How to make a round felt ball rug

{the supplies}

+ Fishing line {available from almost every hardware store and many supermarkets}

+ Scissors

+ A reasonably sharp needle with an eye large enough to thread the fishing line through {I used an upholstery needle from Spotlight}

+ 2cm felt balls of your chosen colour {I always order mine through Felt & Yarn, straight from Nepal – to make a rug approx 73cm {28 inches} in diameter I used approx 1000 2cm felt balls}

+ Thimble & rubber patch to help pull the needle through the felt balls {optional} {again from Spotlight}{the method}

Note: This DIY is a little bit difficult to explain, so bare with me – hopefully the pictures will help.  Some of the photos have been annotated to help explain the method.  White arrows and lines show where a step should be performed and pink arrows are simply pointing to an item to help you identify it and understand the method.

1. Prepare a length of fishing line. Take about 100cm of fishing line and tie multiple knots on top of each other at one end, to create a large enough knot so that the fishing line will not slide through the felt ball.  Cut the surplus fishing line after the knot so you have a neat end to the fishing line.

2. Create a string of felt balls. Thread the felt balls onto the fishing line, one by one.  The thimble and rubber patch may help here to protect your fingers as it can be reasonably difficult to pull the needle through each of the felt balls.  If you choose to use felt balls in multiple colours you can either simply choose a colour at random or choose to keep a specific order.  I place the felt balls in bags sorted by colour and choose them in a specific order.

3. Secure the string of felt balls.  Once you have strung 10-15 felt balls together, thread the fishing line back through the last 2 felt balls on the string and then return the fishing line through those same 2 felt balls {the aqua and pale blue balls in the photo below} so that some spare fishing line is sticking out from the end felt ball {this fishing line will be used in step 5}.The photo below shows the first string of felt balls with spare fishing line sticking out of the end felt ball {the pale blue felt ball in this case}.4. Create the centre of the round felt ball rug.  Take the first string of felt balls and wind it around on itself to create a small round shape, which will be the centre of the felt ball rug.  Prepare another piece of fishing line {as per step 1} and thread the fishing line back and forth from one side of the round to the other so that the fishing line goes through each of the felt balls at least once to secure it tightly {see photos below}.Try to keep the fishing line inconspicuous, however don’t worry too much as the benefit of using clear fishing line is that, not only is it strong, it is not too noticeable once the rug is finished.

Tie a knot at the end of the fishing line and cut off the remainder of the fishing line so you have a neat round of felt balls, held tightly together.5. Add to the centre round to create your felt ball rug.  Take the spare fishing line that is sticking out from the end felt ball {the pale blue felt ball in the photo below} and thread the felt balls onto this length of fishing line, creating another string of felt balls.Unlike the very first string of felt balls created in step 2, this string of felt balls, and all future strings of felt balls, will have their first felt ball already attached to the main round of the rug.  The photo below shows a string of felt balls I have created later in the process.  Each time you create a string of felt balls, add felt balls until the fishing line has about 10 cm remaining.{6} Secure the string of felt balls.  Thread the fishing line back through the last 2 felt balls on the string {the grey and light blue balls in the photo below} and thread back and forth through a couple of felt balls to secure the string of felt balls.  Cut end of fishing line so that it is neat.{7} Prepare a length of fishing line & attach the string to the round of the rug.  Prepare another length of fishing line in accordance with step 1.  The fishing line should be longer than the length of the string that needs to be attached.

Thread the fishing line through the last felt ball attached to the main round of the rug {the grey felt ball in the picture below}.Secure the new string of felt balls to the growing round of felt balls by threading the fishing line through the row of felt balls on the outside of the round and then back through the new string of felt balls.Provided you cut your fishing line longer than the string of felt balls you had to attach, you will have some fishing line sticking out of the “last” felt ball that was secured to the round.

{8} Repeat until you have a rug of desired size.  Once again thread another 10-15 felt balls on this fishing wire {step 5} and secure it by threading the line back through the last 2 felt balls on the string {step 6}.  Prepare a new length of fishing line {longer than the length of the string you need to attach} and secure the felt balls to the round of the rug {step 7}.  Continue repeating steps 5, 6 & 7 until you have the size of rug you require.  At the very end simply secure the final string of felt balls to the round with the fishing line.

Essentially, once you get going, each length of fishing line you prepare will first be used to secure a string of felt balls to the round of the rug and then be the base on which to thread new felt balls on, to create a new string of felt balls.

Tip: during the construction process it is worthwhile keeping the rug relatively flat.  I simply left a pile of heavy coffee table books on the rug over night.9. Congratulate yourself {this is not an easy DIY}, style up your space and admire you creation!I would love to hear from you if you have a go at following this tutorial – especially in terms of how I could make it easier to follow.  Please leave a comment or send me an email.

{the details}

+ Felt balls sourced from Felt & Yarn in Nepal

+ Other materials available from Spotlight

+ Styling & photography by catherine & grace {if you would like further details about any other items photographed, please contact me}

{the alternatives}

You can find more rug ideas on BobVila’s blog {which also features my DIY felt ball rug tutorial}.

Felt & Yarn and Felt Ball Rug can create a felt ball rug especially for you should you decide it may be easier to order one online {probably the sensible decision!}  The rugs produced by both companies are made in Nepal and can be customised in a variety of ways, including colour.

{Photo courtesy of Felt Ball Rug}