How to Make Perler Bead Flip Flops Summer Pattern
Step into summer already by making these very cute Perler bead flip flops. A girl can simply never have too many shoes, especially in the summer when you get to show your painted toenails off with sandals and open-toe footwear.
These fun beaded designs are just a little bit smaller than my palm and make really ideal embellishments for cards and papercrafts. They're crafted from tough plastic so they can also be used for DIY keychains and bag clips too.
You can turn these mini beaded flip flops into bag charms, novelty necklaces, keychains and keyrings, cake and cupcake toppers, party favors, hanging decorations as well as handmade card and scrapbook embellishments. They look great for loads of cool summer projects.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links for which I can be compensated.
What You Will Need for This Project:
Perler beads, Hama beads (UK) or other brand of fused beads
A small heart shaped pegboard
Thin twine or hemp cord at approx 1mm thick
Tweezers to pick up the beads (optional)
Strong liquid glue (optional)
You will need a good mix of Perler beads. Handily there is a bucket of Perler beads which is full of cute bright colors as well as the heart-shaped pegboard that you need for this design.
Having a set of beads where all the shades already work well together takes some of the guesswork out of combining colors if that is something you're not confident with in crafting.
If you don't get a kit with it in already, you will also need a small heart pegboard and some thin 1-2mm twine or hemp.
I used the fused beads to make curved straps for the flip flops but you could use some glass beads or even some ribbon to make your finished pair very different. Come and see how they're made.
Turn your heart shaped pegboard over on to one side as shown so the right straight edge is horizontal.
Work the outline pattern as shown with the bright orange beads.
Fill in the outline beads with a different color on the inside.
I have used colors that can be seen here against the board background color. I actually prefer a white outline with a summery color in the middle. That's because a lot of traditional flip flops are white on the sides.
An adult should iron the fused beads pattern on both sides with the special ironing paper and according to the manufacturer's instructions. This fuses and melts the beads so they stay together.
Repeat the process of step 1 and 2 to make another flip flop base. If you have more than one heart pegboard, this process is easier because you can make a pair at the same time.
Next you need to enlarge the holes in your ironed designs. I've indicated the locations on the photo for this step.
You can use a paperclip or a pair of pointed tweezers to push through these 3 holes to make them big enough to accommodate the twine or thin cord.
Cut off two similar sized lengths of thin twine. Make the lengths of the twine cord about 2 or 3 times the size of your Perler bead design. Push these two pieces of twine through the top hole.
I normally push one length of twine through with no problems and then use curved ended tweezers to help push the other piece through.
The twine cords only need to go through far enough so you can knot them together at the back.
Turn each Perler bead flip flop design to the back and knot the ends of the twine together tightly. To stop the knots from coming apart, you can add a dab of liquid glue on the knot.
A hot glue gun is perfect for this because the glue hardens and dries quite fast. You must make sure that an adult operates it.
Turn back to the front of your Flip Flop design which should have two lengths of twine or cord coming out near the top.
Choose some fun colored beads and string these onto the left piece of twine.
I used 6 Perler beads for this including some fun glitter Perler beads. You could use different types of beads if you like.
Push the end of the cord through the left hole you enlarged earlier to make a beaded strap. Repeat this on the right side.
When you've completed your beaded strap for your flip flops, you will need to knot off the twine at the back of the design.
To hold the knots in permanently, add a dab of glue as I mentioned back in step 5.
Turn over to reveal your very cool summer Flip Flop embellishments. Make as many as you need to adorn your crafts with. Why not try summer shades of yellow, orange, blue and hot pink. This was a lot of fun to make.
➡️ Now See How to Turn These into Perler Bead Party Favors
This is a fun summer crafting project and the completed flip flops are the right size for use as your own 3D embellishments for handmade greeting cards, scrapbook projects, decorations, party favors and more.
The Perler bead flip flops are perfect to turn into key chains and they would make cute cupcake toppers too. I'd love to know how you use them.
For this project, I made use of some pretty glitter Perler beads on the flip flop straps. When you use the glittered beads in your normal projects, you don't really notice the actual flecks of glitter once ironed and fused together - unless they are placed right on the edge of your pattern.
But on the straps of this design, the glitter beads can be seen to great effect and look really pretty. You could also try metallic shades of gold or silver.
Once you get addicted to this craft (like me) you can never have too many beads. I like to use a wide variety of different colors and styles of these beads from plain colors, Perler glitter beads, metallic, glow in the dark, pearls and more.
That way I can pretty much guarantee I've got exactly the right shades and types whenever I get inspiration to make something new.
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These fun beaded designs are just a little bit smaller than my palm and make really ideal embellishments for cards and papercrafts. They're crafted from tough plastic so they can also be used for DIY keychains and bag clips too.
You can turn these mini beaded flip flops into bag charms, novelty necklaces, keychains and keyrings, cake and cupcake toppers, party favors, hanging decorations as well as handmade card and scrapbook embellishments. They look great for loads of cool summer projects.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links for which I can be compensated.
