Fluffy Music

Had a great lamb ragu on cannochicci last night at Stellinas with Nate and he even picked up the tab- he told me he makes more money than I do. Anyway, he gave me a running commentary on the D'Angelo ads and that segued into the new old girlfriend (NOG). (I am calling her that since they knew each other when they were 13 but recently reconnected.) It seems she wanted to meet me and I wanted to meet her but Nate played the gatekeeper in his little game o' love.

So, I have a new plan to keep my head busy. I bought a felted ball necklace in NYC last winter, made in Ecuador I believe. The beads were all different subtle colors and each had sifferent simple thread embroidery on it, I'd take a picture BUT my battery is run down and I didn't bring the charger home- too busy taking pictures of marsupial can openers I guess.

Before I left FL I had found a site with directions for the beads that were knitted or crocheted before felting, but I left the print copy down there and am trying to figure it out before I am stuck on a plane all those hours. My Google searches provided me with lots of sites but none of them are knitted beads, instead just made from roving and felted that way- here's a couple I looked at: I'll be back later to fix it all up- somehow all the links got screwed up- hold on... oh whatamess...
http://www.homeofthesampler.com/howtos/lili_feltbeads.html How to make felted beads with roving

http://woolfestival.com/articles/felltedbeads.htm
Jane Dunnewolds bead directions, more emphesis on embellishment

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_accessories_jewelry/article/0,1789,HGTV_3225_4238612,00.html Sara Stallings directions on how to make and string felted beads, as seen on HGTV

http://www.artclothstudios.com/Tips-Techniques/Beads/beads.html
More of Jane's directions with photos of fussy process. Really, it's simple.

http://www.etsy.com/view_item.php?listing_id=51378 Knittydirtygirl's marbelized beads

http://www.flyingfrogglass.com/gcmfelt.html Gail Crossman Moore's amazing felted objects- this is the definitive site! I actually met her at the Philadelphia Craft show and her beaded flowers that draped around your neck were to die for. if only I had a social life.


http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=channel172345&catid=cat253&navLevel=2 And how could I not include directions from Martha's elves

http://www.interweave.com/bead/books/hand_felted_jewelry/ Finally, here is a whole book about rubbing roving- geesh- it ain't all that!

UPDATE*UPDATE*UPDATE*UPDATE*UPDATE*UPDATE*UPDATE
After I posted I found my tail ends of Manos de Uruguay in about 15 colors I had bought on eBay a few years back- this stuff is perfect for felting, so I got my trusty crochet hook and chained 4, picked up the end and did a single crochet once around. Then I did double crochet in each previous stitch so there were then 8 around, then 2 rows of singles- 8 stitches twice, then a row of 1 stitch in every other stitch, then bound off and pulled both the tails through to the center. (Please accept my lack of knowledge on writing crochet patterns!)

Then I took it to the sink and squished away with hot water and a few drops of dish soap between my palms until it became a bead. I rinsed it well, squeezed out any water remaining, and stuck it on a toothpick so there would be a center hole when I need it! And getting the toothpick through was tough, so make sure and get that hole in there- once it dries it will be too hard to penetrate with any accuracy. So- now I am all set for sitting in the airport and the plane ride. I'll felt whatever I produce when I get to my southern sink, then do some embellishment too. (see links above for where I am stealing my ideas!)