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Learn how to make this Fruit Slice Quarter Keeper using faux leather, heat transfer vinyl, and your Cricut!

This adorable fruity keychain is the perfect accessory to keep a quarter handy if you need it – I’m looking at you, Aldi shoppers!

Or you can hide the quarter slot from cutting in Design Space and make this a cute keychain instead.

You can make this project with any of the Cricut Maker, Explore, or Joy machines with just the regular fine point blade.

The SVG file is available in my shop if you want to make this project!

Ready to get started with this beginner friendly Spring Cricut craft tutorial?

Let’s dive into the materials and steps!

Step 1: Get the SVG Template

Step 2: Shop the Supplies

This page contains some affiliate links (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you). Read my full disclosure policy here.

Compatible Machines✅: Cricut Maker, Cricut Maker 3, Cricut Maker 4, Cricut Explore Air 2, Cricut Explore 3, Cricut Explore 4, Cricut Explore 5, Cricut Joy Xtra, Cricut Joy
Not Compatible Machines❌: none
Blade Used: Standard Fine Point Blade
Cut Setting Used✂️: Faux Leather (Paper Thin) with “More” pressure

• Faux Leather & Heat Transfer Vinyl
  • Lemon: Solid Yellow faux leather, Siser Easyweed HTV in White, Siser Glitter HTV in Lemon Sugar
  • Grapefruit: Solid Peach faux leather, Siser Easyweed HTV in White, Siser Glitter HTV in Rainbow Coral
  • Orange: Solid Orange faux leather, Siser Easyweed HTV in White, Siser Glitter HTV in Translucent Orange
  • Lime: Solid Green faux leather, Siser Easyweed HTV in White, Siser Glitter HTV in Light Green
• Other Project Supplies
  • Craft or fabric glue (like Beacon Fabri-Tac)
  • Swivel Snap Lobster Claw Keychain Clips
  • Blue Painters Tape
  • Small Curved Scissors
• Other Cricut Supplies
  • Purple Strong Grip Mat
  • Green Standard Grip Mat
  • Cricut EasyPress Mini
  • Cricut EasyPress Mat, 8×10 size
  • 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 Fruit Slice Quarter Keeper to your canvas.
3. If you don’t wait to cut the coin slot in the back, select only the back faux leather shape. Then click Contour at the bottom of the Layers panel. Click on the slot to make it go dark. Click Apply. The slot will disappear. If desired, make a copy of the two heat transfer vinyl layers in this project so your design can be double sided now that the back has no slot.

Prepare to Cut

1. Click Make It.
2. Mirror your mats since you’ll be cutting the faux leather and heat transfer vinyl face down.
3. For the faux leather mat, choose the Faux Leather (Paper Thin) material setting with More pressure for the faux leather mat.
4. Trim a piece of faux leather just slightly larger than the size shown in the mat preview screen for that shape.

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 shape.

Cut & Press the Heat Transfer Vinyl

1. Cut the fruit layers from heat transfer vinyl using a green standard grip mat and the manufacturer’s recommended cut settings for your brand & type of HTV.
2. Weed away the excess HTV.
3. Preheat an Easy Press to 265 degrees or set an Easy Press Mini to the Low setting.
4. Place the faux leather on a heat pressing pad. Refer to the Layering Guides to see which vinyl layers to press in what order.
5. Layer the first heat transfer vinyl layer on top of the faux leather base. Cover with a Teflon sheet or cover sheet and press for 5-7 seconds at a time.
6. Remove the Teflon sheet and try to peel away the clear vinyl cover sheet. If the vinyl lifts up with the cover sheet, place it back down and press again.
7. Repeat pressing the second HTV layer.
8. Place the pressed faux leather shape underneath your heat pressing pad for a minute or two it can cool flat.

Glue the Keychain Base

1. Roll up the backside of the quarter keeper so you can thread it through through the keyring hole.
2. Slide the keyring hardware to the middle “bridge” area.
3. Use a quarter and place it on the side of the quarter keeper with the slot.
4. Draw a light pencil line around the quarter so you know where not to apply glue.
5. Apply fabric or craft glue on the back of the side with the slot, avoiding the area where the quarter will go.
6. Fold the top over on to the glued half. Place the glued shape under a heavy book for 1 hour.

Your Faux Leather Fruit Slice Quarter Keeper is complete!

If you make this project – which fruit will you make? A lemon, a grapefruit, an orange or a lime? Let me know in the comments!

Answers to your questions about making a Faux Leather Fruit Slice Quarter Keeper with a Cricut

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 the Cricut Maker, Cricut Maker 3, Cricut Explore 3, Cricut Explore Air 2, the Cricut Joy Xtra, or the Cricut Joy.

Q: What glue do I use with faux leather?
A: I like to use Beacon Fabri-Tac for gluing faux leather because it spreads thinly and evenly without clumps and it doesn’t absorb into the faux leather. It also cleans up easily with just a finger wipe or a paper towel. It dries nice and flat for a very smooth finish. However you can also use a good craft glue like Bearly Art Glue – however you will need to apply more than Beacon Fabri-Tac because Bearly Art Glue tends to absorb into the faux leather backing.

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!

Want to remember this project? Save this tutorial to your favorite Pinterest board!

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