Howdy Crafty Friends! Today I’m here with a little “the more you know” moment courtesy of Fairfield World. We’ve teamed up to help you pick the best stuffing for your project, as well as to introduce you to two of their products- Poly-Fil Micro Beads and Poly-Pellets Stuffing Beads.

So let’s just dive right in! First, let’s take a look at….well, how they LOOK. Micro Beads are white, super teeny, and a little squishy. Pellets are twice as large, clear, and hard.

Poly Pellets are larger, clear(ish), and heavy.

Micro Beads are 100% polystyrene- and very light and fluffy. They ARE static-y however.

Next, let’s look at WEIGHT- because that’s a big difference. I measured out 1/2 cup of each.

Poly Pellets weigh about 2.25 ounces per 1/2 cup.

Micro Beads are exceedingly light and fluffy- perfect for squishy textures. This 1/2 cup weighs only .25 ounces!

Micro beads weigh about .25 ounce per 1/2 cup…and the Poly Pellets are about 2.25 ounce per 1/2 cup. So as you can see, if you want something weighted, or heavy, than Poly Pellets are the bomb!

And Poly-Pellets are ideal for:

• beanbags
• stuffies that need a weight at the bottom- like shelf-sitters
• fill for musical shakers and instruments
• “I Spy” games, like this one from Happiness is Homemade

So what kind of projects are Micro Beads best for?

• soft squishy stuffies
• travel neck pillows
• faux “snow” for home decor crafts and snow globes

And here’s a tip- use anti static embossing pouch like the kind that are used in crafting (affiliate link) and you can cut down on the static on your work surface and tools.

Here’s a little video for you, with these tips in action!

Using these products really awakened my creativity! I got my sewing machine back out after a too-long hiatus, and I whipped up these projects in an afternoon:

Video tutorial is live now on YouTube!

Thank you for stopping by- and a big thank you to Fairfield World for sponsoring helpful content on CraftTestDummies! Make sure you visit them to see some wonderful project ideas, too.

 
Handy affiliate shopping links:

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About Jenny

Chief Craft Test Dummy, Craft Evangelist, Founder, Editor, bottle-washer, trouble-maker, and creative whirlwind.

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