Fuse bead pattern generator: turn a photo into a bead pattern
This fuse bead pattern generator turns a photo into a bead pattern: choose the image, set the width in beads, and you get a pattern in 24 common bead colours – with a colour list showing how many beads of each colour you need and how many pegboards. The image is not uploaded; you save the pattern as a PNG to print.
Source: Wikipedia – Fuse beads. Updated: .
How it is calculated
How the photo becomes a pattern
- Choose an image, drop it in or paste it with Ctrl + V.
- Set the width in beads: 29 fits one pegboard of 29 beads per side; bigger patterns need several boards.
- Limit the number of colours. Fewer colours make the pattern calmer and the bead order smaller.
- Save the pattern as a PNG, print it and place the beads one by one.
How the colours are chosen
The photo is reduced to the bead grid. Each cell gets the most similar of 24 common bead colours; similarity is measured with a colour distance that comes closer to the eye than a plain RGB comparison. Then only the most frequent colours you allowed remain, and rarer cells are matched to the nearest allowed colour. The colours are approximations – shades from individual makers differ slightly.
Tips for good results
- Use images with clear contrast and a calm background, such as portraits, animals or logos.
- Crop first so the subject fills the picture.
- For a pattern over several boards, lay out all boards first and then place beads following the dashed division.
To fix the beads they are usually covered with baking paper and ironed carefully – follow your bead maker’s instructions. The image stays on your device.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a fuse bead pattern from a photo?
Choose the photo, set width in beads and the number of colours, save the pattern as PNG and print it. The colour list shows how many beads of each colour you need.
How big should the pattern be?
For a pegboard of 29 × 29 beads, a width of 29 is enough. Larger designs need several boards or a bigger one; set the board size to match.
Do the colours match my beads?
The colours are approximations of common bead shades. Makers differ slightly – compare the colour list with your stock.
How many beads do I need?
The tool counts them per colour and in total. Allow a few extra in case some get lost.
Can I leave out the white background?
Yes, “Leave out the white area” makes white cells empty, so you save the white beads.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. Everything runs in your browser; the image never leaves your device.
Sources and legal basis
- Wikipedia – Fuse beads
- Wikipedia – Color difference (color distance, here the “redmean” approximation)
- ITU-T T.81 / ISO/IEC 10918-1 – JPEG
- W3C – Portable Network Graphics (PNG) Specification
- Google for Developers – An image format for the Web (WebP)
- AOMedia – AV1 Image File Format (AVIF)
- MDN – Image file type and format guide
- MDN – HTMLCanvasElement.toBlob()
- Open-source licenses of the libraries used (MIT, LGPL-3.0)
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