How to make Fabric Beads – Easy Craft
You make fabric beads the same way you make rolled paper beads, but I prefer fabric. I haven’t had any success when I tried making paper beads (yet). It’s easier to roll the fabric, and the beads get chunkier faster. Here is a quick tutorial to show you how easy and fun this is!
1. Cut your fabric into triangles. I do this without a pattern because I don’t mind if the beads are not the same size.
2. Start rolling your triangle close to the straw. Add a dot of glue in the beginning.
3. Roll it tight, then ad a little glue dot again to finish it off. It doesn’t matter if the glue seeps out, it will just make the bead a harder.
4. You can do a few beads on the same straw and let them dry there until you want to decorate them further.
5. The real fun part is when you decorate your fabric beads (or paper, this method works just as well with paper). All kinds of glitter and shimmer is fun to add. Glittery sewing threads, fabric paint, glitter glue, gloss varnish, acrylic paint… Experiment! My favorite was the glitter threads because they both add colour, glitter and structure to the bead form. Mmm!
Just look, they are yummy right?
Will you try it? What will you decorate with your new beads? Mine are dangling from a very cool bag – glittering in the sunshine!
** More tutorials here – leave a comment below if you liked this or any of my tutorials
Wonderful, colorful fabric beads. I have only ever done them with paper….I will try some with fabric….thanks to your nifty little tutorial here reminding me to use up some of my fabrics ….I also like the fact that the rolled beads can just “chill” on the straw until ready to decorate:)
these are DELICIOUS!
thanks so much for this :)
These are scrumptious! I can imagine a whole curtain of them swaying gently in the window. The glitter thread really adds a lot. I see a lot of orange in there; maybe you will continue to mix it with your pink?
ooOOooooh, so pretty. love em!
These are great, I’m definately going to try this!
I’ve made beads with rolled paper, but I never thought of making them with fabric. These look great, and I love the addition of the glittery threads. I may have to make some myself!
i like how the raw edges of the fabric looks on your beads. i will try fabric, i’ve just been experimenting with the paper beads. thanks.
Oooh those look so fun! I love the glitter thread – that was a really great touch :)
Great idea!
I’ve seen people doing those with paper, but with fabric I like it much better.
Hanna, I got a question… do you prepare your blogentries offline?
If so, how do you do it?
Greetings from Essen, Germany
~charly
Just catching up with so much of your beautiful work! I love making paper & fabric beads, you are good to share the how to. Love too your bright journal pages your gentle photos & I can’t believe I didn’t comment on your amazing mixed media embroideries. I remember looking at them in amazement then & Ii’m still amazed! For my special birthday I got enough presents to go out & buy an Embellisher machine.Ii’m just learning but I dream of making a piece using hand stitch, machine stitch & the embellishing machine & the other embellishing ! You inspire me, thanks! ;)
I love these Hanna! Much nicer than the paper version I think, especially with all the sparkly embellishments! Gonna try them sometime…
Hi Hanna – so inspiring…I actually got on and made some myself :-) See them here http://lynettecollis.blogspot.com/2010/08/happiness-is.html
Thanks for your sharing of ideas – I love reading and looking at your blog.
I will make for myself and give as a gift and give a couple of sets to my church for their auction. My projects will consist of bracelets, necklaces and earrings and decorations on my hats. Thanks because this tutorial is easier than the one I read today. Now I have something to do with my fabric scraps.
i really really liked it a lot.when i first read the idea for fabric beads,i thought it would be pretty hard,but I was ready to take a big step.but when i looked at the procedure,it was very easy and fun.i really like my beads when they are combined with the thread.I JUST LOVE IT
Thank you for sharing your creativity. I will try making them with silks and othr glittery fabs, and add metallic paint between rolling the fabric, we’ll see what happens and will post the results.
Keep safe, stay well.
It sounds fab! Making beads is fun, thanks for the reminder as I wrote this blog post 10 years ago. I should make more beads as well.. Hmm…