Description
Spun paper balls are wonderful DIY craft materials. They are versatile, easy to use, and serve as the foundation for countless creative projects. They are often referred to as spun cotton balls (even throughout our website).
Project ideas
You can use spun paper balls to create crepe paper flowers, Christmas decorations, vintage-style ornaments, Christmas ball ornaments, glittered ornaments, sugar plum ornaments (ø 40 mm is recommended), orange, cherry, and peach ornaments, radish and turnip ornaments, doll ornaments, jewelry, fabric-covered bead necklaces, pendants, miniatures, figurines, snowmen, polymer art, beads, fabric-covered buttons, millinery decorations, pinecone elves and fairies, berry picks and branches, berry wreaths, and much more.
The possibilities are truly endless.
HOW TO USE SPUN COTTON BALLS ? (click to view)
Paint them
Spun paper balls are easy to paint. We recommend using acrylic paint because it is widely available, dries quickly, is opaque, washable in most cases, and doubles as a protective layer. For ornaments, you may also want to explore specialty paints such as glitter, shimmer, pearl, or metallic finishes.
You can even add texture and thickness by mixing paint with sand or gesso. Spun paper balls can also be decorated using markers, pens, and pencils.
Glue them
You can easily glue two spun paper balls together. Any paper glue will work well, as glue adheres easily to the fibrous texture of the spheres.
Feel free to glue other materials onto your spun paper balls to embellish them. Fabric, colored paper, Dresden trims, ribbon, lace, mousseline, crepe paper, and chenille stems all work beautifully.
Glitter them
Add a beautiful vintage shimmer by sprinkling your shapes with glitter. There are many types to choose from, including glass glitter (perfect for sugared ornaments), snow glitter, metallic glitter, iridescent glitter, and even glow-in-the-dark glitter.
To apply glitter, simply brush regular white craft glue onto your shapes and sprinkle glitter over them using a spoon, holding them above a small container. Allow the glue to dry—and voilà!
Accessorize them with miniature objects
If you’re creating a snowman, for example, you can accessorize it with a miniature hat, broom, and scarf. You can also build charming scenes using mini animals, trees, houses, and other decorative elements.
Turn them into beautiful ornaments
All spun paper shapes share a common feature: a small hole on one side, left over from the manufacturing process. This makes it easy to turn your creations into hanging ornaments.
Simply dip a hanging loop into glue and insert it into the hole. To make a hanging loop, use a small piece of wire, wrap it several times around the handle of a paintbrush, then twist the excess wire three to four times.
Think outside the box
Spun paper balls can be used in unexpected ways. Some artists use them as fillers inside modeling clay sculptures, while others combine them with polymer clay to create unique jewelry pieces.
ADDITIONAL TIPS (click to view)
The small holes in the balls allow you to hold them with a pick while painting and decorating. This makes the process more comfortable and keeps paint off your fingers.
We recommend using long wooden picks, such as bamboo skewers. Once you’ve finished painting and decorating, you can leave the balls on their picks and rest them in a mug or heavy glass until they are fully dry. Alternatively, you can poke holes in a shoebox and use it as a drying stand for freshly painted pieces.
SPUN COTTON BALLS : QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (click to view)
Are the shapes really made of cotton ?
No. Spun paper balls are made from paper (regular wood pulp). The spun cotton name is a reference to traditional spun cotton ornaments that originated in Germany in the late 19th century and later spread to England and the United States during the late Victorian era.
Originally, cotton batting was wrapped around metal frames to create ornaments depicting angels, children, Santa Claus, animals, fruits, and vegetables. Today, the shapes are machine-made using paper, but the historic name has endured as a tribute to these beautiful Victorian crafts.
How are they manufactured ?
Soft paper is tightly rolled into molds until the desired shape is achieved. The raw shapes are then coated with a starchy solution and oven-dried, resulting in a smooth surface that is easy to paint and decorate.
Are they soft ?
Spun paper balls are quite firm because the paper is rolled very tightly. While durable, they should not be crushed. Another advantage is that they are shatterproof.
Are they eco friendly / green ?
Yes. Spun paper balls are a responsible alternative to polystyrene balls and other plastic-based craft materials.
Can they be dyed?
They should not be immersed in liquids, as this may cause them to soften. Painting is the recommended method for coloring.
Do they also go by other names ?
They are also referred to as spun cotton balls, or more rarely, watte balls (watte means wadding in German).
Where can I find inspiration for projects ?
We love spun paper shapes and regularly create DIY projects and tutorials. Be sure to visit our tutorial page for inspiration.
I used your products and would like to share my creations. How can I send photos ?
We would love to see your projects! All of our product pages include a review section where you can upload photos along with your review.
Colette –
Featured Review
I’m so glad you have a variety of sizes! It’s been difficult to find the ones I need.
Thanks!
Lynn –
Wonderful quality and quick shipping. A pleasure to do business with this company. Bonus is that their website is so easy to navigate. I will be back for more!!!
Loli (verified owner) –
Best quality and most friendly service! We LOVE Spunnys!!!!
Polly’s Beads (verified owner) –
We have great success with the cotton balls from Spunnys with our beaded Christmas Balls
clayart61 –
LOVE all shapes and sizes! The best variety ever! And a quick and friendly service always! I just placed my third order!
Coco –
I’ve used Spunnys for numerous projects and couldn’t be happier! The spun cotton balls are so incredible versatile; truly a must have. I’m so pleased with the products and service. Thank you!
Cyndee –
Love this product! I use these with polymer clay to make armatures , makes final design much lighter .
Cyndee (verified owner) –
Love this product! I use these with polymer clay to make armatures , makes final design much lighter .
Teresa wong (verified owner) –
Good products and services. Definitely will buy again and also recommend to friends.
Maria P. (verified owner) –
I loved all my Spunnys products! I couldn’t believe how fast shipping was and their customer service was absolutely amazing! All of my little balls, buds, carrots, turnips and pearls were perfect and exactly what I wanted. I definitely recommend this shop
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Melissa (verified owner) –
Thank you so much for working with me to get the sizes I need. You are wonderful!! Hope to reorder very soon.
Barbara E. (verified owner) –
Packaged well. Great consistent shape. Will use in art project consisting of only paper. These shapes are great!
Patricia F. (verified owner) –
Great quality. Very pleased. Unfortunately I measured wrong; so will now order the correct size for my project. I will use this size for another project.
jennifer landry (verified owner) –
beautiful quality and pretty fast overseas shipping!
Noel S. (verified owner) –
This company is awesome. Their products are as described and the ordering process is seamless. You won’t find a better product or supplier.
Aino (verified owner) –
Alicia (verified owner) –
Christine (verified owner) –
You did GREAT! They are going to be perfect for making my cute Christmas ornaments! Ordering was easy, delivery was great!
Stacey D. (verified owner) –
Great quality