Making a Pixelhobby keychain: what you need and how it works
A Pixelhobby keychain is the smallest finished project we offer. It fits into one evening, it takes little material, and at the end it hangs right there on your key ring for everyone to see. That is exactly why it is where many people start.
Here you will find out how a keychain like this is built, how much material you really need, and which first-time mistakes cost money.
Keychain or medallion: same part, two names
In the shop you will find these parts under both names. We call the small plate itself a medallion. In everyday language the finished piece is called a keychain. Both mean the same thing.
Spellings vary too. Some people search for Medallion, Medaillion or Medalion, others write Pixelhobby as two words, Pixel Hobby. Every variant gets you to the right place. The brand name is correctly written as one word.
Important when ordering: the medallion is the base plate. You do not put an extra plate inside it. A raised rim runs all the way around it, which holds the pixels in place better than an open base plate.
How big a keychain is
The pixel area holds 11 by 14 pixels. That is 154 pixels for a complete design.
Finished, the medallion measures 3 centimeters wide and 4.2 centimeters high, including the arch with the hole. The arch itself is not filled with pixels; it comes on top of the pixel area.
This area is too small for a photo of your own. 154 pixels are enough for a symbol, a letter, an animal or a pattern, but not for a recognizable face. If you want to pixelate a photo, you need a normal base plate.
Clear, transparent or solid-colored
The standard medallion is clear and see-through, just like the normal base plate. There are also 25 medallion colors. Nine of them are see-through: eight tinted in color, plus the clear one. The other 16 are solid-colored and therefore opaque.
With a see-through medallion, you can put the template underneath. But you don't have to. Most people lay the template next to them and count the squares, because the medallion is so small and light that it keeps slipping around on the template.
With base plates it is the other way around. A small base plate holds 576 Classic pixels, a normal one 40 by 50 pixels, so exactly 2000. That makes counting too unreliable, so there the template really belongs underneath. The only exception is the Bio base plate, because it is white and not see-through.
For the medallion this means: choose the color to suit the design, not the way you work.
New: the heart medallion
Heart-shaped medallions have been available for a short while now. They hold 151 pixels and measure 4.8 centimeters wide and 4 centimeters high. Here too a raised rim runs all the way around, cut in steps at the corners to create the heart shape.
There are two differences from the rectangular medallion you should know about. Only a key strap fits through the hole, not a ball chain and not a ring. And the hearts are not sold individually, only as a set of four with key straps, without colors. All four are clear and see-through.
Because the area is larger and the rim runs in steps, putting the template underneath is the better choice here. The glue tip from above helps with that as well.
The trick against slipping
The medallion slides across the table while you work. A dab of ordinary craft glue on the back of the medallion helps against that.
Important: the dab has to dry completely before you start. After that it works like a non-slip coating, and the medallion stays exactly where you put it. If you don't want it anymore later, you can simply rub it off.
How many pixel squares you need
A pixel square measures about 6.1 by 6.1 centimeters, the same in both lines. The pixels hang in it on a grid and are removed one at a time. How many pixels sit on it, however, differs: Classic has 140 pixels per pixel square, XL has 60.
A keychain needs 154 pixels. Two rules follow from that, and the second one is overlooked more often.
At least two pixel squares. Mathematically, a single Classic square is never enough for 154 pixels.
At least as many pixel squares as there are colors in the design. A pixel square has exactly one color. So a design with five colors needs five squares, even if the number of pixels would fit on two. If you order by quantity alone, you end up with a design you can't finish.
In our Classic sets we calculate with 135 instead of 140 usable pixels per square. That is a buffer from the early days that we have kept, because we also sometimes drop a pixel off the square while putting sets together. This means you are more likely to have a bit of extra material than too little.
What's included in a set
A keychain set comes as standard with one medallion, one attachment, the matching pixel squares for the design and a template. The template is always included and always in color.
Tweezers are not included in medallion sets. If you don't have any yet, add them separately. You can manage without, but with them it is much easier.
The small starter set comes with key rings instead of chains or straps.
Age recommendation: according to the manufacturer, medallion sets are for ages 6 and up. This also applies to sets that contain XL pixels, because the stricter recommendation always applies. For younger children, an XL set on a normal base plate is the better choice.
The attachment: chain, strap or ring
The key chain is a ball chain. It is the simplest option and comes with many sets. It is available individually and in color.
The key strap is a short strap with a carabiner, often also called a loop carabiner. With it you can hang the keychain on a bag or backpack without having to thread it off. Available individually and as a set.
The key ring is the classic metal ring, available individually.
All three fit through the hole in the arch. So you can swap the attachment at any time.
Classic or XL: here the math decides, not taste
Pixelhobby comes in two sizes. Classic, often also called Mini, measures 2.5 by 2.5 millimeters per pixel. XL, also called Midi, measures 5 by 5 millimeters. So one XL pixel covers exactly four Classic pins, two by two.
And that is exactly why XL alone doesn't work on a keychain. The pixel area is 11 pins wide. 11 is an odd number. After five XL pixels, a row one pin wide is left over that no XL pixel can fill.
So a keychain can't be done in XL only, but it can be done mixed. And that isn't a makeshift solution, it's a design element. For example, you can make a flower in Classic and set the center of the flower with a single XL pixel.
The appeal is in the height. A Classic pixel is 3 millimeters high, an XL pixel 4 millimeters. So the accent stands one millimeter above the surface, and you can feel it with your finger. We use this on purpose in some medallion sets.
The color numbers are identical in both lines. Color 100 is the same white in Classic as in XL, and 441 the same black. So you can combine them without converting anything. There is a clear difference in choice, though: Classic comes in 314 colors, XL in 36.
Which sets are available
The range goes from single pieces to whole collections. There are sets with one medallion and sets with two medallions. There are sets with Classic and XL pixels and one or two medallions. There are theme sets with five medallions and sets with six medallions. On top of that there are Easter egg sets with medallions and Easter egg sets with medallions and small base plates.
To get started, a set with one medallion is enough. If you want to give them as gifts, the theme sets work out cheaper per piece.
Here's how to go about it
- Pick a design and count the colors. The number of colors determines how many pixel squares you need.
- Lay the template next to you and count as you work. With a see-through medallion you can also put the template underneath, if you prefer.
- Start with one color and place all the squares of that color before moving on to the next. It's faster, and you're less likely to miscount.
- Before the final step, check that every square is filled.
- Pull the chain, strap or ring through the arch.
Nothing gets glued or ironed. The pixels hold on their own; that is the whole point of the system.
And one more practical tip: work on a smooth surface. Then a lost pixel won't roll all the way under the cupboard.
You can find medallions and accessories here: Transparent Medallion · Medallions and Keychains · Keychain Sets · Classic Colors · Accessories · Hearts and Key Strap Sets · Heart Theme Box