Lanyard for the Teacher - with guest Sumos Sweet Stuff

Hello Brassy Apples!

I'm so excited to be here today. I'm Sumo!

I blog over at a little place called Sumo's Sweet Stuff.

It started out as somewhere for me to keep my crafty projects, but quickly turned into something much more wonderful: a place to share tutorials, giveaways, and feature other bloggers!

I have been loving this fun Back to School series! I taught first grade for six years before I started having kids, and there's just something exciting and magical about the beginning of the school year. I have to admit, I still get excited when I see the aisles of school supplies on sale each fall!

Being a former teacher myself, it's always nice when students and parents take time to say thank you. There's lots of fun, cutesy ideas out there, but sometimes the best things to give a teacher are practical things that will actually get used! I thought it would be fun to whip up a lanyard - you can have lots of fun picking out fabric for it, they are super easy, and even if it's not for a teacher - something you can use for yourself! I love having my keys on one!

Here's what you need to get started:

- piece of fabric (mine is 3" x 36")

- sewing machine/accessories

- lanyard hook

- book ring/split ring or some other type of ring

Take your strip of fabric, and fold it in half length wise, right sides together.

Sew down the entire long edge, back stitching at the beginning and end.

Take one end of your tube, and fold it so that your seam is now in the middle. Sew along the short side. Clip your corners, being careful not to cut your seams!

Use a pen or pencil to push the tube right side out.

Iron the tube flat, also ironing the unfinished end seams inside so that the raw edges aren't out anymore.

Stitch along your middle seam.

Top stitch along your outer edge, closing up the remaining end of your strip.

Take your two ends, and fold them over your ring with your lanyard hook attached.. Sew the ends down.

For a mommy, attach your keys on there!

This makes a great 'toy' for smaller kids stuck in a shopping cart at the store!

And perfect for a teacher to wear with a badge! (Why yes, that is my large pregnant belly my keys are resting on. Pretend the keys are a badge.)

If you prefer to have your lanyard skinnier, you could either fold it over again before top stitching, or just make the width smaller when cutting your fabric.

Thanks so much Megan for having me today!