{ DIY } Tassels

Time for a DIY and this one is fit for fashion and decor. It comes to us care of my friend Kate. You may have noticed her name popping up on the blog lately. That’s because she collaborated with me on my August blog photo shoot and also crafted the amazing tassels I’ve been wearing (they’ll be in an upcoming outfit post too!). She initially made them as decoration for a big event here in Philly for Philadelphia Magazine, but once I spotted them I had to wear, and ask her how she made them, of course!  And now, Kate’s tassel tutorial. Pin now, DIY later!  – JH

NOTE:  If you plan on dip dying your tassels, use cotton materials!  They absorb the color much better than synthetic fibers.

1.  Hold the strand between your fingers and wrap around your elbow multiple times.  I usually do about 15-20 times around.

2.  Pull the material tight as you remove it from your arm and lay it down. Double knot a shorter piece of string around the middle, which will then become the top of your tassel.

3.  Cut the looped ends of the tassel so each becomes a single strand.  Trim to the length you want.

4.  About a half-inch down from the top of your tassel, tie a piece of string to create the decorative ball-shaped top of your tassel.  Wrap around once or multiple times to create the look you want, then cut the excess.

Ta-da — Tassel! You can change the size of the tassel by wrapping the string around something larger or smaller than your arm, and the thickness by adding or subtracting the amount of times you loop the string around.  Customize by dip dying, stringing into a garland, changing the material you use, adding beads, or styling your own way.

Happy DIY-ing!!
-Kate

{ Photos by Audrey Gallagher. }