How to Make Perler Bead Jewelry

Many jewelry projects require the use of jump rings, and this is true when you are making necklaces from your finished Perler and Hama fused bead designs.

Jump rings are very inexpensive jewelry findings that look like a circular piece of metal which is not joined up so you can pull the ends apart - they work in a similar manner to adjustable rings. Having an assortment of jump rings in a variety of sizes is a great idea - I wouldn't recommend a size smaller than 7mm for standard fused bead projects.

Simple projects like this little Strawberry Topped Cupcake Pattern make very good pieces for cute necklaces. Anything that can be designed on one of the smaller pegboards is going to be a good bet for a necklace size. If you're having to use a larger board then it may be too big!

1) Choose a hole at or near the top of your finished Perler or Hama item for the jump ring to go through.

2) You may need to use a wide, blunt needle such as a darning needle to enlarge the hole in the bead if it isn't big enough for the jump ring to go through. 

3) Open up the split ends of the jump ring with a pair of jewelry pliers. You may be able to do this with your fingers but you'll get a neater job with pliers. You can buy some which are designed to work better with jewelry making.

4) Insert the open jump ring through the hole in the Perler/Hama design.

5) Pop your necklace chain or cord into the open jump ring before closing the split ends up with the pliers. Now you have a cool piece of jewelry to wear or gift to someone else.

Open up a jump ring and pass it through the top hole of your completed design. You may need to carefully widen the hole with a wide needle before the ring will go through.

Pass the jump ring through the loop at the bottom of the earring. Make sure that your design will be facing the correct way when the back of the earring is put through the ear. You might need to twist the loop at the end of the earring to get the design where you want it.

Close up the ends of the jump ring. You can use a pair of jewelry pliers for this. And your design will be attached to the end of your earring. Repeat for the other earring.

Come visit my Earring Tutorial below for detailed steps.

Pin brooches can be made by purchasing some flat bar metal pin backs and hot fixing those with a glue gun or using a strong metal and plastic super glue to stick them to the back of your finished fused bead design.

Like most of these jewelry designs, these hand crafted pin brooches make really good and inexpensive gifts which are ideal for Christmas and other times of year. Why not make up a whole batch of these earlier in the year and have them ready for gift giving?

Here's my complete tutorial for making the Holiday Cupcake Perler Brooch Pin.

Using the same method of attachment as the necklace describer at the top of this page, you can make other, more adventurous, items such as a cute bag clip. Bag clips offer a fun way to decorate wristlets, purses, small bags, rucksacks and handbags with your own choice of design.

Learn How to Make Perler Bead Keychains Here

What you need is a lobster clasp. I use swivel lobster clasps because I happen to like them better. You can make your own bag clips from them or you can use them as a key chain clip by attaching your keys and your hand crafted Perler design. You can use a jump ring to attach the item, same as with necklaces and earrings.