Touting Tassels

If you’re a knitter, crocheter, weaver or any yarn related crafter, you undoubtedly end up with left over scraps of yarn. For some, just to toss away those few remaining yards of a skein isn’t a problem. Why clutter your craft supplies with scraps? For others, myself included, wasting precious fiber in any amount hurts our yarny hearts. It’s so pretty! I want to keep it!

So my fellow hoarders of fibery goodness, what are we to do? Well, one possible option for these scrumptious strands is likely not unfamiliar to you – tassel necklaces. While this is not a new idea by any means, I do want to share my own basic method of putting together a quick, lovely tassel necklace with those beloved bits of yarn.

 

For a necklace with a tassel only, you will need:

• Yarn scraps (about 6 to 8 feet)
• A chain with clasp
• Piece of cardboard (3 to 4 inches)
• Scissors
• Yarn needle

If you would like to add some small embellishments, you will need some basic jewelry making supplies:

• Needle nose pliers
• Wire cutters
• Jump rings or head pins
• Beads of your choice

 

 

Start with your yarn and cardboard. You will wrap the yarn around the cardboard, perhaps 20 to 30 times (depending on how large you want your tassel to be), then tie it at the top and cut along the bottom. See photos below. Hover cursor over image for instructions.

 

Now that your yarn is off the cardboard, you will need to cut a 10 inch long piece of yarn to wrap around the top to create the tassel.

 

Trim the uneven ends at the bottom of your tassel as desired. Now you will need to use the ends at the top to attach your tassel to your chain.

 

If all you want is a tassel, then you’re done! Add to your favorite outfit and hit the town! For those of you who want a little something extra, get out your jewelry making supplied and choose some fun embellishment beads.

For this tassel necklace, I am adding a bellflower bead with a hole through the top to which I am adding a faux pearl.

 

Thread your chain into the circle you created with the head pin. Use your pliers to bend the circle completely closed around the chain. Voila! You have some extra bling on your tassel necklace!

You may be fashionably late for taking the extra steps, but you will certainly be accessorized and ready!

I hope you have enjoyed these basic instructions. Again, I don’t claim that its original, and certainly there are other methods of creating the same effects. This is just my own quick method of creating something simple and beautiful with those yarny extras that I can’t bring myself to throw away.

If you like what you see but don’t want to make if yourself or don’t have time, check out my shop on Etsy at HalesBee Hadmade and pick up one that I’ve created.

Happy making to all of you!

Love from HalesBee