Help! Any Hama bead experts out there?

[pugsandseals]

DD (6) is very proud of herself having just finished her first 'fairy' using 2 boards!
However, I just nearly mucked the whole thing up whilst ironing ! Why do I always either not iron it enought so half the beads fall off, or practically iron it onto the board?
Are there any trade secrets? Or am I better off resigning myself to the fact that I am hopeless and try bindeez instead?

pugsandseals

dont switch to bindeez, they dont work, they end up rolling anywhere and you will find them mnonths later under the cooker etc. also beads dont stick properly together and creations dont last very long.

you just need a bit more practice with hama beads ironig. I have the iron very hot and keep moving the iron on the thing in circular motion pressing a little bit for about 3 minutes.

Silly question...you are ironing using the the special hama paper covering the beads, are you?

You can lift the paper at the corners to check results before peeling off the paper completely

practise practise practise

thinking about the 3 minutes suggestion, maybe less, I have not actually timed myself....

Greaseproof paper from supermarket is fine - no need for special expensive paper

I agrre - keep iron hot and keep it moving

Practise makes perfect

Check out bead merrily

thanks for the useful tip yourgirl,

however, I got the original paper cheap from ebay in the past

I have previously been addicted to Hama beads A habit that may resurface - when/if your fancy paper runs out switch to greaseproof its way cheaper

I will now I know!!!

I love beads, I can buy them just because they are beautiful, I am making jewllery at the moment, just starting.

looking at the website yoou posted now

Good tip about the paper, but we have enough to keep us going for a while!
I'm just so worried I'm going to spoil something & DD will never forgive me
Please tell me it is really quite tricky & I'm not making a mountain out of a molehill & all that!

I iron both sides otherwise they fall to bits

You need to really squish them

I always end up squishing the ones on the edges.

Kinda satisfying tho.

Bindeez are the work of the devil.

very good instruction on the website suggested by yourtgirl

www.beadmerrily.co.uk/instructions.php

Thats why I linked to it exrebel
Merry Raymond who runs that site is an Hama fiend!

If you hunt around on her site there is a gallery of loads of designs, you can also add yours - if you have the know how and are brave enough!!!

Merry runs her business from home and also home educates her 4 dds - clearly she is super woman

She has a fab Home Ed blog/ideas site somewhere as well, cant find the link just now - 'muddy puddles' or similar

I just thought to post the direct link as I was really impressed by these instructions.

I have also been searching and finding other resources websites and found a few with free patterns, project ideas and one has software to create your won pattern????, i think i will be hama beading with or without my daughter this evening!!