Step 1
Take approx. 1metre of thread and add a needle. Thread on approx. 8cm (3″) of size 15 ivory seed beads followed by 3 x size 15 gold tone seed beads and 1 x size 15 ivory again. Move these beads down the thread leaving approx. 15cm of tail thread.
Miss the last ivory bead and thread back up all of the gold and ivory beads you added. The last ivory bead will act as a stopper for this strand of your tassel.
Step 2
Again, thread on 8cm (3″) of ivory beads, 3 x gold and 1 x ivory. Miss the last bead and thread back up the strand again until you exit out of the top. Make sure the topmost beads sit close to each other, and that there are no gaps in thread meaning all the beads sit close together.
Step 3
Repeat this process to make as many strands of beads as you like. We made 15 strands all together. You may have to replace your thread when you start to run out. Leave at least 10cm of tail thread and simple start a new tassel on a new strand of thread. You can then knot the tassels together once you are happy you have enough strands.
Step 4
Once you have enough strands. Double knot all the threads together at the top, as close as you can to your topmost beads. You only need 2 threads to continue. Weave your spare threads (leaving the 2 longest) back down through a strand of beads and trim off the excess. Put this tassel to one side.
Step 5
Next, take your crystal rivoli and your cream/ivory tone size 11 seed beads.
Take a new length of thread. Pick up 24 size 11 seed beads, drop to 10cm from the end of the thread and pass through the first seed bead to make a circle.
Step 6
Pick up a size 11 seed bead, miss a seed bead on the base ring and take the needle through the next seed around. Pick up another size 11 seed beads, miss a seed bead and go through the next. Repeat all the way round to create this up/down pattern then ‘step up’ through the last seed bead on the ring base and the first seed bead added on this round.
Step 7
Add size 15 seed bead between each of the ‘up’ beads, step up again through the first seed bead added in this round and pull thread taut to create a tubular shape.
Step 8
Continue the peyote stitch adding one more round of size 15 seed beads. Pull this tightly to bring the inner circle inwards. You can thread around these beads again to make the circle smaller.
Step 9
This is how your design looks on both sides, with the crystal placed in the dome.
Step 10
Weave your thread through the rows of beads and exit through one of the size 11’s at the front of the crystal. Repeat the process of adding 2 more rows of size 15 seed beads.
Step 11
We chose one row of ivory tone and one row of gold tone. Weave your working thread and tail thread into your bezel, knotting along the way to secure the threads. Once you are happy your design won’t unravel, trim off the excess thread.
Step 12
Take your tassel and thread both threads through the gold bead cap. Onto one of the threads, add 1 x size 15 ivory bead and thread into one of the edge size 11 seed beads on your bezel. Weave this into your bezel beadwork.
Step 13
Repeat this with your second tassel thread, passing in the opposite direction through another size 11 seed bead on the bezel. Weave this thread around to the top of the bezel.
Step 14
At the top of the bezel, pick up 3 x size 15 seed beads and thread on your earwire (or the attachment finding you’ve chosen to use), making sure the front of the bezel will face the right way when you wear it. Thread back into the next size 11 seed bead and weave this thread and any other threads into your beadwork to secure them as you have done before.
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