How to Make Tassels from Vintage Salt & Pepper Shakers

Materials List:

• Vintage salt & pepper shakers (not clear) - try to get ones with screw off caps since they are easier to work with, but any kind are fine. You can find vintage salt and pepper shakers on ebay, at yard sales, antique shops, and flea markets.  Don't pay more than $8 for a pair.
• Glass beads - these can be found at craft stores, flea markets, also on ebay
• 2 - 12" - 18" pieces of 20 gauge wire - depending on how you plan to use the tassels, you will need to use 12' up to 18" of wire. Shorter wire if you'll be hanging the tassels from a hook (like the hooks I used in my photos) or as a curtain tieback. If you want to hang the tassel on a doorknob, you'll need longer wire. This type of wire can be found in craft stores.
• Tassel or fringe by the yard - you can get plain fringe or beaded fringe; whatever you prefer.

Cost of Materials: Up to $15

Tools Needed:

• Crafts glue (E6000)
• Wire cutters
• Wire pliers
  

Step-by-Step Instructions:

• Find the center of one of the pieces of wire and bend it slightly. This is just so you know where the center is. Depending on the height and type of salt and pepper shaker you are using, you'll need more or less wire for the inside of the shaker. If you have shakers with screw off caps, you won't need much wire inside the shaker (about an inch on each end). If you have shakers with the access point in the bottom of the shaker, you'll need more wire inside the shaker in order to tie it off (between 3" - 4" on each end).
  
• Lay out your desired pattern of beads, leaving enough wire on both ends so that it can be tied off inside the shaker. Then string the beads on the wire, leaving an equal amount of wire at each end.
• Insert each end of wire through two holes in the top of the shaker. Don't put both pieces of wire through the same hole. Pull the wires tightly inside the shaker so that the beads fit snugly against the top of the shaker.
• With pliers, twist both ends of the wire around each other, forming a tight bond. If there is any excess wire sticking out of the bottom of the shaker, fold it back up inside.
• If you are using a tassel, place a thin line of glue around the top end of the tassel. If you are using fringe, cut a piece of fringe about 3" long (adjust the length based on the size of the hole in the bottom of the shaker). Once you have the desired length, put a thin line of glue across the top of the fringe and roll it tighly.
• Put more glue around the inside edge of the hole in the bottom of the shaker, where the cork usually is.
• Push the tassel or rolled-up fringe approximately 1/4" into the bottom of the shaker and let the glue dry.
• Repeat these same steps for the second shaker.

Time to complete: 30 minutes

These vintage tassels have many uses and make great conversation pieces. You will have something unique and one-of-a-kind. Or, they make great gifts.