Wooly Beads Part 2 & The New Stash

I had a great time at the Georgia Quilt Show yesterday with my friend Val. We really enjoyed the wool beads class that we took and met a bunch of fun ladies in our class. I am not a quilter, but the conversation turned quickly into lamenting over too many hobbies acquired, UFOs, and the like, so I immediately felt like I could relate right off the bat! We used a wet felting process for making the beads using wool roving - essentially working wool fluff down to a little ball, by slowing wetting our hands and then eventually dunking our ball of wool into warm, soapy water to help the felting process. It was so easy and fun, I just have sore arms today from working down 14 fluff balls! In the end I only needed 9 wool beads for my bracelet, so I have a 3 the same size leftover for another project and 2 smaller ones that I think I will turn into matching earrings. I ended up getting more wool roving at the exhibition hall and also some fun fat quarters that I don't know what I am going to do with yet, but just loved them!

Starting from fluff balls:

Ladies from our class with our finished products:

My finished bracelet and leftover wool beads:

My new stash of angelina fibers (sparklies) and wool roving:

My new stash of fat quarters:

Val and I also were able to meet up with one of my childhood friends, Judith, who recently moved back to Gainsville, and in the process we discovered the Talbot's outlet and a wonderful little French place, the Georgia French Bakery. I got away with a straw hat, velveteen jacket, ballet flats, and two belts for about $30 at the Talbot's outlet, and had delicious French onion soup, roast beef panini, and chocolate eclair from the bakery. Both are highly recommended!