Perler bead pattern maker
Turn any picture into a Perler bead pattern: the tool snaps every cell to a real Perler 5 mm color, counts the beads you need of each and shows how many 29 × 29 pegboards the design spans. Everything runs in your browser.
Updated
or drop or paste an image here. It stays on your device.
Your photo starts at 29 beads wide (the sample below is 29 × 29); height follows the photo. Up to 150 wide free.
2 to 30 colors free; up to 80 with Pro.
Sample chart: a strawberry, 29 × 29 beads (5.7 × 5.7 in on 5 mm pegboard (29 × 29 pegs)) in 11 Perler colors. Its background is left unstitched (537 cells of bare pegboard), so the key counts only the motif. Choose a photo to chart your own at 29 beads wide.
- Grid
- 29 × 29
- Finished size
- 5.7 × 5.7 in (14.5 × 14.5 cm)
- Colors
- 11 Perler
- Beads
- 304 · 1 pegboard
| Symbol | Swatch | Perler | Name | Beads | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X | 80-19005 | Red | 142 | 46.7 % | |
| O | 80-19059 | Hot Coral | 47 | 15.5 % | |
| + | 80-15961 | Cherry | 41 | 13.5 % | |
| # | 80-15212 | Spice | 24 | 7.9 % | |
| @ | 80-15220 | Olive | 14 | 4.6 % | |
| % | 80-19010 | Dark Green | 14 | 4.6 % | |
| & | 80-15254 | Sage | 9 | 3.0 % | |
| = | 80-19033 | Peach | 7 | 2.3 % | |
| S | 80-15204 | Salmon | 2 | 0.7 % | |
| T | 80-15250 | Gingerbread | 2 | 0.7 % | |
| V | 80-19021 | Light Brown | 2 | 0.7 % |
Bead counts are exact: one bead per cell. Share is each color's part of all beads; buy a little extra of each color for losses. The design spans 1 × 1 pegboard of 29 × 29 pegs. Thread and bead colors on screen are approximations of the real material.
Free PDF up to 60 × 60 beads (vector chart with real text symbols, color key and estimates). PNG has no size limit.
Pro, $14 once: PDF at any size with a page map, 31 to 80 colors, symbol-only or color charts, a shopping-list CSV and saved projects.
What this Perler bead pattern maker makes
A Perler pattern is a grid where each cell is one bead on a pegboard. Pixel art, game sprites and simple logos translate best, because every bead is a flat block of color. Photos work too at 40 to 60 beads wide, with a limited palette.
The preset starts at 29 beads wide, the width of one large square Perler pegboard, and matches colors against the Perler palette by CIEDE2000, so the key names a color you can actually buy instead of an arbitrary RGB value.
The Perler bead preset
| Grid material | 5 mm pegboard (29 × 29 pegs) |
|---|---|
| Size of one bead | 5 mm square |
| Beads per inch | 5.08 |
| Beads in 10 × 10 cm | 400 |
| Color palette | 103 Perler colors; Perler fuse beads (5 mm midi) |
| Suggested width | 29 beads = 14.5 cm (5.7 in) |
| Suggested color limit | 12 colors (free tool: up to 30) |
| Shopping list in the key | bead count per Perler color |
How big a Perler bead pattern comes out
Finished width = beads × 5 mm. The table uses the nominal grid (5 mm pegboard (29 × 29 pegs)); real pieces vary slightly with the material.
| Width (beads) | Width (cm) | Width (in) | Square design: beads | Pegboards (29 × 29) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Perler beads | 14.5 | 5.7 | 841 | 1 (1 × 1) |
| 58 Perler beads | 29.0 | 11.4 | 3,364 | 4 (2 × 2) |
| 87 Perler beads | 43.5 | 17.1 | 7,569 | 9 (3 × 3) |
| 116 Perler beads | 58.0 | 22.8 | 13,456 | 16 (4 × 4) |
Perler pegboard layouts
One 5 mm pegboard (29 × 29 pegs) holds 841 beads and covers 14.5 cm (5.7 in) per side before ironing. Linked boards give these sizes:
| Layout | Beads (w × h) | Size | Beads to fill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 × 1 Perler boards | 29 × 29 | 14.5 × 14.5 cm | 841 |
| 2 × 1 Perler boards | 58 × 29 | 29.0 × 14.5 cm | 1,682 |
| 2 × 2 Perler boards | 58 × 58 | 29.0 × 29.0 cm | 3,364 |
| 3 × 2 Perler boards | 87 × 58 | 43.5 × 29.0 cm | 5,046 |
| 3 × 3 Perler boards | 87 × 87 | 43.5 × 43.5 cm | 7,569 |
How to read a Perler bead pattern
Read the pattern one row at a time from the top. Each square is one bead; the symbol and the swatch in the key tell you which Perler color goes on that peg.
For designs wider than one board, the 10-bead grid lines help you find where one pegboard ends and the next starts. Link the boards with the side clips before you start so rows stay straight across the seam.
Materials for Perler bead patterns
- Perler 5 mm fuse beads in the colors and quantities from the key.
- Large square pegboards (29 × 29 pegs); several boards can be linked for bigger designs.
- Ironing paper (the paper Perler supplies, or baking parchment) and a household iron without steam.
- Bead tweezers and a sorting tray; a heavy book to cool the piece flat.
Make a Perler bead pattern from a photo
-
Choose a simple image
Bold shapes and solid colors make the cleanest bead art. Crop tightly so the subject fills the grid.
-
Set the width in beads
Use 29 for one board, 58 for two side by side. The finished size and board count update as you type.
-
Keep the palette small
Start around 12 colors. Each extra color means another bag to buy and another tub to sort.
-
Place the beads
Follow the pattern row by row. Fill outlines first, then the large areas, checking the counts in the key.
-
Iron and cool
Cover with ironing paper, iron in slow circles on medium heat until the beads fuse, flip if you want both sides fused, then cool under a book to stop warping.
Tips for Perler bead patterns
- Iron for longer at lower heat rather than briefly at high heat; uneven heat warps big pieces and closes the bead holes on one side.
- Black outlines make pixel art read from across a room. If the photo has no outline, add one by hand in the preview before you print.
- Bead colors are screen approximations. Check pale colors (white, creme, light grey) against real beads, because they look much closer on a pegboard than on screen.
- Count a little over the key for each color: a few beads always bounce off the board.
Perler color pages
Each page lists the color's hex value and its nearest equivalents in other brands by CIEDE2000.
Perler colors, one per family
Color references
Frequently asked questions
Can you turn a photo into a Perler bead pattern?
Yes. Upload the photo, choose the width in beads and the number of colors, and the tool converts it to real Perler colors with a bead count per color. It works best on images with clear shapes; busy photos need 40+ beads of width.
How many Perler beads fit on a large pegboard?
A large square Perler pegboard has 29 × 29 pegs, which is 841 beads. The tool shows the total beads and the number of boards for the width you choose.
How many colors does a Perler bead pattern need?
Sprites and logos often need 4 to 10 colors. Photos look better with 12 to 20. The free tool supports up to 30 colors and shows the count of beads for each.
How big is an 87-bead Perler bead pattern?
87 beads at 5 mm each come out 43.5 cm (17.1 in) wide. A square design that size has 87 rows and 7,569 beads, spread over 9 pegboards of 29 × 29.
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