Sticky Paws Blog

As mentioned in an earlier post I am hopeless at making felt balls/beads.  I have tried most methods and my balls/beads are always a bit hit and miss.  However, a few weeks ago I stumbled upon a tutorial from a blog called Red 2 White which even I can do.  I very successfully made several balls but although the balls were successful I still felt that it took too much time if you wanted to make a lot of balls.

Therefore, I decided to experiment to see if I could make balls/beads which turned out perfect (no creases etc) but didn’t take too much time or energy.  This tutorial is basically my Swiss Roll Bracelet Tutorial with a twist.

Follow the instructions for the Swiss Roll Bracelet Tutorial using 3 pieces of prefelt in one colour for a single colour ball/bead or 3 different colours for a marbled ball/ball until the roll will stay upright by itself if held vertically.

Prefelt Rolls

Roll Cut into Segments

Very gently roll each segment in your hands for a few seconds only as though making a ball.

Segments gently rolled

Place the balls/beads in a laundry bag (rembering to close the zip) and wash on a 40 - 60 degree cycle in your washing machine.  When the cycle has finished remove the balls/beads from the laundry bag.  They will probably look a bit squashed so gently restore them by giving them a quick roll in your hands.

Finished Felted Balls/Beads

I made approximately 75 one cm felted balls/beads in less than one hour’s hand felting time.  For larger balls/beads you just increase the size of the original prefelt.  For cyclindrical balls/beads do not roll them in your hands before putting in the washing machine.  For tubular shaped beads cut the slices longer than the diameter of the roll. 

I hope you will agree this is a very quick and easy way to make felt balls.

3 pieces of merino prefelt 3 inches x 6 inches in different colours

9 inches approx of clear elastic beading cord 0.5 mm

or

‘Swiss Roll’ Bracelet Kit

and assorted beads, buttons etc (optional)

3 pieces of merino prefelt

Place the pieces of prefelt on top of each other on a piece of bubblewrap with the colour to be on the outside on the bottom.

Prefelt stacked

Thoroughly wet the prefelt with warm soapy water.

Wetted out prefelt

When the prefelt is completely wet carefully roll up from the longside trying to keep the roll as tight as possible.

Rolling up prefelt

Gently roll the felt as though making a plasticine snake until the felt begins to harden ensuring that the ends are equally felted.

Roll beginning to harden

Continue to felt the roll applying more pressure until it is hard enough that it will hold itself up if held vertically.  You can continue rolling in this way or (my preferred method) place the roll in a laundry bag and wash the roll in the washing machine on a 40 degree cycle.

Felted Roll

Using sharp scissors cut the roll into approximately 1 cm pieces.  You should get 15 pieces and two ends.

Pieces of Swiss Roll

Thread the beading elastic into a sharp needle and thread through the sides of the swiss rolls alternating with beads if using.

Threading Swiss Rolls

Finished Bracelet

You will need:

• 1 pongee silk scarf or piece of pongee silk 180 cm x 45 cm
• 180 cm  x 18 cm merino prefelt cut into 3 cm strips
• Bubblewrap at least 200 cm x 60 cm
• 1 plastic bottle with holes in the cap

 1)  Wet out the scarf/silk in warm water that has had one drop of washing up liquid added to it.  When the scarf/silk is thoroughly wet lay it onto the bubblewrap smoothing out any wrinkles.

2)  Lay the strips of prefelt onto the scarf/silk and using the bottle with holes in the cap gently rub warm soapy water onto the prefelt.

3)  Using this technique place the prefelt around the edge of the scarf remembering to slightly loosen the short ends of prefelt where it meets another piece of prefelt.

4)  Next place the prefelt down the centre of the scarf/silk leaving a gap of appoximately 7 cm between the pieces of prefelt.

5)  When the pieces of prefelt have been thoroughly wetted, continue to work the prefelt by rolling the silk/scarf in the bubblewrap and by rubbing with the end of the bottle or with a small piece of scrunched up bubblewrap.  You will need to continue rubbing and rolling the prefelt until the prefelt passes the pinch test and will not move, which might take a least half an hour.  It is really important that the prefelt is sufficiently felted to the silk as once the prefelt starts to harden, if it is not sufficiently felted to the silk it will come away and it will be impossible to felt it to the silk.  The prefelt is then hardened by putting the scarf into very hot water and gently scrunching and dropping the scarf.  It is important to check from time to time that the prefelt is not felting to itself by stretching the scarf out periodically.  Once the scarf starts to harden you can start dropping the scarf more vigorously until the scarf measures approximately 150 cm x 35 cm.   Rinse the scarf in clean water and spin in the washing machine to remove excess water and dry.  The scarf can be left as it is or ironed carefully with a medium hot iron as in the photograph.

