My Little Pony in Fuse Beads: the Mane Six and Their Cutie Marks to Bead

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!