Share the love!

Learn how to make a pretty Patchwork Bird Charm using faux leather and your Cricut!

I’ll be showing you how to make this pretty patchwork style bird charm with faux leather and a Cricut. It’s giving vintage, Cottage core charm and it’s the perfect accessory for your keys, handbag, or backpack this Spring.

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 (with the 12 inch long mat).
Not Compatible Machines❌: none
Blade Used: Standard Fine Point Blade
Cut Setting Used✂️: Faux Leather (Paper Thin) with “More” pressure

• Faux Leather
  • I bought 9×12 inch size, Portrait Orientation, Regular Scaling for all prints below.
    • Body: Wildflower Watercolor
    • Chest: Green Plaid Print
    • Beak: Banana Light Yellow Solid
    • Bottom Wing: Purple Watercolor Dots
    • Top Wing: Cotton Candy Purple Dots
• Other Project Supplies
  • Craft or fabric glue (like Beacon Fabri-Tac)
  • Rivets for the eye (or you can use faux leather/HTV instead) – I used these crystal ones but you can use these 6mm x 6mm metal ones, too. You’ll need rivet tools and a hammer. The 6mm metal rivet package comes with the tools you need but the crystal ones are sold without any tools.
  • Colored O-Ring carabiner clips (33mm) or 30mm Split Ring Keyrings
  • Blue Painters Tape
  • Small Curved Scissors
• Other Cricut Supplies
  • 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 of your choice for the Patchwork Bird Charm to your canvas. There are two versions – one with a 6mm rivet for the eye and one that uses faux leather for the eye. Choose the one you want to make and hide or delete the other.
3. Select all the shapes and make them the same color if you want to cut all of the faux leather shapes at the same time on the same mat.

Prepare to Cut

1. Click Make It.
2. Mirror your mat since you’ll be cutting the faux leather face down.
3. Drag the each pair of shapes to different areas of your mat to make it easier to cut the shapes from different pieces of faux leather.
4. Choose the Faux Leather (Paper Thin) material setting with More pressure for the faux leather mat.
5. Trim three pieces of faux leather to sizes just larger than the sizes shown in the mat preview screen for each shape.

Cut the Faux Leather

1. Place the faux leathers 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.

Glue the Keychain Base

1. Thread the largest faux leather shape through the keyring.
2. Apply fabric or craft glue to the back side of one of the bird shapes.
3. Fold over the top bird and press the two sides together all over with your fingers.
4. Then place the glued shape underneath a heavy book for at least an hour to dry flat. This will help you achieve a tight and almost seamless, edge.

Assemble the Bird Layers

1. When the keychain base is dry, use the Layering Guide in the SVG download folder to glue down each layer to create the bird.
   • If you are using faux leather for the eye: use glue for that too.
   • If you are using a rivet for the eye: push the rivet post through the eye hole. Cover with a rivet cap on the other side and squeeze closed. Use your rivet tools and hammer to secure the rivet into in place. To do that, place the rivet on top of the strike plate on your worksurface. Then use the rounded end of the rivet tool to place over the rivet and hammer the flat side 6-8 times.
2. Place the finished charm under the heavy book again for an hour to dry flat.

Finishing the Charm

1. When the charm is completely dry, add a carabiner O-ring or keyring to finish it off.

Your Patchwork Faux Leather Bird Charm is complete!

If you make this project – will you hang it on your purse, bag, or backpack – or use it for something else? Let me know in the comments!

Answers to your questions about making a Faux Leather Patchwork Bird Charm 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. To make this project with the Joy, you’ll need the 12 inch long Joy sized mat.

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!

Share the love!