Beaded Tassels with the Beadalon Tin Cup Knotter Tool by Emily Scott

Some of my favorite Facebook Lives are when I have guests teach me a technique that they have developed. These beaded tassels work up quickly and easily using the Beadalon Tin Cup Knotter Tool and the Spin-n-Bead. My favorite part was learning that you can bend the end of the needle that's attached to the Carded Silk Cord to string up seed beads with the Spin-N-Bead. I'm not usually one for all caps, but this tip is a GAME CHANGER!

Beaded Tassels by Emily Scott
A quick and easy method for fabulous beaded tassels

Materials:
Beadalon Carded Silk - Size 6 silk thread works perfectly with 12/0 Seed Beads
Beadalon Spin-N-Bead
Beadalon Tin Cup Knotter Tool
Beadalon Artistic Wire, 20 Gauge
Beadalon Bead Stringing Glue (optional - All knots are doubled, or you can single knot with a tiny dab of glue)
Size 11/0 or 12/0 Seed beads
Tassel Topper with hole in top

Instructions:
STEP 1 - Prepare Your Wire
- Cut about 6” wire. Make a large, single wrapped loop. Test to make sure this fits inside your cord cap. You want this loop to be large enough to hold several strands of beaded fringe but still be able to fit in the cord cap. This is a throw away wire. This wire will also help you estimate your gap length of your beaded fringe.
- Cut about 6” of wire and make same size loop. Keep it slightly open. Set aside.

STEP 2 - Prepare Tin Cup Knotter
Set bracket of Tin Cup Knotter. Slide bracket to gap length of beaded fringe. Secure with Allen Wrench. Set aside.

STEP 3 - Load Beads Onto Silk
- Stretch silk thread to remove bends.
- Knot the non-needle end of the silk. This will keep beads from dropping off silk but is also the start of your first beaded fringe.
- Double knot with Tin Cup Knotter by knotting in front of the bracket. This second knot will fall precisely on top of first knot.
- Straighten the needle attached to the carded silk, and slightly curve the end to make a hook.
- Put seed beads in Spin-N-Bead in proportion you want colors to appear in tassels. Spin beads on to silk using the hooked needle.
*Hint: Bead spinning works best when spinner is full
*Hint: Aim needle at top of beads, like you are skimming the top, slightly tilted up
*Hint: Leave at least 1/5 of the silk open with no beads
*Hint: Avoid forcing beads onto silk. Remove tight beads

STEP 4 - Create Beaded Fringe
- Push seed beads down to knot at end of silk.
- Measure twice the desired tassel length of beads (if you want a 3” tassel, measure 6” of beads).
- To end this strand of fringe, knot silk with Tin Cup Knotter keeping beads behind the bracket. This will create an open space gap on the fringe.
- Double knot by knotting in front of the bracket.
*Hint: Do not cut strand of fringe off until you have created the next strand of fringe.
*Hint: Leave small tail of silk when cutting fringe apart.
- To create additional beaded fringe, make an open knot and insert awl. Slide toward first bead fringe keeping about 1 inch distance from the end of the previous beaded fringe.
- Repeat for each strand of beaded fringe.

STEP 5 - Cut Fringe and Load Wire
- Find middle of beads and open space.
*Hint: hang beaded fringe in upside-down loop to find middle and hold knots together.
- Thread open space gap on to open loop on wire.
- Fill loop with fringe, generally 8 – 10 strands, depending on size of Tassel Topper.
- Wrap loop closed.
- Thread the top of the wire into cord cap and either add a bead or two, or leave plain.
- Make a wrapped loop to secure the tassel inside the Tassel Topper.
- Trim the ends, being careful not to cut the knots.  Add a dab of glue on each knot if you'd like for extra security. Ta – Da!

Thank you so much to my beady friend, Emily Scott for an amazing job with this project!

Until next time, happy beading!
Meredith