Register by:	April 11, 2011
Tuition:	$30 members; $45 non-members
Materials:	Tassels and Embellishments materials
Eligibility:	Open to those 12 yrs and up

Tassels are those special fringed extras, that final embellishment for a basket, belt, light pull, or pillow and they have a history dating back to ancient times.

Tassels are fun and easy to make using all types of leftover yarn, embroidery floss, feathers, beads, and found objects.

This workshop will cover how to make soft tassels, pompoms, and bound, twisted, and braided cords to hang them on. It will also cover how to make fancy fluffy yarn beads on the cords along with tapestry and knotted decorative tops on the tassels. Everyone will go home with tassels and cords and will be able to start experimenting with different effects and designing their own tassels.

Tassels have a long history dating back to the Egyptian Kings and Phoenician Princes. They were introduced by Emperor Constantine as a decoration and, in the Middle Ages, were used by Christian monks to decorate manuscripts. Their use as ornamentation spans all religions, cultures, societies, and continents and continues to flourish today.

From the mountains of Peru where tassels identify llama ownership, to the tassels that denote the rank of a Roman Catholic Cardinal, tassels have become a symbol of honor, power, and authority and have become recognized as "Power Tassels."

The tassels hanging from rear view mirrors, tied into a girl's hair, decorating the corners of a pillow or on the end of a bell pull, superfluous adornments that represent or celebrate something important to an individual are "Personal Tassels." Once you become aware of them, you will see tassels everywhere: formal tassels, power tassels, folk tassels, religious tassels, personal tassels, tassels, tassels, everywhere tassels.

See also: Gualala Arts Workshop Registration, Payment & Cancellation Policy.

The Gualala Arts Center, located at 46501 Old State Highway in Gualala, CA,
is open weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and weekends from noon to 4:00 p.m.
Please call (707) 884-1138 for more information, or email info@gualalaarts.org.

Join us in celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Gualala Arts, 1961 - 2011

Serving the coastal communities of northern Sonoma & southern Mendocino Counties.