Fuse Bead Pattern Maker
Design fuse bead patterns in a real editor — draw from scratch or convert a photo. Five bead palettes with true colors, per-color bead counts, pegboard sizing, and a printable PDF pattern. Free, in your browser.
Everything you need to design fuse bead patterns
Most online tools convert an image once and hand you the result. This is an editor — you draw, fix, and refine your design bead by bead before anything gets printed.
A real editor
Brush, fill, line, and shape tools with unlimited undo. Draw a design from a blank board, or clean up a photo conversion cell by cell.
Five bead palettes, true colors
Perler (117 colors), Hama (92), Artkal S (210), Coco (291), and MARD (291). Your bead list uses the real codes and names of the palette you pick.
Sized in beads, not pixels
Dimensions in beads wide × beads tall — one bead per peg, so a 29-wide design is one standard pegboard and the finished size follows from the bead pitch.
Bead counts per color
The bead list shows exactly how many beads of each color you need, and the total — so you know what to buy before you start placing.
Printable PDF pattern
Export a PDF with your pattern, a color key, per-color bead counts, and step-by-step fusing instructions on the same pages you print.
Free, in your browser
No download, no signup. Open the editor and start placing beads — it runs entirely in your browser.
Progress Tracker
Press F and the chart becomes a checklist: mark beads as you work, highlight one color, and see how many evenings are left. Free, on any device, and it syncs across devices.
How to make a fuse bead pattern
Set your size
Choose "Fuse Beads" as the craft type and set dimensions in beads wide × beads tall. One standard pegboard is 29×29 pegs — bigger designs span multiple interlocking boards.
Pick a palette
Work in the Perler, Hama, Artkal S, Coco, or MARD palette. Colors on screen are the true bead colors, so the pattern you see is the design you'll build.
Design your pattern
Place colors with brush, fill, line, and shape tools. Each cell is one bead on the pegboard. The bead list updates with per-color counts as you draw.
Print and fuse
Export the PDF — pattern, color key, bead counts, and fusing instructions. Place your beads, cover the design with ironing paper, and iron on medium heat.
How Stitchmate compares
Most bead pattern tools are single-purpose converters: upload an image, get a grid, done. If the result has stray colors or a mangled outline, you start over. An editor lets you fix it.
| Feature | Stitchmate | Typical online converters |
|---|---|---|
| Draw a pattern from scratch | Yes | No — convert only |
| Edit after converting | Yes — full editor | No |
| Bead palettes | Five — Perler, Hama, Artkal S, Coco, MARD | Usually one |
| Sizing in beads, not pixels | Yes | Rarely |
| Per-color bead counts | Yes | Sometimes |
| Printable PDF pattern | Yes — with color key | Often image-only |
| Fusing instructions in the PDF | Yes | No |
| Free, no signup | Yes | Varies |
Looking for fuse bead templates?
Downloadable templates are fixed images — you can't resize them, swap a color, or fit them to your boards. In the editor, every pattern is its own template: start from a blank 29×29 board and draw exactly what you want, at exactly the size you want, in the palette you actually own. Want to recreate a sprite or a design you've seen? Draw it yourself on the grid — you'll get a pattern sized in beads, a bead list with per-color counts, and a printable PDF, instead of a picture you have to squint at.
Open the editor and start with a blank board, or convert a photo or pixel art and use the result as your starting point.
Free fuse bead tools and guides
Planning a project? The pegboard calculator works out how many 29×29 boards and how many beads a design needs. Matching colors or reading a bead list? There is a chart per palette — Perler (117 colors), Hama (92), and Artkal S (210) — and the bead brand conversion chart matches a color across all three when the pattern is written in a brand you do not own. Not sure which bead size or board to buy? The bead sizes and pegboards guide compares Mini, Midi, and Maxi and explains the 29×29 board. Pattern done? The ironing guide walks through fusing step by step — ironing paper, heat, timing, flipping. And if you're new to the craft, start with what are fuse beads — also known as melty beads or iron beads — for sizes, brands, and the basic workflow.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a fuse bead pattern?
Choose 'Fuse Beads' when creating a new pattern, set your size in beads wide × beads tall, then place colors with the brush, fill, line, and shape tools. When you're done, export a printable PDF with a color key, per-color bead counts, and fusing instructions.
Does it work with Perler, Hama, and Artkal beads?
Yes. Five palettes are built in — Perler (117 colors), Hama (92), Artkal S (210), Coco (291), and MARD (291) — each with true bead colors. Your pattern's bead list uses the codes and names of whichever palette you pick.
How do I know how many pegboards I need?
Pattern dimensions are in beads wide × beads tall — one bead per peg — so the board math is a division: a standard square pegboard is 29×29 pegs, and larger designs span several interlocking boards. The <a href='/tools/fuse-bead-pegboard-calculator'>pegboard calculator</a> does it for any pattern size and board.
What does the PDF export include?
The printable PDF includes your pattern, a color key, exact per-color bead counts (X beads of each color, plus the total), and step-by-step fusing instructions — pegboard, ironing paper, iron on medium heat.
Is this fuse bead pattern maker free?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser with no signup and no download. Create, edit, and export patterns for free. Paid tiers unlock watermark-free PDF exports.
Can I convert a photo or pixel art instead of drawing?
Yes. Upload any photo and the converter matches it to your chosen bead palette, or import existing pixel art at exactly 1 pixel = 1 bead. Either way you land in the editor and can keep refining before you print.
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Ready to make your first fuse bead pattern?
No download, no account required. Start placing beads in seconds.