Put Down Those Scissors: An Alternate Approach to Fringe

I’d finally finished my Hufflepuff scarf–even finished weaving in the dozens of loose ends–when I remembered the tassels. I still had to make fringe on either end.

In the past I’ve cut all the tassels first, attached them with a crocheting hook, and then trimmed them even. But I didn’t like all the fiddly bits of string.

Here’s the new method I (might have) invented.

You’ll need a darning needle, scissors, a straight object (like a knitting needle or ruler), and the yarn of your choice.

Here we go. Thread the needle in the middle of a long piece of yarn.

Decide which side of your work is the front (if that isn’t already obvious). Sew through your work from front to back at the first place you want a tassel.

Leave a tail a bit longer than your finished fringe length, and pull your thread under that tail to the right.

Now go over top of the tail toward the left, and stick the needle through your work in the same spot, but from back to front.

Here’s the only (possibly) confusing part. Pull the yarn almost all the way through, then go down through the loop you’ve created around the tail of yarn.

After that, pull to tighten the loop around the strands of yarn. Your first tassel!

Don’t grab the scissors just yet. Here’s where your straight object comes in.

Lay your object parallel to the edge of your work, a little farther from it than the finished length of fringe. Loop your yarn around the object.

Go through your work from front to back at the next spot to start the next tassel.

Follow the same steps to make each tassel, going around your straight object between each one. When your yarn runs out, simply cut it off, leaving a sufficient tail. With a new piece of yarn, continue tasseling.

After all the tassels are in place, cut through all the loops around your straight object.

Trim all the ends even, and you’re done!

Hello, Hufflepuff!

I think I like this method for this kind of fringe. Thicker tassels would probably be difficult this way.

Always good to have options, though, right?

Happy Yarning!

(Tassels.)

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