DIY Network

Felted Mokume Gane Bead This bead takes its inspiration from Japan's Samurai culture. From "Uncommon Threads" episode DUCT-204

Carol Cypher shows how to make a wet-felted mokume gane bead. Originally created in the 17th century as a form of adornment for the handles of Samurai swords, the technique takes its name from the Japanese words moku (wood), me (eye) and gane (metal).

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Felted Mokume Gane Bead (top)

Materials:

bubble wrap
crisp plastic
basin
towel
hot, soapy water
1⁄2 oz. (1 yd.) merino wool roving in Dijon
1⁄4 oz. (1/2 yd.) merino wool roving in browns, rusts and golds
acrylic (no-wax) floor shield
razor blade

1. Pull clumpy wisps of fiber from half of the 3 short rovings, piling them on the bubble wrap.

3. Roll them back and forth, forming a wool "cigar."

4. Pull wisps from half of the light roving and layer them on the wrap, bubble-side up.

5. Top the light roving with the remaining colored roving and the other half of the light-colored roving.

6. Pour 1⁄2 c. warm water on top. Placing plastic between your hand and the wool, rub it to remove the air and spread the water throughout.

Figure A

7. Place the wool cigar on an end and roll the wet wool around the cigar (figure A).

8. Roll this wool cigar back and forth for several minutes with increasing pressure.

9. If the fibers do not yield to a pinch, rinse with hot water.

	Figure B
	Figure C

10. Place within the folds of a towel and stand on it to remove as much water as possible.

11. Saturate with acrylic floor treatment.

12. Allow it to dry on a piece of plastic.

13. Holding a blade perpendicular to the tabletop, slice a length off.

14. Settle the flat side on the table. Cut lengthwise at a right angle to the table. Repeat on opposite side (figure B).

15. Rotate to cut the fourth lengthwise side.

16. Cut off a tip. Slice cubes or rectangular beads from the squared rod of wool (figure C).

RESOURCES :

Hand-Felted Jewelry and Beads: 25 Artful Designs
By Carol Huber Cypher
Interweave Press, May 2006
Website: www.interweave.com

GUESTS :

Carol Cypher
E-mail: carol@carolcypher.com
Website: www.carolcypher.com