We wanted to share some ideas for using our wool felt beads and charms for making decorations for a Christmas tree, decorating packages and cards. It's not too early to get supplies and start stitching as the nights grow longer and colder...well where we live anyway.

BUTTONED UP BEAD

Sewing through the wool beads is very simple. I prefer using millinery needles with Coats and Clark metalic thread. You will need 15 - 20 little buttons. The smallest used in this project is about 1/4 inch across. To add these little buttons, knot the end of a double thread, hide the knot behind a button, and sew right through from one button to another.


Attach a dot heart charm with the same thread. That will be the bottom of the ornament.


Create a loop with a 6 inch piece of silk ribbon. Fold in half and make a knot in the middle... Stitch the loop onto the top of the bead at the knot.


To finish off the thread, just stitch through a loop of thread to make a knot an pull thread through the lenght of the bead and cut thread.






EMBROIDERED BEADS


The bead on the left was embellished with embroidery thread, silk ribbon and a variety of beads.

Thread the silk ribbon through a needle and pull the ribbon down through the middle of the bead leaving the end on the inside the bead. Go back through the top and continue to add the ribbon around the bead.

Thread two strands of embroidery floss through a needle and stitch around the bead to hold the silk ribbon in place. Add French knots in a contrasting color.

To create the "dangle" at the bottom of your decorated bead, string a variety of beads onto
your embroidery thread. To secure the string of beads, loop back up through the string skipping the bottom bead. Take a couple of stitches at the top the string to secure the thread.

Additional goodies can be added such as more beads, sequins, little bits of colorful felt, metalic threads, more ribbon, family faces hanging off the end, meaningful words or images...

Have Fun and Keep checking Back for Fresh Ideas!