INSTRUCTIONS for FOLLY FLORA KITS

FOLLY FLORA Yarn Tassel Garland Kit - INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION, SAFETY & ADVICE

This kit is intended for adults to make a colourful Yarn Tassel Garland.

Garland consists of a length of cotton tape with a loop each end for hanging and support.

Tassels are tied onto the tape at intervals, made from acrylic and textured mixed fibre yarns.

The finished garland will measure approximately 1.5m from loop to loop of the tape.

The tassels will measure approximately 16cms in length covering 1.2m of hanging tape.

INTENDED USE & DISPLAY

When completed it is suitable for use as a decorative, colourful, interior wall hanging or garland.

Can be secured on the walls, over doorways, alcoves, along dresser shelves and in windows.

N.B. The yarn colours may not be UV stable if hung in a sunny window area or exposed to full sun.

Decide where the garland is to be displayed and provide secure hanging supports,

so that the garland either hangs straight horizontally or with a slight downward curve.

Or, the garland may be hung from 3 supports, one at each end and one in the middle to make 2 curves/loops this is recommended for heavier garlands longer than 1.75m

CONTENTS of KIT

Set of instructions with basic line diagrams

Cotton tape 1.7m with 2 buttons to secure loops.

FOUR bundles of acrylic and mixed fibres textured yarns of varying thicknesses.

Short lengths of acrylic yarn to use as midpoint ties for the tassels.

Longer lengths of yarn to wrap round the neck of the tassel as neck ties.

Felt pieces and plastic 'pony' beads included in some designs.

Also required but not included are -

Scissors, ruler, needle and cotton thread for sewing the buttons, beads and felt onto loops and tape.

The garland can be further personalised and decorated with your own colourful mementoes.

Small light weight 'treasures' such as beads, buttons, tags and charms can be sewn onto the tape in between the tassels. Or tie on short lengths of pretty threads, ribbons and small pom-poms.

Please ensure all additional items are securely attached to the tape.

SAFETY WARNINGS & ADVICE

Intended use when completed is for decorative display purposes only, it is not intended for use as a toy.

Please hang on secure supports well out of the reach of babies and small children.

(The tassel fibres and small additions may present a choking hazard and the tape an entanglement risk).

Do not use ceiling lights and wall light fitments as hanging supports.

KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE

When siting the garland for display please ensure the loop ends and the garland tassels

are positioned well away from open fires, stoves, candle flames, wood and multi fuel burners.

WASHING & CARE INSTRUCTIONS

If the garland needs to be washed it is advisable to fold it in half and half again along the tape

and secure in position with plastic pegs or even a few tacking stitches across the tape folds.

It makes handling, washing and drying easier, helping to prevent tangling.

The garland may be hand washed in warm water with mild detergent. Rinsing in water with a little conditioner may help keep the yarns from clumping together.

Drip dry in the air by hanging horizontally on suitable supports either folded or opened up.

DO NOT spin dry. DO NOT tumble dry.

Contents of the kit have been hand assembled and packaged in England in a smoke free environment.

FOLLY FLORA Yarn Tassel Garland Kit - INSTRUCTIONS

lNSTRUCTIONS for MAKING the TASSELS & GARLAND

Please read the instructions and view the line diagrams carefully before proceeding.

There are other methods for making tassels using a continuous length of yarn, however this kit uses various yarns in shorter lengths laid one on top of the other and secured in the middle with a tie.

1. START with PREPARING the TAPE.

Lay out the tape, fold in half, mark midpoint with chalk or similar. Open out and lay flat.
From the midpoint make a mark at 10cm intervals for 60cms, repeat for other side.
Turn under 1-2cms at cut end and fold tape over to meet the first chalk mark. See first diagram.
Next using needle and cotton thread sew a button securely through all 3 layers to form the loop.
Repeat at the other end.

