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These festive Faux Leather Bow Cord Keepers made with a Cricut are the perfect stocking stuffer for anyone on your Christmas list!

In this tutorial I’ll show you how to make these bow cord keepers with faux leather, rivets, snaps, and a Cricut! The SVG file is available in my shop if you want to make this project!

Ready to get started? Let’s dive into the materials and steps!

Step 1: Get the SVG Template

Step 2: Shop the Supplies

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Compatible Machines✅: Cricut Maker series, Cricut Explore series, Cricut Joy Xtra, Cricut Joy 2, Cricut Joy
Not Compatible Machines❌: none
Blade Used: Standard Fine Point Blade
Cut Setting Used✂️: Faux Leather (Paper Thin) with “More” pressure

• Faux Leather
• I used solid Green and solid Red faux leather for the bows and this Preppy Bow print in Pink/Green and Pink/Red for the wrap layer. For both prints I ordered 9×12 sheets, Regular Print, Portrait Orientation.
• Other Project Supplies
  • Kam Snaps, Size 20, with Kam Snap Pliers
  • 6mm x 6mm Rivets (includes rivet tools) and a hammer
  • Fast drying gel super glue – I used Loctite Gel Control Super Glue. You can also use craft or fabric glue and clip the bow to dry.
• Other Cricut Supplies
  • Blue Painters Tape
  • Small Curved Scissors
  • Teflon Sheets
  • Purple Strong Grip Mat
  • Weeding Tool like a Pin Pen or like the one in the Cricut Basic Tool Set

🛒 To shop many of these supplies below in my Amazon storefront, click HERE.

Step 3: Make the Project

Set Up Your Design

1. Open a new canvas in Cricut Design Space.
2. Upload the SVG file for the Bow Cord Keeper shapes to your canvas.
3. Choose the scalloped or rounded shape for the cord wrap.
4. Hide or delete the other cord wrap shape.

Prepare to Cut

1. Click Make It.
2. Mirror your mat(s), since you’ll be cutting faux leather face down.
3. Position your faux leather shapes apart on the mat if cutting from different prints.
4. Choose the Faux Leather (Paper Thin) setting with More pressure.

Cut the Faux Leather

1. Place the faux leather pretty side down on a Strong Grip (purple) mat.
2. Secure all edges with blue painter’s tape.
3. Load the mat into your Cricut.
4. Press the C button to begin cutting.
5. When the cut is complete, without unloading the mat, use a sharp tool to gently lift the edge and check the cut.
6. Repeat the cut if necessary by pressing the cut button again.
7. Once the cut is complete, unload the mat and remove the shapes.

Prepare the Bow

1. Using quick drying glue, create the bow layer by folding in the edges of top bow layer and gluing them to the sides of the center hole (be sure you don’t cover the hole).
2. If you don’t have quick drying glue, you can use craft or fabric glue with a clothespin or other clip to hold the glued area together until fully dry.

Attach the Bow with Rivets

1. Push a 6mm rivet post from the through the second hole from the top on the cord keeper wrap shape, from the back to front.
2. Place the bow tails shape onto the rivet post. Then place the glue bow (glued side down) onto the post.
3. Make sure the bow loops are pointing up in the same direction as the bow tail layer.
4. Press a rivet cap on the end of the rivet post. Then use the rivet tools & a hammer to secure the rivet tight.

📺You can watch a video tutorial that shows how to apply 6mm rivets here.

Attach Kam Snap

1. Gather your Size 20 Kam Snaps and snap pliers.
2. Attach the snaps to the cord keeper following the proper Kam Snap assembly order. See the Kam Snap guide in the SVG download folder.
   • Cap + Stud on one side
   • Socket + Cap on the other side
3. Press firmly with snap pliers to secure.

📺You can watch a video tutorial that shows how to apply Kam Snaps here.

Your Bow Cord Keeper is complete! Wrap your cord neatly, snap it closed, and share this useful and pretty holiday craft with friends and family.

Answers to your questions about making Bow Cord Keepers

Q: Which Cricut machines will cut faux leather?
A: You can cut faux leather with any of the current Cricut machines because they all cut faux leather with the standard fine point blade included with each machine. For this project you can use any of the Cricut Maker series machines, the Cricut Explore series machines, the Cricut Joy Xtra, the Cricut Joy 2, or the Cricut Joy.

Q: Do I have to use a gel formula instant glue?
A: I like to use a gel formula instant glue so because 1. gel formulas don’t run and 2. the glue dries very quickly. But if you don’t want to use that, you can use a craft glue or fabric glue (I like Beacon Fabri-Tac) instead. You’ll want to use a clothespin or a clip to keep the glued shapes together as they dry. If you use a clip, I suggest putting something like a cloth or thin cardboard over the area you are going to clip so you don’t make indentations in the faux leather.

Q: How do I get the SVG template for this project?
A: Get the SVG file from my SVG Shop here.

Until next time… and happy creating!

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