Monday, May 14, 2007

Woolly beads galore!


In those little bits of time that I have, I make wool beads. It is usually in moments that I know I won't be able to complete larger projects or that I don't feel particularly creative. I make beads as I watch television or am riding in the car or talking on the phone. Occasionally I use pieces of left over wool from other felt making projects or my new spinning obsession, but I usually just set aside color combinations or batts of wool that I like. I always try to have a little wool handy to felt a bead here and there. It is sometimes surprising to me just how many of these little woolly beads that I can produce over the span of a couple of weeks just in my spare time.

My way of making beads usually includes a mixture of felt making techniques, but the rest of the details are my little secret . . . I'm picky about my beads and want them to be as nice to the touch and evenly proportioned as possible so I've developed a certain way that I make them to achieve these goals. I know that they are just beads, but I always aim for quality in all my handmade treasures. In the case of beads, quality and quantity tend to go hand in hand as the woolly balls add up quickly when making them one by one.

I'm not sure what I'll do with all of them yet. I have several more to complete the final processes on. Perhaps I will bag some to sell as supplies and incorporate some into my own art, jewelry, and wearables. It seems that wool beads are very trendy in all sorts of arts and crafts right now. I've noticed that they've become quite a popular thing to sell on Etsy by fiber artists and felters and just about anyone who's somewhat crafty - probably because they are fairly easy to make and soothing to work on. I'm obsessed with keeping busy, and thankful that these little woollies help my hands stay occupied between more involved crafty endeavors.

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