After having these beautiful felted wool balls on my desk for some time, and pondering a good beading project for them, I finally decided one one that would be wonderful. However, one problem: I needed to string the felted wool on to beading wire, but the balls had no holes!
Of course, I could pierce the felted wool with no problem using a needle or a T-pin, but I could not get the hole to take shape and hold shape long enough to let me pass the beading wire through before it closed up. I even tried the longer of the two diamond bits in my bead reamer, to no avail.
I was about to give up when I noticed a tiny little finishing nail on my desk; the kind used to hand small things or to finish wood cabinetry. The one I found is about an inch long and is about the size of 18 gauge wire.
I was able to poke it through the felted wool, and give it a few turns, then remove it and repeat on the other side. It made nice, clean holes that were large enough and held their shape long enough for me to place them on the beading wire. I had to re-poke a couple of the felted wool balls, but for the most part, it worked first time, every time.
So, if you want to create beads out of felted wool, try using a small finishing nail. Don't try to make a bunch of holes in advance, Even those made with the nail will close up before you can complete your stringing. Make the holes one at a time, and you'll have excellent success.
Happy beading and happy felting!
More Beadwork Quick Tips
Of course, I could pierce the felted wool with no problem using a needle or a T-pin, but I could not get the hole to take shape and hold shape long enough to let me pass the beading wire through before it closed up. I even tried the longer of the two diamond bits in my bead reamer, to no avail.
I was about to give up when I noticed a tiny little finishing nail on my desk; the kind used to hand small things or to finish wood cabinetry. The one I found is about an inch long and is about the size of 18 gauge wire.
I was able to poke it through the felted wool, and give it a few turns, then remove it and repeat on the other side. It made nice, clean holes that were large enough and held their shape long enough for me to place them on the beading wire. I had to re-poke a couple of the felted wool balls, but for the most part, it worked first time, every time.
So, if you want to create beads out of felted wool, try using a small finishing nail. Don't try to make a bunch of holes in advance, Even those made with the nail will close up before you can complete your stringing. Make the holes one at a time, and you'll have excellent success.
Happy beading and happy felting!
