I’ve got a super fun and cute craft for you today. These DIY coasters could easily make Christmas gift ideas or fun Christmas crafts. I think they could also be fun to make with the kids and let everyone pick their own pattern with the Christmas color Perler Beads. Sound like some family fun!

Today, I’ve got the patterns and ideas for you to make your own DIY Coasters.

I saw these in the Make It Yourself magazine (affiliate link) a few years ago. Instead of making them just like they did, I made them for Christmas, but you could easily pick Perler bead colors that you like and that match your home decor and make these for all year use. I think they would also make a fun handmade hostess gift or maybe for that lovely friend who is a mixologist. 🙂

DIY Coasters

Supplies:

• Christmas color Perler Beads(affiliate link) – I got mine in individual color bags at Hobby Lobby, but these on Amazon have multiple colors of red which means you can do a red color pattern in addition to those you see shown in this post.
• Perler Bead Pegboards (affiliate link)
• Cork Coasters (affiliate link) – Thin is better
• E6000 (affiliate link)
• Iron
• Heavy book or weight

Step 1: Create your first-row pattern

To make your coasters, you will want to create a pattern. You will have a pattern that is three rows wide.

Make sure to line up your cork behind your Perler bead pegboard so that you make sure you are making the correct size with your Perler beads. If your cork is square, your pattern will work out with 3-row patterns. If your cork is a different shape, you will want to take the time to check if a three-row pattern will work out evenly.

Step 2: Create your second-row pattern

Once you have completed the first three rows, you will want to create the second part of your pattern.

If you are going for a gingham look, like the one above, you will want to add the white into your pattern here.

Step 3: Continue your two patterns

Continue the alternating the two patterns you created until you have filled up your space.

These are some additional pattern ideas that use two different colors of green along with red and white Perler beads.

There are tons of pattern ideas you can create. Just use your imagination and have fun!

Step 4: Iron

Your Perler bead pegboards come with paper to use when you iron.

Place that paper on top of your beads and use a hot iron to iron or fuse the beads together.

I like to really get a good melt on them so they stick together, but that isn’t the recommendation of the manufacturer, so go with their directions or what you like best.

The beads sometimes curl up a bit after being heated, so you can add a heavy book on top of them to make sure they cool down flat.

Step 5: Adhere the cork

So that the coasters work and catch liquid from glasses, you will want to back the Perler beads with cork.

Add a generous layer of the E600 to the cork.

You can just adhere the cork to the Perler beads, but I wanted to make sure I had even coverage, so I used one of my daughters’ old junked up paintbrushes and spread the glue out into a thin layer. then adhered the cork to the Perler beads.

Step 6: Flatten

While the glue is drying, I recommend that you weight them and allow them to dry flat. A heavy book is best….but a cell phone can work as well if you can’t find a book handy.

The coasters are so cute and festive.

They took me about an hour to an hour and a half to make. They weren’t the fastest craft, but I love the look of them. So stinkin’ cute!

I enjoyed making them. I tend to find crafts that involve painting relaxing…..these were like that to me. I just got in the zone and enjoyed making the patterns and seeing them progress.

If you are looking for a quick craft, this is not going to be for you. But, if you are looking for a fun zen-like craft or gift idea, this will be great for you.