DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Pony Bead Heart Pattern
(easy pattern)

Pony bead keychains are fun for children Age 8 and up (or avid crafters Age 6+).  This pattern is fun to give to a best friend or teacher on Valentine's Day.  You end up with a red heart on a white background, though you can substitute different colors.
 

Materials:

• 60 white pony beads
• 31 red pony beads
• keychain loop or latch
• red or white string, plastic lacing cord, very thin ribbon or satin cord (5 or 6 feet).
   
• Optional:  drinking straw and scissors.
   

Instructions:

• Fold string in half and  loop around the keychain loop (the technical name for this loop is a "half hitch").  Tighten.  You'll now have two ends of string

• Thread 8 white beads onto one of the ends of string.  Now thread the second end of string through the same 8 beads going the opposite direction.
   
• Continue threading beads onto one end of string and then threading the second end through the SAME beads from the other side following the pattern below.
   
• Optional:  Depending on how big your beads are and how solid your string was you might find your project a bit wobbly once you hold it up.  If this is the case cut a drinking straw in half lengthwise (so it isn't a tube, but a half circle).  Cut the end at an angle so it's pointed.  Now slide the straw down the top row of beads and snip it off so it's in the beads but it's not showing out the end.  Repeat with the remaining rows.

Printable version of these instructions