Creating Vintage Tassels

This week I am sharing one of my favorite projects! Creating vintage tassels is something I’ve been doing for quite awhile and I just love them. I wanted to show you how I do it so you can make your own!

I wanted to show you how to make vintage tassels because they are so much fun. Not only are they fun to make but they are a great way to incorporate lots of your favorite vintage pieces! I use muslin shreds, fabulous laces, tiny craft pearls, and some fabulous vintage treasures to make these tassels beautiful. In the video below I show you exactly how I make these wonderful pretties!

Creating Vintage Tassels

There are some craft projects that I come back to again and again; and each time I make them I love them just as much as the first time. This is definitely one of those projects! I love these tassels hanging on their own on knobs or lamp switches. I also love to incorporate them into other craft projects as a finishing touch. These tassels are a beautiful addition to any vintage lovers home!

The supplies you need to make these tassels may be things you already have on hand. If you are like me (always on the look out for pretty laces and tiny vintage trinkets) you’re already half way to having a completed tassel. If you don’t have the supplies on hand though, no worries! What you need can either be found at your local craft store or in my shop. And the muslin shreds I use for this project are really simple to make yourself. I have a whole post about how to make muslin shreds if you want to learn how to make your own!

So many design options…

These tassels have so many options! You can make them big or small, intricate or simple, neutral or colorful. If you like the more rustic look then go for tea stained muslin shreds. If the clean look is more your taste then stick with the white shreds. You can have a specific theme like rusted bolts, nails, and springs. Or mix up your little trinkets and make it eclectic. Sometimes I like to add some bling with a small piece of vintage jewelry and other times I leave those off. It’s all up to you how you want to do these!

Vintage Tassel Supply List

• Muslin shreds
• Laces (vintage and/or new)
• Tatting (if you can find it)
• Seam binder
• String of tiny craft pearls
• Small vintage treasures to tie on (skeleton keys, cabinet keys, tags, rusted bolts, springs, pins/broaches etc…)
• Vintage pieces for the top of the tassel (spools, knobs, insulators, dowels, etc…something with a hole in it that you can thread onto the top of your tassel)
• Scissors
• BBQ skewer (optional) for helping to thread your goodies on.

Vintage Tassel Instructions

1. Start by deciding how big of a tassel you want to make. For the size I normally make I usually make my strips of material about 14″ inches long. This does not have to be exact though. I start with a handful of my muslin shreds and then add a couple strips of pretty laces and seam binder. I also add a couple strips of craft pearls. When you have all of your materials laid out together you’re ready to move on to the next step.
2. Lay out your collection of materials horizontally. Now take a strip of lace and lay it vertically at the center under your collection. Now use the lace to tie your materials into a bundle. Trim any ends that you feel need trimmed.
3. Now it’s time to add the top. Use anything with a hole in it (spools, insulators, etc.) and thread both pieces of lace through it. You can dress up your top piece if you want to or add a pretty knob on top of it. Whatever you want to do!
4. Next, choose the vintage trinkets that you want to use. I usually use 3-4 but you can use however many you want. Take your trinkets and tie them to the bottom of separate muslin shreds.

The Wrap Up…

And that’s it friends! This is a simple project but the results are beautiful! using the different materials adds so much texture and depth to these vintage tassels. They are a lot of fun to create and even more fun to look at. I love this project and I hope you do too!

Looking for more decor inspiration? Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram!

If you love creating vintage treasures as much as I do you can also join my membership group, Tami Loves Creating Vintage Treasures. There you will get exclusive tutorials that will teach you how to create beautiful and unique pieces that will fit perfectly with your vintage decor!