Fidget Bead Lanyard
Free Crochet Pattern
Juggling work, kids, and everything in between? This Fidget Bead Lanyard crochet pattern is here to save the day! The design combines a handy lanyard with a fidget toy, perfect for teachers, medical staff, parents, or anyone who needs a little stress relief. Using colourful pony beads that roll between your fingers, this lanyard keeps your ID or keys close at hand while offering a fun and discreet way to fidget and refocus.
The paid versions of our patterns are written a little differently with beginner and neurodivergent crafters in mind. The abbreviated instructions are followed by a breakdown in italics making it easier to understand what you need to crochet in each row / round. If you’ve had trouble reading crochet patterns in the past, we hope that you’ll give ours a try! Available to purchase on Ravelry and our website.
A PDF printer-friendly pattern is available for $2 AUD from Ravelry and our website:
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Disclaimer: This Fox Creations pattern (text, images, charts, etc) is copyrighted and cannot be resold. You can sell small batches of finished products made from this pattern with credit to Fox Creations (e.g., label or online listing). Please don’t share the digital pattern or screenshots – encourage others to download their own copy from our Ravelry store or visit our website. We strive for accuracy but cannot be held liable for errors or variations in your finished product. Happy crocheting!
Please read before you start the pattern:
You can use any Worsted Weight yarn. We have used Dishie Cotton. You can use a larger hook, but you need to be able to fit the beads through the chain 2.
If you use a larger hook, keep a smaller hook on hand to pull through the beads (i.e. you’ll need to switch hooks as you work: crochet with the larger hook and pull the bead through the yarn with the small hook).
Chain 1 at the beginning of each row does not count as a stitch.
Turn at the end of each row.
The Row numbers have been divided into four sections: First 20 Beads, Single Crochet Rows, Last 20 Beads, Lanyard Clip Flap.
MATERIALS
- Worsted weight yarn (KnitPicks Dishie Cotton)
Silver - 3.5mm crochet hook
- Lanyard Clip
- Pony Beads – 9mm (40 beads)
- Scissors
- Tapestry needle
ABBREVIATIONS
- sc – single crochet
- ch – chain
- sl st- slip stitch
- fasten off – cut the yarn and pull through
- st – stitch
- (#) – total number of stitches at the end of the row
- * * – repeat the stitches inside the asterisks
- ( ) – complete the stitches inside the brackets in the same stitch
The Pattern
Section 1: First 20 Beads
Row 1: Using your tapestry needle, thread 40 pony beads onto the yarn
Ch 5, starting in 2nd ch from the hook, sc in the back bump of the remaining ch
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each st
Row 3 – 42: The beads are added to the lanyard in a two-row repeat.
1. Bead Row: Chain 1, single crochet in the first stitch, chain 2 (remove your hook from the loop – put your hook through the bead to grab the working loop of the yarn – pull the bead through and over the chain 2), single crochet in the last stitch
2. Chain Row: Chain 1, single crochet in the first stitch, chain 2, skip 2 stitches, single crochet in the last stitch
Alternate the two rows until you have added 20 beads – ending on a Chain Row
Section 2: Single Crochet Rows
Row 1: Ch 1, sc in the 1st st, 2 sc in the ch space, sc in the last st
Row 2 – 57: Ch 1, sc in each st
Repeat for a total of 56 rows
Section 3: Last 20 Beads
Row 1 – 40: The beads are added to the lanyard in a two-row repeat.
1. Bead Row: Chain 1, single crochet in the first stitch, chain 2 (remove your hook from the loop – put your hook through the bead to grab the working loop of the yarn – pull the bead through and over the chain 2), single crochet in the last stitch
2. Chain Row: Chain 1, single crochet in the first stitch, chain 2, skip 2 stitches, single crochet in the last stitch
Alternate the two rows until you have added 20 beads – ending on a Chain Row
Connecting the ends:
Hold the two ends together. Remove your hook from the yarn and put it through the 1st stitch of Row 1. Pull the working loop through to connect the two sides.
Chain 1, single crochet in each stitch
Section 4: Lanyard Flap
Create the flap for the lanyard clip:
Row 1 – 8: Ch 1, sc in each st
Repeat for a total of 8 rows
Fasten off leaving a long tail
Thread the Lanyard Clip onto the 8 rows of single crochets
Fold over and sew the two sides together using the tail
Weave in all ends
The paid PDF version of this pattern includes step-by-step pictures and the stitch abbreviations written out for beginners to pattern reading and neurodivergent crafters.