Thread tassels are beautiful decoration, which is used in various types decoration. This and knitted hats and scarves, trim or ropes for curtains, piping for blankets or bedspreads. Tassels are used to decorate the clasps of bags and purses, and to make earrings and beads. The material used for production is also different. These include thin sewing threads, thick woolen threads for knitting, leather strips and thin twisted ropes. In this article we will look at how to make a tassel from threads.

Material for production

In order to make this decoration, you need to have:

• a spool or skein of thread from which the tassel will be wound;
• template for winding (made of thick cardboard or you can use a plastic card);

• scissors;
• cotton threads of the same color for tying the bundle;
• awl;
• needle;
• a pan of boiling water or an electric kettle.

Step-by-step instruction

Step #1. You need to take a template, cutting it to a length slightly longer than needed for the brush. It should be very dense and not bend, especially if the thread tassels will not be made in a single copy. For them to be the same, the template should not be deformed.

Step #2. Next comes the process of winding the threads. Here you need to take into account the thickness and splendor of the future product. If you need a thin and flat tassel, for example, on a bag, then you need to wind several layers of threads. The more magnificent the brush, the more layers are wrapped around the template. Moreover, they need to be pulled tightly so that the rings do not hang down, but wrap tightly around the cardboard.

Step #3. The most important step is linking the layers. When the desired thickness is achieved, the edge is trimmed with scissors. Take either the same thread separately or a thick cotton thread selected by color (for strength and greater reliability) and first tighten a knot that holds all the layers together (in any place, even in the middle of the cardboard).

Step #4. Then all layers are removed from the template. The diagram shows how to make a tassel from threads using a needle. For sewing, the main thread from which the decoration was made is taken. This creates a dense head through which the ends pass.

Step #5. The formed tassel still looks very untidy, all the threads are crumpled and round. The next stage of work is to align them. This can be done in several ways. You can use an iron or hair straightener. This article describes the steam leveling method.

Step #6. To do this, you need to boil a pan or kettle to create steam. Place the brush on an awl or a long knitting needle (so as not to get burned by the hot air) and hold it over the pan for 5 minutes.

Finishing touch

Now you know how to make a thread tassel. But it is also important and difficult to trim the edges evenly so that all the threads are the same length. There is one method that makes this process much easier and more efficient.

After aligning the threads, you need to take a thick sheet of paper and roll a brush into it. All that remains is to use sharp scissors to cut the threads along with the paper.

The result is a smooth, beautiful tassel, which all that remains is to sew onto the finished product.

The use of such decorations

Nowadays such decorative elements As brushes, they are very widely used in various products. Fashion designers have long been decorating the interiors of rooms with curtains with the addition of such elements at the bottom or sides of the curtains. Beautiful ropes with huge bright satin threads adorn the curtain holders.

Often tassels are used by craftswomen when knitting things: hats, berets, shawls, blankets, sweaters, etc.

The latest fashion trend is the making of earrings and other jewelry from tassels made from bright thin ropes or leather. You can perfectly do this work yourself at home. To do this, you need to buy shiny thin twisted threads.

Before you make a tassel from threads for earrings, you need to make two identical elements and put them on metal rings that are attached to purchased ear loops. They can be purchased at any store that sells this kind of product. Having learned how to make such things, you can make a number of decorations to match any color of the dress. You can make combined multi-colored tassels by adding threads from different skeins.

There are situations when you urgently need to tint or paint something, but you don’t have a brush for the job at all or you forgot about it, but buy it in a store in this moment There is no time and opportunity either. Don’t despair, you can make your own paint brush from scrap materials.

Materials

To work you will need:

• foam or a piece of dense foam rubber;
• sharp knife or scissors;
• glue;
• Chinese chopsticks.

Step 1. Decide on the size of the working part of the brush. To create a blank, you will need measurements of width and length, multiplied by two. According to the data obtained, using a knife or scissors, cut a rectangle from a piece of foam or dense foam sponge.

Step 2. Take one chopstick. Using the blunt, flattened end, apply it to the cut piece of sponge, positioning it in the lower center.

