How to Make Tassels for Belly Dancers
The popularity of belly dancing is on the rise. Some people belly dance as part of a cultural tradition, while other people use belly dancing as an enjoyable form of exercise. You can make your own belly dance costume for whatever kind of event you are attending, even for a Halloween costume. The tassels are what really make the costume pop. Add tassels in many different colors or use only colors that blend in and coordinate with your belly dancing skirt.
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Instructions
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Make a template for your tassels out of the cardboard. Use the measuring tape and pencil to mark of piece of cardboard to 8 inches by 8 inches. Cut out the cardboard template.
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Wrap the embroidery thread around the template 40 times. Start with the beginning thread at the bottom of the template and hold it with your thumb until you can wrap a few more strands around it to hold it tightly in place.
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Use another skein of embroidery thread if necessary, again starting with the beginning thread at the bottom of the card. Finish wrapping and end the thread at the bottom of the card.
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Cut an 8-inch length of embroidery thread from another skein of the embroidery thread. Work it under the threads at the top of the card and tie a tight square knot to hold all the threads together.
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Use the scissors to cut the threads at the very bottom of the card and release the tassel from the template.
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Hold the tassel by the top and use your other hand to smooth all the threads together.
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Grab hold of the end of another skein of the embroidery thread. Place the end of the thread 2 inches down from the top of the tassel. Hold in place with your thumb.
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Wrap the loose skein of embroidery thread tightly around the tassel. Work your way down 2 inches. Tie a knot in the thread and trim the ends.
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Loop another 5-inch length of embroidery thread through the top of the tassel where you can attach it to your belly dancing skirt and tie a knot in just the ends of the thread, forming a loop.
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Tips & Warnings
You can use one of several kinds of threads to make your tassels. You could use wool yarn, but an embroidery floss or silk yarn would look better and not be so bulky as woolen yarn. If you do use wool or polyester yarn, wrap the threads around the template fewer times.
Use more than one color of thread to make your tassel. You could make the wrapped part of the tassel with one color and tie the tassel with another color.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit orange brush image by Marek Kosmal from Fotolia.com
