TASSEL PENDANT NECKLACE

I could have sworn I posted these, but I can’t seem to find them, so I apologize if this is a repost of something I gave you earlier.  Nevertheless, its a free pattern/tutorial, so have fun!


Fringes, tassels, feathers and chain are all trendy for winter 2012 and early 2013. So, I decided to combine them in this tassel necklace.

Materials
* Cone Shaped Bead Cap
-You could get a premade silver one, but I decided to make my own.
-Details below about making your own.
-As for the premade ones, I like the Bali sterling.
* Premade Beaded Fringe (or, you could bead your own)
– I already had some of this so decided not to make my own.
-You can get it in the upholstery section of your local fabric store.
-I used 3”
* Chain
-Small pieces for the tassel and a longer piece to hang your tassel on!
* Feathers (I used about 7)
* A bead
-I used a handmade spacer bead.
* Wire – 20 gauge or thicker.
* Optional: Bail
* Optional: Bobbin Bead
* Needle
* Thread
* Wireworking Tools – round nosed pliers, flat nosed pliers, wire cutters
* Glue – I like .527 watch glue.

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MAKING YOUR OWN BEAD CAP

About a million years ago I picked up these ½” mandrels from ABR Imagery.
http://www.dichroicimagery.com/produ…ducts_id=72443

Beforehand, I had a couple I had purchased from Arrow Springs, but they were nicked at a class by one of our own LE members! Anyhow, I guess what I’m saying is to both mark your tools when at class and also you can pick them up from many different suppliers.

If you decided to make your own tassel cap, then the one thing I have found about these mandrels is that you need to make sure they are really well-dipped in bead separator and also you work pretty hot. The width of the mandrel makes it difficult to heat up and glass just has trouble sticking to it. Keep at it! Mine is totally uneven.

I used 96COE “Raku” glass for my tassel cap.

———————

ASSEMBLING YOUR TASSEL

Once you get that bead cap off your mandrel, the rest of the project is pretty easy. The whole getting the bead cap off thing didn’t work after a few days soaking. It also didn’t work after being stuck in the freezer. Having a temper tantrum at it seemed to work, but there’s no good reason why it should respond to that when nothing else worked. I wonder if temper tantrums would work on my dog…

Make a loop on one side of the wire.

Cut a 3” piece of the beaded fringe, roll it up around the wire and tack it into place with needle and thread.

Sew the feathers in place, evenly spaced around the tassel.

Sew the chain in place, evenly spaced around the tassel.

That totally looks like something you’d go fly fishing with, doesn’t it?
With the remaining thread, wrap around the top of the tassel and stitch the whole thing together tightly. Add some glue just for extra insurance, but make sure that the glue doesn’t get everywhere. It needs to be hidden by the cap.

Slide the cap over your tassel. Add the spacer bead and make a loop at the top. If you know how to do a wirewrap, then do it. It’ll add extra insurance.
If you don’t know how to wirewrap, its actually part of my free tutorial here:
http://lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212857
I added a bail since I had one lying around and it just makes it look more professional. Remember, if you are adding a bail AND doing a wirewrap, you click the bail in after you create the loop and before you wrap the wire around!

Hang your tassel on your chain and wear!
I had a matching bobbin bead, so of course I added it because more is sometimes…more.
Actually, the first photo is better.

You’re so IN, girl!

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