We’re always in search of new hama bead ideas, as there’s no sign of this craft craze fading! Popular with children and adults alike as they’re so easy to use, hama beads are also known as perler beads, melty beads, fused beads and iron beads. Whatever you call them, one thing is guaranteed: they’re a super fun craft activity and great to do with children over the school holidays.
The traditional way to use hama beads is to place them on a hama pegboard and create pretty pictures, before tipping them off to reuse and start again. You can also thread hama beads to make jewellery like bracelets and necklaces which make great gifts. A creative way of making art with hama beads it to make a landscapes using beads on a board as an alternative to painting. If you’d like to keep your design, the hama beads can be ironed together using ironing paper (that comes inside kits) so the complete design can be removed from the pegboard and kept.
You can buy hama bead kits from stores like Argos and online at Amazon, or directly at hamabeads.com, where perler bead patterns and ideas are provided, or you can simply buy a pack of beads and go free-form with your hama bead design. Using hama beads in household items and even your wardrobe has become a popular way to get creative which means there’s a host of hama bead ideas that all the family can get involved with.
If you’re doing hama bead designs with children, make sure to keep small hands far away from the iron. To make designs that last, it’s best to leave the ironed beads to cool overnight before they’re played with.
Looking for bead ideas? We’ve picked some of our favourites below. Here’s 19 cool ideas for hama beads…
Do you love crafting? Share your creations with us by tagging @primamag in your pictures on Instagram!