DIY Lanyard Scrunchie: Add Fun to Your Everyday Accessories

There’s something deeply satisfying about wearing something you made yourself. When people notice your accessories and ask where you got them, being able to say “I made it” carries a kind of quiet confidence that no store-bought item can replicate. That’s exactly the energy behind the DIY lanyard scrunchie — a creative fusion of two everyday essentials that results in something both practical and undeniably charming.

If you’ve never heard of a lanyard scrunchie before, you’re about to fall in love with the concept. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a scrunchie that doubles as a lanyard, or a lanyard that’s stylish enough to wear in your hair. Whether you need to keep your keys, ID badge, or small card wallet close at hand while keeping your look pulled together, this little accessory does it all. And the best part? You can make it yourself in an afternoon with minimal supplies and basic sewing skills.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know — from materials and tools to step-by-step instructions, customization ideas, and tips for making your finished product look polished and professional. By the end, you’ll have a functional accessory you’re genuinely proud of.

What Is a Lanyard Scrunchie?

Before diving into the how-to, let’s talk about why this accessory has caught on so widely. A lanyard scrunchie is a hybrid item: it features the soft, gathered fabric of a classic scrunchie but incorporates a loop or clip attachment that allows you to hang it around your neck or wrist to carry essentials. Think of a festival, a concert, or a busy school day — moments when you want your hands free but still need access to your ID, keys, or transit card.

Traditional lanyards are made from flat, stiff nylon or polyester webbing, which can feel uncomfortable against the skin and leave marks on your neck after hours of wear. A fabric scrunchie lanyard solves this problem beautifully. The gathered fabric is soft, doesn’t dig into your skin, and stretches gently as you move. Plus, it can pull double duty as a regular hair tie when you don’t need to carry anything.

The style has been especially popular among students, healthcare workers, theme park visitors, and anyone who attends events where name tags or access badges are required. It’s also a beloved festival accessory, often made in bold prints and bright colors to match an outfit.

Materials You’ll Need

One of the biggest appeals of this project is that it requires very little investment. Most of the materials can be found at a craft store, fabric shop, or even ordered online for just a few dollars. Here’s what you’ll need to get started.

Fabric: You’ll need about a quarter yard (or roughly 9 by 44 inches) of lightweight to medium-weight fabric. Cotton quilting fabric is the most popular choice because it’s easy to work with, comes in thousands of prints and colors, and holds its shape well. Satin or silky fabric creates a more luxurious look and feel, though it can be a bit trickier to sew for beginners. Jersey knit is another option if you want a stretchier, softer finish.

Elastic: A standard scrunchie uses about 9 to 11 inches of quarter-inch or half-inch elastic. If you want a more secure hold, go with the half-inch option. For a looser, more casual fit, quarter-inch works beautifully.

Lobster clasp or swivel snap hook: This is the hardware that makes your scrunchie into a lanyard. A small lobster clasp (the kind used in jewelry-making) works perfectly and gives the piece a neat, finished look. You can also use a swivel snap hook, which is slightly more heavy-duty and easier to open when your hands are full.

D-ring or split ring: This connects your clasp or swivel hook to the scrunchie itself. A small D-ring sewn into the seam of the scrunchie provides a secure, tidy attachment point.

Coordinating thread: Match your thread to your fabric as closely as possible for the cleanest result. If you’re using a printed fabric with multiple colors, choose the dominant color.

Basic sewing tools: You’ll need scissors (fabric scissors give the cleanest cut), straight pins or sewing clips, a measuring tape or ruler, and an iron and ironing board for pressing your fabric before sewing. A safety pin is also handy for turning the fabric tube right-side out and threading the elastic.

A sewing machine will make this project go quickly and give you stronger seams, but the project is absolutely doable by hand if you’re patient and use a tight backstitch.

Cutting Your Fabric

Start by cutting your fabric into a long rectangle. The standard dimensions for a scrunchie are approximately 3.5 inches wide by 22 inches long, though you can adjust this depending on how full and gathered you want the finished scrunchie to look. A longer piece of fabric creates more gathering, which gives you that classic, puffy scrunchie shape. A shorter piece results in a sleeker, more streamlined look.