2 DIVIDE the YARNS.

Take the 4 yarn bundles, short 'midpoint' ties and longer 'tassel neck' ties.
Divide each yarn bundle into eleven equal piles, keep the different yarns separate for now.
Add one short yarn tie for the midpoint and one longer yarn tie to each pile.
The instruction diagram sheet has a thick line marking the midpoint across the paper.
This will act as a template for laying out the tassel yarns.

3. MAKE the TASSELS.

On the template paper place a short midpoint tie along the marked midpoint line, this will eventually tie the yarns together at the top.
Start with base yarn 1, (varies with designs - fluffy or thick) this will form the inside of the tassel and give it some 'bulk'.
Arrange the lengths of yarn across the midpoint tie and line them up in a pile so they have equal lengths each side.

4. REPEAT with the OTHER YARNS.

Take the single, solid colours first in order 2, then 3, finally topping off with the final layer of multicoloured textured yarns 4.
Place each set of yarns on top and some lengths round the sides of the pile of yarn 1.
Yarns 2 and 3 can be alternated if you wish. Keep yarn 4 till last.

5. TIE the TASSELS at MIDPOINT

Take hold of the loose ends of the yarn tie under the pile of yarns at the midpoint and make a knot to secure the tassel in the middle through all yarns.
Check it is at the right midpoint position before securing with a second knot.

6. TIE the TASSEL NECK.

Hold the tassel up by the midpoint tie, smooth and comb the yarns down with your fingers to display and distribute the prettier textured yarns to advantage.
Once you are happy with the yarn arrangement take the longer yarn to tie the neck.
Wrap the tie round the neck of the tassel about 3cms from the top, tie a single knot in front of the tassel.
Check you are happy with the position, adjust if not, before securing with a second knot.
If you want a wider band round the neck, wrap the tie round a few times then secure with knots.

7. FINISHING the TASSEL

Hold up the nearly finished tassel, smooth and comb the yarns down again.
Take your scissors and carefully trim the uneven loose ends to one length snipping off as little as possible.
Well done your tassel is complete! Repeat and make the other 10 tassels.

8. TIE TASSELS to TAPE.

Tie the tassels tightly onto the tape at the marked positions using the midpoint yarn ties.
The tape will buckle over in half at each tied area.
Make 2 or 3 knots and trim yarn to 2cms for neatness or if enough length is available tie a little bow.
Display the finished garland and admire your work! WELL DONE!

Design TILLY TASSEL KIT 1.
Tassel 'Make It Yourself' Craft Tassel Kit for Adult Beginners
Yarn Decorative Tassel Kit with sticker accents
Please note: IMAGES show the completed tassels, kit contents and packaging.
The TILLY TASSEL Kit 1 makes TWO (2) tassels hanging from beaded tape
In pretty pastel rainbow and pale purple/pink yarn colours
With white and pink beads, buttons and stickers.
Length of completed tassel 15/17cms, with hanging tape 35/37cms.
KIT CONTENTS - Included are all the yarns, fibres (acrylic, polyester)
Plus embellishments (plastic beads, buttons, EVA stickers) required for the design
Plus black and white printed written instructions with line diagrams.
Additionally there is an exclusive link to illustrated step by step instructions on the Folly Flora website.
Not included but required are sharp scissors, a wide eyed needle to take DK (double knitting) thickness yarn, cotton thread and a sharp needle to sew on buttons.
A piece of A4 paper and a ruler may also be helpful.
Yarn Hanging Tassel Kit, Textile Decorative Craft Kit, Interior Decoration 'Make It Yourself' Kit

PLASTER SHAPES ready to paint kit

A 'Make It Yourself' Craft Kit from Folly Flora for adults and older children.

PLASTER SHAPES - various designs, pre-moulded, ready to paint

Turn the decorating and painting of the shapes into a family group activity session.
These plaster shapes are intended for decoration by adults and/or older children, they are unsuitable for use by unsupervised young children. Adult supervision of young children is recommended and advised during the activity.

