Howto: Tassels - Everyone Loves Dangly Bits - #TipsTuesdays 17

Tassels

Everyone Loves Dangly Bits

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So my darling twin decided in her infinite wisdom that for Christmas this year we would make all our friends scarves. I can reveal this now because we had our annual party last weekend and, as a group, most of us opened our gifts from each other, so that cat is already out of the bag. Since I am not revealing specific details, those who didn't open their pressies are still safe :).

Now Soph has a knack for crochet, where as I totally suck at it! I cannot crochet to save my life, please mourn with me a while ;). Hence Soph made the scarves and I had finishing off and tassel duty. These skills I am now a master at. Since I had absolutely no idea how to add tassels to a crocheted scarf before I started, I thought it might be fun to share the technique.

You will  need:

• Wool
• Something stiff the length of your tassels like card or a DVD case
• A crochet hook, or other hooking device suitable for using with wool

1. Cut Your Wool to Length

The easiest way to do this is to find a piece of thick card, a book or a DVD or something which is the same length as you want your tassels. Make sure it is tough enough not to bend.

1. Wind your wool around your frame the number of lengths you need for your tassels. (I found 6 lengths was a good number for each tassel, because each length of wool gives you 2 strands in your tassel - of course it will depend on the thickness of your wool).
2. Cut your wool along the edge where the first length began.

Now you have all your wool for making your tassels.

2. Fold Your Tassel

Since each length of wool makes 2 strands in your tassels you need to fold them all in half.

1. First of all take 6 strands and make sure the ends lines up.
2. Fold all strands in half, lining up to the shortest length (your lengths will all be about the same length, but there is usually a margin or error).

3. Thread Your Tassel

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Now you need to thread you tassel onto your crochet.

1. Choose which edge stitch you wish to attach it to - a tassel every 2 stitches works well with double ply wool.
2. Push your crochet hook through the stitch.
3. Out the fold of the tassel over the crochet hook and hold taut.
4. Pull the tassel back through the stitch. The secret is to keep it taut all the time so threads do not fall off. If they do, rehook them and pull them through.

4. Finish Your Tassel

The last part is very easy, to complete your tassel.

1. Make the loop you have pulled through the crochet large enough to get your thumb and forefinger through - if the tassel is too small use the crochet hook for this bit, but it's fiddlier.
2. Pull the long strands of the tassel through the loop.
3. Gently pull taut, so the loop closes around the strands.

And there you have it, the easiest way to do a simple tassel. It works for small ones, huge ones and everything in between.