Measure and cut two pieces of elastic cord that measure 10 inches long each.
Line up the cords and fold them in half. Attach them to the metal keyring with a hitch knot: slip the looped end through the keyring and pull the loose ends through the hole.
Pull the hitch knot snug and add a large plastic bead by sliding it over all of the loose ends.
Separate each of the elastic strands and work on them one at a time. For the first strand, start by stringing on an alternating pattern of blue and white beads for a total of 9 beads, starting with blue.
Continuing with the first strand, add enough red beads to achieve the keychain length you desire. This one is about 2 inches long. Tie a few knots in the end of the cord.
For the second strand, string on an alternating pattern of blue and white beads for a total of 9 beads, starting with white. Add enough additional white beads to match the length of the first strand.
Repeat steps 4 through 6 to string 2 more strands. You’ll end up with 2 matching pair and when you lay them flat, they’ll alternate like the American flag.