Some cartoons simply never grow old, and My Little Pony is one of them. At our house the ponies of Equestria have carried more than a few rainy afternoons, so when my eldest grabbed the bead box asking for “a rainbow pony”, I knew our Wednesday craft was sorted. Good news: the Mane Six take beautifully to fuse beads. Bold colours, round friendly shapes, manes bursting with rainbows… everything you need for a happy afternoon. Here is our pick of more than ten designs to copy, plus a few homemade charts to bead your very own cutie marks.
The Mane Six, pony by pony
Let’s start with the stars of the show: each has her own colour, personality and little badge — enough for the whole gang to each claim a favourite!
Rainbow Dash, the rainbow daredevil
There is really no other way to begin: with her seven-colour mane, Rainbow Dash is THE pony that pops once beaded. The flat version is perfect for beginners, and if you fancy a challenge there are even 3D builds that let her stand up.
Pinkie Pie, the bubbly pink one
An all-candy-pink pony with a bouncy mane: Pinkie Pie is probably the easiest model for little hands. Two or three shades of pink are enough to give her some depth.
Applejack, the apple cow-girl
Straw hat and blonde mane: Applejack looks wonderful in beads. You’ll find her as a full pony, but also as a simple portrait if you’re short on pegboard space.
Twilight Sparkle, the studious purple one
My personal favourite, I’ll admit: that lovely purple and her pink star stand out beautifully on a light background. A great model for practising shades of mauve.
Fluttershy, the shy winged one
All softness, pale yellow with a pink mane: Fluttershy is perfect for a gentle bedroom decoration. Don’t forget her big eyelashes — that’s her signature.
Rarity and the little fillies
We round off the gang with the glamorous Rarity and an adorable filly Princess Celestia: smaller, rounder “filly” designs that are ideal for beginner hands.
A ready-made chart to follow bead by bead
If you like working from a precise pattern, here is a Pinkie Pie chart to copy one bead at a time: each square stands for a single bead. Perfect for getting used to reading a design.
Bead your own cutie marks
The little badge each pony wears on its flank is its cutie mark. They’re nice and simple — perfect for a first chart! I’ve drawn three for you to follow at home: one square = one bead, and off you go.
Grab your pegboards!
That’s plenty to fill a happy rainy Wednesday. Start with whichever pony makes your child’s eyes light up, add its cutie mark, and turn the lot into a keychain, magnet or bedroom decoration. And if you’re after more equally cute worlds, take a look at our little Disney princesses in Hama beads or our Hello Kitty and Sanrio friends selection. Most of all, show me your ponies — I love seeing what you make!
