Creating Fabric Beads: Material Mondays

Posted on the 05 December 2023 by Realityarts @realityarts

Creating Fabric Beads: A Sustainable and Creative Project
Ever wished you could transform your leftover fabric scraps into something beautiful and useful? Look no further than fabric beads! They are surprisingly easy to make and offer a fantastic way to recycle unwanted materials, contributing to a more sustainable lifestyle.
Scraps into Treasure:
This project starts with a simple base, like a recycled plastic tube, or check if you have any plastic drinking straws in one of those draws in the kitchen. They offer a sturdy core for your fabric bead. Wrapping thin strips of fabric around the tube with glue or stitching creates the foundation of your bead.
Working with Embellishments


Here's where you can go to town in your art supplies! Grab those forgotten seed beads, ribbons, and any other embellishments you have lying around. Each bead becomes a canvas, waiting to be shaped with contrasting threads, seed beads, or even bits of wool, the possibilities are endless!
Benefits of Creating your Beads:

  • Creating fabric beads offers more than just artistic satisfaction. It's a fantastic way to:Reduce waste: By repurposing scraps, you give new life to materials that might otherwise end up in landfills.
  • Develop crafting skills: Learn basic sewing and beading techniques, perfect for future projects.
  • Enjoy a mindful activity: The repetitive nature of beading can be quite therapeutic, offering a moment of calm.
  • Create unique pieces: With endless combinations of fabrics and embellishments, every bead is a one-of-a-kind treasure.

Getting Started: Check out the video to see how I created them. Here are some of the supplies that you will need.
  • Fabric scraps: Any fabric will do, from cotton to silk.
  • Embellishments: Beads, buttons, yarn, ribbons, the possibilities are endless!
  • Needle and thread: For stitching the fabric and securing embellishments.
  • Glue gun (optional): Offers a quicker alternative to stitching for some steps.
  • Recycled base: Plastic tubes, paper or plastic straws

Your finished fabric beads can be used in countless ways stringing them together to create necklaces, bracelets, or earrings. You can also use them as embellishments and sew them onto clothing, bags, or pillows for a unique and personalized touch.
Creating fabric beads is a fun, sustainable, and rewarding activity, it is a great time to express your creativity, so, gather your materials, unleash your imagination, and let the joy of fabric bead making take over!

Stay blessed and be a blessing.