How to get crafting with perler beads (2024)

If you're looking for a relaxing craft that can have you making all kinds of fun projects, perler beads might be just the thing!

Perler beads, also known as fuse beads, are a crafting medium that a lot of people will have tried out as kids, but they are also a popular craft with adult crafters and artists.

These tiny, colourful beads can be arranged on pegboards and fused together to create an endless array of designs, from simple patterns to intricate works of art. They can also be used without fusing them together and strung just as beads to make jewellery and accessories.

Whether you're a seasoned crafter or just starting out, perler beads offer a world of possibilities for unleashing your creativity.

In this guide, we’ve covered what exactly perler beads are and how they work, how to get started with them and the best supplies to buy, as well as some fab inspiration for your first project.

Perler beads are a brand of fuse bead that come in 3 different sizes. The standard bead is 5mm but there are also larger 10mm ‘Biggie’ beads that are perfect for younger children to get to grips with and smaller 2.6mm 'Mini' beads that are great when used to make intricate designs with more complicated shading and colour gradients.

They come in a wide array of colours and finishes, including solid colours, translucent, glitter and even glow-in-the-dark.

You can also now get a special version of the bead called Perler Caps; these are beads that are only open on one end and make it easier to create a solid block colour look to your design without having to melt the bead all the way to close the hole.

Perler beads are made from food-grade LDPE (Low-density polyethylene), which gives them a low melting point for easy fusing and means they can also be used for projects such as cake toppers!

A brief history of fuse beads

Fuse beads were originally created in Sweden in the 1970s as a therapeutic activity for the elderly. The plastic beads were glued to a board to make patterns and used as trivets or coasters. They soon gained traction as a fun toy for children to play with, and in the late 70s the beads were redesigned to be made out of polyethylene so that they could be melted together with heat to ‘fuse’ the design rather than requiring glue.

There are now a few well-known manufacturers of fuse beads, with perler and Hama being the most popular.

Perler beads are super simple to use and don't require too many supplies to get started.

Supplies needed

• Perler beads in assorted colours
• Pegboards in various shapes and sizes
• Parchment paper
• Iron or mini heat press
  
• Tweezers

Perler beads - Perler beads come in a wide array of colours and pack sizes. You can get mixed colour packs, which are great for crafting with kids and playing around with different designs. You can also get pre-sorted trays with multiple colours, which can be handy if you know which colours you plan to use for a set project (or if you just like your craft supplies to be nicely organised!)

Pegboards - You can get pegboards for perler beads in a range of sizes and fun shapes. We'd suggest starting with a square or round board for your first project. The boards can be used multiple times, so if you buy a fairly large board it'll give you plenty of options for different projects.

Parchment paper - Parchment paper (or wax paper) is used to cover your perler beads and protect the surface of your iron while fusing. You can get specialist ironing paper for fusing your beads but normal kitchen parchment paper works just as well and is much cheaper.

Iron/Mini heat press - Fusing your beads together requires even and medium to high heat, the easiest way to do this is by using a household iron (make sure to have the steam function turned off!). If you're an avid crafter and regularly work with materials such as iron-on vinyl, you'll likely have a heat press at your disposal – small handheld heat presses can also be used for fusing perler beads.

Tweezers - Crafting with perler beads can be a little bit fiddly, so a pair of tweezers can be a great way to make things a little easier. Plastic gripper tweezers are a great option for children as they are safe for little hands and really help them work on their fine motor skills.

1. Choose a design or pattern to create and gather your supplies.
2. Place the perler beads on the pegboard, following your chosen design.
3. Once the design is complete, cover it with parchment paper and iron on a medium heat setting until the beads fuse together.
4. Let the design cool, and carefully remove it from the pegboard.

Perler beads and hama beads are two different brands of fuse beads. Both are popular with crafters, but there are a few differences between them.

Perler beads are larger and have a slightly different texture than hama beads; the main differences can be seen once they have been melted.

Hama beads have a lower melting point than perler beads and end up shorter and more rounded at the edge when fused. They also have a shiny look once fused, whereas perler beads have a more matte finish.

Are you eager to get crafting with perler beads but not sure what project to try first? We've rounded up some fab project inspiration to help get the ideas flowing.

Creative coasters

Coasters are a great first project to try out with perler beads. You can make an easy repeating pattern or go for a colourful rainbow, as demonstrated by Instagram user @yogamethatwine.

Simple but effective garlands

Garlands are a lovely way to decorate your home for different seasons and holidays. This stunning snowflake garland created by @asubtlerevelry on Instagram is a great example of a simple project that looks highly effective. Why not try a garland of leaves for autumn, flowers for spring or pumpkins for Halloween?

Wonderful wall hangings

Perler beads don't have to be fused together to make a creative project. Perler HQ shared this great example of a beaded tapestry-style wall hanging on the @perlerbrand Instagram account.

Beaded baubles

You can't go wrong with a Christmas craft and we love this project for perler bead baubles shared by Instagram user @burritoprincess. Fusing the beads until the hole in the middle closes up fully gives a fantastic pixelated gradient effect.

Perler pinwheels

Looking for something to fancy up your flower pots this summer? Why not make a collection of brighlt coloured perler bead pinwheels as demonstrated by @kreative_pia on Instagram?

Getting started with a new craft and buying all the required supplies can be expensive, but craft kits are a great value way to get hold of all the bits you need for one off projects. Here are our top picks for the best perler bead kits available to buy today.

Do you love crafting? Share your creations with us by tagging @primamag in your pictures on Instagram!