Step 3. Lubricate the side of the sponge facing you with glue. It is better to take hot glue or one that is sold in handicraft stores for making wooden crafts. Adhesive material Lubricate the flattened end of the stick.

Step 4. Fold the sponge in half. Pinch it well with your fingers so that the glue sets. You can put a sponge under the book, but not a heavy one, and leave the product in this position until it dries completely.

The paint brush is ready! You can safely dip it in paint and then wash it. The only thing is that you cannot use acetone-containing products to clean the brush. They will dissolve the glue and the homemade brush will fall apart.

If you have firmly decided to become a nail art guru or at least learn how to perform some popular techniques, then you cannot do without brushes. After all, they are used for almost any design! From this article you will learn the basic truths: what types of manicure brushes there are, which ones are useful for what, and get the simplest lessons on how to use them.

What brushes are needed for manicure: fluffy classification

If you go to the store unprepared, the variety of brushes can easily confuse you. Different thickness and shape, price category, how to figure it out?

The first classification is by purpose. Simply put, there are tools for extensions, and there are tools for nail art. So, if you just want to practice with non-trivial patterns, then the range of choices narrows.

Otherwise, brushes are divided according to three criteria:

• Material of manufacture. It can be artificial or natural. It is clear that the latter costs more. The best brushes are made from sable or kolinsky (this is a predatory animal). But, to be honest, in practice they are not much different, except that natural ones last longer.
• Pile thickness. The thinnest one is indicated by the numbers 0 or 00, and the plumpest one will have the sign 8.
• Form . There are instruments with a pile a little thicker than a hair, and there are those that open like a fan, and they all have their own purpose.

Types of manicure brushes: which one is for what?

It is logical that the thinner the brush, the more more elegant patterns they draw with it. But this conclusion will not take you far, so it is better to familiarize yourself with all the types and nuances of use.

1. Spot

The accumulation of villi makes the tip look like a pike. This silhouette is convenient for drawing the smallest details. They are used to draw flower buds, lace, shell edges... How to use it? Hold the brush vertically and dip only the tip into the polish. Having placed a point, stretch it, forming a pattern. The set may include a dotting brush, bent like a boomerang; it makes painting a little easier.

A short video will clearly show the “spot work”:

2. Liner (aka “hair” and “stripe”)

This is a round thin brush with bristles a couple of centimeters long. It is used to draw long lines or curls. A set usually contains 3 such brushes.

The longest ones are more convenient for drawing strips, and the shorter ones are suitable for curved parts of the design. To do this, you need to dip the entire pile into varnish, blot off the excess and paint.

The liner is indispensable for fashionable geometry, monograms and drawing of stems.

Video tutorial with liner:

3. Flat brush

It has a wide working surface, the tip is evenly cut. Suitable for drawing flowers, gzhel, gradient, distributing glitter, powder, rubbing.

Several techniques with it can be seen here:

4. Beveled (dagger-shaped)

Because of the pile cut at a 45-degree angle, it received this second name. It is universal in that it allows you to draw and three-dimensional drawings, and subtle patterns. An angled brush is great for french manicure. In addition, you can put several colors on it at once and create compositions in the style of Chinese painting.

5. Petal

It immediately looks like a flat dagger brush and a dot brush. The shape is flat, tapering towards the end. The petal handles both small drawings and painting, brings out French smiles, and even applies glitter.

If your point and bevel brushes become unusable, then the petal is just the right tool to replace the other two at once.

6. Fan

As the name suggests, the brush looks like a fan, as the bristles spread out in a semicircle. It is used to make a design with glitter, scoop it up and sprinkle it acrylic powder, design a gradient.

Abstract and landscape compositions are also depicted with a fan.

This video tutorial will show you an easy way to apply glitter evenly with a fan brush:

7. Dots

The rod is crowned small ball. By dipping it in paint, you can not only make polka dot nails, but also draw monograms, flowers, and lace. Depending on the diameter of the ball, dots can replace a dotting brush and liner.

8. For extensions

Such tools are much thicker and wider than the above ones, so that it is convenient to pick up and lay out gel or acrylic. They are made from synthetic materials.

Here is the entire list of necessary brushes for a nail artist. They can bring any nail art to life.

