Make fuse bead magnets
A flat back, a small figure and a magnet glued on once it is cold
A fuse bead fridge magnet needs no hole and no string. Iron a small motif, make the back flat, and attach a magnet once the plastic is completely cold. A heart, a letter, a mini Santa or a bat sits well on a door. The same figure with a hole becomes a keychain or a Christmas ornament instead.
Quick answer
Iron the motif on both sides so the back is smooth, and cool it under a book. Then attach a self-adhesive magnet or a small magnet with glue that holds on plastic. Keep the figure within about eight to sixteen beads. A large, heavy piece slides down the door. Do not put the magnet on during ironing.
How to attach the magnet
Iron the back flat
The magnet needs an even surface. Iron the back a little longer than the front, with baking paper, until the peg holes have closed. Leave the piece under a book until it is cold, so it does not warp. The heat details are in the ironing guide.
Glue once it is cold
Self-adhesive magnet tape or a round magnet with glue made for plastic works. Put it in the center of the back. Wait until the glue has cured before you hang it up. Warm plastic lets go of both glue and tape.
Keep it light
One magnet can hold a small figure, not a filled board. Keep the motif within about eight to sixteen beads, or put two magnets on a slightly larger piece. If it slides down, the figure is too heavy, not the fridge too slippery.
Where can you put a fuse bead magnet?
On the fridge, a magnetic board or another steel door. Not in the oven, the dishwasher or on a radiator. Heat softens both the beads and the glue. It is a decoration, not a coaster: a hot mug melts the surface. For the tree and Easter twigs you need a hole and a string, not a magnet.
Which motifs work as a magnet?
Anything small with a reasonably flat back. A letter for a name on the door, a heart, a star, a mini Santa in December, an egg at Easter or a bat at Halloween. Avoid long thin parts, such as a single vine, because they bend when you pull the magnet off. Midi beads of about 5 mm make a figure of a few centimeters, a good size for a door.
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.
Hang fuse beads on a Christmas tree
Iron a Santa, a painted egg or a bat, leave a hole and thread a ribbon. How to hang fuse beads on a Christmas tree, Easter twigs or for Halloween.
Guide to Perler Bead Color Families
Compare basic, neon, translucent, glitter, and specialty bead types.