Xmas decoration with Hama beads

What can you do with Hama beads?

Christmas is just around the corner! It's high time to start thinking about decorating! And why not get the kids involved this year by sharing creative activities as a family? It's a great way to keep them occupied over the vacations or rainy weekends. What do you think of Hama beads?
You've never heard of ironing beads? You'll see, it's very simple and our little ones love it. In our video, discover the technique of ironing beads and decorate your Christmas tree with homemade Hama bead decorations. From baubles to presents, Hama beads can be used to create any shape you like.

What are iron-on beads?

Ironing beads are plastic beads in the shape of small tubes. Fun and easy to use, they're one of the most popular creative leisure activities for children from the age of 3. They come in many colors, translucent or opaque, and their shape is ideal for little hands.

These tube beads are ideal for making figurines, decorative objects, key-rings or DIY costume jewelry. They're also ideal for pixel art.
These tubular beadshave been made by the Hama brand since the 1970s. That's why they're often referred to as Hama beads!

There are different sizes of ironing beads:

• Hama Mini beads, which are 2.5 mm in diameter. These small beads are ideal for projects requiring precision,
• Midi beads, which correspond to 5 mm diameter beads,
• Hama Maxi beads (the largest format), which correspond to beads 10 mm in diameter.

Mini, Hama midi or maxi beads? It all depends on how you want your creation to look.

Ideas for Christmas decorations with iron-on beads

Looking for a fun way to prepare for Christmas with the kids? Make your own Christmas decorations with Hama beads!

Here are some other ideas to make with iron-on beads:

• A Christmastree with or without decorations,
• Red and white candy canes,
• Snowflakes,
• A decorated house,
• Miniature Christmas wreaths,
• Multicolored stars,
• Snowmen,
• Little presents,
• Santa Claus...

What do I need to make iron-on beads?

You don't need much to create objects with Hama beads. All you need is :

• An ironing bead plate. It can have a"classic" shape, and you're free to make your own pattern, or a specific shape(dragon, princess, etc.) where you simply fill in the blanks.
• Bead catcher.
• Ironing paper or baking paper.
• An iron.

We have a wide range of Crimp beads in bags and crushable bead plates to complete your project. Let your imagination run wild, and have fun creating the ultimate Christmas decoration.

How do I make iron-on beads?

• Preheat your iron to high temperature, taking care to turn off the steam function.
• While you're waiting for your iron to reach the right temperature, place your hama ironing beads on the pins of the grid of your choice, forming your pattern.
  Tip: If you find that the beads are too small for your fingers, use a pair of pliers.
• Cover the beads with a sheet of parchment paper (or baking paper).
• Place a hot, non-steaming iron on the baking paper and iron for a few seconds. The heat from the iron will weld the beads together.
• Leave to cool for a few minutes without removing the baking paper. We recommend placing your piece under a heavy object such as a book to prevent your creation from curling as it cools.
• Once your creation has cooled, you can remove the baking paper and gently peel the beads from the base.
• All that's left to do is tie a bow with a pretty cord to hang from the branches of the Christmas tree or in an original hanging. You can choose braided cord or even Linhasita thread.
  Variation: you can glue your creation onto a greetings card or label. Or simply hang it to decorate the Christmas table.

Once you've finished, if you're wondering how to store your Hama beads? Nothing could be simpler! Ideally, you should arrange them by color in airtight, transparent boxes. This way, you'll be able to see your beads without opening the boxes, which will save you time on your next creations.

Please note that this manual activity can be carried out by a child, but always under adult supervision. Handling the iron must be carried out by an adult.