Silicone brushes

Progress does not stand still, and now almost every brush from the standard set has a backup in a silicone version. The name of such brushes is shapers.

“New Shift” can boast several advantages:

• Durability. No hairs deteriorate or become brittle, and the silicone is very easy to clean.
• Convenience. It’s not easy for beginners to draw the same smiles on a long-pile French coat. And such a brush is no more difficult to control than a pencil. In addition, the varnish does not spread on it.
• Versatility. In addition to drawing patterns with shapers, you can rub in pigments, shape the molding, smooth out the decor, use a sharp tip to erase your own flaws in the work, and even put rhinestones on the nail.

In the video, the master will tell you why these brushes are useful:

Whether or not to use shapers is your choice. You can purchase a futuristic set to indulge yourself original instruments. However, absolutely everything that shapers can do can be easily done with ordinary brushes.

How to choose the “right” brushes

Manicure brushes are available in both natural bristles and nylon. So – which ones are better?

You need to look for quality options in special stores and, of course, you should hold them in your hand, and not choose them based on one picture. If you order on the Internet, do not be lazy and look through the reviews.

When choosing, pay attention to these criteria:

• Pile. Seasoned experts advise beginning craftsmen to learn with nylon. Not only does the material not spread or be absorbed on it, but it’s also not a shame to “kill” such brushes in the process of studying. When you become more experienced in nail art, purchase more expensive options made from sable or kolinsky. Another point: natural brushes are more suitable for painting, while synthetic brushes are more suitable for viscous materials, such as gel. The fibers should be even and tightly adjacent to each other.
• Fastening . If it is weak, then you won’t be able to hold the brush confidently. So check it out without leaving the checkout.
• Handle length. The shorter it is, the more convenient it is to draw.

The most profitable option is to buy a set, in which each brush has a backup. If you want to purchase separately, it will cost more. But there’s no point in spending money on 10 pieces. You already know that some brushes can replace each other. Therefore, you can buy only three brushes: a dotted one for small patterns, a liner for fine lines, and an angled one for large elements.

So, manicure brushes have revealed their secrets: which one is useful for what, what to replace it with, and how to paint the most incredible patterns on your nails. Now you can free your inner creator and surrender entirely to inspiration. Even the process of creating beautiful compositions alone will bring a lot of pleasure!

There are a huge variety of brushes now, and the most unusual ones. Once again, going through my brushes, I decided to figure out the types of bristles, what exactly is suitable for what. After all, we draw so often that we no longer think about why a squirrel is used or how a kolinsky differs from a bristle.

Squirrel

One of the most famous brushes with which many begin learning to draw. They are made from hairs from the tail of a squirrel, and the hair taken from the top of the tail is much more valuable. Such brushes are only round, very soft and elastic; they can also be used to make flute-shaped brushes (but the width of the flute is limited). They are mainly used for working with watercolors and paints on water based because these brushes hold water very well. At the same time, the protein is too delicate for oil and may begin to come out from the solvent. Squirrel hair retains its shape perfectly, does not break, absorbs moisture and washes well under running water. The squirrel brush allows you to paint without uneven stripes and blurry spots due to the fact that when in contact with paper, porcelain, earthenware, the hairs do not separate and lead a clear, directional line. Squirrel brushes need to be carefully looked after. The squirrel's hair is very thin, blue, black or brown.

I read here that the material for these brushes can be the bristles of different breeds of Siberian squirrels.

For example, the hair of the CASAN breed is considered the thinnest. It is used to make tools used to paint ceramics and porcelain. The bristles of the TALUTKY breed squirrel are longer and are used for brushes used for calligraphy. CANADISCHE squirrels are valuable for their short, black hair. Each of their hairs has a thin tip. Therefore, this breed of squirrel makes excellent watercolor brushes.

