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Get creative with these bold, bright and fun craft ideas Penguin Fuse Beads
We're always in search of new hama bead ideas, as there’s no sign of this craft craze fading! Popular with children and adults alike as they’re so easy to use, hama beads are also known as perler beads, melty beads, fused beads and iron beads. Whatever you call them, one thing is guaranteed: they’re a super fun craft activity and great to do with children over the school holidays. The traditional way to use hama beads is to place them on a hama pegboard and create pretty pictures, before tipping them off to reuse and start again. You can also thread hama beads to make jewellery like bracelets and necklaces which make great gifts. A creative way of making art with hama beads it to make a landscapes using beads on a board as an alternative to painting. If you’d like to keep your design, the hama beads can be ironed together using ironing paper (that comes inside kits) so the complete design can be removed from the pegboard and kept.
You can buy hama bead kits from stores like Argos and online at Amazon, or directly at hamabeads.com, where perler bead patterns and ideas are provided, or you can simply buy a pack of beads and go free-form with your hama bead design. Using hama beads in household items and even your wardrobe has become a popular way to get creative which means there’s a host of hama bead ideas that all the family can get involved with.
If you're doing hama bead designs with children, make sure to keep small hands far away from the iron. To make designs that last, it's best to leave the ironed beads to cool overnight before they're played with.
Looking for bead ideas? We’ve picked some of our favourites below. Here's 19 cool ideas for hama beads...
Do you love crafting? Share your creations with us by tagging @primamag in your pictures on Instagram!
What a way to jazz up a plain old glass candle votive. This hama bead idea certainly gives this candle some chutzpah, and would look gorgeous in a teen's bedroom (or yours!).
Wow! This is such a simple yet stylish idea and one that’s great for activities with the kids. Let them make the hama flowers while you create the stalks.
Turn a boring old tin can into a fabulous pen holder with this creative hama bead idea. How? You can follow a classic cross stitch pattern and glue the beads directly onto the can. Et voila! You've got yourself a small but punchy upcycled showpiece.
How cute is this colour-burst rainbow key chain for a kid's backpack, lunchbox or sports bag? Not only does it look great, it's ultra-easy to make, too. Makes every day bright and fun.
If there's one thing we know for sure it's this: kids absolutely love making hama bead bracelets. It's a super-fun craft they can do with friends, making matching ones for their bestie or stacks for themselves. It's a no-brainer.
For an adorable look that your mini me can actually wear (exciting!), these hama bead buttons are perfect. Get the little ones involved - they can all make different colours – for a fun crafting session that's also practical later on.
What genius came up with an idea that would keep the kids busy crafting AND then busy playing? Inspired. These fun and colourful spinning tops are sure to give endless hours of joy for kids of all ages.
We adore these bold, bright and fun mini bookmarks made from hama beads and paper clips. A gorgeous way for the kids to keep their place in the latest David Walliams blockbuster. You can get really creative here, too.
Tic Tac Toe just a got a whole lot more fun. This is a brilliant way to occupy the kids over the school holidays as they can have fun making this classic game before playing it.
These hama bead chevron necklaces are pretty perfect. Not only are they a great weekend project for the kids, they're also something they can wear time and time again – and the colour choices are endless.
How could any parent say no to a hama bead idea that's going to keep the kids busy and protect your furniture? These snazzy hama bead coasters will make a bright addition to the kitchen table while preventing those sticky cup rings. Perfect.
Ideal for keeping small trinkets safe, coins or keys in, these beautiful bowls can be made in different colours. The technique is so effective it looks like they’ve been crocheted!
Can you spot the difference between these fun flowering cacti made with perler beads and the real thing? It’s hard to tell when you display them in plant pots with soil.
These thoughtful birthday cards are so much cuter than anything you can buy from the shop, and are also a fab way to fill an afternoon. What's not to love?
The letters can move over! These fun fruity magnets will brighten up your fridge in an instant, use them to hang reminders and shopping lists or to leave notes for your family.
Nothing says summer more than a strawberry making these the ultimate seasonal accessory. Don’t stop at earrings, you could make larger strawberries for coasters and make matching brooches.
Once you’ve mastered how to make letters with hama beads you can make signs and personalised gifts. A single-letter keyring is an easy project to start with.
These are really satisfying to do. Encourage your children to make their own unique frame using hama beads and then get them to create a piece of artwork to put inside. It will make a treasured gift for a grandparent.
These will look adorable hanging on your Christmas tree. They also act as miniature frames that you could fill with photos of family members or images cut out of old Christmas cards.
Keep the kids busy with Christmas craft ideas
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