Beaded Penguin – Free Pony Bead Pattern & Christmas Ornament

Materials Needed:

• 1 - Lanyard Hook OR 1 - Key Ring

• Cord - Approximately 2 1/2 yards

  There are lots of different types of cord you can use for your beaded penguin. Of the cords we've tried, flat plastic lacing such as Rexlace (also called boondoggle or plastic lace) seems to work best for helping the beads sit neatly together and keeping your finished penguin in shape. Round cord about 1 1/2mm to 2mm thick also works well. If you choose a thinner cord, you can weave a little wire or a pipe cleaner into your ornament if your penguin doesn't hold his shape well.

  Helpful Hint: If your cord ends fray easily, try dipping them into a little melted wax and smoothing them out with your fingers. This helps prevent fraying and creates stiffer ends for threading through your beads.

  2mm Metallic Cord
• 1 - Clear Pony Bead
• 19 - Red Pony Beads
• 47 - White Pony Beads
• 33 - Black Pony Beads
• 2 - Blue Pony Beads
• 7 - Orange Pony Beads

• Glue (We used super glue.)
• Scissors
• Ruler or Measuring Tape

Instructions

1. Pass your 2 1/2 yards of cord through the bottom hole of the lanyard hook or key ring. Bring the two ends together so they are even. Thread both ends through the clear pony bead, then slide the bead up the cords until it rests against the lanyard hook or key ring. The clear bead provides a neat starting point for your penguin without adding a noticeable bead above his hat.

2. Follow the penguin bead diagram below, beginning with the first row beneath the clear bead. Thread the beads for each row onto one cord, then pass the other cord back through those same beads from the opposite direction. Continue this process, row by row, until you've completed the penguin's feet.

Note: The tension of your cord does make a difference. The rows should sit snugly together without being pulled so tightly that your penguin begins to curl or twist. If a row doesn't sit straight, loosen it, straighten the beads with your fingers and pull the slack out again.

3. Continue weaving until you've completed the last row of your penguin's feet.

4. I always try to make the tie-off knot(s) as inconspicuous as possible. Sometimes that means it is a little more complicated, so I decided to show you both ways and let you decide how you prefer to finish your penguin:

• Tie off at the sides: Tie off each cord where it exits on either side of the penguin's feet.
• Loop back through: With one cord, thread it back through the previous row so that both cord ends wind up on the same side and next to each other. Tie off.

Whichever method you choose, add a small drop of glue to the knot(s) and trim the excess cord after the glue has dried.

If you are feeling creative and want to give your penguin a little extra personality and dimension try gluing small pom-poms along the red band of his winter hat on both sides. Then for his scarf you can also cut a length of ribbon or braid a few strands of yarn together and tie them around his neck. How adorable does that sound!

Your little beaded penguin is ready to join the fun! Hang him on your Christmas tree, add him to a holiday wreath or winter garland, or enjoy him as a cheerful decoration all winter long.

The diagram below shows the bead arrangement for your penguin. Click the image to see the larger pattern.