Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

marruquita — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 11:54:28 GMT

puedes ponerle una cadena entre cada bola para un collar abrazosruthperdomo5@hotmail.com

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

marruquita — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 11:51:22 GMT

puedes ponerle entre bolas una cadena para un collar abrazos ruth

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

twoberries — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 06:58:33 GMT

I have made a bunch at a time by rolling the roving into a ball--just wad it up into a round shape. Put the first one in the toe of an old knee-high stocking. Then tie a knot in the stocking and pull it as tight as you can to the ball of roving without flattening it out--or flatten it out if you want a different shape. Make another, do the same thing, make another, same thing. Before you know it, you have a string of balls/beads. Throw them in the washing machine, then in the dryer. I make a bunch when I have a load of what we call "working in the yard" clothes that hot water won't hurt. You can do different sizes, different colors and let the appliances do the hard work.

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

twoberries — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 06:58:32 GMT

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

twoberries — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 06:58:32 GMT

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

twoberries — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 06:58:17 GMT

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

Jan-Falk — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:39:26 GMT

Hi Jennifer,

I read with great interest, your explanation of wet felting wool beads. I strongly recommend that you rinse your finished beads in plain water, then briefly in a mild vinegar/water solution, then again in water. What you want to do is get rid of the soap in the wool and change the ph back to a more neutral status. You can put your beads in a towel, step on them on the floor which pulls much of the water out of the beads, reshape them, and then air dry them.

Merino wool makes very firm, mostly non-itchy beads. The world of wools is extensive. There are many different breeds and mixes which can be chosen for beads, art wearables, purses, rugs, you name it. And some breeds which are better for needle felting, dry, using a special barbed needle.

I have been making wet felted accessories for about 6 years, now, and have two sections of classes offered on making Fabulous Wet Felted Flowers at the upcoming Bead and Button Show in MIlwaukee. I have taken classes from the felt and bead jewelry guru, Carol Cypher, and now have been accepted to offer my version of an accessory which can be beaded to your heart's content. My friend Pat Pawlowicz is offering several needle (dry) felting flower classes, and one with Christi Friesen. Check it out.

Also, Ann Cook, bead weaving jewelry instructor and wonderful person, would call your wonky bead "an artistic opportunity". You could wrap a bit more wool around it, wet it with more soap than water, and gently refine it to a spherical shape, or you could use that funny squiggle by stringing beads to it, stitch or loop it to hang from the main felted part, extend it out further with beaded branches, you name it. Sometimes a bead wants to be a different shape. Also, good info on rolling slowly at first. Roll and press one faster at the beginning and see what happens.

Whoops. Once I get started on talking felting, it is hard to stop. Happy felting. Glad you finally tried a new material to expand your jewelry media repertoir. It would be fun to meet you at Bead & Button in June, and anyone else reading these posts..

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

momcat560 — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 15:46:03 GMT

CarolineB - Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience making needle-felted beads. Sounds like you didn't have the proper type of needle. Felting needles have many "hooks" notched up and down the shaft. Felting a bead should not take very much time or effort. I usually needle felt the bead into its general shape, then welt felt it for strength and density. They look lovely with bead caps and/or combined with glass, metal and ceramic beads. You need size 38 star needles (check out Living Felt). I do hope you will consider giving another try! If you do want to try again, please feel free to email for assistance!

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

momcat560 — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 15:37:11 GMT

I have done needle and wet felting, including beads - fun, fun! A WONDERFUL place to get felting supplies and extrememly helpful advice is Living Felt. They have great selection and scrumptious colors!! I can HIGHLY recommend them.

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

MaryM@238 — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 14:43:24 GMT

Glad you're enjoying making felted wool beads, Jennifer.

I enjoy making them (usually in the winter) and embellish them with micro-embroidery and beading. You can see a sample here: <a href="s66.beta.photobucket.com/.../500px_Candy_Collage_Necklace.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="i66.photobucket.com/.../500px_Candy_Collage_Necklace.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 500px_Candy_Collage_Necklace.jpg"/></a> Fuzzy Gems!

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

DebbiB@2 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:04:04 GMT

You might be able to repair your wonky bead using needle felting. A great alternative if you don't want to go through the wet felting process to fix just one or two beads. Cheers!

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

Barbara E.Hill — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:04:09 GMT

For your wonky ball, I am guessing it is felted, just not together. If it came all apart, you could try some crinkly plastic,catnip, or a bell, and put it in the middle. Wrap the scraps around it, and just sew it closed. Not a beautiful ball, but you get a toy for your pet, and it isn't just waste.

I think after you felt it, it just doesn't shrink any more. (It hasn't for me)

If you can think of some way to use the ball with out adding more wool, please post! You could try adding more wool to the 'ball' and see if that will do it. Felting needles might help here too.

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

OddByNature — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 01:07:33 GMT

Although I haven't tried for beads, I have made dryer balls [the method for making is below if anyone is so inclined :) ] and have found the following helpful:

1.If you have a wonky one - try cutting a cirlce of panty hoseto hold your wool ball and tye the panty hose with thread tightly. Agitate it as if it were in the washer using a wooden spoon in the sink, using bar sunlight soap and near boiling water. (this helps firm up pesky ones that uncoil).

********

How to make dryer balls starting with a- VERY large bead size wrap, felt as outlined in the wool bead article. Keep adding layers and felting until size of tennis ball, put 2 in your dryer with Essential Oil and voila no static!).

Erin Shand

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

chelleh0868 — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:24:40 GMT

how do you put holes in your felt it beats to string them? or are you stringing them with a needle that would go right through?

re: Fuzzy, Fun, Felted Beads!

tunsinn — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 04:11:58 GMT

How much wool was in each of the bags you bought and how many beads did you get per bag?