This post will show you how to make a lanyard penholder attachment.
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Are you looking for something fun to add to a teacher’s gift? Are you always losing your pens? Why don’t you give this lanyard penholder attachment a try? It’s quite simple, and you can use up some of the scrap fabric you have lying around.
Don’t have any scrap fabric? Pick up some fat quarters from Walmart, Michaels, Joannes, or even Dollar Tree!
I’ve created a FREE pattern for this lanyard, just click the button below!
To make one lanyard penholder attachment, you’ll need:
- Fabric: 2 pieces of 11.5 inch by 2.5 inch fabric. In the example, I used two different colors–one patterned piece, and one plain colored piece. You will also need one square of fabric that’s 2.25 inches by 2.25 inches. Prefer to print a pattern? I’ve got you! Download my FREE pattern here. There is no separate piece for the pocket; the pocket will be formed from the main pieces!
- Interfacing: You’ll need one piece of lightweight white fusible interfacing that’s 11 inches by 2 inches.
- Thread: Whatever color you’d like; I prefer to go with threads that match my fabric. Gutermann thread is my go-to for quality thread; I’d recommend this Gutermann thread pack. It’s a popular brand, so you should be able to find it in any craft store, fabric store, and even Walmart!
- One D-Ring: If you’re also going to make lanyards, I’d suggest this swivel snap hook and d ring package. If you just need D-rings and want a variety of sizes and colors, check out this package of metal d rings. The one I used was just shy of 1 inch.
- A sewing machine or a needle to sew by hand. (PS – if you’re looking for a new sewing machine that works well and won’t break the bank, this is the Brother sewing machine that I use and love.)
How to Make the Lanyard Penholder Attachment
Step 1
Start by getting your supplies together. Here I have 2 pieces of fabric, 11.5″ by 2.5″. I also have one piece of fabric that’s 2.25 inches by 2.25 inches, and a piece of interfacing that’s 11 inches by 2 inches along with a D-ring that’s just under 1 inch wide.
For this tutorial, I’m going to call the patterned fabric the “exterior” fabric, and the blue the “interior” fabric, although both will be visible in some capacity in the finished product.
Step 2
Iron everything so it’s nice and flat. Then iron the interfacing onto the back of one of the fabrics. I ironed my interfacing onto the back of my external (floral) fabric.
Take your 2.25″ x 2.25″ fabric. Fold it in half and iron it that way. Sew this little piece shut with a 0.25″ seam allowance. Then turn it right side out.
Step 3
Once your 2.25″ x 2.25″ piece is turned right side out, fold it in half and slide the D-ring through. The d-ring will be held by this loop.
Step 4
Lay out your two longer strips of fabric so their right sides are facing each other. In this particular case, the blue fabric doesn’t have a “right” (front) or “wrong” (back) side because it’s not patterned. The floral fabric does; the patterned side is the “right” side, and the blank side (where the interfacing has been ironed) is the “wrong” side.
If your fabric has a directional pattern and one side should be the top, that is where your loop and D-ring will go. If the direction doesn’t matter, then pick a side to be the top. Find the middle of the short side, and wedge your loop with D-ring between the two fabrics as shown.
Step 5
You can see what I mean here about wedging the loop between the layers of fabric.
Step 6
Now you’re going to sew all the way around your pieces of fabric. Make sure to leave a gap on the side so you can flip everything right side out and make sure this gap is big enough for your D-ring to move through. I left a 1″ opening around 4.5″ down the side. I used a seam allowance of 0.25″.
Step 7
Once you’ve sewn all the way around, turn it right side out. Make sure to push out the corners as best as you can, and then flatten everything with an iron so it’s nice and crisp.
Step 8
Once it’s all neatly pressed, you need to fold up the bottom. You want the whole thing to be about 6 inches tall, so you’ll fold up the bottom 5 inches.
Step 9
Now you’ll need to top stitch around all the sides. I got as close to the sides as I could… definitely smaller than a 0.25 inch. I think it’s about 1/8 of an inch. I back-stitched over where the fold is so it won’t come loose.
Step 10
Once your top stitching is done, your pen holder is ready to be clipped onto the lanyard of your choosing–or anything else that has a claw clip!
Try it out with different patterns and colors!
Will you give it a try?
Clearly, I have some things to keep working on – like sewing straight lines when topstitching. But I love tackling new projects and trying new things. This is a project I’ll be trying to perfect because the idea is so much fun. It makes a great gift for teachers, writers, and anyone who likes to keep a pen close. You could also adapt it to have a lobster claw clasp instead of the D-ring so someone could clip it inside their purse or backpack.
Will you make a lanyard penholder attachment of your own? If so, I want to see it! Share a photo on Instagram and use the hashtags #theserialcreative #lanyardpenholder
And for more fun DIY gifts, check out this post: 6 Simple DIY Gifts That You Can Make on a Budget.
