Ornamental Bead Sticks! Part Six: Tassel Bookmarks From Zip Ties

Here's a new idea for you!  Part Six in my somewhat eclectic tutorial series, Stuff On Sticks.

Beaded tassel bookmarks...

Made from big, plain zip ties!

These thingies are fun, functional and cute!  Cheaper than cheap!  A five minute craft!  And best of all, no special tools or skills needed.  Gather scissors, a bead and some skinny string:

And let's begin.  Cut a few lengths of string, about 16 inches long.

Thread one string through the ziphole.

(ziphole, n.  The technical term I just made up, for the hole in the zip tie.  I feel I shall use it often.  "Hey, you on the cellphone!  Shut yer ziphole!")

If your string is too thick to pass through, poke something pointy into the ziphole.  Wiggle it around a bit to widen the opening.

How many times can I say the word ziphole in one post?  I'm going for the record!

Thread the ends through your bead, and spread the tails apart.

Lay the rest of the strings between the two tails, like so:

Tie the original tails together around the extra strings.

Gather all the strings in a bunch, and make an overhand knot, as close to the bead as possible.

Give a really good tug to each string individually, for the tightest, neatest knot.  Tug it like you mean it!

Give your tassel a trim to any desired length...

Done!

Try mixing fibers, for a multicolored tassel:

Fuctional Tip: use a lightweight bead.  I road-tested a version with a heavier bead, but it tended to fall forward out of my book when I opened it.  Acrylic or plastic beads are ideal: they can be big and interesting without adding weight.  A hollow metal bead also works well.

 

Just a few reasons I love these bookmarks:

So easy, so cheap.
Use up random orphan beads.
Make tons of them as little gifts or stocking stuffers.
Include one as a handmade addition to a gifted book.
A great tween craft.
Use a macho bead (like a skull, mebbe?) and voila, it's a guy gift.
Add your ideas below!


Okie dokie!  Shutting my ziphole and signing off.  Thanks for coming to hang out with me, you guys!

Final ziphole count: 6


To see the rest of the Stuff On Sticks:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six 
Part Seven 
 

DIY Denim Cocktail Ring

You like to upcycle old worn out blue jeans, maybe?  You would enjoy making a sweet little denim cocktail ring in five minutes or less, maybe?

Okay, then.  Start with a swatch of denim and any cute scrapbooking brad.

Cut two simple flowers and a finger-sized strap.  Poke holes in them with something pointy.

Push the scrapbooking brad through all the layers...

Fold the prongs flat.

You made a ring!!!!!

Add metal findings or faux flower petals to mix it up.

So many ways you could incorporate these into your crafting life.  Fun for a sleepover project...make several as extremely hip teacher gifts...start now on stockpiling stocking stuffers - to name just three ideas!  These definitely belong in my 'extreme cheapskating' category.  From one leg of jeans and a single box of brads, you could create dozens of rings.

My.  Kinda.  Craft.

Wide World Of Sports, Crocheted Kitsch Edition!

You've heard of extreme sports.  Extreme snowboarding.  Extreme skateboarding.  Extreme BMX.  But my favorite extreme sport gets far less attention than it deserves.

Extreme Cheapskating!

Can you relate?  I know you can!  From now on, it's going to be a brand new category on my blog.  For the inaugural Cheapskating post, take a gander at these (ahem) lovely (ahem) garments:

Crocheted polyester.  A dollar each at a thrift store.  Machine-made in China.

Okay, sports fans!  Apply a bit of careful snippage with small pointy scissors...

She scores!  Crocheted flowers for crafting!

Eighty-eight of them.  (Yes.  I counted.  We Extreme Cheapskaters will do that.)

The pink poncho had obviously been washed several times, and the flowers had floofed out somewhat messily.  You could still craft with a floofy flower.  But on a whim, I tried something weird - and it was so cool I have to share!


Pick one up with tweezers and hold it eight inches above the stove...

Poof!  It will shrink up instantly, becoming darker, prettier and more stable.  (Note: it takes a mere second!  Be quick so it doesn't burn.)  Here's a comparison photo.  Top row floofy, bottom row not floofy:

With the ones on the left, I rather painstakingly picked off all the little connecting threads for a neat and tidy flower.  On the right, I just snipped around the flowers quickly, leaving many connecting threads and saving lots of time.

I like both styles!  In fact, the quicker version is so lacy and pretty, I think it's really my favorite.  Now, what shall we make with these Extreme Cheapskate crocheted flowers?  Here's the first thing I thought of.

Take a needle and thread and just a few minutes, and embellish a warm fall scarf.  Instant replay:

And the crowd goes wild.

These are going to be so much fun to play with!  They'd make great earrings, necklaces, brooches, oh, my!  Let's hear it, people...what would you guys use them for?


In my next post, expect to see these fleurs in a new, fun upcycled jewelry tutorial.  Check back soon!