Tutorial: Tassel Necklace

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Tassels are on necklaces everywhere at the moment, particularly on necklaces that will set you back anything between a few pounds and a few thousand pounds!

Normally found on curtain ties, cushions and lampshades, tassels can become a quirky fashion statement (though I advise against running out to buy a pair of curtain tie-backs!)

This tasselled necklace is chic and modern--and can be made for just a few pounds.

Follow this tutorial to find out how to make your own tasselled necklace.

Time needed: 45-60 minutes

You’ll need:

1 skein embroidery floss

16" chain

6 beads (for chain)

1 bell cap (for tassel)

1 bead (for tassel)

Jewellery wire

1 split ring

1 jump ring

6 eye pins

1 clasp

Scrap of card

Pliers (round nose, flat nose, side cutters)

Scissors

1. Cut a rectangle of card and fold in half.  Cut a slot across the card approximately 1 cm from the top. 

2. Starting from the bottom, wind the embroidery floss loosely around the card until you have approximately 3-4 inches left (cut off at the bottom of the card).

3. Wrap the left over piece of floss around the top part of the tassel, through the slot you cut out in step 1, and tie a secure knot at the back.

4. Slide your scissors between the two sides of card at the bottom and carefully cut through the embroidery floss. Slide your tassel off the card.

5. Cut around 4 inches of jewellery wire. Slide partway through the loop at the top of the tassel so approx. 1 inch sticks out on one side of the tassel. Using the pliers, bend the two sides of wire up around the head of the tassel and wrap the shorter end around the longer end.

6. Thread the bell cap onto the wire, over the top of the tassel. Add whichever bead you want on top of the tassel and bend the remaining wire into a loop with the round-nose pliers, cutting off any excess with side-cutters.

7. Attach the tassel to the centre of your chain using a jump ring.

8.  Thread a bead onto an eye pin. Bend the straight piece of wire over round-nose pliers to make a loop and cut away any leftover wire. Repeat for the other five beads.

9. Fix the beads to the chain at equally-spaced intervals of 1.5". To do this, open a chain link using round-nose pliers and thread on the factory-made loop of the eye pin. Close the link using flat-nose pliers. Now open the other loop on the eye pin and attach to the other end of chain, joining it up. Close the loop with round-nose pliers.

10. To finish, attach a clasp and split ring to the ends of the necklace.

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