If you want a particularly full, voluminous scrunchie — the kind that was popular in the late ’80s and early ’90s — try cutting your fabric to 22 by 4 inches. For a modern, slightly flatter style, 20 by 3 inches works nicely.

Press your fabric rectangle with an iron before you start sewing. This makes the whole process much easier and helps your finished seams lie flat.

Sewing the Fabric Tube

Fold your fabric rectangle in half lengthwise with the right sides (the pretty, printed side) facing each other on the inside. Pin along the long edge to hold everything in place. Sew a straight seam along this long edge, leaving about a quarter-inch seam allowance.

Before you close up the tube entirely, this is the moment to add your D-ring. Slide the D-ring onto a small loop of matching fabric or ribbon — about 2 inches of fabric folded in half works well — and tuck this loop into one end of your fabric tube so that the D-ring is sandwiched between the two layers of fabric at the short end. Sew across this short end, catching the fabric loop in your seam. This secures the D-ring permanently to the scrunchie.

Now use a safety pin attached to one end of the fabric tube to help you turn the whole thing right-side out. Push the safety pin through the tube, gathering the fabric as you go, until the right side is facing out and you have a long, soft fabric tube with the D-ring loop peeking out from one end.

Give the tube a good press with your iron to flatten it out and make the seam sit neatly.

Threading the Elastic

Cut your elastic to about 9 to 11 inches. The exact length depends on your preference — shorter elastic means a tighter, more secure hold (better for keeping keys from swinging around), while longer elastic creates a more relaxed fit.

Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and thread it through the open end of your fabric tube, gathering the fabric as you go. This is the most satisfying (and slightly tedious) part of the process, but once you get the hang of it, it goes quickly. Keep hold of both ends of the elastic so neither one disappears inside the tube.

Once the elastic is fully threaded, overlap the two ends by about half an inch and sew them together firmly. You can do a few passes back and forth over the join to make sure it’s secure. Give it a gentle tug to test the strength.

Closing the Scrunchie

Now it’s time to close up the open end of the tube and connect it to the end with the D-ring. Tuck the raw edges of the open end inside the tube by about a quarter inch, then slide this folded end inside the end with the D-ring. Pin everything in place. You should have a continuous loop of fabric with the elastic inside and the D-ring loop at the join.

Sew across this join neatly, either by machine using a straight stitch or by hand using a slip stitch. If you’re sewing by machine, topstitching across the join gives a particularly clean, professional finish and reinforces the seam.

Attaching the Hardware

Clip your lobster clasp or swivel snap hook through the D-ring. Give it a tug to make sure the D-ring is secure and the clasp moves freely. That’s your lanyard mechanism. Now you can clip keys, an ID badge holder, a small carabiner, or a badge reel directly to your scrunchie.

If you want a longer drop — for example, if you plan to wear the scrunchie around your neck rather than on your wrist — you can add a short length of coordinating ribbon or a chain between the D-ring and the clasp. A few inches of grosgrain ribbon looped through the D-ring adds a playful touch and gives you more flexibility in how you wear it.

Customization Ideas

One of the best things about making your own accessories is the infinite room for personalization. Here are some ideas to make your lanyard scrunchie truly one-of-a-kind.

Mix and match prints. Use two different fabrics for the front and back of your scrunchie, or piece together scraps of several fabrics to create a patchwork effect. This is a great way to use up leftover fabric from other projects.

Add a bow. Cut a small strip of the same or contrasting fabric, fold and stitch it into a tiny bow, and hand-sew it over the D-ring seam on the finished scrunchie. This hides any visible stitching at the join and adds a decorative touch.

Use velvet or lace. Velvet scrunchies are perennially chic, and a velvet lanyard scrunchie looks elegant enough to wear to a professional event. Lace fabric adds a delicate, romantic feel that’s perfect for weddings or garden parties.

Try seasonal fabrics. Plaid flannels for fall, floral cottons for spring, festive prints for the holidays — your fabric choices can make a simple scrunchie feel perfectly seasonal. Making a few in different fabrics is also a lovely idea for gifts.