Columns

Brushes made from its bristles are considered very valuable. The kolonok is a cross between a ferret, a marten and a mink at the same time. There are only a few of these animals in nature, and besides, it is not so easy to prepare. For example, the ponytail of a Siberian weasel produces no more than 2 g of bristles, suitable for brushes. It will make 3-4 thin brushes and 1-2 large ones. For brushes, fur is taken only from its tail and only from animals living in the river valleys of Siberia, China and Korea. Kolonkovy hair is very elastic, light and has a sharp tip. The best quality kolinsky brushes are those made from male hair caught in winter. By the way, a pile column suitable for painting is called spine. Hair color may vary. It depends on the season in which the animal was caught, generally it is golden brown in color. They are similar in quality to squirrel ones, although there are differences. The villi of the column at the very base are much stiffer and thicker, and at the tip they are softer, very elastic and elastic. The brush can be cylindrical or flat, in different shades from light red to dark brown. These brushes are used for both thin and thick paints. In oil painting they are used when making small details; core brushes are also convenient for glazing techniques on wet surfaces.

Sable

The golden mean between soft squirrel and elastic column. The peculiarity of sable brushes is that they are very durable and almost do not wear out, even when working with rough surfaces; they are made from sable tails. The brush is very flexible, picks up a large volume of paint and releases it in doses. Because of these qualities, such brushes allow you to work in various techniques, from “dry” brushes to wet techniques. Everything can be done with one brush, which is very convenient. The best choice for working with watercolors, egg tempera, gouache. Sable brushes are quite rare and quite expensive, but they are worth it.

Marten

Made from the hair of marten or the weasel family. Brushes made from marten hair differ in their properties, depending on what kind of marten it is: lowland or mountain. Brushes made from plains marten hair are as soft as squirrels, but brushes made from mountain marten hair are a little more elastic. On sale, such brushes are less common than squirrel brushes.

Weasel

An alternative to pile column. The hairs are red-brown in color, with a good sharp tip, good fullness, but not as long as that of the Kolinka.

Bristle

Quite tough, elastic and long. It is sorted by shade (available in black, gray and white) and length, treated with chemicals and bleached. The prepared bristles are doused with boiling water, after which it becomes more elastic. IN finished form It has light color. Stubble High Quality produced in China and Russia.

You can distinguish this brush from others by visual inspection - the pig's hair is split at the end. It was this feature that led to the use of pig hair - the specific tip allows the brush to absorb a large volume of paint and apply it evenly, without dipping the brush again. The best brushes of this type have up to 80% split hairs, but for art brushes, calibrated unsplit bristles are still better. These brushes are chosen for painting with oil, acrylic (you don’t need to dilute), gouache and tempera. These brushes have a peculiarity - there is no ending at the beam, thanks to this the brush is able to pick up enough a large number of paint and hold it. The basic shape of the brush is flat, although there are cylindrical and fan shapes, as well as fluted ones.

Pony

Soft pile with a cylindrical tuft, absorbs water well. The bristles that grow behind the ears or on the back are used. Brushes are often used in schools and kindergartens to teach watercolor techniques. Brushes made from pony hair absorb paints well, but give them off worse than they absorb, they gather into a cone shape, hold their shape well, but do not have sufficient elasticity. This type of hair, like that of a pony, is classified as a decorative hair type, since it does not have a sharp tip, which is why these brushes are not very suitable for professional work. May be brown or white. Designed for working with water-soluble paint: watercolor, gouache or tempera.

Goat

Goat hair is elastic, resilient and quite long, and comes in white and yellow shades. Softer than pig bristles. The brushes retain their shape, absorb paint and water perfectly, resulting in smooth strokes. They are used in watercolor painting, calligraphy, batik and ceramic painting, and Japanese painting. It is noteworthy that for calligraphy, brushes are used mainly with bamboo handles because of their lightness. This brush is suitable for batik work because it can withstand hot wax.

Ear hair brushes

Such brushes are made from hair that is taken from the inside of the ears of oxen and cows, the quality of which is determined by the breed of the animal. Typically, such brushes are inexpensive, but they are durable, elastic and sensitive in use, giving good results and keep their shape well. The hair has a silky texture. They are made flat and round, and brushes are also made for covering large surfaces. Oxhair brushes are used to work with oil paints, acrylic, tempera, and gouache. Cow hair brushes are used to work with almost all types of paints: watercolor, gouache, tempera, acrylic, oil paints.