An easy method of silk paper making is to use silk throwsters waste, carded cocoon strippings or gummy reeled silk. It is important that the silk contains sericin and has not been degummed. The silk paper is made by ironing the silk between a layer of baking parchment.

1) Lay a piece of baking parchment on your ironing board. Fluff up the silk using your hands and lay onto the baking parchment. You can make flowers by laying down a circle or if you want to cut the silk paper later you can just lay the fibre down.

2) Lightly mist the silk fibre with water using a spray bottle.

3) Cover the silk fibre with another piece of baking parchment (you only forget to do this once!). Press firmly with a reasonably hot iron until the baking parchment easily comes away from the silk fibre.

4) Your finished piece of silk paper should be a very stiff flat piece of silk which you can use as it is or cut up to make interesting defined shapes. Remember the silk will not felt and will have to be covered with whisper thin pieces of wool.

I-cord, felted cord and twisted cord buttons

I-cords, knitted cord or French cord easily make buttons that compliment your garment at a fraction of the price it would cost to buy buttons. The cords can be made using knitting needles, a knitting machine or using a wooden cotton reel with nails hammered into it.

To knit an I-cord cast on 3 stitches (or more) using two double-pointed needles. *Knit these stitches. Do not turn work. Slide these stitches to the right end of the needle. Pull yarn to tighten. Repeat from * until desired length is reached. Cast off. To make the button knot the cord once (or twice for a larger button) and sew the ends in to finish. A shank back can be glued onto the back of the button and reinforced with a few stitches.

A twisted cord button can be made by cutting a piece of yarn approximately four times as long as the desired finished cord length. Fold the yarn in half and anchor one end. Holding the other end twist the yarn until it starts to kink. Put the ends together allowing them to twist around each other holding the end tightly. Without letting go of the end knot the cord as before and sew the ends in using a piece of yarn. A shank may be added as before. To make a 1.5 cm (approx) button using a 4 ply weight yarn, cut a length of yarn 250 cm long. Fold the yarn to get an 8 ply yarn. Twist and continue as above.

A felted cord button can be made from felting a piece of roving. A 1.5 cm (approx) button is made from a piece of merino roving 15 cm long. Divide the roving length wise into 4 pieces. Roll one of the pieces on the draining board to slightly entangle the fibres. Spray gently with soapy water, but do not over wet. Continue to roll the roving on the draining board like a ‘sausage’ until hardened. Rinse under hot water until soap is removed continuing to rub gently with your hands. Dry the cord by pressing gently in a towel for a few moments. Knot the cord twice as above and secure the ends by sewing them through the back of the button. Trim the ends and leave to dry thoroughly. A shank back can be glued onto the back of the button and reinforced with a few stitches.

It is also possible instead of tying a knot to coil up the cords to make a spiral. Sew the spiral together on the wrong side of the button and attach a shank as before.

Button shanks are available from http://www.gregory-knopp.co.uk and http://www.fredaldous.co.uk (called button backs).

Fabric covered buttons

Buttons can also be made by covering rings with ‘fabric’. The rings can be metal or plastic but must not be a split ring. The size of your button will be determined by the size of the ring and thickness of the ‘fabric’. A button made from a sheer fabric such as cotton or silk can be quite small, whereas a button made from felt or felt knitting will need a bigger ring.

The button is made by cutting a circle slightly larger than the ring. If the fabric is very sheer or delicate is may be advisable to back it with interfacing. Using cotton sewing thread, sew running stitches around the edge of the circle ensuring that the thread is secured at the start. Place the ring in the centre of the fabric and gently pull the stitches together to enclose the ring. Secure by continuing to stitch in the back of the button, pulling the fabric tight. Attach a button back as before.

It is possible to make ‘padded’ buttons by making the circle slightly bigger. Sew running stitches as before and insert ring. As the ring is enclosed gently push the excess fabric into the ring. Secure and attach a button back as before.

Felted Buttons

It is possible to make several different types of buttons using felting techniques. Felted balls and beads make beautiful buttons and only need a small ring (available from jewellery suppliers) sewn on the back. The balls can be kept whole or cut in half with a ring attached to the round side. If the balls are made from a variety of colours they look particularly pretty when cut.

Tiny beads can be sewn together to form a cluster and decorated with further stitching. Round beads/balls can also be squashed before being fully hardened to make a ‘flatish’ button. A bead/ball which has been cut in half, can have a felted rope wrapped and sewn around it – it will look something like the planet Saturn.

Spiral buttons can also be made from different coloured prefelt. After a ‘sausage’ has been created, cut the sausage into slices. These slices can then be finished by attaching a button back, or squashed using a hammer or rolling pin and finished as before.

These are just a few ideas for creating buttons - the sky is really the limit. By using your imagination and a little ingenuity beautiful and unique buttons can be made at a fraction of the price it would cost you to buy them.