Embellish with charms. Small enamel charms, resin beads, or initial pendants can be added to the lobster clasp or D-ring for extra personality. Many people attach a small keyring with a few charms alongside their ID badge so the whole setup feels intentional and styled rather than purely functional.

Coordinate with your badge reel. If you wear an ID badge for work every day, consider making your scrunchie in fabric that coordinates with a cute badge reel. The combination makes for an accessory that feels cohesive and thoughtful rather than thrown together.

Tips for a Professional Finish

Even if you’re a beginner, a few extra steps can make the difference between a scrunchie that looks homemade and one that looks like it came from a boutique.

Always press your seams. Ironing as you go is the single most effective thing you can do to elevate your finished piece. Flat, crisp seams make everything look cleaner and more intentional.

Sew slowly and steadily. Rushing through the seams, especially at the short ends where you’re attaching the D-ring loop, leads to uneven stitching. Take your time, especially around corners and joins.

Trim your thread ends carefully. Once you’re finished sewing, go back and clip all the little thread tails close to the fabric. Loose threads make even well-sewn pieces look untidy.

Use quality elastic. Cheap elastic loses its stretch quickly and can feel uncomfortable against the skin. A small investment in good-quality elastic makes a noticeable difference in how your scrunchie wears and holds up over time.

Test the hardware before you finish. Before you sew the scrunchie closed, clip your lobster clasp or swivel hook through the D-ring and make sure everything moves freely and feels sturdy. It’s much easier to fix hardware issues before the scrunchie is complete.

How to Wear Your Lanyard Scrunchie

The beauty of this accessory is its versatility. On days when you need hands-free carrying power, loop it around your neck or wrist with your keys or ID badge attached. On days when you just want a hair accessory, it works exactly like any other scrunchie — wrap it around a ponytail, bun, or braid.

For a casual, everyday look, pair a floral or gingham scrunchie with a denim jacket and have your keys clipped on at the wrist. For a more polished work look, a solid color or subtle print in velvet or silk keeps the ID badge aspect professional while still being far more attractive than a standard lanyard.

At concerts and festivals, a bold print or bright color scrunchie worn around the neck with a small card holder attached is both functional and festive. You’ll have your phone, cash, and ID within reach at all times without having to carry a bag.

Making It a Gift

DIY lanyard scrunchies make wonderful, thoughtful gifts because they’re personal, practical, and don’t cost much to make. A set of two or three in different fabrics, packaged in a small kraft paper box with a ribbon, is a lovely present for a friend starting a new job, a student heading to college, a nurse or teacher who spends long days on their feet, or anyone who attends events where they need to wear a badge.

You can also theme them for specific occasions. A set of holiday-print scrunchies given in December, a bridal party set sewn in the wedding colors, or a custom set made in a friend’s favorite color palette all feel especially meaningful because the thought and care that went into making them is obvious.

If you enjoy making them, they’re also a popular item to sell at craft fairs, on Etsy, or through local boutiques. The low material cost and relatively quick construction time make them a smart small business item for craft sellers.

Why DIY Accessories Matter

In a world full of fast fashion and mass production, making something by hand — even something as small and simple as a scrunchie — is a quiet act of creativity and intention. You get to choose exactly what you make, how it looks, and what it’s made from. You can opt for sustainable or recycled fabrics, use up scraps that would otherwise go to waste, and avoid contributing to the cycle of cheap, disposable accessories that end up in landfills.

There’s also the skill-building aspect. Every project you complete teaches you something. Maybe this scrunchie is your first time inserting a D-ring into a seam, or your first time working with a slippery satin fabric, or your first time using a lobster clasp in a sewing project. Each small skill adds to your repertoire and makes the next project just a little bit easier.

And then there’s the joy of it. Crafting is a legitimate form of stress relief, creative expression, and mindful activity. The rhythmic process of cutting, pressing, pinning, and sewing is grounding in a way that scrolling through a phone simply isn’t. The finished scrunchie is your reward — and every time you wear it, you get to remember the afternoon you spent making something with your own hands.

So gather your fabric, thread your machine, and make something fun. Your keys have never had a more stylish home.