Halloween is a symphony of crisp air, pumpkin spice, and the haunting silhouette of creatures taking flight under the silvery glow of the harvest moon. And what nocturnal icon is more synonymous with the season than the bat?
Tired of the same old candy handouts? Are you looking for a charming, personal touch to share the Halloween spirit? These little beaded bats are easy and quick to make. Imagine a cascade of bats in flight, strung onto garland for the perfect Halloween decorating.
Forget the plastic fangs and sticky candy corn—this year, give your friends and fellow ghouls a truly memorable (and reusable!) treat. We’re delving into the simple, addictive world of pony bead crafts to create the perfect, slightly sinister bat accessory. Whether dangling from a backpack, adorning a spooky garland, or serving as the ideal non-candy handout, these beaded bats are a must-make for the spooky season.
But the fun doesn't stop there! These pony bead bats are incredibly versatile as a fun accessory. Attach them to backpack zippers, use them as keychains, or let them dangle from pencil cases to bring a touch of Halloween wherever you go. At home, they transform into charming decorations: hang them from doorknobs, dangle them from light fixtures, or string them together to create a haunting Halloween garland that will decorate any room. Their lightweight, durable design means they'll bring smiles year after year.
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You will need one connector such as a 
Lanyard hook,
or any type of 
Key Ring.
Cord:
You will need about
2 1/2 yards of cord for your beaded bat.
There are lots of different types of cords you can use. We prefer a cord that is about 1 1/2mm to 2mm thick because it helps your bat keychain keep it's shape better. Alternatively, you could use a thinner cord and weave a little wire or a pipe cleaner into your keychain to help it keep it's shape that way. Either way works just fine but you can experiment with it to see which method you prefer.
One good choice is
Monofilament Cord
or
2mm metallic cording.
Other great choices would be:
1mm Black Jute or Hemp cord,
1.5mm Leather necklace cord,
1.5mm Satin Rattail Cord,
OR
1/8" Satin Ribbon
For ours, we used the 1.5mm black cotton jute cord.
Helpful Hint: If your cord end frays easily try dipping it into a little melted wax and smoothing it out with your fingers. This will help prevent fraying and also create a stiffer end for threading into your beads.
Beads needed:
7 - Purple Pony Beads
Note: these are the colors we used. You can use these colors or you can make your beaded bat in other halloween-y colors like orange, lime green, purple, or whatever colors are perfect for you.
Other Things Needed:
GlueOptional: For a stiffer beaded bat you can include a little wire or a pipe cleaner with your cord to help keep it's shape
Beading Wire
OR
Pipe Cleaners
2. Begin threading the beads onto the cord following the photo. This bat is made using "Peyote Stitch" beading. If you are unfamiliar with the technique here is a helpful tutorial.
3. After finishing the pattern you will notice that your cords do not end at the same place. You can bring them around and tie them together at the bottom with a double knot or surgeon's knot but we found it looked better to tie each one off at the last row where it ended. Add a little glue to each knot to prevent them from unraveling.
(Optional) Weave your wire or pipe cleaner through one of the widest rows near the top of your beaded bat keychain to make it stiffer and hold it's shape.
Would you like to make other Halloween themed beaded critters? How about some cool Beaded Skeletons
OR Beaded Ghosts
OR Beaded Black Cat 
OR Beaded Jack O'Lantern 
OR Beaded Spider 
Make a bunch of them and string them up onto Halloween garland!
Follow the same pattern using seed beads or E beads in place of pony beads to create smaller characters and create a great pair of earrings or a necklace pendant.
44 - Black Pony Beads
30 - Gray Pony Beads
