Perler beads are the gentlest, most satisfying pixel craft: you place little plastic beads onto a pegboard to build a design, then melt them together with an iron into a solid piece.

It's calming, cheap, and the leap from 'pile of beads' to 'finished thing' in one sitting is genuinely lovely.

The honest reality is it's simple by design — more relaxing than challenging — and the ironing step takes a little care, but it's hard to think of a lower-stress craft.