Free perler bead patterns
Bright, blocky designs that fit a single standard pegboard, drawn for 5mm beads whatever the packet in your cupboard calls them.
Do these perler bead patterns fit a standard pegboard?
Yes. Every design here is 29 pegs or fewer in each direction, which is the size of a standard square pegboard, so nothing has to be split across two boards and joined later. The grid size is printed on each pattern and on the chart itself.
How to read one of these charts
- One square is one full cross stitch, one bead or one pixel. The symbol in the square tells you which colour goes there.
- The heavy lines every ten squares are counting lines. Count in tens and a miscount shows up in the same row it happened.
- The small marks on the top and left edges mark the centre of the design, which is where most people start.
- The key under the chart lists every symbol with its colour, our thread code and how many squares of it the design uses.
What these patterns are
A perler bead pattern is a grid where one square is one bead. Every chart on this page prints with a symbol in each square and a key that names the colours, so you can follow it in black and white and still know which bead goes where. The designs are bright and blocky on purpose: a mushroom, a rainbow, an ice cream, a cactus, a ghost, a robot, a rocket, a dinosaur, a cupcake, a sun, a fish, a watermelon, a pineapple, a panda, a popsicle and a unicorn.
Perler, hama or melty beads
They are the same craft under different brand and regional names. What matters is the bead diameter, and these charts are drawn for the standard 5mm size, so any 5mm fuse bead works. Set the beads out on the board, cover them with the ironing paper, and press on a medium heat with no steam until the beads just join while their holes are still visible.
The same grid works in thread
A bead grid and a counted cross stitch chart are the same object, so any pattern here can be worked in thread on 14 count aida at the finished size printed on the card. If that is what you are after, the cross stitch patterns page is drawn for it directly, and the pixel art templates page has adventure and scenery designs on the same square grid.
Why there are no character patterns here
A bead pattern of somebody else's character is a derivative work of their artwork, and this site publishes only designs it draws itself. That is a stricter line than much of this hobby draws, it is deliberate, and it is set out in full on the license page, along with the confirmation that you may sell the pieces you make from these charts.
How to use these bead patterns
- Print the chart or keep it on a screen beside you, then set the beads out on a standard square pegboard.
- Work one colour at a time from the chart. Every design here fits one board, so nothing has to be joined later.
- Iron through the paper on a medium heat until the beads just join, then cool it flat under a book so it does not curl.
Common questions
Do these patterns fit a standard pegboard?
Yes. Every design on this page is 29 pegs or fewer in each direction, so it fits on one standard square pegboard without joining boards together. The grid size is printed on each card and on the chart, so you can check before you start pulling beads.
What is the difference between perler beads, hama beads and melty beads?
They are the same craft under different brand and regional names: small plastic tubes stood on a pegboard and fused with an iron. The bead diameter is the thing that actually matters, and these charts are drawn for the standard 5mm size, so any 5mm bead works whatever the packet calls it.
How do I iron the design without flattening it?
Cover the finished design with the ironing paper, set the iron to medium with no steam, and move it in slow circles for ten to fifteen seconds while you watch the ring of each bead. Stop as soon as the beads have joined but still have a visible hole, then let it cool flat under a book so it does not curl, and repeat on the other side if you want both faces smooth.
Can I use these charts for cross stitch instead?
Yes, and plenty of people do. A bead grid and a counted cross stitch chart are the same object: one square is one bead or one stitch. The PDF chart gives you symbols and a colour key, so you can work it in thread on 14 count aida and it will come out at the finished size printed on the card.
What can I do with the finished pieces?
Anything you like, including selling the ones you made yourself. Coasters, keyrings, magnets and fair stalls are all fine, and no permission or payment is needed. Selling or re-uploading the CHART is the line, and the license page sets it out plainly.
Where are the character patterns?
There are none here and there will not be. A bead pattern of somebody else's character is a derivative work of their artwork, and this site publishes only designs it draws itself. If you want more designs in this style, the pixel art templates page has adventure and scenery subjects on the same grid.