Who's ready to make some bohemian, but most importantly, fluffy, macrame tassels? I'm so ready to teach you my step by step tutorial on how to make these adorable tassels! I use them in every possible way, I add them to my macramé wall hangings, fiber earrings, keychains, curtain tie backs, doorknob hangers... You name it! It's a great way to get rid of extra rope and string scraps we have laying around.
The process is quick and easy. All you need is a bit of rope, a pair of scissors, and one spare afternoon. Also, I cannot imagine a better time to try new crafts than now, am I right?
Materials
- 15-20 pieces of twisted cotton rope size 3 or 5mm - 12 inches
- 1 piece of 3-ply twisted rope for the hanging portion - 15 inches
- 10 feet of 1mm twisted rope for the macrame bits
- Scissors
- Fine comb
Step 1. Shaping the tassel:
Start by gathering your 15-20 rope pieces and brushing them gently in the middle. Then use the 1mm rope to tie them securely in the middle.
Step 2. Wrapping the tassel:
Next, grab the ropes and flip them so the rope that tied them all together is now in a horizontal position. Divide them into two sections (left side and right side) and brush once again so the fibers are smooth
Now, take the thicker rope (which will be the hanging portion), tie the ends securely together, and pull the tassel-to be through it. Now put the two sides of the ropes together so that the tied endings of the hanging portion are hidden in the middle of the tassel and the rest is loose and in place. Brush once again if needed.
Now it’s time to tie the tassel! You can choose a classic overhand knot or a gathering knot as pictured below. Either way, make sure to tie it as tightly as possible! Once it’s done, simply brush and trim the endings off the tassel.
Step 3. Adding the macramé skirt:
Grab the thin 1mm rope and cut about 12-14 pieces of rope. Make sure each piece is about 3 times the length of your tassel. You can attach the pieces using a lark’s head knot or by simply hanging them on it. Be sure that they go all the way around your tassel, then tie them securely on it. Make sure that the number is even.
Step 4. Square knot
A square knot is a basic macrame knot that we’ll use to make our tassel a little bit more decorative while still keeping it simple.
A square knot requires four strings of rope (hence the even number we’ve talked about before) and it consists of two mirrored-like parts. You can choose to start from either the left or the right side. I'll be starting mine from the right!
Starting from the right side, take the far right rope perpendicularly onto the other three pieces. Then, take the far left piece under it, behind the two in the middle and through the loop. Please see the pictures as they present the knot more clearly.
Then, move your half-square knot all up to the top and do the exact same thing but starting from the opposite side. Once the knot is complete you will see a three-lines-knot with two horizontal lines and one vertical. Now make a full row of square knots around the tassel.
Step 5. Finishing touches
To finish off your tassel you can make 1-2 additional rows of square knots OR you can create a triangular shape by making three knots in the first row, two in the second and one in the middle of the third row. Pictured above!
Personally, I like to add some simple overhand knots at the ends of the ropes, then trim it so it looks more full.
Brush the ropes once again if needed, check that all parts stay securely where they should be, maybe trim once again - the trimming never really ends. It’s like a fringe, there will always be that one insubordinate hair! And you’re done! Congrats! Doesn’t it look amazing?
Hi! I’m Marta. I consider myself a dreamer, but I'm also a fiber artist, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a partner, and simply a woman on a mission! I’ve always been crafty and artistic, however, I never dared to just go for it. I knew that the corporate life wasn’t for me, but I always denied that thought. Then, in 2016 when my daughter was born I felt that it was the perfect time to dive into my passions. So while many young mothers trade in their careless and kid-less lifestyle to become responsible mothers, I decided to trade in my heels, makeup, and dead-end job for macrame, yoga pants, and messy buns! Still, the best decision I've made. I’ve worked with customers and artists around the world, creating many macrame projects for restaurants, hotels, and private customers. I also organize macrame workshops and create DIY sets. Every day I'm learning more through our amazing community of makers that we have online, and I'm forever grateful for all the opportunities and trust I’ve been gifted with.
Hop over to my Instagram or my Etsy page to see more of my content, as well as macrame made by me!
