-Merino wool;
-Film with pimples for felting;
- Needle for felting;
-Substrate for the needle for felting;
-Bowl with hot water;
-Soap or detergent.
Let's get started. I divide the process of felting beads into: dry and wet. Let's start with dry. To do this, arrange the pieces of wool on the film so that it forms like a mesh.
Those. First we lay the wool horizontally and then vertically.
We do this for several rows.
After this, carefully shape the resulting wool into a ball.
Then we place the resulting airy and light ball on the substrate.
I use a piece of foam-like material as a backing. After this, use a felting needle to compact the ball.
We do this evenly on all sides so that there are fewer creases on the bead. After the ball has shrunk a little in size, pour some hot water into the bowl and add a little liquid soap or detergent, as in my case.
Place the ball on film and lightly moisten it with soapy water.
We do this so that the wool fibers soften and adhere better to each other. Felting time depends on how the wool responds to this process. Personally, I like to use Australian merino wool for this. Semenovskaya wool would be more suitable for felting bags and other dense products. We begin to roll the ball on the film with light movements. We try not to press too hard so as not to deform the bead too much.
Periodically add hot water to the bead to keep the wool hot and pliable. After the ball has compacted a little more, we take it in our hands and begin to shape it into a bead with both hands, pressing slightly harder and compacting it. We get a bead like this.
As you can see, creases have formed on the bead, which we can easily hide. To do this, take a little merino wool and roll it around a bead.
We wet it with hot soapy water and begin to roll it onto the bead. To do this, we take the bead in our hands and begin to roll it over the film with intense movements until the top layer of wool rests securely on the bead.
Then we take it with both hands and begin to intensively shape our bead into a ball.
After which we get a bead without a single break, beautiful and neat.
We wash the finished bead under running water, continuing to felt and compact it.
And now, our bead is ready.
By making several of these beads of different colors, you can create exclusive designer jewelry.
