Question for Crafters.... - Chippewa Falls,WI

They sound like the decorative part that would go onto pins stuck into a ball. Modern times; a styrofoam ball... older; a ball made out of rags or straw. Both are covered with fabric and then stuck through with pins to make home made christmas ornaments. We have several dozen my great grandmother made. GORGEOUS.

The indent is for the head of a plain pin. The pin head would be glued on or soldered on depending on the material. Typically one would bead some pins, and decorate the ends of others (with the pin caps; painting them or gluing on thread, usually to match or contrast with the ornament, or to look like pearl or mother of pearl), and then they were stuck on in rows to hide the seams of the fabric ovals/ make it more decorative. Similar to how leather furniture seams used to be "studded" with hobnails. The ornaments were usually quite ornate. Fabric scraps were saved from dressmaking, suitmaking, curtain making, and the bits that were especially "pretty" (satins, silks, damask, etc.) instead of being repurposed for quilts were repurposed for ornaments.

Like these
http://www.ornamentz.com/Christmas-Ornaments-Gallery-1.htm

Decorate a tote bag with them, or a shirt. You can modge podge them on wood, glass vases, coffee mug, or a plate for a decoration. You can use them to write names on a stocking for Christmas and give them away to a family you know. You can decorate big rocks for a craft with modge podge.
Michaels or Joanns has the wood figures that people may stain or paint. You can buy something to use the balls on for decorating.
Thats all I can think of for now.

Do they have a hole in the middle or not?
Meaning, are they beads or not?
Beads... will have a hole in the middle in order to string a string through it.
If there is no hole... then it is use for gluing it, onto something.
As in for decorating an object. Like round balls/spheres or Christmas balls etc.
Or these are even used for fingernail decorations.

Pretty much, you use them as you want.
There is no 'correct' way you 'have to' use them.
Just make up whatever craft you want, and/or decorate something with it.
I would use a Hot Glue Gun to adhere them.
Hot glue, is very strong and quick and can glue anything, for crafts.

The 'indents' or concave shape on the flat side of the balls, is made in order to glue it onto a 'round' shape. So that it follows the curve, of the object.

good luck,
Susan

I collect vintage crafting supplies. I can think of a few things they might be. If you want you could email me a pic. Just PM me.

I'm guessing they aren't the easy answer of bead caps. I would guess they are just cabochons and the indents are basically just "tooth" for glue to be able to reservoir in them if that makes sense so when they are glued to a flat surface it holds.