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Friday, September 21, 2012

Millions of Tassels!

"Here a tassel there a tassel, everywhere a tassel, tassel."

That's Tessie, singing a happy tune this morning.

Being a gypsy tent, it must have tassels everywhere....Tessie said so.  So it must be true.

When April was little, I found these rolls of un-spun rayon at Pic'n'Save....That turned into MacFrugle's...Then to Big Lots....As it went through the different phases, it lost a lot of it's charm and a lot of the unusual products that it used to carry. 

This stuff was seventy nine cents a spool at the time.  I found a tag on the red spool.  At the time, I was hesitant to buy all of the colors.  I wasn't sure what I would do with it.  Now I am so glad that I did.  And I wish that they had had a few more colors.  I got white, black and six colors.  It will take another hundred and forty nine years to use it all, but I am trying.

I grabbed the red and went to work on the tassels, while Tessie started experimenting with crocheting it for braid.  Sometimes she is very smart.  In all these years, I have never tried it for anything but tassels.

I have done this before on the blog, but it won't hurt to repeat it.  I also make these tassels with embroidery floss.  The only difference is the amount of thread used.  It depends on what you are using them for.

In the second photo, starting to the left, here's what you need.  a bunch of thread at least twice the length that you want the tassel to be.  Matching sewing thread is used to make the hanger and neck of the tassel...

Cut the thread bunch.  Tie two separate slip knots in the matching thread. 

Slip one of the slip knots over the center of the bunch of thread and pull up tight.  Tie a single knot with the two tails over that to keep it from slipping.

Then slide the other slip knot down over the top of the tassel and pull it up where you want the neck to be.  Again, tie a single knot to hold it.  I also add just a tiny bit of glue on both of the knots just to be safe.

Smooth the ends down and trim.  That's it.  Simple.
After that, I have to take them away from Tessie.  She keeps insisting that they would make grand earrings.

After she got a length of crocheted chain done, I took over and glued it on top of the thread lines in the bamboo blinds for the side roof.  The end of these will hang down over the side of the building and the tassels will then be attached to the end of each braid.

This morning I found three more fat quarters that we can use in the tent drapes.  It's not going to be just these three...I have lots of other fabrics picked out of the stash...

Please don't ask how the workroom cleaning is coming along....I don't wish to talk about it.  It seemed to slip my mind, just a little bit after I reported on it yesterday.  That's all I am saying on the subject...other than....I can't find my pin board to do the drapes...  This is not good at all. 

See you tomorrow.

5 comments:

Kathi said...

Oooooh! Pretty little tassels! More, more, more!? :D

Phyllisa said...

Hi Casey. I won't ask how the workroom cleaning is coming along if you don't ask how my workroom (Studio) is getting organized. I have been working on it periodically for quite a few years now. The perimeter looks good with all the shelves, but the middle of the floor is still stacked with boxes I have been slowly reorganizing into smaller boxes. But I am thinking it is going to take some time to finish. I would rather USE the room than ORGANIZE it anyway!
Phyllisa

Caseymini said...

Kathi, you have been associating with Tessie too long! You sound just like her now!LOL

I am with you Phyllisa. Using it is better than organizing it!!!

MerriMagic said...

Yup, use something, and it has a reason for being. Let it lie around doing nothing, and it becomes clutter/junk.

I love the idea of a fortune-telling booth! Where will you put the new creation when it's done, Casey?

Giac said...

Hello Casey,
Great job on the tassels. I spent a loit of time making several hundred this summer for a drapery project, so i know how long it can be.
I don't trust anyone with a workroom that is too clean.
Big hug,
Giac