BEADED
SCISSORS TASSEL
A good way to keep track of your special scissors, personalize them with a beaded scissors tassel. Quilters can be fussy about their special scissors :) Adorn your scissors with an extravagant tassel and beads. Make one for your scissors and many for gifts for your stitching friends.
This is definitely a must for those who tie a ribbon on their scissors in order to identify them in a workshop or at quilt group... or, for those of you who like to be cutting edge fancy and embellish your special scissors.
Pattern for a beaded scissors tassel is my gift to you!
Beads and all the other goodies you will need to make a beaded tassel can be bought wholesale at
The Bead Link or at any neighborhood retail craft store.
The technique is a basic form of bead stringing and will be easy even if you are unfamiliar with beading...
1. Begin by laying a 5" length of curb chain on a table to make sure it is smooth and flat. (Size to 4" if making tassel for embroidery scissors.)
2. Fold a 12" length of fine flexible beading wire in half and thread one end through the link at each end of the chain. Let the chain loop slip to the center of the wire and tie a simple overhand knot (diagram below) to secure the ends. Give the chain loop a few tugs to be sure the end links are strong. If an end pulls loose, just remove the weak link and rethread.
3. String a brass rondelle bead.
4. A small round bead works nicely here.
5. Tie a square knot (diagram below).
6. Your focus bead should be next.
7. Another small bead.
8. Tie a square knot (diagram below).
9. String as desired, knotting occasionally.
10. End with a Clam Shell tip.
11. At this point an additional technique is used to make sure the clam shell will not pull off. Tie a simple overhand know, slip a seed bead onto one thread, then, instead of passing one end of the beading cord once around the opposite thread, twist two to three times to form a large square knot. Tighten firmly. Coat this knot with a drop of clear nail polish and let dry. Trim the ends closely.
12. Gently close the Clam Shell to hide the final knot.
13. Make simple tassels from DMC floss, add a braided or twisted cord of floss. One skien of floss makes 2 chunky tassels, 4 small tassels, or 8 mini tassels.
14. To add tassels -- fold the cord and tassels in half and pull the fold in the cord through the metal loop in the Clam Shell tip. Open the loop of cord enough to pull the tassels through, one at a time, and lightly tighten the slip knot to secure.
15. To attach the completed Beaded Tassel to the scissors -- slip the chain loop through one side of the scissors, then open the chain loop and pull the entire beaded tassel with its soft cord and tassels through and tighten the slip knot.
Copyright © 1998-2001 Kotarba