How to Make Tassels to Accent Home Decor
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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” going on. Why not add a colorful tassel to a room or two in your home. Learn how to make tassels the easy way with the help of the instructions in this tassel making guide.
Tassels are one of the easiest ways to add decorative detail and color to a room,
Traditional silk tassels can be quite expensive and formal. By using different types of materials, however, such as yarn, raffia, embroidery floss, baker’s twine and even ribbon, tassels will look at home in any style of decor
Add beads to the top of a tassel or wrap a few identical tassels together to create a unique large tassel.
Whether you would like to make tassels to adorn curtains, throw blankets or add to a key in a drawer, this collection of tassels, each unique in style can be made in no time with no special tools needed.
Once you make one tassel, you may start looking around your house to find places to add more.
In this post there is more than one set of step-by-step instructions showing different ways to make a tassel to decorate your home. Plus, there is a video on how to make a twisted cord so you can attach a tassel to a key or place over a drawer knob.
Let’s start with a basic tassel.
How to Make a Tassel Out of Yarn or Embroidery Thread Tutorial
Making a tassel out of yarn or any thread, ribbon or twine is made the same way. Yarn is chunky – if using twine or floss you may need more to create a full and plump tassel.
supplies needed:
- Yarn, thread or twine – the more you use, the fuller the tassel will be
- Sharp scissors
- A piece of cardboard, cut to the length of the tassel you desire
- Cut a piece of cardboard to the height you want. Then begin to wrap the yarn around the cardboard as shown. Hold the strand with your finger or use a piece of tape to secure it while you wrap.
2. When using yarn, wind about 75 times. Less for a smaller tassel and more for a bigger tassel,
3. Cut the wrapping strand off.
4. Tie another strand of yarn that is at least twice the height of the tassel. Place this under the tassel, bring ends up to top.
5. Tie a tight knot on top of the tassel with the strand. Push the knot to the underside of the tassel. Let the long strands become part of the tassel.
6. Attach twisted cord (see video further down in this post on how to make this) or a few strands of yarn under the tassel. Tie into a loop, hide knot under the tassel.
7. The twisted loop looks better when it is cinched at the top of the tassel. You can use a bead that has large holes to go over the loop and sit on the top of the tassel or you can tie the bottom of the loop tightly with a long piece of yarn. Once the knot is made, let the long strands become part of the tassel.
8. Tie a stand of yarn about an inch down from the top of the tassel to cinch the upper section in. Let the long ends become part of the tassel.
Close up of the top of the tassel with a twisted cord hanger.
9. Trim ends at bottom with a sharp pair of scissors.
Change Up the Style of Your DIY Tassels
- Have fun and tie-off two sections at the top of a tassel instead of only one like I did on the red tassels on the Christmas stockings.
- Add a bead to the top to take it up a notch on the decorating detail style scale.
- Make ombre tassels by mixing different colors of yarn instead of only using one.
How to Make a Tassel Using a Bundle of Raffia
To make a raffia tassel, I used a raffia bundle that you can find at the craft store. They come in many different colors and in packages of 3 or 4.
Using these bundles removes a few steps in the tassel making process since the raffia is already wound together.
supplies needed:
- Raffia or Raffia bundles, yarn or embroidery thread, ribbon, or twine in a color you like
- Florist wire for raffia tassels
- Wire cutters
- Scissors
- Optional: Wood beads or a bead with large holes
Time needed: 15 minutes.
How to Make DIY Tassels Out of Raffia
- Remove Wrapping Strands of Raffia
- Snip the strand of raffia that is wrapped around the bundle that holds it together and discard it.
- Unwind Long Strand
Unwind a 5-6 long strands (about 12-inches each) from the bundle and cut off. Set aside.
- Open Up the Center of the Bundle
Use your fingers to open up center of bundle and separate strands to each side. You will see how the raffia looped.
- Thread One Strand Through Bundle
Using one of the strands you unwound in Step 2, thread it through the opening in the looped raffia and bring ends to the top of bundle. Tie in a knot. Do not cut ends, these will be used to tie the tassel onto items.
- Wrap Wire Around
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.
- Wrap Another Strand Around
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.
- Trim Bottom
Use scissors to cut bottom loops off to create tassel. Trim to any size tassel you desire.
How to Attach Tassels to Keys, Knobs and Other Items
Once your tassel is made, there are two ways you can hang or attach it to an item.
Attach a Tassel Using Twisted Yarn
To make a matching twisted cord to hang a tassel, use abut 48 inches of yarn or thread. If you want a longer twisted loop, use a longer piece of thread.
- Cut yarn and fold in half. Knot together at open end. Smooth the strand to keep them all an even length and then knot the other end together.
- Hold the knotted end in one hand and the the other hand in the looped end, pull taut, and twist the yarn until the yarn/thread begins to kink.
