Perler bead Christmas ornaments
The same hole and ribbon work on Easter twigs and for Halloween
An ironed fuse-bead piece can hang on a Christmas tree, on Easter twigs or in a window for Halloween. Leave a hole at the top before you iron, let the piece cool, then thread cotton string, a narrow ribbon or a metal hook through the hole. A Santa, a painted egg and a bat are made the same way. Only the motif and the colors change.
Quick answer
Leave two pegs empty in a row at the top, with beads around them, and iron both sides so the rim of the hole fuses. When the plastic is cold, thread the string through. Keep the motif small, about ten to sixteen beads wide. A fully filled 30×30 board is too heavy for thin twigs on a tree or in Easter branches.
How to make the hole and thread the string
Bead the motif
Place beads only where the figure should be. Empty pegs around it do not come along when you lift the ironed piece off. Draw it yourself, start from a photo, or describe the motif. The designer board is 30×30, but the ornament should not fill the whole board.
Leave two pegs empty
At the top center, leave two pegs empty side by side, with beads on both sides and underneath, so the hole is framed. A single peg hole is narrow and tears easily. A small arch of beads above the motif is even stronger, if the figure can take the extra height.
Iron both sides
Iron with baking paper until the rim of the hole is smooth and closed, on both the front and the back. If only one side is melted, the beads around the hole pull apart when the string tugs. Cool the piece under a book so it stays flat. Temperature and timing are in the ironing guide.
Thread the string once it is cold
Cotton string, gift ribbon or a thin metal ornament hook all work. Tie a knot on the back, or a stopper knot so the string does not slip through. Do not iron the string into the plastic. Do not punch a hole afterwards with a hole punch. It cracks the fused sheet.
How do you hang perler beads on a Christmas tree?
Hang the ironed Santa, star, snowflake or small heart from cotton string through the hole at the top. A figure about ten to sixteen beads wide is light enough for an ordinary branch. Fully filled boards weigh the twig down. Keep the plastic away from candles and hot incandescent bulbs, because the beads soften with heat. LED lights are fine.
Motifs for the Christmas tree
Santa
Red hat, white beard and a small body. Leave the hole in the tip of the hat, not in the beard.
Red and white
Christmas tree
A green triangle with a short trunk. The hole fits inside the star on top.
Green and yellow
Snowflake
Symmetrical and open. Fewer beads means less weight at the top of the tree.
White or light blue
How do you hang fuse beads on Easter twigs?
Easter twigs are thin birch branches, so the egg, chick or bunny must be lighter than a tree ornament. Keep the figure within about eight to fourteen beads and use sewing thread or thin cotton string, not a wide ribbon. Hang it so the twig carries the weight close to the stem. Use the same hole as for the tree: two empty pegs, ironed on both sides.
Motifs for Easter twigs
Painted egg
An oval with stripes or dots. The hole sits at the top of the oval, as if the egg hung from a ribbon.
Pastel
Chick
Yellow body, orange beak and a black dot for an eye. Small enough that several fit in the twigs.
Yellow
Bunny
Two ears give a natural hanging point. Put the hole between the ears, not in one ear that can snap off.
White or brown
How do you make a hanging perler bead for Halloween?
A bat, pumpkin, ghost or cat is ironed with the same hole and string. Hang it in a window, on a branch or on a door. Black and orange read from a distance even when the motif is small. A white ghost needs a clear outline, or it disappears against a bright pane. The same weight rule applies: small motif, two empty pegs, both sides ironed.
Motifs for Halloween
Bat
Wide and flat, with the hole between the ears. Wings should be at least two beads thick so they do not snap.
Black
Pumpkin
An orange oval with a green stem. The hole sits in the stem, like a real pumpkin on a string.
Orange and green
Ghost
A white shape with two dark eyes. A black outline keeps it visible in the window in daylight.
White and black
Heat, weight and small children
An adult does the ironing. Loose beads are a choking hazard for small children, so read the safety guide before you craft together. Do not hang the plastic over an open flame. If the piece should sit on a wall in a frame instead of on a string, that is wall art, not an ornament. A smaller hole with a split ring becomes a keychain.
How big should the ornament be?
Midi beads are about 5 mm, so ten beads are about 5 cm. That is enough for a Santa on the tree and an egg in Easter twigs. A filled 30×30 board is 15×15 cm and belongs as wall art, not on a thin twig. Place the motif on part of the board and leave the rest empty.
Related guides
How to start with fuse beads
Start a fuse bead project with 5 mm midi beads, a pegboard, parchment paper and a dry iron. A first Perler or Hama piece takes about an hour.
Guide to Perler Bead Color Families
Compare basic, neon, translucent, glitter, and specialty bead types.
How to Iron Perler Beads Perfectly
Learn how to iron perler beads correctly. Complete guide with temperature, time, parchment paper vs ironing tape, and how to avoid warping. Step-by-step instructions.