Tools and Accessories

Last week’s post was a beginner’s guide to perler beads. Here’s a list of some of the tools and accessories that can assist you in your creating!

Tweezers

These are an absolute MUST! There is nothing wrong with using your fingers to pick out the beads or place them on the pegboard, but doing so can get really annoying when your fingers are just too big. Let’s say you completed a project but didn’t like one of the colors you used. These plastic tweezers are especially great for removing those beads without damaging the rest of your project. They’re relatively inexpensive, too, at only about $3 for a package of 2. I can’t recommend these enough!!

Scoop Tweezers

A 2-in-1 special kind of tweezers with a scoop on the other end. I’ve personally never used these before, but I’m sure they’d come in handy for scooping and picking out beads from a large tub. Also about $3.

Ironing Paper

Just like the normal tweezers, this is an absolute MUST! You can’t iron your project without using ironing paper. It protects the beads from melting directly onto your iron, which would not only ruin your project but your iron as well. You can purchase official Perler ironing paper sheets like the ones below for about $4 or a roll for $7. Alternatively, parchment paper works as an excellent substitute. Do not use wax paper under any circumstances!!

Bead Pen

I own the bead pen and I have mixed feelings about it. It has a sliding mechanism at the top that allows you to store beads in there without losing them. The beads then slide down the tube and into the holding chamber. You press the button, the holding chamber slides forward and plop! Out comes the bead. This accessory is especially useful for projects that use a large amount of a particular color. In my experience, the holding chamber does tend to get stuck sometimes, and that gets annoying fast. If you’re willing to try it regardless, it’s only $5.

Bead Sweeper

This is another accessory that I’m not familiar with, but it appears to be a convenient idea. It’s like a mini vacuum for perler beads, and trust me when I say that those tiny little bits of plastic can get very messy very quickly. You simply roll the device over loose beads and they collect in the clear compartment. Then you open the compartment and voila — more beads to work with! The reviews I’ve seen for this product claim that it works best on flat surfaces, so sorry to all of you with carpet floors! Like the pen, this one is also priced at about $5.

Storage Containers

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Finally, storage containers are perhaps the MOST IMPORTANT accessory for your perler beads. After all, you have to have somewhere or something to put them in, right? Which kind you use is completely up to you. I personally keep all my beads in the stack-able storage trays. I find there is just enough space in the compartments for full 1000 bead bags and I can differentiate the colors much easier. Depending on how big of a storage container you choose, prices may range from $5-$20.