How to make a yarn tassel | Quick DIY project with left over yarn

Yarn tassels are quick to make and add an instant pop of color to your holiday gifts, clothes, zipper pouch, backpack, and scissors. You can even create a stunning tassel garland with extra large tassels. In this blog we explain step by step how you can use left over yarn to make a tassel in a few minutes.

What materials do I need to make yarn tassel?

1. Yarn or Floss

You can use all types of yarn to create tassels, each material will give a different texture and look to your tassel. Tassels are also great projects to make with your left over yarn.

Use cotton yarn for a smooth looking tassel, or go for a winter effect with wool. You can also make mini tassels from embroidery floss.

For the samples on this page we used our Gordita ecological wool.

2. Piece of cardboard

Use a cardboard or postcard as wide as the desired length of tassel.

For a small tassels we use a business card of about 7,5 cm x 7,5 cm (3″x 3″). If you like to make a tassel garlant you can use an extra large cardboard piece of 30 cm x 20 cm (12″ x 8″ ).

3. Scissors

You´ll need a pair of sharp embroidery scissors to cut your yarn to size.

4. Needle or Crochet hook

5. Pencil

6. Optional beads or jump rings

Step by Step instructions for making a yarn tassel

Step 1

Wrap the yarn around the cardboard. The more you wrap the fuller your tassel will be. For wool tassels we wrap about 20 times around a business card. When making tassels from embroidery floss we recommend to wrap approx. 50 times.

Step 2

Cut the yarn from your ball.

Step 3

Cut a 15 cm (6″) piece of yarn or floss and slip it through the top loops of the wrapped thread.

Step 4

Tie it several times as tight as possible.

Step 5

Slide the wrapped thread off the cardboard and slide it onto a pencil.

Step 6

Cut a piece of 30 cm (12″) yarn or floss. Tie this piece around the tassel just below the pencil. This creates the ‘head’ of the tassel. Wrap the ends of the tied thread around the tassel five or six times.

Step 7

Use a needle to tuck the ends back behind the wrapped thread.

Step 8

Cut the loops at the end of the tassel and trim the ends so they’re even. You can use the tassel as is, or add a bead or a jump ring to finish your tassel.