Things to Make Out of a Tassel
Tassels can be small or large and constructed from simple materials, such as yarn, or more luxurious, such as silk threads. According to Timeless Creations website, tassels were first used in China to decorate the delicate shoes of women with bound feet. The art of making and the use of tassels traveled across the world as trade spread, and tassels found their place on harnesses, uniforms, drapes and clothing. Tassels can be used to make many useful and decorative items.
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Tassel Doll
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Use the top "bead" of the tassel for the doll's head. Divide the tassel strands into four equal sections. Use yarn or floss in the dominant tassel color to tie around the top of each section as close to the tassel "bead" as possible. You will be forming two arms, a torso and two legs. The two outside sections are the arms. Find the center between the tie previously made near the tassel bead and the ends of the tassel strands. Tie yarn around the center. Repeat for the other arm. To make the torso, find the half way point between the ties near the tassel bead on the two center sections and the ends of the tassel strands. Grasp the half way point with your fingers and tie yarn around this part. Separate the two sections below this "waist" tie to form the legs. Find the half way point between the tie at the waist and the ends of the tassel strands and tie yarn around each leg.
Tassel Half Doll
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Half dolls are plastic, porcelain or china and are exactly what they imply, half of a doll. The doll traditionally has a waist, torso, arms, head and is usually "dressed" in the bodice/sleeves of an elegant gown. A tassel half doll uses the tassel as the doll's skirt. Clip the hanging loop from a tassel. Use a hot glue gun to glue the top of the tassel bead beneath the half doll. Most half dolls have a molded loop near the back of the head or back for feeding ribbon or cord to hang the doll. If there is no loop, you can hang the doll by ribbon looped beneath the doll's arms.
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Key Ring
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Purchase a split ring at a craft or fabric store. Split rings usually come several to a package and are made of steel, nickel, brass or zinc. The ring looks like a double ring, one ring on top of another, and features a split so keys can slip between the rings to be held securely within the circle. Slide the hanging loop of a tassel between the split ring until the loop works its way through the ring and into the circle.
Ceiling Fan or Light Chain Pull
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Cut the hanging loop of a tassel into two sections, but don't remove it from the top of the tassel bead. Use the two strands to tie the tassel, tightly, to the chain of the ceiling fan or light chain. Place a drop of super strength glue onto the end of a toothpick or wood skewer and insert the glue drop into the center of the knot. Allow the glue to dry before using the pull. If the ceiling fan or light switch chain has a ring at the end, tie the tassel to the ring instead of to the chain. Trim away any excess hanging loop strands.
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References
Resources
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