How to: make a tassel

These eye-catching embellishments can adorn the corners of homewares, such as cushions and blankets or even be used to create a pony tail on a toy. Quick and easy to make, they can add a classy or fun touch to a project.

For aran yarn, around 30 wraps (60 strands) is a good number, but thinner yarns may need more. Tassels are created from wraps of yarn that are bound at one end and cut at the other. You can wind the yarn over your hand or fingers, but for a long tassel, find something about the right size to wrap your yarn around. You can whip up a tassel from any yarn or thread, mixing and matching as you like for all sorts of great colour or texture combinations. Add in some contrasting silky or glitter yarn to dress it up. If you are reusing more than one colour or type, you can wind the strands of yarn off the balls at the same time. Cut two 30cm lengths of yarn, or stronger cord or thread, for your hanging and binding threads. Make enough wraps for a full tassel, without stretching the yarn tightly. Once the wraps are done, slide them off. Pass the hanging cord through the loops at one end and tie two tight knots at the top to keep all the strands together. Straighten out the loops and cut through the strands at the opposite end. The tassel will look a bit untidy at this point. Take the second length and wrap it 1-2 cm below the top, depending on the size of top bobble you want. Smooth down the strands so they are all even at the top, then tie a knot at the back. Neatly bind the tassel, knotting at the back after a couple of wraps. Finish with a double knot at the back and lose the tails in the main tassel. If the bonding is on a contrast thread, use a tapestry needle to stitch through the wraps or knot at the back, splitting the yarn before cutting. Smooth the strands and tidy the ends with sharp scissors for a neat finish.