How to Make Christmas Coffee Faux Leather Keychains with a Cricut
This project is part of my 12 Days of Christmas Crafts Event where I’m sharing a new holiday faux leather Cricut craft every day for 12 days.
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Learn how to make Christmas Coffee Faux Leather Keychains with a Cricut
This project is Day 10 of The 12 Days of Christmas Crafts Event!
I’m Amy Romeu, and in this tutorial I’ll be showing you how to make these Christmas Coffee Faux Leather Keychains with a Cricut.
Spread holiday cheer with these adorable faux leather keychains inspired by festive coffee favorites — Gingerbread Latte, White Mocha and Peppermint Mocha!
In this beginner-friendly Cricut faux leather crafting tutorial, you’ll learn to create these cute, seasonal keychains perfect for coffee lovers or as charming stocking stuffers.
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Follow along with this written tutorial including all the materials, SVG files, and tips you need.
Ready to get started with this beginner friendly holiday Cricut craft tutorial?
Let’s dive into the materials and steps!
Want to watch a video tutorial instead? Check it out below!
See the full step by step video tutorial
Click the image below to watch the video on my YouTube channel, or click here.
How to make Christmas Coffee Faux Leather Keychains with a Cricut Step by Step
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Materials you’ll need to make Christmas Coffee Faux Leather Keychains with a Cricut
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Get the SVG in my Shop
Personal or Small Commercial Use Available
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Starting with a blank canvas in Cricut Design Space, click on Upload, then Upload Image.
Browse to where the ALREADY UNZIPPED SVG file for this project is saved on your device.
Click on the SVG to select it and follow the prompts to upload it.
When the design loads on the canvas, ungroup the three designs. Choose one of the coffee cup designs and delete or hide the others.
In this photo you can see the layers separated out. The bottom layer will cut from faux leather and the other layers will cut from heat transfer vinyl or permanent vinyl.
Click the MAKE IT button.
STEP 2: Click on EACH mat on the left hand side and toggle the Mirror toggle ON. That’s because faux leather and heat transfer vinyl cut in reverse.
NOTE: If you are cutting the vinyl layers from permanent vinyl instead of HTV, don’t mirror the vinyl mats in that case. Only mirror the faux leather mat.
After all the mats are mirrored, go back through each one and drag the shapes apart from the edges (and from each other if there is more than one shape on the mat).
Click the CONTINUE button.
When the material selection screen loads, click on the faux leather mat and then select the Faux Leather (Paper Thin) setting.
If you don’t have that setting bookmarked as a favorite like I do, you can click on Browse All Materials and search for it. (If you are using the Explore Air 2, you’ll need to turn your dial to Custom before you can find that setting in search.)
Then choose “More” from the dropdown Pressure menu.
For the vinyl mats, you’ll choose the recommended cut setting for your brand/type of vinyl.
Step 3: Trim a piece of faux leather to a size just slightly larger than the shapes that are going to cut. Place the faux leather pretty side down on a purple strong grip cutting mat.
Place blue painter’s tape around all sides of the faux leather. Load the mat into the Cricut and begin the cut.
When the cut is complete, before unloading the mat, lift a small edge of the cut to ensure the cut went through. Repeat the cut if needed by pressing the cut button again.
Once the shapes are cut through, remove the shapes from the mat.
Return to Design Space and cut and weed all of the heat transfer vinyl mats.
Step 4: When all the vinyl layers are cut and weeded, gather your heat press (Easy Press Mini, EasyPress, or traditional heat press), heat pressing pad, and cover sheet like a Teflon sheet, butcher paper, or parchment paper.
Refer to the Layering Guides below for the order to press the vinyl layers for each design.
Place the faux leather base on the heat pressing pad.
Heat the EasyPress Mini to the Low setting (the first green line) or another heat press to 265 degrees.
Place the first heat transfer vinyl layer on the faux leather shape. Cover with the cover sheet and press for 7-10 seconds.
Remove the cover sheet and slowly peel away the clear carrier sheet on the vinyl layer. If the vinyl lifts up, carefully place the carrier sheet back down and press again.
Continue pressing each layer in order.
Once the first layer is well pressed, repeat pressing the other vinyl layers in order.
Flip the keychain shape over and repeat pressing the layers on the other side.
When all the layers are pressed, place the warm faux leather underneath the heat pressing pad for about a minute so it can cool flat.
Step 5: It’s time to glue the keychain together.
Start by threading the keyring onto the bridge of the faux leather shape.
Place the faux leather shape pretty side down on your work surface. Have a heavy book nearby.
Glue the back of one side of the faux leather keychain shape using a good fabric or craft glue. I used Beacon Fabri-Tac. Don’t put glue on the bridge area.
Fold over the top keychain shape onto the bottom layer. Line up the edges neatly and press the keychain together with your fingers.
The edges will not be tight connected yet – that’s ok. The next step will fix that.
Place the glued keychain underneath a heavy book for at least an hour so the shapes glue well with a seamless edge.
Finally, add an optional Faux Suede tassel or charm if desired using flat nose jewelry making pliers and a 10mm jump ring. That’s it!
Your Christmas Coffee Faux Leather Keychain is complete!
Answers to your questions about making Christmas Coffee Faux Leather Keychains 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 do I need to press heat transfer vinyl onto faux leather?
A: To press heat transfer vinyl onto faux leather you’ll need a traditional heat press, Cricut EasyPress, or Cricut EasyPress Mini.
Q: How do I get the SVG template for this project?
A: Get the SVG file from my SVG Shop here. For even more holiday faux leather crafts project from my 12 Days of Christmas Crafts Event, click here.
Get the SVG in my Shop
Personal or Small Commercial Use Available
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Until next time… and happy creating!
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