If you've got a collection of ribbons, threads, lace scraps, and odd beads sitting in a box waiting for a reason — this tutorial is for them. I walk through making Christmas tassels from whatever's on hand, and then spend the second half of the video going through seven different ways to attach a tassel to a journal, from a simple paper clip all the way to looping thread directly through a punched hole in the spine.
What we cover
Making tassels using embroidery floss, lace, ribbon, and beads gathered around a jump ring, then decorating the threads with beads, bells, and charms. After the making section, I go through a full list of attachment methods — paper clips, bulldog clips, brads with rings, crocodile/alligator clasps, picture frame hooks, safety pins, and the loop-through-spine technique — so you can choose whichever fits how you want your tassel to sit on a finished journal.
What you'll learn
How to build a tassel around a jump ring — gathering multiple threads, ribbons, and lace together, looping them through the ring, and deciding on length before committing. The jump ring becomes your anchor point for whatever attachment method you choose later.
How to wrap and knot the tassel head cleanly, including:
- Holding everything in position while wrapping a coordinating thread tightly around the top — three wraps, then a square knot
- Arranging materials so whatever you want on top is facing forward before the wrap goes on
How to thread beads onto individual tassel strands, including:
- Tying a stopper knot at the end of each thread (tested against the bead hole before committing)
- Adding a dab of glue to fraying or unraveling thread ends to make them easier to thread
- Staggering bead placement so strands sit at different lengths rather than all landing at the same level
- Using a jump ring to attach a small charm or bell to a lace strand that's too wide to thread through a bead
Why thread end glue matters — shiny embroidery floss unravels the moment you cut it. A tiny drop of glue on the tip firms it up enough to pass through a bead hole without fighting it.
Seven ways to attach a tassel to a journal, including:
- Paper clip — slide the tassel loop onto a clip and attach to a page or cover; works best when the tassel is short enough not to trail across the writing area
- Bulldog clip — remove the wire handles, thread the tassel loop onto one handle, reassemble, and clip to the cover; fully removable and easy to move between journals
- Brad with ring (Tim Holtz-style) — a brad pushed through the cover with a ring on the front; the tassel hangs from the ring and can pivot out of the way
- Crocodile/alligator clasp — a jewelry finding with a small hole at the top; add a jump ring, thread the tassel loop through, then clip the clasp onto the spine or cover edge
- Picture frame hook with brad — a small flat hook (the kind sold in bags at dollar shops) attached to the cover with a brad; the tassel loop clips onto the hook and can be unhooked when you're writing
- Safety pin or ball pin — punch or pierce a hole in the spine, slide the pin through, attach the tassel; can be glued shut if you want it permanent
- Loop through hole on spine — punch a hole in the spine, add an eyelet to reinforce it, loop the raw threads directly through, and tie a knot on the inside; the tassel can slide up and down but won't come off, and you decorate the strands after attaching
Tips & gotchas
Make tassels longer than you think you need. You can always trim — a strand that's a centimetre too short is just short. When I'm gathering threads, I leave everything a bit generous and only trim once the tassel is decorated and I can see how it actually sits.
Test your knot against the bead hole before you tie it off. The knot needs to be larger than the hole or the bead will slide right off. A quick test before committing saves a lot of frustration.
Apply a tiny drop of glue to thread ends that want to unravel. I tried to resist this on a shiny green embroidery floss in this video and regretted it immediately. The glue dries fast, stiffens the tip, and makes threading beads much less of a fight.
Keep beads at different levels on either side of the tassel. If both sides finish at the same point, the whole thing looks a bit flat. I push one bead higher than the other before tying the final knot — just a small shift, but it makes the tassel look more considered.
For the bulldog clip method, check tassel length before you commit. A long, bead-heavy tassel hanging from a clip on the front cover will sit right where you're writing. Either make the tassel shorter, or plan to flip it up out of the way — most of the clip and hook methods let you do that, which is one reason I tend to prefer them over anything permanently fixed.
Picture frame hooks are worth buying in bulk. They're inexpensive, flat, versatile, and a single bag from a dollar shop will last you a long time. I've used them on plenty of journals — they hold well, they're easy to attach with a single brad, and the tassel can be unhooked in a second.
The loop-through-spine method in particular opens up a whole category of journals where the tassel is part of the structure rather than an addition, and if that approach appeals to you, the fan tassel tutorial (linked in the video description) takes the embellishment idea in a different direction worth exploring.
