Tassel Garland

Handmade Wedding

Posted by Ryland Peters & Small

About

Simple tissue strips and twists transform flat sheets of tissue paper into full, elegant tassels. This whimsical decoration trend started in the US as an alternative to tissue-paper poms and has become a firm favorite. The colors that you choose make all the difference to the overall effect—hot pinks, blues, and yellows give a real carnival vibe, whereas muted pastel tones make an elegant garland with a “vintage” feel. The great thing about these garlands is that you can make them as long or as short as you need. Try criss-crossing the garlands across your wedding room or marquee, or hang them against a flat surface, or simply tie them around the backs of your dining chairs for a celebratory look.

(makes 1 garland, 2¾ yd/2.5m long)

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You Will Need (6 things)

  • 10 Sheets 20 x 30in (50 x 75cm) gold Tissue Paper
  • Cutting Board
  • Rotary Cutter
  • Wooden Skewer or cake pop stick, approximately 8in (20cm long)
  • 2¾ yd (2.5m) Ribbon or Lace , ¾ in (2cm) wide
  • Masking Tape

Steps (6 steps, 60 minutes)

  1. 1

    Take a sheet of tissue paper and fold it in half (short end to short end). Place on your cutting board and use the rotary cutter to cut vertical strips 2½ in (6cm) from the fold line and ½ in (1cm) apart. If your cutting mat has guidelines, you may find it easier and safer to follow these.

  2. 2

    Continue along the sheet until you reach the end of the paper and then cut the paper vertically into two equal sections. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the remaining
    nine sheets of tissue paper. Once you have got used to the technique, try laying several sheets of paper together before you cut to help speed things up. You should now have 20 pieces of fringing.

  3. 3

    Take one of the pieces and open it out with the uncut center section in front of you. Tightly fold the center section into ¼ in (5mm) folds. Repeat with all the pieces of fringing.

  4. 4

    To create a loop in the tassel, fold the center section of the tassel over the skewer or stick and twist the paper firmly until the center section is twisted and you have a loop at the top. Repeat for all the tassels.

  5. 5

    Finally, thread the tassels onto your ribbon or lace. The easiest way to do this is to attach the end of your ribbon to one end of your skewer or stick with some masking tape—like a giant needle and thread. Feed the stick and ribbon through the loop on each tassel until they are all on the ribbon.

  6. 6

    To arrange your tassels, simply push them along the ribbon so that there is a gap of approximately 4in (10cm) between each one.

    TIP Why not use sheets of tissue paper that you may have stashed away from clothes or gift packaging? For best results when using folded sheets, iron them flat before you start, using a low heat setting and no steam.