Traditional costume accessories for Fancy Sailors, our 2022 Kitchen Carnival theme, include canes. If you or a member of your household use a walking stick, you can add pom-poms or tassels to make it Kitchen Carnival-ready. You can use pom-poms or tassels to decorate wheelchairs and walking frames too. You can also make an Octopus to include in your costume or film using the tassel instructions below. Good theme colours to use include blue, black, white, green, grey, silver, red and gold.
To make a tassel you need:
- A pair of old socks
- OR some kitchen foil and clear tape
- AND Scissors and a rubber band.
To make an octopus, you also need a marker pen, or two old buttons or beads, or some wool and a suitable needle.
You can create this design whether you are sitting at a table, sitting back, or reclining in bed, wherever you are most comfortable.
To make a tassel or Octopus from an old pair of socks:
1) Place one sock on top of the other and do a simple overhand knot at the heels to knot them together at the end. You will find that the socks are easy to pull apart to try again until you get the best result. Then pull the knot tight and tuck the edges in.
2) Cut up each sock as far as the knot to create lots of thin strips dangling from the knot. Or if you want to make an Octopus, cut each sock into four strips to create their eight arms.
3) That’s it, your tassel is done. Use a rubber band to attach your tassel near the top of the walking stick, and adjust it if necessary to make sure that the stick is still comfortable to use. Read on to see how to make an Octopus.
If you want to make an Octopus, first tie knots at the ends of the legs to create their suckers. To make their eyes, you can simply use a marker pen on light-coloured socks. Or sew on old beads or buttons (traditional button-sewing techniques don’t work here, so don’t worry it you don’t know them). Or use a knotting technique – we found this video useful.
To make a tassel from kitchen foil:
1) Take a length of foil and cut it into thin strips, leaving about a finger’s length at one end.
2) Roll the foil up again around your finger and use clear tape to secure the end.
3) That is it, your silver tassel is ready to add to your walking stick with a rubber band. If you would prefer your tassel to swing freely, use a cork or cork-shaped bottle top to wrap the foil around instead of your finger before taping the end. You can then use string, wool or ribbons or extra rubber bands to connect it wherever you want.
Kitchen Carnival Designs by ju90
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