~ PIXEL CRAFT TOOL ~
Free Perler Bead
Pattern Maker
Convert any image to a Perler bead pattern in seconds. Upload a photo, character artwork, or logo — MakeBead matches each pixel to real Perler Midi bead colors and generates a print-ready pattern with grid lines, color codes, and a complete materials list. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
Drop image or click to upload
JPEG, PNG, or WebP
29 × 29 beads · 1×1 board
Templates
Click a template to load it into the tool above
How It Works
Upload Your Image
Drag & drop or click to upload any JPEG, PNG, or WebP image.
Adjust Settings
Choose your board size and limit the number of bead colors for an easier build.
Export & Craft
Download as PNG or PDF with a materials list, grid lines, and color codes.
Features
Instant Image Conversion
Upload any JPEG, PNG, or WebP image and get a bead-ready pattern in under a second. Everything runs in your browser — no server uploads, no waiting.
102 Perler Midi Colors
Every pixel is matched to the closest color from the full Perler Midi palette using a weighted RGB distance algorithm for visually accurate results.
Adjustable Grid & Colors
Choose from 1-board (29×29), 2-board (58), or 3-board (87) sizes. Limit colors from 5 to 50 to simplify your build.
PDF Export with Materials List
Download a print-ready PDF with overview page, grid pages with bold lines every 5 cells, color codes, and a complete materials list.
PNG Export
Save your pattern as a high-resolution PNG with optional transparent background — perfect for sharing or further editing.
Free, No Sign-Up
No account needed, no hidden fees. Upload, design, and export as many patterns as you want — completely free.
What Are Perler Beads?
Perler beads (also known as fuse beads or Hama beads) are small, colorful plastic beads that you place on a pegboard to create pixel-art-style designs. Once your pattern is complete, you iron the beads with parchment paper to fuse them together into a solid, durable piece of art.
Perler beads come in over 100 colors in the Midi size (5mm), making them perfect for detailed patterns. They're popular with crafters of all ages — from kids making simple characters to adults creating large multi-board mosaics of game sprites, anime characters, and custom artwork.
A Perler bead pattern maker like MakeBead simplifies the design process. Instead of manually plotting each bead on graph paper, you upload an image and the tool automatically converts it to a color-matched grid pattern. This saves hours of planning and ensures accurate color matching to the actual bead palette.
More Pattern Tools
MakeBead works for more than just Perler beads. Try our other free pattern makers:
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Perler bead pattern maker work? ▾
Upload any image and our tool instantly pixelizes it to fit a Perler pegboard grid. Each pixel is matched to the closest Perler bead color using a weighted RGB algorithm, giving you an accurate, craft-ready pattern.
Is this tool really free? ▾
Yes — uploading, previewing, and exporting PNG or PDF patterns is completely free with no sign-up required. Exported files include a small watermark.
What image formats are supported? ▾
JPEG, PNG, and WebP. PNG images with transparency are supported — transparent areas are treated as empty cells (no bead).
How many bead colors are available? ▾
We include the full Perler Midi palette of 102 colors. You can limit the number of colors used (5–50) with the Max Colors slider to simplify your project.
What grid sizes can I use? ▾
Choose from 1 board (29×29), 2 boards (58), or 3 boards (87). The grid automatically adjusts to your image's aspect ratio.
Can I export the pattern as a PDF? ▾
Yes — the PDF includes an overview page with a thumbnail and materials list, grid pages with color codes and bold lines every 5 cells, and a color legend page.
Are the bead colors accurate? ▾
RGB values are sampled from physical Perler beads by the open-source community (beadcolors project, MIT license). They are approximate and may vary from actual beads.
Will you add more bead brands? ▾
Yes — Hama, Artkal, and other brands are planned for future updates. Stay tuned!
Can I make a Perler bead pattern from a photo? ▾
Absolutely. Upload any photo — a portrait, landscape, logo, or character artwork — and MakeBead converts it into a bead-by-bead pattern matched to real Perler Midi colors. The Max Colors slider helps you simplify complex photos.
What is a Perler bead pattern? ▾
A Perler bead pattern is a pixel grid blueprint that shows which colored beads to place on a pegboard. Once all beads are placed, you iron the board to fuse them into a solid piece of art. Patterns can range from small 29×29 designs to large multi-board projects.
How do I choose the right grid size? ▾
For small characters or icons, use 29×29 (1 board). For detailed artwork or photos, try 58 (2 boards) or 87 (3 boards). More cells means more detail but also more beads to place. Beginners should start with 1 board.
Does the materials list tell me how many beads I need? ▾
Yes. After generating a pattern, you get a full materials list (Bill of Materials) showing each Perler color name, color code, exact bead count, and percentage of the total. This makes shopping for supplies easy.