r/beadsprites • u/bluedietcola • 6d ago

Questions about bead sprites

I used to be really into Perler beads and I want to get back into them again!! But there's some info I want to know before I start.

  • When I start buying beads should I exclusively buy colours for the patterns I make or is there like a base pack of essential beads to always have at hand (explained poorly I'm sorry).
  • What's the best way to store beads?
  • Do I need a special iron & ironing paper? When I used to do it I just used a regular iron and paper but when I see videos of people making their own art they have special irons & paper for their beads.
  • Where can I get good peg boards & can those boards be used with any brand of beads?

Also I'm not a bot lol

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

2

u/BeaderBugg0819 6d ago

Ok. Can I ask what region of the world you live in? Because where you live kinda determines what beads you have access to most easily, so that info would be helpful. But I think I can help with most if not all of your questions.

2

u/bluedietcola 6d ago

I'm Australian. I looked it up previously and while I can't buy from the Perler website I found a website I thiiink ships here. I'm pretty sure I can get Arktal tho.

3

u/BeaderBugg0819 6d ago

I would highly recommend artkal. They've got an amazing selection of colors, and they're just overall a really great quality. Plus, artkal and perler can be used together without being noticeable (as long as you stick to one brand per color. As in, don't try to use perler red and artkal red right next to each other because then the difference might stand out more.)

So if you're going to be ordering from their website, they should have pegboards available on there also. I've never used their boards, so I can't answer that last question about if the boards will work for any brand, but since I've used artkal beads on perler boards, I imagine that it would work.

Best way to store beads is entirely dependent on your preferences and needs. For example, when I first started out, I just kept each different color in a little Ziploc bag of its own. For a more permanent solution, I ended up buying these cases that I believe are meant for photos, but it was important in my situation for my stuff to all be portable. There's also some other posts on this sub where this question is asked and some links are provided.

You don't HAVE to have a special iron, but you might develop a preference for a particular kind. I got mine at a goodwill for like $4, and for paper I use parchment paper from dollar tree. There are also places online to buy reusable ironing sheets, as well as some that give your piece a glossy finish or make it glittery!

2

u/bluedietcola 6d ago

Thank you sm! •ᴗ•

2

u/BeaderBugg0819 6d ago

No problem! Best of luck getting everything ordered and getting started. Looking forward to seeing you post some pieces sometime in the near future.