How to Make Harvest Tassels

Have you noticed lately that tassels in all shapes and sizes seem to be showing up everywhere?  In fashion, home decor, crafts? They are colorful and have a little “on-trend” Boho going on.

I am not a slave to trends, but do like to come up with ideas to incorporate trends in small ways to my decor and what I wear. This way when the trend fades, it is easy to remove and add a new detail without having to spend a lot of time or money.

Last week when I wanted to add a decorative accent to a pumpkin I bought for my deck, I remembered that I had a few bundles of raffia in fall colors from last year that I never used.

I am glad I saved the bundles as I got an idea on how to use the raffia …. to make harvest tassels.  What is a harvest tassel?  A tassel made using raffia to embellish anything you want.

How about using one…

…on your staircase banister…

…or over a doorknob with a wooden bead or two as an accent.

How about one on a cabinet knob…

…or even a towel rack.

and if you don’t want to carve your pumpkin this Halloween…add a tassel or two instead.

Look around the rooms in your home. Can you think of any where else you could hang a harvest tassel?

How to Make Harvest Tassels to Decorate Your Home For Fall

I made my raffia tassels using bundles of colored raffia from craft store. They usually come in packages of 3 or 4. Using these removes a few steps in the tassel making process since the raffia is already wound together.

supplies needed: 

• Raffia or Raffia bundles
• Florist wire
• Wire cutters
• Scissors
• Optional: Wood beads

1. Snip strand of raffia that is wrapped around the bundle that holds it together and discard it.

2. Unwind a 5-6  long strands (about 12-inches each) from the bundle and cut off. Set aside.

3. Use your fingers to open up center of bundle and separate strands to each side. You will see how the raffia looped.

4. Using one of the strands you unwound in Step 2, thread it through opening and bring ends to the top of bundle. Tie in a knot. Do not cut ends, these will be used to tie tassel onto items.

5. Hold bundle in one hand and use the other to tightly wrap wire around, about an inch below the top of the tassel. Twist wire to secure, clip excess wire.

6. Using another strand of raffia, wrap it tightly around the wire until wire is hidden. Use tip of scissors to push strand’s ends under what you just wrapped. It will hold if you wrapped the raffia around the tassel tightly.

7. Use scissors to cut bottom loops off to create tassel. Trim to any size tassel you desire.

How to Add a Loop and Bead So You Can Place Tassel Over Knobs:

If you want to loop the tassel to hang instead of tying it on to something, you can add a loop to the top of the tassel. There are a few ways you can do this, but here is what I did.  My photos didn’t come out, so here is a diagram of what you need to add.

1. Using a new strand of raffia, tuck one end under top knot and thread through. Bring ends up to make a loop and tie ends in knot.
2. Slide knot down so it is on the top of the tassel. Tuck in ends of loop knot under top knot.
3. Slip a bead over loop.
4. Hang.
5. Once loop is in place, cut ends from original raffia tie that is no longer needed. Do not cut knot, just the excess section of the raffia strands.

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Want to make a tassel using ribbon? Check out this post: How to Make a Ribbon Key Tassel

How about a tassel for a little girl’s room?  How To Make a Barbie Doll Clothes Tassel

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