Making casting cloth for crystal ball

I have velvet, a wooden ring and cotton for creating a casting cloth. I thought I might sew the cloth around a wooden ring, and then stuff this with the cotton. This does not feel like the most elegant solution. Is there anything that might provide a very soft, yet more uniform texture than cotton? The ball (this one is 4") obviously needs to remain still when it needs to be still, yet still allow the gazer to turn and move it as much (and as precisely) as necessary. A flat cloth would probably suffice, but I felt compelled to enhance the surface. Alternative approaches also welcome.

It's not very soft, but when making crystal ball pillows, I use either rice, split peas, dried beans, or sand to fill the pillow. I know somebody who uses salt, though I can't say how well that does or doesn't work... I find it not only keeps the ball steady, but I can add herbs that lend themselves to Divination which, when the pillow is picked up, moved, etc, releases a really nice fragrance that I associate with divination so it gets me "in the mood." LOL

Very nice -- which herbs?

I'll be honest, I have 3 crystal balls (one the size of a tennis ball and is Quartz, an Amethyst the size of a softball, and a Green Banded Onyx the size of a grapefruit), and when making each of their pillows I filled an amount of herbs proportional to their size, and the types of herbs I used I went with what I felt matched the balls themselves.

For the Amethyst I used: Apple Seeds, Star Anise, Lavender, and a pinch of Cumin (a binding herb that protects the tools it is with from theft, loss, or what I call "bad juju")

For the Quartz I used: Bay, Orange Peels (dried, of course), Sweet Woodruff, and Cloves (same purpose as the Cumin)

For the Onyx I used: Sweet Basil, Orange and Lemon Thyme, Cinnamon, and Cloves

I also used just a little of Rosemary in each of the pillows because I love it, and because I grow a bunch, and because it feels like a binding herb to me... Something to get all of the other herbs unified and kind of seal my intent. I guess I think of Rosemary is my "signature herb." LOL I also added a few large sea salt "crystals" just for purification.

But according to my book, you can use Acacia, Angelica, Anise, Betony, Borage, Cinquefoil, Clover, Cornflower, Damiana, Datura Seeds, Dittany of Crete, Eyebright, Honeysuckle, Hops, Kelp, Marigold, Mistletoe, Moonwort, Mugwort, Myrrh, Orris Root, Rose Hips, Rosemary, Rowan, Vervain, Willow, Wormwood, Yarrow...

Also, rice and beans and to a lesser extent, dried peas, also have strong divinatory significance.

I don't own any gazing crystals but flax seed and buckwheat are great "solid" stuffers, and they smell fabulous. both also help with sleep and the dream state and are used in homeopathic pillows, so may be very good for divination. Buckwheat in particular smells wonderfully rustic.

Cheers,

Ankou