Oriental decorative tassel

By Spotlight

Here’s a simple and effective way to add a touch of Oriental flavour to an Asian inspired room. Decorate a ready-made tassel with beautiful Chinese Cloisonné beads sprinkled with Swarovski bicones to add sparkle and glamour. Hang your completed tassel on a door knob or a dresser door. Alternately, you can use the tassel as napkin décor to decorate an Asian themed dinner table.

Final Result

Materials

• Ribtex non stretch clear beading thread
• Ribtex 4mm round plastic gold beads
• Ribtex 4mm Swarovski bicones - jet
• Ribtex 8mm round Cloisonné beads - red
• Ribtex oval & diamond Cloisonné beads - black
• Ribtex 12mm round Cloisonné beads - red
• Ribtex 14mm glass round facet beads - dark red
• Ribtex 11cm red tassel
• sewing needle

Step 1

Cut a 25cm length of non stretch beading thread. Thread a 4mm round plastic gold bead onto the beading thread and position in the centre of the thread. Fold the thread in half so the two ends meet.

Step 2

Thread a selection of beads onto the doubled up thread, the gold bead will anchor the beads onto the thread. Create beaded threads of different lengths and designs to add variation to your tassel.

Step 3

When the beaded thread is completed, thread the two ends of the non-stretch beaded thread through the eye of a needle. Sew the beaded thread onto the top of the tassel. Make a few double stitches to secure onto the tassel. Cut away excess beading thread.

Note

Did you know?

The word ‘tassel’ comes from the Latin ‘tassau’ which meant a clasp (as for the neck of a garment). Tassels, or liripipes, are also found on mortarboards during graduation ceremonies and possibly upon the shoes of the men at graduation. The tassel is a universal ornament that is seen in varying versions in every culture around the globe.