- Have another person hold the center of the floss and bring the two ends together.
- Let go of the center and the yarn/thread will twist on its own.
- Thread through open tassel, knot end and tuck knot under yarn thread at the top of the tassel.
- Finish the tassel, by wrapping yarn around the center and trim bottom of tassel.
To hang tassel, simply place twisted loop over a knob or thread through a key.
Attach a Tassel Using a Plain Loop
If you want to hang a tassel with a simple loop of thread instead of using twisted cord, 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.
- Using a new strand of raffia or the type of thread you are using, tuck one end under top knot and thread through. Bring ends up to make a loop and tie ends in knot.
- Slide knot down so it is on the top of the tassel. Tuck in ends of loop knot under top knot.
- Slip a bead over loop.
- Hang.
- 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.
Where to Hang a Tassel in a Room?
Tassels can be hung dangling from a book on a bookshelf, furniture knobs, keys in a drawer or door keyhole, lamps, ceiling fan pulls and as drapery accents and tiebacks.
A raffia tassel for fall on a staircase banister…
or over a doorknob with a wooden bead or two as an accent.
When you don’t want to carve your pumpkin for Halloween… add a tassel or two instead.
Attach tassels to the end of garlands.
Look around the rooms in your home. Can you think of any where else you could hang a tassel?
How to Make a Tassel Using Ribbon
- Check out this post: How to Make a Ribbon Key Tassel
How about a fashionable ribbon tassel for a little girl’s room?
- Learn Here – How To Make a Barbie Doll Clothes Tassel
Did you know making a pom-pom is very similar to making a tassel?
Learn how to make and decorate with pom-poms – they are a cute version of a tassel.
- Learn More Here – How to Make a Pom-Pom
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I haven’t thought about these in years but I used to make them in junior high in home economics class. They are actually quite expensive when bought in a fabric store and used as curtain pulls. Nice video. Hope and pray everything is going well with Zoe.
I adore all of your creative ideas! You are so inspiring especially this post about one of my absolute favorite things, pompoms and tassels!
I hope all is well with you and your family.
Blessings,
Alison
Pinning for later…thanks for letting me know this was in style once again. I use to hang tassels from china cabinet knobs, lamp switches, etc. that was in the 90’s!
Your bright tassel decorations made from yarn and raffia are the perfect spot of whimsy! Hanging from a knob or from the ends of a bead garland, giving a wink and smile to whoever spies them!
Hi. This is all beautiful, but how is your granddaughter doing. I think and pray for her often❣️
Wow!! This is great! I’ve been a little skeptical about even trying to make tassels but now I think I can do it. Thanks so much for sharing! Continued prayers for your precious little granddaughter, you and your family!
Thanks! I have some bundles in my craft drawer and will try this tutorial very soon.
This is a cute Idea! I’ve seen colorful raffia ine craft stores and never knew what I might do with it besides wrap gifts. I also like that you’ve left your stair rail as it was. The contrast between the old patina of those and the newly white painted stairs is beautiful.
Thanks Kat :-)
Oh my you have outdone yourself this time!!!! I love these tassels out of raffia and the info…I have got to try!!! The ones out of ribbon are awesome as well and I will have to try those also God bless
Once again you hit it out of the ballpark Diane these are simply wonderful!
Love these! I can’t wait to try making some.
I just recently found your blog and was reading some past posts of yours. I have a question about your planked walls. I am getting ready to do a bathroom and wondered if the 1/4″ plywood underlayment that you used in your house is ok for a bathroom with a shower? I noticed you used them in a powder room but wasn’t sure if that’s what you used in the bathroom as well. I’m also excited to try your wallpaper stenciling! Is the Fusion paint better to use than the paint sold on the site that sells the stencils? Thanks so much for your help. I’m excited that I found your blog :)
Hi Julie – I used the same underlayment plywood in both my powder room and guest bath. The shower in the guest bath has a tile surround, the horizontal boards are not in the shower and will be fine. I would not place the boards in the shower surround itself though, but any of the other walled areas will be fine.
Fusion paint is just one of many types of paints you can stencil with. I am not sure what brand of paint the stencil company sells, but I am sure it is very good as they want their stenciled designs to come out well. I also know that inexpensive craft store paint works extremely well and is very affordable. Thanks for reading my blog.
Thank you so much for answering my questions!
I haven’t thought about these in years but I used to make them in junior high in home economics class. They are actually quite expensive when bought in a fabric store and used as curtain pulls. Nice video. Hope and pray everything is going well with Zoe.
Very cute.
thanks.
Another great idea and instructions. I love both tassels and pom poms so this has my name in bright neon letters.
These are adorable and would be great to use up till Thanksgiving. I love you easy craft projects.