If you've got a small pile of scrap fabric sitting in your craft room — strips too pretty to throw away but too small to do much with — this short tutorial shows you exactly what to do with them. I walk through making fabric beads from scratch using just tacky glue and a wooden skewer, and then show how I turn those beads into a tassel using pieces from a broken jewelry chain and a few jump rings.
What we cover
The tutorial has two parts: rolling and decorating fabric beads from scrap fabric, then assembling a finished tassel using the beads alongside a chain, clasp, and jump rings. I also show a few variations — different fibers for wrapping, upholstery fabric versus thin fabric, and how a straw can work as a substitute skewer if that's what you have.
What you'll learn
How to cut and shape fabric strips for rolling beads — the two dimensions that matter are width (which controls bead length) and strip length (which controls bead thickness). I cut mine roughly an inch and a half wide by three inches long, then taper the ends slightly so the fabric doesn't peel back once it's rolled.
How to roll a fabric bead on a wooden skewer, including:
- Rolling the first few wraps dry before applying glue, so you get clean alignment from the start
- Where to apply the tacky glue as you roll (a little here and there, with enough near the tapered ends)
- Getting the bead off the skewer immediately before the glue has any chance to stick it on permanently
How to wrap a bead with fiber or trim for texture and interest, including:
- Eyelash trim for a feathery, soft effect
- Sparkly or metallic thread
- Twine, yarn, or whatever's in your stash
- Tying off cleanly so you finish with a knot you can trim flush — or leave as a bow if you prefer
How to thread beads onto a chain using a needle and a short loop of thread attached to the chain end — a simple trick that makes threading much less fiddly, especially when the bead hole is only just large enough for the chain to pass through.
How to assemble a fabric bead tassel using broken or repurposed jewelry, including:
- Attaching a claw clasp to one end of the chain with a jump ring
- Arranging your beads in the order you want them to sit
- Cutting the chain to the length you want (using pliers, or scissors you're happy to blunt)
- Attaching a tassel, charm, or knotted end at the bottom with a second jump ring
- Closing jump rings cleanly without distorting them
Why upholstery fabric makes especially good beads — the extra thickness gives the bead more substance and body, so if you have offcuts from an upholstery project, those are worth grabbing first.
Tips & gotchas
The width and length of your fabric strip directly control the bead's shape — wider strips make longer beads, longer strips make thicker beads. Once you understand that relationship, you can cut intentionally rather than guessing.
Leave a little width at the tapered ends rather than coming all the way to a sharp point. A very narrow taper tends to peel back once the bead is rolled and dry; a modest taper holds much better.
Get the bead off the skewer as soon as it's rolled. If you leave it sitting there while the glue sets, it can bond to the skewer and become difficult to remove without damaging the bead. Slide it off straight away, then set it aside to dry.
When you're threading beads onto a chain, test the hole size before you commit to the arrangement. The chain needs to pass through cleanly — if it's a tight fit, it's worth finding out before everything is assembled.
For jump rings, always open them sideways (twisting one end toward you and one away) rather than pulling the two ends apart. Opening them outward distorts the ring and makes it hard to close back into a clean circle.
If you need to cut chain and you care about your good scissors, don't use them. Chain will dull the blades. A pair of pliers with a cutting edge, or a dedicated pair of craft scissors for metal work, is the right call.
They work as tassels, as dangles on bookmarks, threaded onto twine as decorative closures, or anywhere a small handmade detail adds something. Once you've made a few and understand how the dimensions work, you'll find yourself reaching for fabric scraps in a completely different way.
