How to Wet Felt Beads

You can make felt beads using soap and hot water.

There are many different ways to felt wool fibers, including washer felting, needle felting and wet felting. Although the washer- and needle-felting techniques require tools, you can make a wet-felted craft using only your hands. For example, you can transform pieces of wool roving into beautifully felted wool beads. Once finished, use the beads to create an artistic necklace or in another craft project.

Things You'll Need

• Wool roving
• Large bowl
• Oil soap
• Toothpick

Instructions

1. Select the colors of wool roving that you prefer and gather up a large handful. Separate the wool roving with your fingers, pulling the fibers apart. Once the fibers are separated, pat the wool into a ball form.

2. Fill a large bowl with hot water and mix in 2 Tbsp. of oil soap. Make sure the water is not hot enough to burn your skin.

3. Hold the wool in your hands so that the ball form is maintained. Lower the ball into and out of the hot, soapy water.

4. Toss the ball back and forth between your hands, maintaining the rounded shape. After ten to fifteen repetitions, dip the ball into and out of the soapy water again.

5. Repeat this process for 20 minutes. The ball will begin to compact and grow dense. When the ball is as firm as you like, rinse it in clear, cold water.

6. Insert a toothpick through the middle of the felted ball. Rotate the toothpick to create a hole, turning the ball into a wool-felt bead. Repeat the process to create as many beads as you need for your project.