This rainbow polymer clay keyring is such a simple craft project that you can whip up to pass the time in lock down, or for a nice Sunday crafter-noon with your friends. It uses easy techniques so everyone will be able to create their own version of this, whether they have a creative flare or not.

Polymer clay is such a versatile craft medium. It is great for the kids, my 7 year old nephew made the most adorable polymer clay sculptures and loved it! But it can also create a really professional finish if you put that little bit extra work in (cue my perfectionism). So gather up your team and have a crafter-noon to create this adorable key ring!

You will need:

5 different colours of polymer clay. You can get the clay from Kmart or online or in craft stores like Spotlight.
Key rings, like these from Kmart.
Optional: tassel, I bought mine from Kmart.
String, I used clear craft string. Similar to this one.
Jump rings make it easier to attach everything to your keyring but are optional.
Round cookie cutter
Alphabet stamps
Rolling pin
Small knife or scalpel, this is my Scalpel.
A skewer
An oven and a lined baking tray

Keep scrolling for a picture and written tutorial on how to create this rainbow polymer clay keyring!

Rainbow Polymer Clay Keyring

This keyring features an initial plaque, colourful rainbow and matching string of beads that will jazz up your set of keys in no time!

Active Time1 hr

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time1 hr 30 mins

Materials

5 different colours of polymer clay. You can get the clay from Kmart or online or in craft stores like Spotlight.
Key rings Like these from Kmart.
Tassels I bought mine from Kmart
Clear craft string Similar to this one
Jump rings To attach the items to the keyring
Round cookie cutter
Alphabet stamps
Rolling pin
Small knife or Scalpel
A skewerAn oven and a lined baking tray

Instructions

NOTE: Before you start you will need to condition your polymer clays. This just means working the clay in your hands until it forms a soft ball. Some brands like the Premo brand I have tagged above are quite hard when they come straight out of the packet and require a bit more muscle to soften them up. Other brands like the Kmart clays are quite soft and easy to work with straight away. The harder clays will be easier to work with once you have softened them but both will have great outcomes!
I didn't weigh the clay in this tutorial so you will be in charge of how large each piece is. You can make it as large or small as you like.
Start by rolling a thin snake of clay out in each of the 5 colours for the rainbow. The snakes should only be about 3-5mm wide depending on how big you would like your rainbow to be.
Take the first colour, your darkest colour, for the inner arch of your rainbow. Fold the snake in half and pinch the top so it forms an arch. You can keep a gap in the centre or close the gap. I started out with a gap but decided I liked it better without the gap.
Fold the next two colours over the arch you have just made, pushing slightly to stick together.
For one of the colours I chose to imprint a pattern into the snake to change it up a bit.
For the second last colour, use a flat knife or skewer edge to imprint stripes onto the snake. You could also imprint dots, or keep it plain.
Fold the last colour over the arch and you have completed your rainbow. Use a skewer to poke a hole in the top of the rainbow. I poked a hole between the first and second colours in the rainbow.
Use a ruler to imprint the bottom edge of your rainbow and using a knife/scalpel, cut one the line. You can reuse the scraps of the rainbow for your beads.
For the beads, roll even balls of each colour. I chose to double up on one of the colours to make 6 beads in total. Using the skewer, poke a hole through the centre of the beads. Flatten the beads slightly. If you prefer, you can keep then perfectly rounded.
I chose to imprint the lined pattern on the bead to match the effect I created in the rainbow. Use the back of a knife/ skewer to create a lined pattern around the edge of the bead.
To create the initial plaque, pick two of your clay colours. Roll each colour out into a thin piece (about 1-2mm).
Using your initial stamps, stamp your initial in the centre of one of the colours. I kept the other colour plain but you could stamp another initial into this piece also.
Using a small circle cookie cutter, cut out the plaques. Be sure to keep the initials centred. Poke a hole into the top of the plaque about 2-3mm from the edge.
Ready to bake: Bake your clay per the temperatures and times on the packaging. But most clays will be between 100-120°C and roughly 30 minutes. A nice low and slow bake.
Ready to assemble:
Take a long piece of clear string and thread your tassel through. Fold the string in half and tie a knot in the string so that the tassel is secure.
Thread the beads through the string and secure with a knot at the top. Secure the string of beads onto the keyring with a double knot.
For the plaque and rainbow you have created a hole for your jumprings. Open the jumprings and feed through the plaque and rainbow. Secure this onto your keyring and close the jump rings.
If you don't have jumprings simply tie a piece of string through the hole and secure onto your keyring.