Perler bead pattern size guide
Updated October 31, 2026
Fuse bead patterns are planned in beads, but you buy pegboards and bags of beads and hang the finished piece on a wall. This guide converts between all three.
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Open the Perler bead makerBead sizes
Perler beads, Hama midi beads and Artkal S beads are all “midi” size, about 5 mm wide, and fit the same pegboards. Mini beads are about half that, roughly 2.5 mm, and need their own boards and tweezers.
How many beads and pegboards
A large square pegboard holds 29 × 29 beads. Larger designs join boards side by side, which is why pattern widths of 29, 58 and 87 beads waste no pegs.
| Pattern | Pegboards | Beads | Finished width (midi) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 × 29 | 1 | 841 | about 14.5 cm (5.7 in) |
| 58 × 58 | 4 | 3,364 | about 29 cm (11.4 in) |
| 87 × 87 | 9 | 7,569 | about 43.5 cm (17.1 in) |
Small patterns that fit one board
Keychains, magnets and coasters are usually 10 to 20 beads wide. Our free pattern library is made of designs this size, each with a printable chart and an exact bead count.
Buying beads
- Count beads per color from the pattern, then add about 5% for spills and mistakes.
- Bags usually hold 1,000 beads of one color. Large tubs of mixed colors rarely have enough of the one color a design uses most.
- Stick to one brand within a piece. Colors with the same name can look different between brands.
Ironing changes the size a little
Ironed beads melt into each other, so a finished piece ends up slightly smaller than the pegboard. Iron both sides evenly and leave the piece under a heavy book while it cools to keep it flat.
Make yours now
Make a fuse bead pattern from any picture. Choose your bead brand, see it laid out on 29 × 29 pegboards, and get exact bead counts for every color.
Open the Perler bead maker