StitchJam

Free Perler Bead Animal Patterns

Fifteen bead animals drawn for StitchJam, from a smiling pink axolotl and a green dinosaur to a panda face, a penguin, a whale and a unicorn with a pastel mane. Every one fits a single square pegboard and uses no more than seven colors.

  • Each fits one 29x29 board
  • 3 to 7 colors
  • True-size printable page

15 free patterns

Axolotl, perler bead pattern previewAxolotl29 × 24 beads · 4 Perler colorsA smiling pink axolotl with frilly gills.
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Bumblebee, perler bead pattern previewBumblebee25 × 22 beads · 4 Perler colorsA striped bee with pale blue wings.
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Bunny, perler bead pattern previewBunny22 × 29 beads · 4 Perler colorsA white bunny face with pink ears.
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Ginger cat face, perler bead pattern previewGinger cat face27 × 27 beads · 5 Perler colorsA ginger cat face with pink ears.
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Dinosaur, perler bead pattern previewDinosaur26 × 20 beads · 5 Perler colorsA green dinosaur with spikes and tiny arms.
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Fox face, perler bead pattern previewFox face26 × 23 beads · 4 Perler colorsAn orange fox face with white cheeks.
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Frog, perler bead pattern previewFrog27 × 22 beads · 5 Perler colorsA happy green frog with big eyes.
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Ladybug, perler bead pattern previewLadybug23 × 25 beads · 3 Perler colorsA red ladybug with black spots.
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Octopus, perler bead pattern previewOctopus25 × 27 beads · 4 Perler colorsA purple octopus with curly legs.
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Owl, perler bead pattern previewOwl25 × 29 beads · 7 Perler colorsA brown owl with big yellow eyes.
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Panda face, perler bead pattern previewPanda face27 × 24 beads · 3 Perler colorsA panda face with black eye patches.
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Penguin, perler bead pattern previewPenguin23 × 27 beads · 5 Perler colorsA round penguin with orange feet.
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Turtle, perler bead pattern previewTurtle29 × 15 beads · 4 Perler colorsA green turtle with a patterned shell.
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Unicorn, perler bead pattern previewUnicorn24 × 22 beads · 6 Perler colorsA white unicorn head with a gold horn and pastel mane.
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Whale, perler bead pattern previewWhale28 × 21 beads · 5 Perler colorsA smiling blue whale with a water spout.
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How to use these patterns

  1. Pick an animalThe cards list width and height in beads plus a color count. The ladybug and panda need three colors, the owl seven.
  2. Print unscaled or change itDownload the chart and print it unscaled so it matches the pegs, or load the animal in the editor to recolor it or pick another bead brand.
  3. Build and fusePlace beads to match the chart, iron as your bead brand recommends, and let the piece cool flat under something heavy.

Animals with big eyes and bold outlines

Bead animals work best when they are cute, round and simple, with large eyes and a strong outline. These fifteen are drawn that way. They range from the low, wide Turtle at 29 by 15 beads to the Bunny and Owl, which are a full 29 beads tall. The Ladybug and the Panda face use only three colors; the Owl, with its brown feathers and big yellow eyes, uses seven.

There are pond and sea animals, the Frog, Axolotl, Turtle, Octopus and Whale; garden visitors, the Bumblebee and Ladybug; faces of a Fox, a Ginger cat, a Panda and a Bunny; plus a Dinosaur, a Penguin, an Owl and a Unicorn. Every piece is one connected shape outlined in black, so it fuses into a single sturdy piece. All are original StitchJam designs, not copies of characters.

Bead sizes and finished size

With standard midi beads of about 5 mm, a design 29 beads wide is roughly 5.7 inches (14.5 cm) wide, which is coaster or magnet size. The Ladybug at 23 by 25 beads comes out around 11.5 by 12.5 cm. Mini beads are about 2.6 mm, so the same animal comes out at around half its midi size, a good scale for keychains and earrings, but they need a mini board and more patience.

Fused pieces can shrink slightly depending on how long they are ironed, so treat these sizes as close guides.

Changing colors and brands

Open any animal in the editor to change it. Make the frog blue, the dinosaur purple, the cat black and white like your own pet, or the axolotl gold. The bead counts in the key update with every change. You can also choose Hama, Artkal or Nabbi instead of Perler, and each shade is replaced by its nearest match in that range. Compare the shades side by side on the perler bead color chart, and remember that screen colors are approximate.

For an animal that is not here, try your own drawing or a simple photo in the perler bead pattern maker, which divides a picture into board-sized sections with a bead tally per color.

What to make with bead animals

Magnets are the classic: glue a small magnet to the back of a frog or a penguin. Glue a pin back to a fox face for a badge, or add a key ring to the bee or ladybug, removing one bead near the edge in the editor to leave a hole for a jump ring. A set of animal faces makes a fun row of coasters, and a few of the sea creatures strung together become a mobile or a wall garland for a kid's room.

Bead animals also make good party activities: print several patterns, put out bowls of beads, and let each guest build one to take home once an adult has ironed it.

Tips for building an animal

Place the black outline first, then the eyes, then fill the body, then any background. With the outline in place the shape is easy to follow and mistakes are easy to spot. One-bead details, such as eyes and the bee's stripes, are important, so check them against the chart before you iron.

Children should be supervised by an adult whenever an iron is used. Use ironing paper, keep a window open, and stick to the directions on your bead packet. Step-by-step help is in how to make perler bead patterns.

More free bead patterns

Beyond animals, the main free perler bead patterns page has food, space, nature and holiday designs, each sized for one board in the same way.

Questions

Can I sell the animals I fuse from these patterns?

Yes. A frog magnet or a fox keychain you fuse by hand from one of these charts is yours to sell, at a school bazaar or a craft table. Please leave the pattern files out of it: do not sell, repost or bundle the PDFs, which stay free to download here with a pegboard-scale page and a tally of every color. None of the fifteen copies a cartoon or game character.

What is the easiest perler bead animal to make?

The ladybug and the panda face use only three colors, and the bunny, bee, fox and octopus use four. Their shapes are simple and the large filled areas go quickly. Start with one of these, then try the owl or the unicorn for more detail.

Can you make 3D perler bead animals?

The animals here are flat, single-layer pieces. Some crafters build 3D figures by fusing several flat pieces and gluing or slotting them together. You can use these designs as the front of a standing figure by adding a simple stand cut from another fused piece.

How many beads does a perler animal need?

A full 29 by 29 board would hold 841 beads, but animals leave empty space around their shape, so these fifteen need between about 270 and 570 beads each, and the PDF key gives the exact figure for every color, plus a little spare for lost beads.

Can I make a perler bead animal from a photo of my pet?

Yes. Upload the photo to the perler bead pattern maker, crop close to the face, and set a width in beads. A simple drawn version of your pet often works better than a photo, because beads are large and a flat, bold image turns into the cleanest pattern.

What size pegboard do I need for these animals?

One large square pegboard of 29 by 29 pegs is enough for any animal on this page, since none is wider or taller than 29 beads. Each animal needs its own board. A clear board is the handiest kind, because the true-size page slides underneath it and every bead drops onto its printed square once the 50 mm bar checks out.

Every pattern here is an original StitchJam design or a public-domain source named on the pattern. Colors are DMC or bead brand numbers; on-screen colors are approximate. Free for personal use and gifts.