Tassels

 

Give new life to your decor with colourful and imaginative tassels, trims and braids. Make a ribbon tassel to dress a window or door.

Ribbon tassel

Quick and easy to make, this delicate ribbon tassel gives a stunning result. Choose a colour combination that suits your decor then match the paint colours to the threads and ribbons.

Materials

  • Wooden tassel head acrylic paints in assorted colours to match ribbons
  • 3m each of at least five different threads, eg wool, cotton, fine ribbon, silk embroidery ribbon, braid.
  • 13cm x 24cm piece of cardboard 40cm lacing cord

Equipment

  • small paintbrushes
  • scissors
  • craft glue
  • sticky tape or masking tape

Method for tassel

  1. Base coat the wooden tassel head with your chosen colour. Paint the small flowers and leaves around the top and centre of the tassel head if desired. When completely dry apply two to three coats of satin varnish.
  2. Cut a 28cm length of cotton thread. Position across the top of the card and tape down the ends at the edges of the card with sticky tape or masking tape.
  3. Begin winding each of the threads and ribbons around the card, until all of these have been used. You may need to use a small piece of tape to hold the ends in place while you are winding them.
  4. Remove the tape from the sides and carefully slide off the bundle of threads and ribbons, keeping them in place.
  5. Lay the bundle on a flat surface and place the base of the tassel head on the top edge with care. Wrap the top of the bundle around the base and secure it by tying the cotton threads into a strong knot. Apply a small amount of glue to hold the bundle in place.
  6. Cut the loops of the bundle and trim the ends to even up the threads and ribbons.
  7. Glue the two ends of the lacing cord into the top of the tassel head to finish.

Costs and suppliers

Ribbon tassel will cost about $10-15 to make (about $3.95 for the wooden tassel head; the threads will vary, depending on quality). All braids and tassels we used came from; Castle Trimming, 696 Old South Head Road, Rose Bay North, NSW, 2029. Phone: (02) 9371 0066 or fax: (02) 9371 7817. Materials to make this project should be available from most local craft shops.

Further information

For more ideas on using tassels and braids see the August issue of the Burke’s Backyard magazine for more of Tracy Marsh’s craft projects, pages 93-97.