Making Tassels for Accessorizing

Tassels are a wonderful accessory in almost any room, they can be formal or informal, simple or ornate. And they can cost a fortune! Here is an easy way to make them at home. Add detail to your rooms for the price of a skein of yarn!

These are directions for a simple tassel and ideas for how to use them in your room. Tassels can be adorned with more detail with beads or gems.

You will need a skein of yarn or embroidery floss. I really like the textured yarns because they give a real interesting look to your finished tassel. Embroidery floss will give a more formal, smoother look, and a smaller tassel.

You will need an object to use as a template. Something thin and sturdy, like a book, or a video tape, depending on the size of tassel you are making.

Starting at the bottom of the template, start wrapping around your object from 12-20 times, depending on the thickness you desire for your tassel, and the material you are using. When you have reached your desired thickness, gently pull the wrap off of the template, holding the loop in your hand. Now continue wrapping horizontally around the loop itself 1-3 inches down from the top. This will create the head of the tassel. When it has a nice “neck” cut the yarn leaving a long tail, and tuck the tail under the neck.

Now cut the loop apart at the bottom to create the skirt, trim the ends straight across for a neat look. Slip another length of yarn through the head loop., tie once, and now you can use your tassel anywhere in the home!

Great ideas for tassel details…

Curtain tie backs

Tied to drawer pulls or cabinet knobs

Used on the pull chain for ceiling fans

Tied to the switch on table lamps

Looped around a decorative shelf item

Hung from the back of doorknobs…

The list is endless.

One skein of yarn will make many tassels, and you can enhance them if you wish by stringing bead to the ends of the tassel, and tying, or string them throughout the whole tassel while wrapping.