How to Make Perler Bead Flip Flops for a Great Summer Craft Embellishment
What You Will Need for This Project:
Perler beads, Hama beads (UK) or other brand of fused beads
A small heart shaped pegboard
Thin twine or hemp cord at approx 1mm thick
Tweezers to pick up the beads (optional)
Strong liquid glue (optional)
You will need a good mix of Perler beads. Handily there is a bucket of Perler beads which is full of cute bright colors as well as the heart-shaped pegboard that you need for this design.
Having a set of beads where all the shades already work well together takes some of the guesswork out of combining colors if that is something you're not confident with in crafting.
If you don't get a kit with it in already, you will also need a small heart pegboard and some thin 1-2mm twine or hemp.
I used the fused beads to make curved straps for the flip flops but you could use some glass beads or even some ribbon to make your finished pair very different. Come and see how they're made.
Tutorial on How to Make These Fused Bead Flip Flop Embellishments
Step 1: Making the Flip Flop Outline on a Heart Shaped Pegboard
Turn your heart shaped pegboard over on to one side as shown so the right straight edge is horizontal.
Work the outline pattern as shown with the bright orange beads.
Step 2: Filling in the Inside of the Pattern With Beads
Fill in the outline beads with a different color on the inside.
I have used colors that can be seen here against the board background color. I actually prefer a white outline with a summery color in the middle. That's because a lot of traditional flip flops are white on the sides.
Step 3: Complete the Base and Enlarge the Circled Holes
An adult should iron the fused beads pattern on both sides with the special ironing paper and according to the manufacturer's instructions. This fuses and melts the beads so they stay together.
Repeat the process of step 1 and 2 to make another flip flop base. If you have more than one heart pegboard, this process is easier because you can make a pair at the same time.
Next you need to enlarge the holes in your ironed designs. I've indicated the locations on the photo for this step.
You can use a paperclip or a pair of pointed tweezers to push through these 3 holes to make them big enough to accommodate the twine or thin cord.
Step 4: Threading Twine through the Plastic Flip Flop Base
Cut off two similar sized lengths of thin twine. Make the lengths of the twine cord about 2 or 3 times the size of your Perler bead design. Push these two pieces of twine through the top hole.
I normally push one length of twine through with no problems and then use curved ended tweezers to help push the other piece through.
The twine cords only need to go through far enough so you can knot them together at the back.
Step 5: Tying the Twine Cord at the Back of Each Flip Flop
Turn each Perler bead flip flop design to the back and knot the ends of the twine together tightly. To stop the knots from coming apart, you can add a dab of liquid glue on the knot.
A hot glue gun is perfect for this because the glue hardens and dries quite fast. You must make sure that an adult operates it.
Step 6: String Beads onto Each Flip Flop Embellishment
Turn back to the front of your Flip Flop design which should have two lengths of twine or cord coming out near the top.
Choose some fun colored beads and string these onto the left piece of twine.
I used 6 Perler beads for this including some fun glitter Perler beads. You could use different types of beads if you like.
Push the end of the cord through the left hole you enlarged earlier to make a beaded strap. Repeat this on the right side.
Step 7: Tying Knots at the Back of Each Perler Flip Flop
When you've completed your beaded strap for your flip flops, you will need to knot off the twine at the back of the design.
To hold the knots in permanently, add a dab of glue as I mentioned back in step 5.
Turn over to reveal your very cool summer Flip Flop embellishments. Make as many as you need to adorn your crafts with. Why not try summer shades of yellow, orange, blue and hot pink. This was a lot of fun to make.
➡️ Now See How to Turn These into Perler Bead Party Favors
This is a fun summer crafting project and the completed flip flops are the right size for use as your own 3D embellishments for handmade greeting cards, scrapbook projects, decorations, party favors and more.
The Perler bead flip flops are perfect to turn into key chains and they would make cute cupcake toppers too. I'd love to know how you use them.
Tip on Using Glitter Perler Beads
For this project, I made use of some pretty glitter Perler beads on the flip flop straps. When you use the glittered beads in your normal projects, you don't really notice the actual flecks of glitter once ironed and fused together - unless they are placed right on the edge of your pattern.
But on the straps of this design, the glitter beads can be seen to great effect and look really pretty. You could also try metallic shades of gold or silver.
Stock Up On a Variety of Beads as You Can Never Have Too Many
Once you get addicted to this craft (like me) you can never have too many beads. I like to use a wide variety of different colors and styles of these beads from plain colors, Perler glitter beads, metallic, glow in the dark, pearls and more.
That way I can pretty much guarantee I've got exactly the right shades and types whenever I get inspiration to make something new.
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CraftyMarie is a craft themed website by Marie Williams Johnstone. I love to craft in the winter and garden in the summer. I make handmade cards, papercrafts, crochet and seasonal crafts. I enjoy many of the more traditional crafts and hobbies including sewing, embroidery and working with felt and fabric. Thanks for leaving me a comment. Comments do not show up until I approve them. Marie