Beaded Felt Cabs

Beaded Felted Cabs

Creating Felted Cabochons to learn beaded Bezels

I have been meaning to try my hand at beaded cab bezels - or is it beaded bezels cabochons? Anyway, I kept buying but was not willing to give up my few and precious cabs to learn how to do the beaded bezels. Sure I could use cheaper everyday items like pebbles while learning the beaded bezel techniques - but being contrary, I didn't want to "waste" my precious time beading around something I would throw away.

Thank goodness, the love of novelty came to ther rescue. One day while trying out some whimsical idea in my head and playing around with my felting needle and roving, I had an "ah-ha" moment. Could I not make my own felted cabs and then learn how to bead bezel around them? It would be cheaper (as I had already spent quite a bit of dosh getting rovings and felting needles etc some time ago). It would be fun - I could create whatever colors I liked and even felt in different designs. And I could decide on the shape and size I wanted. I could make more when I needed. And (this really appeals to me) ... I had not seen it done yet. (I am sure someone somewhere would have thought of this already - but I hadn't seen it before so that was extra excitement for me).

And to top it off, surely with the body of the felted cab being less rigid and less unforgiving than a stone cab, it must make it easier to ensure my beaded bezels are the right, snug sizing around the cab. All yes-yes-yes ... so off I went.

All felted cabs are fabric protected (against dirt and fire with Scotch Guard) prior to beading and sewing.

Click on thumbnails to view details.

First Attempt

With some multi-colored retro color scheme in mind, I felted these squares onto a pre-processed felt backing. The thought was that I could later cut them up for use. Or something. You can see that the back, which is extra fluffy, is also interesting.

With needle felting, the fuzzy back should always be kept in mind as sometimes it turns out more interesting than the front.

The 2 pics here show both sides of more attempts using felted backing. Again, not so happy with it. I suppose they are usable but at the moment I cannot see the advantage of having backing when I can just felt a cab without one.

This piece is now on hold as I am not that enthused about it though I do like the coloring.

Attempt 2: Retro Pink Oval Cab

Same cab shown from different angles. Now this is also my first beaded bezel and I must say it is fun fun fun. The felted cab is (fabric) glued onto a stiff backing (just like LSS).

LSS stands for Lacy Stiff Stuff and is often used to give body to beading embroidery. Also widely used in beaded cuffs. I did buy some of this. But the one I am using is just as good. In fact, better coz it is cheaper and it is recycled :) I got it from Reverse Gargage, Australia

Other Felted Cab sets

Just a collection of miscellaneous cabs as I test out to see what cabs work and what directions I can go with needle felting and cab creations.

These 3 below are from this collection showing what they look like beaded up. You can also see from the close up how some fiber (sari silk) has been incorporated into the felting.

First Beaded Cab Bracelet using felted cabs (CC64)

This is my first beaded cab bracelet - learning beaded bezeling and having a real good time. First I made all those little cabbies. Then I glued them to backing and beaded around them. Then I used a wide wire-satin white ribbon (the wire is very thin and along both edges of the ribbon. Comes that way). and glued the beaded cabs on one at a time (only the center; not too near the edges otherwise the needle will get gummy). Then each beaded cab is sewed on. Once all the cabs are in place, heavy random beading is used to fill in the spaces between the cabs.

The pics below show the finished bracelet from various angles. Whenever I can, I like to take as many shots as I can - front, back, sides because I find that over time I tend to forget how I made something so this pictorial archive really helps me. In this example, I also attached a blue felted cab behind the ribbong before folding down the transparent sides. The blue helps blend in better as blue seedbeads were used to fill in the spaces between cabs. The clasp used is Swarovski lingerie clear crystal embedded clasp.



sizing

Some Sets of Felted Cabs

I tried making some more sets for either bracelets, necklaces, or something. Some of the below are beaded; some not coz probably I got distracted with new ideas. Or something.

Set: Warm Retro

So far, this is my favourite set.

Addendum: This set has now been made into Warm Retro Metallica cuff bracelet.

Set: Blue Greens

This set is now gone. I was orignally thinking it could be some kind of necklace and I was thinking of having gold edging to each cab. The 3 focal ones actually are remnant from my first cab bracelet above. In the photos I am just playing around with some idead for the placement of the 3 focal cabs. However I am very happy that someone (actually a very talented someone called Maryanne Villalba of the Maryniky Designs) has taken them as is. I hope she will show me what she does with them. Fingers crossed.

Set: Wild Retro Funky

This set has pretty wild funky colors with a retro bent. Some of been bezel beaded.

Set: Into The Night

This set has gone to another very talented lady. She harbors wild roos in her backyard and makes the most delicious and sought after Peruzi clay pendants, cabochons, and beads. More fingers crossed in the hope that she will show me what she does with these as well.

Set: e set

Not sure what to do with these yet. Kinna happened without planning.

From Fluff to Felt

Thought it might be quite fun have a visual pictorial journey of the fluff turning to the final felted piece. The pic here shows a possible arrangement only. Playing around. Below is the journey of Fluff to Felt of one piece. Whenever possible, I show both the top and bottom at each stage. Remember that either side can be used, depending on your inclinaation and preference.