Take That, Popcorn Garlands! -- A Cotton Ball Alternative

Okay, so I still like popcorn garlands for their more intricate beauty and texture, but with all the frustration I had with it, I needed to find an alternative. I decided to try cotton balls since they look a bit like little snowballs.

I was hoping I would be able to use the big dull plastic needles so my kids could string them, but unfortunately cotton balls are somewhat compacted in the middle, so they do need a sharp needle to get through it.  Although I was able to use a larger needle and larger thread (I used the thicker embroidery thread, the kind that doesn't divide into smaller threads).

Picture taken after I had already completed the garlands for my tree -- oh well, next time

If I had thought about it earlier (and had more time while my son was in preschool -- he's a nightmare in stores) I would have purchased some wooden beads to space out the cotton balls. 

I made three separate strands to go around the tree, put them around the tree and decided to be done with it (I don't have a whole lot of patience for attempting perfect arrangement, especially when my kids are going to be pulling at it anyway... someday though).