Tassels were a beloved decorative element in Edwardian fashion, adorning everything from evening gowns to accessories.
In this tutorial, I'll show you how I made the tassels for my LUCILE Edwardian evening gown pattern.
Materials You'll Need
- Embroidery thread (matching or contrasting color)
- Matching cord or thin rope (approximately 30-40 cm)
- Scissors
- Wide-tooth comb
- Cardboard or a small book (for wrapping the thread, optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Create the Thread Skein
Start by wrapping your embroidery thread around a piece of rectangular cardboard to create a skein. The width of the cardboard will determine the length of your tassel - I used acardboard approximately 8x14 cm for a medium-sized tassel.
Wrap the thread more than 50 times up to even 100-200, depending on how full you want your tassel to be. When you finish wrapping one section of thread, start the next section from the same side of the cardboard each time - don't alternate sides. For mine I used 3 skein of embroidery "Anchor" thread.
Step 2: Cut and Secure
Carefully slide the wrapped thread off the cardboard. Cut the bottom loops to create free strands, while keeping the top loops intact.
At the top, gather all the threads together and secure them with a few stitches to form a small loop. This will be the "head" of your tassel.
Step 3: Add the Decorative Cord
Now comes the decorative detail! Take your matching cord and wrap it tightly around the top section of the tassel, just below the secured head. Glue the cord in place.
You can make one cord section, or even more like this where there are 3:
For this purple tassel I had fun mixing a dark purple with a light lavander thread.
Step 4: Comb and Fluff
Photo taken before adding the decorative cord.
This is the secret step that transforms your tassel from basic to beautiful! Using a wide-tooth comb, gently comb through the thread strands for several minutes. Comb it both vertically and horizzontally gently.
This process separates and opens up the individual fibers, creating a soft, fluffy appearance. The more you comb, the fuller your tassel will become.
Your handmade tassel is complete! Have fun experimenting with various colour, materials and thread size!
Happy sewing!
Paola - Butterfly Garments