I first created these fabric beads as an ongoing and fun way to use up some of my 15 lb box of fabric scraps, a collection spurred on by leftover material cut from art doll projects. These beaded fabric balls were inspired by the felt balls that are popular to use in art.

I start out with a load of small sized scraps and throw this in the washing machine to encourage a fraying, tangled orb of texture. I then rip or cut a small portion of this mass and roll it to become a one inch diameter. I pin and stitch by hand through this ball until I form my fabric "bead."

The fabric bead is then added to dangle from a totebag, art purse, fabric book, collage art or anything that needs embellishing. These are addictive to make and are an excellent way to incorporate and use up items that would have otherwise been thrown into the garbage. The color results of this method make each bead original and hardly identical to the next, making it unique in design as well as resourceful.