DIY Perler Bead Hair Clips

When I was little, I used to love making little coasters for my parents and Grandmother out of Perler beads.  When I first opened my Etsy shop, I actually used to sell Nintendo coasters made from Perlers, too.   Those little plastic beads are just so fun and easy to make tons of stuff with!

I make them a little bit differently than most folks.  You use an iron to melt the pieces together, and some directions tell you to iron them until one side is totally melted together and then leave the other side untouched.  I like to melt each side just a little bit, so both sides are sturdy and the lines are little bit cleaner.

Check out how to use that method to make some super easy hair clips! 

SUPPLIES

• Blank hair clips
• Perler Beads (Starter kits have beads, small trays and parchment paper. I used these larger trays for this project.)
• E-6000 glue
• Tweezers are optional, but totally recommended. I prefer larger ones than I used, actually.

DIRECTIONS

1. Gather your supplies.
2. Start playing around with your designs, or use the provided designs below.  Use your clips for reference to make sure the designs are big enough to completely cover the clip.
3. Cover the beads with parchment paper and gently iron.  I only iron enough to melt the edges together.  (Please put your tray on an ironing board to ensure no furniture is damaged!) 
4. Flip the beads over and iron the other side just like the first side. This is an example of what it will look like through the paper for reference.
5. See how cute?!  The circles are pretty uniform and the colors look clean.
6. While they're still a little warm, shape them to the clip and glue on with the E-6000.  (Always follow the glue's directions for proper ventilation and drying instructions.)

Here are the patterns I used, plus a couple more to play with if you want!

*These patterns are for personal use only and may not be sold or changed in any way.  Thanks!