If you are someone like me who loves not only to create a beautiful creation, but also to make it original with tiny details and little elements that make it feel yours, then you’re in the right place. This is one of those small touches that somehow makes the whole project look finished (and a bit more “cartoon-perfect”, in the best way 😉).
Hi, I’m Alyona, and I’ve been crafting and sewing for as long as I can remember. I’ve tried loads of techniques over the years. And if you want to learn something new and genuinely easy, this article is for you. By the end of it, you’ll know exactly how to make those cute little tassels for your project.
The Little Idea That Started It All
Honestly, this is one of the easiest things you can add to a craft project. I remember when the idea popped into my head: I was making an alpaca… or maybe it looks more like a llama in the photo. Honestly, it’s up to you to decide. 😄
The inspiration came from the cartoon The Emperor’s New Groove (I love it and keep rewatching it again and again 🦙🙈). In the cartoon, those alpacas/llamas have that cute little “blanket” on top, and it always has hand stitching and tiny tassels. I wanted to recreate that same mood on my own project, and that’s how these tassels became my thing.
What You Need Before You Start
First, grab your Sewing Needles and try to pick one where the hole is as big as you can find at home. We’re going to insert many threads at the same time, so the bigger the needle hole, the easier your life will be.
For your tassel itself, you’ll need thread – and you can use something like Gutermann Thread or Polyester Sewing Thread. You’ll also need your Soft Felt project ready, plus scissors, and (optional but very useful) tweezers if you struggle to grab the threads with your nails. Mine are not natural, so… yes. Tweezers save my sanity. 😅
How to Thread Lots of Strands (Even If Your Needle Hole Is Small)
Let’s cut around 10 – 15 threads, all the same size. Once you’ve got them, you need to put all these threads through the needle. If it’s challenging (and sometimes it is), don’t worry – here comes the little “cherry on top of the cake” technique.
Take a bit of scotch tape and stick all the ends of the threads onto it. Then fold the tape in half, and cut it into a triangle shape so the tape and threads look like an arrow. Push that taped “arrow” into the needle hole with all the threads. If needed, use tweezers to pull it through, especially if your nails aren’t helping you today.
Folding the Threads and Placing the Tassel
Once all your threads are inside the needle, cut off the scotch tape at the end. Now fold all the threads in half. So if you put 10 threads in, once folded you’ll have 20. If you put 15 in, you’ll have 30. That’s how it works.
Next, take your needle and pass all those threads through the felt in the spot where you want the tassel to be. When you do this, the threads will double again, and you’ll have the tassel coming through exactly where you planned it.
How to Make the Knot (The Easy Fold-and-Tie Method)
Now you just need to make the knot, and it’s honestly even simpler than you can imagine. After you pass the needle through the felt, remove the needle completely from the threads.
At this point, one bundle of threads will be coming from the right side of the felt (the side where you inserted the needle), and the other bundle will stay on the left side. Fold these two bundles together so they meet.
Once they are together, they become one little pack of threads. Hold them firmly, make a simple knot with your fingers, pull it tight to secure it close to the felt, and then tidy it up. “Oh. That’s it?” 😄
Trimming the Tassel and Testing Your Fluffiness
After the knot is secure, cut everything and make sure your tassel ends are on the same level. Decide how long you want it: maybe half a centimetre, maybe a centimetre – it depends on the look you want.
And here’s a tip that really helps before you commit to your actual project: grab a scrap of felt and test different amounts of threads first. Try 5 threads, 10 threads, 15 threads, and see how fluffy you want your tassel to be. That way you can choose your favourite look without risking your main piece.
What to Make Next (Plus a Free Pattern From Me)
That’s basically how I make my tassels and decorate my felt projects with those tiny accents. I hope this was informative for you and that you learned something new – especially if you love adding small cute details to your creations.
If you’re into these kinds of little touches, you might also enjoy How to Make a Belly Button for Your Cute Craft Project. If you want that nice little belly button on your creatures (or even if you’re making a cute doll), go and have a look.
And as my thank you for staying with me until the end: here’s a Free Sewing Pattern I made myself. Grab it, print it, try it out, and practise your new tassel technique on it. If you’re curious about more, you can also find my Sewing Patterns Collection on my website 🧸🧵.
Thanks for reading again, and I’ll see you in my next one. Bye 👋.
