Quick Tassels with Yarn

Some things just need an extra, oomph to them. I made a lovely thing, but it lacked something and it took me a bit of looking at it to determine that it needed a bobble, or a bangle or a bead. I chose bobble, and set about making a bunch of tassels for the job.

Here is my photo tutorial on whipping up these bad boys just about anywhere (I was at the zoo, while my kids played, I tasseled):

Here are my tools:  yarn, scissors, yarn needle and a form to wrap the yarn around to make the size tassels you want. I needed small tassels, so this cigarette case worked perfectly! (And I also require my glasses and apparently crumbs from lunch…)

Hold one end of the yarn at the bottom of your form and wrap yarn around, not too tightly, I wrapped 10 times to get the fullness I wanted in the tassel. You can do more or less wraps for your purposes.

You will need to cut 2 more pieces of yarn, at least 8 inches long for easy handling. Next, slip the looped yarn off the form, being careful to keep the loops together. Take one piece of that 8 inch yarn, fold it in half and slip it under the bundle of loops (not through, under). This first 8 inch piece will become the hanging thread for the tassel.

Put the ends of the 8 inch piece over the yarn bundle and through it’s own loop (created by folding the yarn in half) and cinch tight.

Now look to make sure the the cinched yarn is exactly in the center of the bundle. And fold bundled loops.

Take second piece of 8 inch yarn, fold in half and cinch it near the top of the fold and tighten.

Use the yarn needle to weave ends into the top of the tassel, and pull all the way through. This will secure the outer cinch and hid the ends at the same time.

Here is your tassel!

Now you just have to cut the loops open at the bottom…

and trim it evenly with scissors.

Tah Dah! Enjoy adding bobbles to your world.