using seed beads, beading wire, a key ring and a lanyard clip.

Seed Bead Neck Lanyard

Beading Technique Used:

Bead Stringing

Beading Skill Level:

Beginning Beading

Prerequisite Jewelry Lessons:

If you're stringing beads for the first time, practice the step by step prerequisite jewelry lesson or beading technique first.

Approximate Length of Bead Lanyard:

36.5" (92.7 cm)

(Necklace 32" (81.3 cm), Cinch 1" (2.5 cm), Drop 2" (5.1 cm), Lanyard Clip 1.5" (3.8 cm))

Beaded Lanyard Pattern

Tortise (shades of amber) color seed beads strung randomly makes for a beautiful variegated lanyard pattern.

Jewelry Making Supplies

• size 6/0 seed beads (25gm bag of variegated or multiple colors)
• 2 tube crimp beads
• 1 key ring
• 1 swivel lobster claw type lanyard clip
• 1 38" (96.5 cm) length of .014 or .019 diameter beading wire
• 1 6" (15.2 cm) length of .014 or .019 diameter beading wire
• beading mat

Seed Beads, Key Ring, Lanyard Clip

Jewelry Making Tools and/or Pliers

• Crimping pliers
• Wire cutters

If you need it, here's a review of jewelry pliers used in bead stringing projects.

How to Make a Lanyard
Beaded Lanyard Making Instructions

1. Gather supplies, tools and beads. Work on a beading mat so that your beads will not roll around.

2. Shake a generous amount of seed beads from the package onto the beading mat.

Working with the beading wire directly from the spool (do not cut the beading wire yet), use the beading wire like a needle and thread several seed beads at once onto its tip. This will save time over stringing the beads one by one.

3. String 32" (81.3 cm) of seed beads.

Check the Fit and Length of Your Bead Lanyard

4. Pushing all the beads together on the beading wire, hold both ends of the beading wire in one hand between your index finger and thumb.

Use your other hand to pick up the curved end of the beads and fit the strand over your head. (Not pictured.)

Remember, there is no clasp on this lanyard so you'll want to make sure that it goes over your head without a struggle.

Still holding the beading wire ends, bring the strand to its full outstretched length to see where it falls along your body.

Remove the strand from around your neck and add or remove beads to suit your desired length.

Once you have a suitable length of beads, move on to Step 5.

Note: For me, a 32" (81.3 cm) length of beads fits easily over my head as well as my shirt collar and falls just below my twins (as this is a family-oriented website, please say that you know to which part of our anatomy I'm referring).

The rest of the lanyard is about 4.5" (11.4 cm), putting the end of the lanyard clip 1-2" (2.5 - 5.1 cm) above my navel. Perfect for me.

Don't worry, after making one or two lanyards, you'll perfect your length.

How to Make a Lanyard Lesson Continued

Resume Making Your Beaded Lanyard

5. On one end of the beading wire, string a tube crimp bead and the key ring.

6. Thread the beading wire back through the tube crimp bead, making a loop to hold the key ring.

7. Using the crimping pliers, crimp the tube crimp bead.

How to Make a Lanyard Lesson Continued

8. Push all the beads down the beading wire to this crimped end.

9. On the second end of beading wire, repeat Steps 5 - 7.

Using the wire cutters, cut the excess wire.

Make the Drop of Your Bead Lanyard

10. Cut a 6" (15.2 cm) length of beading wire.

On one end, repeat Steps 5 - 7.

Connect the Lanyard Clip to Your Bead Lanyard

11. On last end of the beading wire, repeat Steps 5 - 7, but this time thread on the lanyard clip instead of the key ring.

Using the wire cutters, cut the excess wire.

You're done! You've completed your first jewelry lesson on how to make a lanyard.

Finished Bead Lanyard

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