Tools & Materials

You might find many of these supplies hanging out in your home or crafting stash. If not, you can grab the rest from your nearby craft store or buy them online from marketplaces like Amazon or Etsy.

I’ve loaded the list below with as much information as possible, with links to recommended products and online stores. If you are headed to your local craft shop, download my free printable supplies checklist to take with you.

Tools

  • Calculator - set to two decimal points if possible.

  • Ballpoint pen or fine-tipped permanent marker - To be used for drawing on your foam ball. I like using a Sharpie.

  • Tape Measure - I recommend a soft plastic type in centimeters and millimeters.

  • Craft Knife - I recommend a small sider knife with a blade lock, like this Auto-Lock Utility Knife. I like these knives because you can easily snap off the dull end for a fresh, sharp blade, and the blade retracts for safe storage.

  • Tucking tool - I use an upholstery needle as a tucking tool. You can use anything comfortable to hold with a small enough point to fit into the cut grooves.

  • Glue Stick - Any glue stick should do. Just make sure the glue dries clear. My favorite glue stick is the Shiwa Nashi PIT made by Tombow, which is only available in Japan.

  • Fabric Scissors - I love using my little precision scissors, like the ones from Singer.

  • General-purpose liquid craft glue - I like Aleene’s Tacky Glue, but regular white school glue works fine, too.

  • Liquid whiteout - Use to correct drawing mistakes or cover marks that show through light-colored fabric. For the best results, get dual-purpose correction fluid for oil and water-based inks. I use an oil-based correction fluid with the primary solvent Methylcyclohexane (approx 45%). Some liquid whiteouts will melt polystyrene foam, so it’s best to do a tiny patch test before you use it for the first time.

  • Drafting (Geometry) Compass - Used in some of my more complex designs, you won’t need one for your first simple striped ball, but you will want to get one as you move on to more challenging designs.

Materials

  • Polystyrene (smooth foam) ball - I recommend using a ball between 6 cm and 8 cm (2 to 3 inches) in diameter. When purchasing your foam ball, it’s best to find one that has factory markings indicating the north pole, south pole, and equator. Also, check to make sure the balls are not dented or misshapen. Most craft stores sell polystyrene foam balls, but the quality can be hit or miss. If you need to find an online retailer, LACrafts reportedly have good-quality foam balls. AdaQuiltedCreations has foam balls premarked for a simple 8-division and various other shapes. She is located in Greece but can ship worldwide. For more foam ball suppliers, see below.

  • Fabric - Quilting cotton is the easiest fabric to use and comes in a wide variety of colors and prints. Satin or silk make beautiful ornaments but are more challenging to control, often slipping and fraying during tucking. Thick fabric like denim may be difficult to tuck into the grooves. Usually, a small amount, like the size of a sheet of paper, is sufficient, but the exact amount will depend on the size of your ball.

  • Ribbon - I recommend having 15 cm (6 inches) of 6 mm (about 1/4 an inch) wide ribbon for your hanging ribbon. You will need more to add a bow to your ornament. The exact amount and width will depend on the size and number of loops you want. I prefer to use polyester satin ribbon.

  • Cord trim - Rattail cord, metallic yarn, and plastic canvas cord make good trims. The cord length you need depends on the size of your ball and how many seams you will be covering. You will also want to consider the thickness. You can find my favorite Japanese cord at Fabric Tales.

  • Pearl head pins - I recommend pins about 1 inch in length.

  • Large bead caps or sequins - Used to cap the top and bottom of your ball. I recommend 10 mm in diameter. My favorite sequins shop is Cartwright’s Sequins. They have a wide selection of sequins, sequin pins, and beads.

More Recommended Suppliers

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