Tutorial: Felt beads

[sk8grll]

Ok thanks They have wet felting supplies at school so I might just try that

[sundaybrunch]

I don't know what I keep doing wrong when wet-felting beads, but mine keep coming out misshapen with creases in them, looking like...rabbit turds, mostly. I get lovely results with needle felting but it's so slow! Oh well, keep practicing I suppose...

[dropdeadred77]

sundaybrunch - are you separating the roving really thoroughly before you start to roll them? Any big chunks will give you creases.

[GraceOblivious]

Most likely we each have certain things that work for us.  After some experimentation what I've noticed is that the "butts" or creases seem to form if one begins fulling too soon - that is before the felting stage is complete.  Felting stage is the initial stage: getting the fibers to hold together well - when making a flat piece the pinch test is often used to identify readiness for fulling.  Fulling as you probably know is more aggressive and more pressure - getting the fibers to shrink and make a firm felt. 

Gentle rolling in your palms or on a bubble wrap until the ball is nicely round and holding together well works best for me.  Then begin to apply more pressure - if the ball buckles or folds- back off and reduce pressure - if it holds shape then continue increasing pressure, rolling in all directions - then squeezing, then rinsing hot, cold, hot, cold.... throwing in the sink -- then rinsing and rolling again.  Lots of people leave the beads/balls fairly loose barely into the felt stage.  Other of us work the wool much further into the fulling stage to get quite firm felt balls.

Oh, another trick is to wrap tightly to start - if that seems to be a problem, get some wool yarn and use the yarn as you wrap the roving to pull the roving tighter.  If you look closely at the beads in the first necklace here you can see the marble like lines - that is yarn.
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=144173.msg1419397#msg1419397

HTH - let us know if you still have problems or questions.

[sundaybrunch]

Oh thanks, graceoblivious - I think that will help. I'm pretty sure that I was applying too much pressure too soon. I'll try it again this weekend! (once I finish with the sushi bead tutorial - I'm DYING to try that out!)

[GraceOblivious]

You are so welcome, hope it does help when you get back to making them.  The sushi beads are lots of fun too. Enjoy!

[sundaybrunch]

Hmmm... well, I had medium success with the wet-felted beads last night - still can't get the results I want from just wet-felting, but if I needle-felt the roving into a loose ball and then wet-felt it, it comes out nice.

More experiments tonight!

[GraceOblivious]

Sounds great.  Experimentation to find what works for you seems to be the way of felt making.  Glad you are continuing to work with it.

[GraceOblivious]

Yea! have been wet felting again.  Here are a few colorful beads

and


all from the same colorful roving, just using different parts.

[Jane Doe]

Oh Grace, the roving you chose gives such a beautiful effect!
Any plans for your beads yet?

-Glad to see you've found the crafting time to felt again