FAQ

Fuse Bead FAQ

What are Fuse Beads?

Fuse beads are small, hollow, plastic beads that come in a variety of colors, brands, and sizes. Most of these beads are solid colored, but there are also specialty bead types such as glitter, glow in the dark, UV-reactive, and more!

How do I use Fuse Beads?

To make fuse bead art the traditional way, you will need:

  • Perler or Top Tier Fuse Beads

  • A pegboard

  • A pair of beading tweezers

  • Ironing Paper

  • Either a household iron or a heat press (such as a Cricut Easypress) 

Once you've gathered your supplies, simply grasp your beads using your special tweezers, and place them on the pegboard. You can make any design you'd like! Once you’ve created your design, place ironing paper over it and use your iron/heat press to melt the beads into one solid piece, moving slowly in circles and using a bit of pressure. Place a heavy object on top of your project while it cools, to prevent curling.

The beads melt best between 300-330 degrees Fahrenheit, and temperatures between irons vary, so this might take a little trial and error!
 

That sounds cool, but what can I make with Fuse Beads?

That’s the fun part! Fuse Beads have unlimited artistic potential. The traditional use is as described above – creating a pattern on a pegboard, ironing it, and then using the piece as decoration. However, lots of creative people also use Fuse Beads for creating 3d objects, wearable items such as earrings, necklaces, keychains, and bracelets. Others enjoy using their beadart as one part of a larger artistic piece – say, for example, adhering a bead creation to a painted canvas. Many people specifically use them to make ‘Kandi’ – wearable Fuse Bead creations meant to be worn at parties and raves.
 

Are there different sizes of Fuse Beads?

Great question! There are two main sizes of beads. Standard beads (AKA "Midi") are 5mm in diameter. They are the most commonly used size and must be used with their own Standard Pegboards and Standard Tweezers. Mini beads are 2.6mm in diameter and must be used with their own Mini Pegboards and Mini Tweezers. 

What is the difference between Perler and Top Tier Beads?

Perler and Top Tier Beads (formerly known as Artkal) are the highest quality fuse beads on the market. They can be mixed and ironed together. The only difference between them is their color selection. The colors for both brands are unique, so you can collect them all to expand your palette! 

How do I find or make a pattern?

Top Tier Beads has partnered with KandiPad, the premier pattern creation app for fuse bead and kandi art! You can use Kandipad to convert an image to a pattern, or freestyle it and create your own unique patterns! KandiPad's intuitive editing capabilities make it the best choice for fuse beaders of all skill levels to make Top Tier patterns! You can also download hundreds of patterns that other KandiPad users have created and shared.

 

Why should I use Fuse Beads?

First and foremost, beading can be an excellent form of self-care! Practicing self-care by creating art can increase your sense of mindfulness and allow you to relax and decompress. It can even help to lower your anxiety levels and fight off depression. Finding ways that we can practice self-care can be difficult, and that’s exactly why I love fuse beads! No matter how stressed I am, beading always calms me down and helps me to focus my mind. 

 

Is there a practical purpose for Fuse Beads? 

At this point you may be you’re thinking, “Sure, It sounds fun to make beadart, but what’s the point? Just to relax?” Not so! Beadart can serve a very practical purpose!

Stay with me here. Think of that person in your family who is impossible hard to shop for. They have everything already, so there’s no point in buying them random items off of Amazon. Guess what? Beadart can solve that problem! You can create them a one-of-a-kind piece of art specifically for them and their interests.

You might be saying “Ok - That’s cool, but I’m too busy hustlin' to sit down and make art!” Well, what if I told you that hundreds - if not thousands! – of people make money every day selling their unique creations to family, friends, at events and online! 

With all that in mind, Instead of asking me “Why should I use Fuse Beads?” you should ask “Why WOULDN’T I use Fuse Beads?!”