How to make felted beads using the needle felted method

(for wet felting method, scroll down)

1. Gather materials. You will need fiber, felting needles, a wooden skewer, and foam.

For those of you who are brand new to felting, the needle has little barbs on it that help tangle the fibers. By punching it in and out you are dragging fibers through the bead, thus tangling the fibers.

2. If you are going to make several beads the same size, make sure to weigh your fiber or try to have equal amounts of fiber prior to felting (once it has been felting and shrinks, it is hard to remember exactly how much fiber you used.)

3. The beads I am going to demonstrate first are oblong, but you can follow the same basic directions for round beads. I begin by wrapping the desired amount of fiber around a skewer. I usually needle felt it a few time with the skewer still in the roll just to ensure it stays together. But be careful not to hit the skewer, or you may break you needle. Make sure your foam piece is under the bead so that you do not hit yourself (ouch) or hit the table and break the needle

4. Carefully pull out the skewer. Needle felt the bead by carefully punching the needle in and out of the fiber. Make sure that you roll the fiber bead so that it remains uniform with no flat edges. Needle felt until the bead is stiff.

5. Once you have the bead shaped you can add designs such as dots or lines by needle felting another color onto you bead. Watch you fingers you are working on a small surface.

6. Use the beads for necklaces, hatbands, or buttons.You simply run your thread through the bead to string them.

To make beads using the wet felting method

1. Gather materials. You will need fiber, hot water, and dish detergent.

2. If you are going to make several beads the same size, make sure to weigh you fiber or try to have equal amounts of fiber prior to felting (once it has been felting and shrinks, it is hard to remember exactly how much fiber you used.)

3. I will demonstrate making a round bead, however, you can use the same directions to make other shapes. Roll your dry, carded fiber into a round ball.

4. Get fiber wet with very warm water (warmer water help the fiber felt faster, but you will have to be able to touch the fiber, so not too hot).

5. Put some dish soap on the fiber.

6. Roll the fiber in you hands as if you were trying to make a ball out of clay. Start out rubbing gently and increase force once some felting has taken place. For those who are new to felting, the hot water, the soap and the friction from you hands are causing the fibers to tangle together. Continue rolling until the ball is stiff.

7. Rinse soap out of fiber and allow it to dry.

8. Use the beads for necklaces, hatbands, or buttons.You simply run your thread through the bead to string them.