Don’t buy a felt ball garland when they are SO easy to make! Use felt balls and embroidery floss to add colorful and fun to an unexpected spot in your home. Scroll down to the bottom of the post to see a video of how it’s made.
Skills Required: Beginner. This felt ball garland is as easy as it gets, especially if you purchase the felt balls ready-made.
However, you can also make the balls using wool, and that process is quite easy as well. Even a child could make this garland (making it a good kids craft, especially for teens!).
The holiday decorations are put away and it’s that time of year when we start bringing in some cheery colors into our home to shake us of whatever winter blues we may be experiencing. This simple felt ball garland is a fun and easy craft that adds some color and interest in an unexpected spot.
For this home decor project, you will need felt balls (I used 48 1″ balls), a skein of embroidery floss, and a thick needle. Embroidery floss comes in skeins that are 8.7 yards long, or 26.1 feet.
These are the supplies you’ll need for one garland, and you can obviously tie two garlands together if you like.
Making Felt Balls
Since I wanted a wide array of different felt colors, I found it more practical to buy my felt balls already made.
However, you can definitely make your own felt balls using roving, felt sheets, or yarn scraps. It’s more time consuming but it’s fun, especially when you can put the kids to work doing it! 😀
How to Make Felt Balls Using Roving
If you want to make your own felt balls, the process is called “wet felting.” You’ll need to purchase wool roving. Besides the wool, you’ll need hot water and dish soap.
The basic process is to dip pieces of wool roving into warm, sudsy water and then shape into balls. Then you’ll let them dry overnight before creating your felt ball garland (you can get more details here on the process).
Using Felt Sheets or Yarn Scraps
You can also make your balls using felt sheets (or scraps of felt sheets), or yarn scraps. The process is very similar to using the roving, but you’re going to have to work the material a little more. You’ll still want to use wool felt or wool yarn.
There will be quite a bit of manipulation of your felt or yarn as you massage it in the water and soap mixture. Having said that that, the colorful effects you can get when using scraps are very unique, so it’s something to consider. No two balls will be the same, and it’s very colorful!
How Many Balls?
How many wool balls will you get out of a 1/2 oz. package of wool roving? Approximately 12 – 16 at about a 1/2″ diameter. It varies greatly depending on how tightly you squeeze the balls, etc.
I recommend estimating conservatively so that you have wool roving to make your balls. Also you can’t lose if you have too many, but it can look sparse if you don’t have enough.
Are you ready to make your garland? Here’s what you’re going to need.
Gather These Supplies
- Felt balls – 1″ (48 – 50)
- Embroidery floss – 1 skein, color of your choice
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
How to Hang Your Felt Garland
You can drape your DIY garland over just about anything. I highly recommend doing it the way I’ve shown in the pictures below. If you don’t have anything to hang the garland on, just use pins to push it into the wall. You won’t see them (use a hammer to tap them in).
Swag your DIY garland about every three to five feet for a little interest. You never want to hang it straight. The swag (tacking it up at various points) will integrate into your decor better. Trust me!
Or you could try draping them over some white curtains. No pins are required for either method!
This felt ball garland would look lovely in the living room or a bedroom, but it’s also a cute kitchen craft too. Honestly, it could go anywhere! Just customize the color of the balls. So to speak.
It would make a great birthday party decoration too. Bring it out on special occasions! Learn how to make this fun project below.
Felt Ball Garland
Equipment
- Needle(s)
Materials
- 48 Felt balls
- 1 skein embroidery floss any color
Instructions
- Arrange your felt balls in the order you will string them. You can string out the colors any way you like; I spaced them approximately 1" apart.
- Open the embroidery floss. The floss should be about 8 – 9 yards long, and you'll cut in half.
- Tie a knot at one end, leaving a 9" tail or so.
- String a felt ball onto the floss using the tapestry needle. Push the needle through the center of the ball and to the knot.
- Continue stringing felt balls onto the floss, doing several at a time.
- Once you have several balls on the garland, space them out about 1" apart. Continue stringing balls onto the garland until you get it to the length you want (mine is 8 feet long).
- Once you get to the last ball, tie off the end in a knot and trim with the scissors. Your garland is ready to hang.
Video
Notes
If you need another idea for a garland, check out this budget friendly fall garland. Wouldn’t it look fantastic with some of these balls in fall colors? I’d also love for you to check out these other ideas:
Gretchen
Thursday 18th of February 2021
Could one use silk cording to string the balls on to make a necklace? Anything other than embroidery floss? Thanks
Amy
Friday 19th of February 2021
I think you could but you'd have to figure out how to strand the balls on - maybe a large upholstery needle?
Susanna Bradley
Thursday 26th of November 2020
how much wool do I need, how far will 10g of wool go in terms of how many felt balls? thanks
Amy
Thursday 26th of November 2020
It varies greatly depending on the size of your balls! That much wool would make about 12-16 balls 1/2" thick or so. I'd estimate on the lower end so you can make sure to have enough!
Frida
Tuesday 20th of November 2018
How much roving wool to make how many felt balls?
Amy
Wednesday 21st of November 2018
Hi Frida! One package of roving wool would make about 6 - 10 balls depending on the size. For example, this package is 2 oz: https://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/3127674/Wistyria-Editions-Violet-Yellow-Green-Assorted-Wool-Roving-Pack-of-Eight-5dc5c4f0-edd0-4126-9197-86ebf57c53af.jpg
You could get 8 balls out of this package. They'd be small-medium size. One thing that people are doing is making a different core for their balls (for example, wadded up cardboard). This apparently helps the wool go further. I haven't tried it though. My concern about doing it that way would be the ability to string them, but I suppose a thin drill bit could be used for that if necessary?
Carrie Stought
Monday 15th of August 2016
I love this idea! how many felt balls did you use?
Amy
Monday 15th of August 2016
Around 46 - 50!
APRIL
Thursday 27th of August 2015
WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR FELT BALLS? I LIKE THE COLORS THAT YOU CHOSE. THE FELT BALLS I FOUND AT THE STORE WERE MOSTLY BRIGHT AND UGLY COLORS!
Jo
Wednesday 9th of November 2016
I get mine from Hello Maypole!