How to use the Perler bead pattern maker
1. Choose a photo or picture
Load a phone photo, a drawing or a logo (JPG, PNG or HEIC), then crop to the part you want as a pattern.
2. Pick the size and number of colors
Choose the width in beads (16 to 120) and how many colors to use (2 to 60). Picking the image type (photo, illustration, logo or pixel art) applies settings that suit it.
3. Save or print the pattern
You get a color-coded pattern and a bead count for each color. Save it as an image (PNG), a printable PDF (A4, one page per pegboard) or a materials list (CSV).
What it can do
AI portrait and chibi styles
Turn a photo of a person or pet into an illustration with AI first, and the face and fur come out clearer (a daily limit applies).
Remove backgrounds and shadows
Remove a plain background, drop floor or table shadows and merge stray single beads, so the pattern is easy to make.
Smooth gradients
Dithering shows the light and shade of a photo with fewer colors. Brightness, contrast and saturation can be adjusted too.
Border and outline
Add a one-bead border around the design, or darken the outermost beads as an outline, for a crisp shape.
Edit bead by bead
Pen, eraser, eyedropper, replace-all for one color, and undo/redo.
MARD-compatible color codes (220 standard, 291 in all)
Codes follow MARD, the most common 2.6 mm bead brand. The closest Perler and Hama colors (5 mm), with bead counts, appear under the materials list.
Order the materials
Put all the pattern’s colors in your cart as single-color packs (about 1,000 beads each), pick only the colors you are missing, or order a finished piece.
Your photo stays on your device
Patterns are made in your browser. A photo is only sent to our server when you use the AI illustration or order a finished piece.
What are Perler (fuse) beads?
Perler beads, also called fuse beads or Hama beads, are small plastic beads you arrange on a pegboard and fuse together with the heat of an iron. The common sizes are 5 mm (standard) and 2.6 mm (mini); minis suit detailed drawings and photo patterns.
Each square of a pattern is one bead. Place the beads by color code, cover them with ironing paper and iron on medium heat. Finished pieces become keychains, magnets, coasters and framed art.
Width in beads and finished size
| Width (beads) | 2.6 mm beads | 5 mm beads |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | 4.2 cm | 8 cm |
| 29 | 7.5 cm | 14.5 cm |
| 52 | 13.5 cm | 26 cm |
| 80 | 20.8 cm | 40 cm |
| 120 | 31.2 cm | 60 cm |
29 beads is the size of one 2.6 mm pegboard. Larger patterns are made on joined pegboards.
More patterns and tools
FAQ
Is it free?
Making patterns and saving them as PNG, PDF or CSV is free, with no sign-up. You only pay when you order a kit, beads or a finished piece.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. Patterns are made in your browser, so the photo is not sent to our server. It is only sent when you use the AI illustration or order a finished piece.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes, in the browser on phones, tablets and computers. There is no app to install.
How big can a pattern be?
From 16 to 120 beads wide. With 2.6 mm beads, 52 beads is about 13.5 cm and 120 beads about 31 cm. The printable PDF is split into one page per 29×29 pegboard.
Which brand are the color codes?
They match MARD 2.6 mm beads (220 standard colors, 291 in all). For Perler or Hama beads, the closest colors and counts appear under the materials list.
Can I use 5 mm Perler beads?
Yes. The bead count stays the same and the piece comes out about twice as big: 52 beads is about 26 cm with 5 mm beads.
How many colors should I use?
You can choose 2 to 60. Fewer colors are easier to make; 8 to 16 is a good start. For a photo-like result, use 24 or more.
Can it remove the background?
A plain background can be removed with “Remove background”, and there is a setting that drops floor or table shadows in photos.
How do I get a good pattern from a pet or portrait photo?
Pick a bright photo with the face large in the frame and crop around the face. Turning it into an illustration with AI first makes fur and expressions clearer.
Can I edit the pattern by hand?
Yes: pen, eraser, eyedropper, replace-all for one color, and undo/redo, also in a large full-screen editor.
Can I turn a logo or text into a pattern?
Choose “Logo / text” as the image type for crisp color edges. For just a name, the name and letter pattern maker is easier.
How do I get the beads I need?
“Add the beads to cart” puts every color of the pattern in your cart as single-color packs (about 1,000 beads each; more packs for colors that need them). 20 packs are ¥2,280. You can also buy only the colors you are missing.