Monday, December 13, 2010

Endless Possibilities with Tassels!

I have been wanting to make my own tassels for quite some time now...I hadn't because it was difficult finding the finials for the top.  If I wanted to get really creative and up off the couch...finding a wooden topper, or ceramic topper would not have been a difficult tasking!  On the other hand that would have required drilling and all sorts of other tools that I would have to find and later put away:)  Truly I am not lazy but on occasion I like the easy way out! Finding these tassel toppers at my local Hobby Lobby about made my week, what could be easier??? 

Here are the supplies I gathered before sitting down to do my project:
Tassel Topper from the local Hobby Lobby
Assorted Ribbons of various sizes, colors, shapes, even rick rack, and beads.
Scissors
Hot Glue Gun
Wooden Wheel(this is optional)
2" Foam Ball
You will want to start out by cutting your ribbon.  If you want the ribbon to loop remember to cut it double the length.  A variety of lengths will be needed for each tassel.  While you are cutting the ribbon the glue gun can be heating up. Form individual loops and glue together.  Find your 2"foam ball, start gluing the ribbon around the circumference of the ball.  You can line the ribbon up side by side, use as many ribbons as you would like on each loop around the foam ball, working in rows. 



The following picture is a top view of the foam ball after all the ribbon pieces have been glued on.  I am not a neat crafter....please keep that in mind:)



This next step is optional...however if you choose not to do this step the top portion of the tassel still must be finished somehow.  I will show you two alternative ways to finish out the top of the tassel.




I found this neat stretchy ribbon that I used around the wheel, then  used a cording to break up the ribbon.  After being as creative as you care to be hot glue the wheel to the top of the foam ball.  Take your tassel topper and hot glue it onto the top of the wooden wheel.  Tie a ribbon onto the topper to use as a hanger.  Below is the first tassel I finished!

Now for a second finish to the topper.  This one is a little more tricky.  It is more of a pleated design around the top and I used ribbon.  I really think it might be easier to use fabric? So pick a starting point and start folding the ribbon.  The ribbon has to be glued on both the top and the bottom of the pleat in order to stay put.  This is the bottom ugly view!


Here it is sitting up.


Around the last tassel(pictured below), I pleated the ribbon on the bottom of the topper and then simply hot glued a wide piece of ribbon. 



I hope you all enjoy creating these as much as I did!!!! Thanks for stopping by:)

2 comments:

  1. These are so cute!! Between you and Tiff I want to try so many neat crafty things and I have ZERO supplies available to me. Maybe one or a few of these) will make their way to Germany.

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