Mongoose

Mongoose brushes are easily distinguished by the color of the bristles; the tip is dark brown and the base is black and white or grayish. Brushes are cylindrical or flat, elastic and slightly hard. They are usually used when working with thick paints (for example, oil and acrylic). From my own experience, I can say that it can also be used for painting with watercolors using a dry technique; it holds its shape well and has a thin tip, but does not hold water very well.

Wolf

Rather exotic for us, but quite common in the east. These brushes are made from wolf hair. They are distinguished by their special elasticity and elasticity, thanks to these qualities, such brushes are mainly used for calligraphy and guohua painting (a style of traditional Chinese painting in which ink and water paints are used on silk or paper), brushes made from Chinese yellow wolf, which is essentially a columnar.

Bear

Made from processed brown or polar bear hair. Brushes made from polar bear hair are produced flat in shape with a long or short hair tuft, from hair brown bear They are round, as in the photo above. These brushes are less rigid, but more elastic compared to bristle brushes; they have high elasticity and softness. Used for “heavy” types of paints: oil paints. gouache, etc. Brushes made from brown bear hair are round in shape and are more soft and elastic. Used for working with tempera, watercolor, ink, etc.

Badger

The hair for these brushes is taken from the tail of a badger. Due to its properties, badger fur has become an ideal material for making butter tools. Brushes made from badger hair are softer than bristle brushes, have a conical shape, and are distinguished by their “fluffiness.” The best badger fur brushes can be identified by their white tip and a stripe in the middle.

Manufacturers sometimes imitate them by dyeing pig bristles or goat hair brushes. However, the latter cannot compare with a badger hair brush in their working properties. If you are not sure about the authenticity of the brush, pay attention to the following: if the hair does not have a “belly” or tip, and there are twisted and curled hairs along its length, then it is a goat hair brush; if there are split hairs, it is hog bristles.

Synthetics

Synthetic brushes are made from nylon, polyester and other fibers.
Synthetic hair based on nylon is hard and does not release water, so it is not suitable for watercolor painting, but for oil paints and acrylic this quality is just appropriate.
Synthetic hair based on polyesters provides varying degrees of elasticity. Hairs different lengths and diameter are collected into a bundle which gives a capillary effect, which allows the use of such brushes even in watercolors.

Such brushes are less prone to destruction under the influence of thinners, insects, paints, and direct sunlight. But due to mechanical stress, these brushes are inferior in wear resistance to natural ones; the bristles quickly wear out and become soft. There are many variations of mixed types of brushes made from different bristles. They mix both natural piles and combine synthetic and natural ones. Recently, the production of synthetic brushes has been actively developing and high-quality synthetics may well replace or complement natural bristles over time.

A short guide to different materials and types of pile.

Oil - brush bristles, kolinsky, ear hair, synthetics, badger.
Tempera - synthetic, badger, squirrel, brush bristles, kolinsky, ear hair
Gouache - ear hair, synthetics, protein, bristle brush, kolinsky
Watercolor - brush squirrel, kolinsky, synthetic imitation.
Acrylic - synthetic, brush, squirrel.

In addition, there are brushes made from fox hair, hare hair (these brushes are made from a special subspecies of the wild hare), raccoon, rat fur, wild horse mane, camel hair, otter, ferret, pharaoh mouse, young seal, sandstone, Chinese Angking hog , rabbit, ermine, deer, from plant fibers, from chicken fluff, etc.

In Petrykivka painting, craftsmen themselves make brushes from cat fur hairs, the so-called cats. I even found a master class for those who like experimenting.

And here's how the brushes are assembled.

While I was writing this post, I was thinking a lot about the ethics of making natural brushes. It is clear that the technology has been developed for centuries and brushes are often made from fur production waste, but at the same time it is clear that demand can increase harvesting volumes. No one will catch animals and cut off the required amount of hair from them from the required places. Therefore, here as with natural fur coats- beautiful, convenient, but how humane? I personally switched to synthetics and imitation a long time ago; natural brushes are rather rare, but I calmly paint watercolors with synthetics, not disdaining the cheapest brushes. I really hope that over time, synthetics will replace natural fibers and they will become more exotic than a necessity.