It’s no doubt that tassels have made a comeback. But isn’t that the way with pretty much everything? The concept remains the same but the finish, color, pattern, size or material changes with the trends.
The tassels of today are no match for our mommas’ giant satin curtain tiebacks! Praise the Lord!
I purchased one skein of cotton chenille yarn and made 10 tassels. I could have made a couple more, but had couple flops as I figured out the process! (My pom pom attempted resembled a character from Fraggle Rock…
Supplies
1 skein thick yarn of choice
Scissors
Plastic lid or piece of cardboard approximately 4″ wide
3 yards cotton piping per garland
Directions for 1 tassel
1. Cut 2 pieces of yarn approximately 10″ long
2. Holding the end with one hand, wrap the yard around your lid 35 times. Try to keep the lines fairly straight and stack them on top of each other. Do not cut the end yet.
3. Using one of your precut pieces, feed the yarn under your ‘wraps’ at the top of the lid. Carefully slide everything off the lid and tie the piece you thread through tightly.
4. Cut the tassel from the skein.
5. Using the second precut piece, wrap the yarn around the tassel about an inch from the top. You make need to pull and fluff some pieces. The goal is to create a ball-like shape. Pull tight and double knot.
6. Next cut all the loops to let the tassel loose in all it’s glory!
7. Now time for a tassel trim! Standing over a trashcan, tightly hold the bottom of the tassel in one hand (your non-dominant hand). Carefully cut straight across to even up all the tails of your tassel. This is how you achieve a thick, dense tassel that is all over the Christmas aisles.
Assembling the Garland
1. I cut my cotton piping into 8 foot long sections. We have a standard 5 foot mantel and a 6 foot banister, so this length offered plenty of extra “drape” and length on both ends to show off the tassels.
2. Before cutting the piping, wrap a piece of tape all the way around. Cut the piping down the center of the tape. This will ensure the ends don’t unravel.
3. To attach the handmade cotton tassels, feed a short piece of wire through the cotton piping just above the tape. Insert it into the bulb of the tassel and weave one end of the wire under the tied yarn holding the top of the tassel together. Wrap the other end under a few strands and then twist the wire together. Cut the ends with wire cutters and use needlenose pliers to to fold under the sharp ends.
4. Using Aleene’s Tacky Glue, add glue to the piping and wrap the top tails of the tassels around to finish it nicely.
Show it off
There you have it! One of the layers to our Warm + Cozy Christmas Mantle and Banister decor. Add in the Fabric Poinsettia Garland for a gorgeous and elegant combination!
