This post is sponsored by FCA US; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. #DrivePacifica

How are your holiday preparations going, friends? Hopefully you’ve been able to start buying and making the perfect gifts for the special people in your life! If your list is anything like mine, though, there are a handful of folks who are a little tricky to shop for. Teachers, co-workers, people you want to remember but don’t know especially well…what do you give them? I’ve got an idea today that is quick, inexpensive, and easy to make and works well for just about anyone! Check out this DIY Quilted Key Fob.

I think it’s a safe bet that just about every single person on your list has keys. House keys, mailbox keys, office keys, car keys; we all have them. Even if you happen to have a car with a Remote Start System and keyless entry/start like the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Limited, you still have a remote control that needs to be with you to operate the vehicle. A key fob keeps all those important things together and easy to find, so it’s a useful, practical gift to give this holiday season.

Here’s how to create your own! Mine is very feminine, as you can see, but you can easily use any kind of colors and pattern you like to totally customize the look. Fabric for a favorite football team or a buffalo plaid makes this project just as perfect for the men in your life.

Materials:

Double Sided Quilted Fabric {3″ x 14″ per key fob}
Ribbon
Scissors
Coordinating Thread
Large Lobster Clasp 

Creating Your Key Fob:

Step 1: Cut your fabric into a 3″ x 14″ rectangle.

Step 2: Choose which side of the fabric you like best. Fold the rectangle in half vertically with the “good” pattern on the inside.

I liked the lighter pink and paisley design, so I folded my fabric with that on the inside.

Step 3: Pin your fabric together where the cut edges meet all the way down the long side.

Leve the short ends at the top and bottom open.

Step 4: Sew a 1/4″ seam down the long edge to form a tube. Turn it right side out and press it flat with a warm iron.

This is why it’s important not to sew across the top and bottom edges. It can be tricky turning such a long, narrow piece, so you may want to use an unsharpened pencil to help.

Step 5: Top stitch all the way down both sides of the fabric, 1/4″ in from the edge.

Step 6: Thread one end of the fabric through the lobster clasp. Overlap the ends of the fabric.

Step 7: Sew the ends of the fabric together where they overlap.

Step 8: Wrap a piece of ribbon around the overlapped portion of the key fob. Sew it in place.

I stitched mine as close as possible to the edges of the ribbon.

That’s all there is to it! In just 15 minutes or less, you can create this pretty and useful little gift for yourself or for anyone on your Christmas list. It’s perfect for holding keys and remotes; whatever you might have. The loop allows you to carry it on your wrist, and the color and size make it easy to find.

Once you make up some of these key fobs for the folks on your list, you may still have a bit of shopping to do like Little Crafter and I did last week. Hubby was out of town for work, so it was the perfect chance for us to have a little “date night” and get some of our Christmas errands done. We had the opportunity to test drive the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica for the week, so we were making our way around town in style! Minivans get a bad rap, but I’m telling you, I would love to have one of these for our family…and so would Little Crafter. Although the Pacifica has keyless and hands-free entry, he enjoyed pushing the button that activated his side door.

He loved the leather bucket seats and so did I, especially since they were heated! November in Maryland is definitely a chilly time of year, so I took full advantage of those as well as the heated steering wheel. I can only imagine how nice those features must be when the temperature is in the single digits! Little Crafter brought his iPad along to play in the car, and he couldn’t get over the fact that there was a USB port on the back of the driver’s seat that allowed him to charge it while we drove.

While we were out and about, we called to check in on hubby, which was easier than ever thanks to the way I was able to sync my phone with the Pacifica. We also enjoyed a combination of SiriusXM Satellite Radio and some of our iTunes favorites from my phone {hello, Adele…}.

The Stow n’ Go seats made it easy to transport all our purchases, and it was easy to do even without having hubby there to help since the third row seating has a Power Folding option. Just push a button, and down they go, all by themselves!

Little Crafter and I had such a fun mama-son date and thanks to a combination of crafting {hooray for key fobs!} and shopping, we’re just about finished with our holiday gifts. All that’s left is to make my own list.

Although I know there won’t magically be a new vehicle in our driveway with a big red bow on Christmas morning, a Chrysler Pacifica or another Chrysler vehicle with similar features is definitely on the wish list for our whole family. All three of us loved driving/riding in it, and while we’re about a year away from a car purchase, this test drive gave us the perfect opportunity to see what we definitely want in our next vehicle. The Pacifica fit perfectly with our family’s lifestyle and needs, and I bet it would fit with yours too.

So, what do you think, friend? Who in your life would enjoy receiving one of these DIY Quilted Key Fobs for Christmas? If you make your own version, I’d love to see it! Share your photos and latest projects with us in the One Artsy Mama & Friends Facebook Group. See you there!