Oh, the world of Hayao Miyazaki… just thinking about it makes my fingers itch to grab a pegboard! Today I’m taking you on a trip through the Studio Ghibli universe, from Totoro’s Catbus all the way to Howl’s flying castle, with a selection of 12+ designs to make in fuse beads. A lovely excuse to (re)discover these classic films with your kids, one bead at a time.
Totoro and the Forest’s Curious Little Spirits
Let’s start with THE most lovable character from the studio: Totoro. His round little silhouette, his soft belly and his mischievous grin make him a perfect starter design, even for the youngest crafters. Source: kandipatterns.com
Pair him with a few soot sprites (those adorable little dust bunnies from My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away): tiny black dots with big googly eyes, super quick to bead and perfect for keeping little hands busy between bigger projects. Source: kandipatterns.com
And to give you a real sense of how it all looks once the beads are ironed, take a peek at this lovely finished piece from our friends at Nerd Craftopia. Source: Nerd Craftopia
Spirited Away: No-Face and Haku
Off to Yubaba’s bathhouse for two icons from Spirited Away. First up, No-Face, with his unmistakable white mask — a fairly simple silhouette, great if you’re just getting started with Midi beads. Source: kandipatterns.com
Then Haku in his dragon form, all curves and bluish scales — a fun challenge if your kids enjoy tackling bigger boards. Source: kandipatterns.com
Kiki’s Delivery Service: Kiki and Her Cat Jiji
No way I’m skipping Kiki’s Delivery Service and her faithful sidekick Jiji! I’m honestly obsessed with this duo — the little black cat beads up in no time and makes a fantastic beginner design. If your kids are into Japanese animation more broadly, go check out our anime & manga fuse bead round-up for plenty more ideas. Source: Fun Loving Families
Ponyo and Howl’s Moving Castle
Ponyo, the little fish-girl with a big heart, translates beautifully into fuse beads thanks to her bright colours and rounded shapes. Source: kandipatterns.com
Next stop, Howl’s Moving Castle, with two scene-stealing characters: the delightfully odd Turnip Head scarecrow (Source: kandipatterns.com) and the fiery little demon Calcifer, all warm oranges, yellows and reds, which really lights up a pegboard. Source: kandipatterns.com If tiny houses and cosy buildings are your thing too, swing by our fuse bead houses & castles round-up — it pairs perfectly with this section!
Princess Mononoke and a Whole Little Ghibli Garden
To wrap up this tour, let’s head into the sacred forest of Princess Mononoke with San, the girl raised by wolves — a slightly more technical design, best saved for kids already comfortable with fuse beads. Source: kandipatterns.com
And to finish in style, here’s what it all looks like once the whole gang is lined up together: Totoro, the soot sprites, Jiji and friends make for the loveliest little colourful Ghibli crew. Enough to turn any kid’s room into a proper nod to Miyazaki, one bead at a time. Source: Nerd Craftopia
There you go — enough to fill several rainy afternoons with your kids! I think I’ll start with Totoro and the soot sprites myself, just to warm up before tackling Haku’s dragon form. Which design will you start your own Ghibli journey with?