SAFETY - PLEASE NOTE: The plaster shapes are not toys.

KEEP AWAY FROM SMALL CHILDREN UNDER 3 YEARS

They are intended for use as decorative display/embellishment craft items and counters for use in 'board games' such as draughts, noughts and crosses.

Plaster Shapes to use for:

making into hanging decorations for the Christmas tree
charms, garlands and tassels
wreath embellishments
hang in bunches from door and drawer handles
weaving and macrame wall hanging embellishments
counters for handmade fabric/paper/card board games for adults/older children

KIT CONTENTS

Selection of small plaster cast shapes, ribbons, fabrics, yarns for hanging
beads/sequins/acrylic gems for embellishments
Not included but required are paints to cover the plaster (acrylic, emulsion or poster are suitable), small paint brush, PVA glue or similar.

INSTRUCTIONS for DECORATING

The plaster shapes are ready to paint with acrylic, emulsion or poster paints (addition of some PVA to the poster paint will improve adherence to the plaster). The shapes can be further embellished with acrylic foil backed gems, sequins and beads after the painting process.

To help prevent friction surface damage and flaking, a wash of diluted PVA (consistency of single cream) brushed over the dried painted surface will help seal the paint and improve the longevity of the piece. More than one coat may be applied.

Once fully dried the shapes can then be decorated further or glued together with a yarn/ribbon hanging loop 'sandwiched' in the middle to turn into a hanging Christmas tree or Easter decoration, a tassel charm, an addition to a wall hanging or hung from a wreath.

To protect your clothing from the paint stains and splashes the use of an overall or apron is recommended. Plastic gloves may be helpful for some messy painters!

PLEASE NOTE: The surface of the plaster shapes may have some very small 'burst bubble' imperfections, they appear when air escapes during the casting.

The application of a layer of thick PVA/paint may fill and obscure these little blemishes if present.

The plaster is liable to break, snap or chip if it falls onto a hard surface. The broken parts can sometimes be secured back together with thick PVA, held in position with a rubber band and allowed to fully dry for 24 hours. Paint over the joins with more PVA mixed into the paint.

SAFETY WARNINGS

Please keep kit contents and finished items out of reach of babies and small children under 36 months.

These plaster shapes are unsuitable for children under 3 years of age due to the small size of parts which can present a choking hazard if inhaled. The plaster shapes can be fragile and may break, snap or chip into small parts, presenting a choking risk to babies and young children if ingested.

The plaster shapes are not toys, their intended use is as decorative display/embellishment items and counters for use in 'board games' such as draughts, noughts and crosses.

Lengths of yarn and/or ribbons in the kit (if included) can present a strangulation hazard to babies and young children and playful animals.

Hand cast in Rutland using casting plaster/Plaster of Paris.

PLASTER of PARIS is quick setting gypsum plaster, consisting of a fine white powder (calcium sulphate hemihydrate). Known since ancient times, 'Plaster of Paris' is so called because of its preparation from the abundant natural gypsum deposits found at Montmartre near Paris.

When the dry plaster powder is mixed with water, it initially forms a soft, malleable paste eventually drying into a solid. It is used in a wide variety of decorative applications and is a fairly soft material which can be easily broken/chipped/snapped.

Further chemical/science based details of interest as follows:

Plaster of Paris or simply plaster, was originally a type of building material based on calcium sulphate hemihydrate, nominally (CaSO4)2. H2O. It is created by heating gypsum to about 150˚C, 2CaSO4·4H2O + Heat → 2CaSO4·H2O + 3H2O (released as steam). When the dry plaster powder is mixed with water, it re-forms into gypsum, initially as a paste but eventually drying into a solid. The structure is made up of sheets of Ca2+ and SO42- ions held together by hydrogen bonds in the water molecules. The grip between these sheets is easily broken, so plaster is fairly soft.