Open Accessibility Menu
Hide

Home Care Activities: Felt Ball Coasters

Home Care in Wellesley, MA

Grandmother teaching granddaughter how to crochetMaking crafts together is a wonderful way to support a stronger relationship between your parents and you or their non-medical caregiver. They can also help them to maintain better mental and emotional health, and allow them to have more control over their homes by creating personalized decorative touches that they can enjoy showing off and using throughout their aging years.

This craft is not just a fun activity for them to do with their non-medical caregiver, but also a useful item that they will actually get to use throughout their home. These coasters will protect their furniture from water rings created by beverages or heat damage caused by bowls, which can make them more willing to have a drink nearby, encouraging them to drink more fluids on a daily basis. Encourage them to express themselves through their color choices and designs for extra emotional and cognitive benefits.

What You Will Need

  • 1 cm wool felt balls. These usually come in packages of about 100, and 90-100 are needed for each coaster depending on size, so you will likely need to purchase several packages. You can choose any colors that your aging loved ones like, whether they want to have just one color to go with their already established décor, or several different colors to create a fun, visually interesting look.
  • Cork coasters
  • Glue sticks
  • Hot glue gun
  • A long wood skewer
  • Felt in a color that goes along with the color or colors of the felt balls you have chosen
  • Sharp craft scissors
  • Pencil

What to Do

  • Place the coaster on the piece of felt
  • Use the pencil to trace the edge of the coaster on the felt
  • Use the sharp craft scissors to cut the felt circle out, making sure that the edges are neat
  • Use the glue gun to attach the felt circle to the bottom of the coaster. This will protect whatever surface you put the coaster on from scratches and make it easier to move the coaster across the surface
  • Allow the glue to dry completely. For best results, place a weight on top of the coaster to smooth
  • the glue and prevent bubbles
  • Glue one felt ball directly in the center of the first coaster
  • Using the long wood skewer, place the glue exactly where you want it for the first dozen or so pieces
  • Place the remaining felt balls around the center one, working in a circle, leaving as little space as possible. If you are using polyester felt balls rather than wool balls you will notice that they are not as dense, requiring you to push them closer together to prevent too much space between them once the glue is dry
  • As you work, stop occasionally to allow the glue a chance to dry, or else you will end up moving the felt balls as you push new ones onto the coaster
  • Continue working around the coaster until it is completely covered
  • In the last row, glue each ball to the coaster and the balls around it, thus making the coaster disappear completely
  • Allow to dry overnight

Extra tip: Look for miniature felt balls in corresponding colors to your larger felt balls. Once the coaster is complete and dry, use these tiny balls to fill in any spaces that you notice in between the larger ones. You can also use these tiny balls first to create a rim around the outer edge of the coaster for a tight finish and a color contrast.

If you or an aging loved one are considering non-medical in-home care in Metrowest Boston, MA, call Griswold Home Care and speak to one of our caring staff members today. Call (781) 559-0073

Categories