Free Kandi Pattern Designer — Draw Pony Bead Patterns for Bracelets & Cuffs
Design kandi bracelets, cuffs, and pony bead patterns on a grid calibrated for stringing. Set the width for your bracelet type, draw your pattern bead by bead, and export a color-coded PDF you can read row by row while stringing. Rooted in PLUR rave culture — and also great for friendship bracelets, lanyards, and bead jewelry.
All Colors (103)
How to Draw a Perler Bead Pattern
Set Your Bracelet Width
Enter the number of beads wide your project will be. Singles: 1. Standard cuffs: 5–15. Wider grids are for wall art or lanyards.
Draw Your Pattern
Pick a bead color and place beads on the grid. For text, draw one letter at a time and leave 1-bead gaps between letters. Use fill for solid stripe sections.
Check Bead Count
Review the materials panel to see how many beads per color you need. Cross-check against your bead supply before you start stringing.
Export PDF & String Row by Row
Download the PDF. It shows numbered rows — start from row 1 and work up, stringing each row's beads in order. Tie off the elastic when done.
Features
Pony Bead Color Palette
Colors drawn from the Perler/pony bead range. Every color maps to a real bead you can buy, labeled with the color name. Your pattern is shop-ready the moment you design it.
Bracelet-Optimized Grid Widths
Kandi singles are 1 bead wide. Cuffs typically range from 5–15 beads wide. Set your grid width precisely to match the bracelet you're making — no wasted rows.
Text & Character Pattern Design
Draw letter shapes pixel by pixel for name bracelets and word cuffs. Character sprites (hearts, stars, pixel art icons) work perfectly on the grid — 7-bead-tall text reads clearly on a cuff.
Bead Count by Color
The materials panel shows exactly how many beads of each color the pattern uses. Count your stash before stringing — no mid-project supply runs.
Row-by-Row PDF Export
The PDF shows your pattern with rows numbered from bottom to top (the stringing direction). Read row 1, string the beads, tie a knot, repeat — no need to memorize the pattern.
Free to Use, Always
No sign-up, no payment, no ads. Design unlimited kandi patterns and share them however you like.
What Is Kandi?
Kandi are colorful bead accessories — bracelets, cuffs, necklaces — made from pony beads and elastic cord. They're central to rave and EDM festival culture, where trading kandi with someone you meet (known as a PLUR handshake — Peace, Love, Unity, Respect) is a ritual of community and connection.
Kandi patterns range from simple stripes (singles) to multi-row cuffs with logos, text, and character sprites. For anything beyond a solid color, drawing the pattern on a grid first is essential — it ensures the pattern tiles correctly, the bead count is right, and you don't run out of a color mid-cuff.
MakeBead's kandi designer is calibrated for bead work: narrow grids for bracelet widths, rows numbered for the stringing direction, and a per-color bead count ready to use as a shopping list. Design your kandi, export the guide, and string it while following the PDF row by row.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How wide should a kandi cuff be? ▾
Kandi singles are 1 bead wide (one row). Cuffs range from 5 to 15 beads wide — 7–10 is a common cuff width that fits most wrists comfortably. Set your grid width to match.
Can I design text and logos for cuffs? ▾
Yes. Draw letters pixel by pixel using a 7-bead-tall grid height for readable 26-character alphabet text. Most logos and character sprites fit within a 15-wide cuff. The fill tool helps with solid letter bodies.
How do I read the PDF while stringing? ▾
The PDF shows rows numbered from bottom to top. Start at row 1 (the bottom row), thread those beads, tie a knot, move to row 2, and so on. No memorization needed.
What type of cord should I use? ▾
Elastic stretch cord (0.5mm or 1mm) is standard for kandi. Thinner cord (0.5mm) fits through most pony bead holes twice for a knot finish; 1mm cord gives a firmer bracelet.
Can I make patterns for lanyards and necklaces too? ▾
Yes. Lanyards and necklaces use the same grid approach as cuffs — just set a longer height. The bead count will update automatically as you draw.