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

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.