How to Make Tassels - written by Jeff A Hardy

Tassel, simply defined, is a dangling ornament made by laying parallel a bunch of cords or threads of even length and fastening them at one end. They can be seen everywhere- on handbags, belts, shoes, bracelets. They are, in fact, one of many significant arts and craft supplies used for decoration and style. Here is the simple technique for making basic tassel.

A tassel is made by binding plaited or otherwise gathered threads from which at one end protrudes a cord on which the tassel is hung, and which may have loose, dangling threads at the other end. Tassels are normally decorative elements, and as such one often finds them attached, usually along the bottom hem, to garments, curtains, breasts (nipples) of Burlesque dancers, or other hangings.

A tassel is primarily an ornament, and was at first the casual termination of a cord to prevent unraveling with a knot. As time went on, various peoples developed variations on this, until by the time of sixteenth century in France the first Guild of Passementiers was created and documented the art of passementerie. The tassel was its primary expression, but it also included fringes (applied, as opposed to integral), ornamental cords, galloons, pompons, rosettes, and gimps as other forms. Tassels, pompons, and rosettes are point ornaments; the others are linear ornaments. The parts of a tassel are basically, from top to bottom:
Making a tassel from yarn

* Suspending cord;
* Its body, which is usually made up of one or more moulds;
* A skirt of fringe or other ornaments.

Materials Required
Yarn: Approximately 32 yards is needed to create a 6 inch tassel. Thick yarns like chenille and raffia produces chunkier tassel and thinner ones like rayon, cotton, or embroidery threads result in more fine tassels.
Cardboard: It should be a little stiff and wider than the intended length of tassel.
Tapestry Needle: It has a blunt edge with a large eye.
Scissors: Small and sleek sewing scissors for lighter materials, while a more sophisticated multi-purpose scissors for heavier yarns.

Instructions for making Tassel
* Lay a short piece of yarn along the full length of cardboard. If desired, you can tape this string.
* Wind the remaining yarn around the width of the cardboard till the desired thickness.
* Bring the ends of the short yarn together and tie it tightly so that one end of the tassel is gathered.
* Slip the scissors between the opposite tassels, decorative tassels, yarn tassels, thread tassels, colored tassels, how to make tassel, tassel on cardboard, making tassel, cutting tassel(untied) end of the yarn and the cardboard, cutting the untied side slowly and evenly.
* Wind some yarn around the neck of the tassel and tie it tightly by knotting it.
* Use the tapestry needle to hide the ends of this thread within the tassel.
* Now, trim the ends of the tassel to get a neat and perfect tassel.

This is only a basic tassel. Let your imagination fly to make advanced variations to produce decorative tassels and use them on your handbags, curtains or for any other decoration. You can even make earrings with tassels.