Place parchment paper over perler beads & create this rustic concept

Garlands have been commonly used as party decorations for a long time, but their story is much older than that. They’ve been used in ceremonies and rituals since the time of ancient Egypt. Since then, they’ve had a presence in Renaissance art, 15th and 16th-century festivals and pageants, centuries of weddings and they stay in style today. When you’re decorating for your next party, consider making your own garland - it’s easier than you might think!

Using Perler beads and a pegboard, you can create the custom shape you want for your party and with a little twine, you can string your design up anywhere. Using your twine, you can also add some tassel details using a technique you might find yourself turning to in many projects. This project is simple and safe, so young crafters can get in on the fun. Try helping them make a permanent decoration for their room or play area. 

Materials
- Perler bead pegboard
- Perler beads, variety of colors
- Parchment baking paper
- Twine
- Hot glue
- Scissors

Instructions
1. For this project, we chose a pegboard in the shape of a heart. You can choose any shape you like, simply follow the same methods we use. Start by placing Perler beads on your pegboard in the shape you choose. We followed the outline of the heart. 


2. After the first outline of your shape, add another row inside the first. You should still have the same outline of the shape, only thicker. 


3. Once you have a couple rows of your shape outline, place a square of parchment baking paper over the pegboard and iron the beads on the highest heat setting to fuse and melt them together. Once the piece is cool, set it aside. 


4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 several more times in the colors of your choosing. We used red, pink, and white. 


5. With your garland details created, it’s time to assemble. Measure out the length of twine you will need for the space where you want to hang the garland. Thread your twine through the middle of one of your Perler bead pieces and wrap it once or twice. Thread on the rest of your bead pieces in the same manner. 


6. To add a tassel detail at the end of your garland, pull twine in loops, holding them in your hand. After you have many loops, cut your twine. Then, cut the loops on both sides so you have many pieces of twine in a bunch. 


7. Tie the end of your garland around the middle of the bunch of twine, then fold one side over. Wrap your garland twine around to hold the fold in place and create the tassel. Hot glue the end in place to hold the tassel. Trim the ends of the tassel for a cleaner finish. 


8. To finish, repeat steps 6 and 7 on the other end of your garland and hang it.