I add handmade leather tassels to my leather goods to elevate my pieces. They can be used as bag charms, and they can also be attached to keychains. Leather tassels are charming and add personality.
Lately, I've been making them in monochromatic leathers—black and white in patent and perforated leather textures.
This DIY tutorial teaches you how to make your own leather tassels.
You will need:
Leather rectangle - 18” X 5”
Leather strip - 1/8” X 10”
Leather accent piece - 1.5” X 4”
Ruler
Cutting Mat
Knife or Scissors
Pen or Marker
Glue (I use water-based leather glue from Seymour Leather)
Optional: Needle, Thread, Awl
1) On the back of the rectangle, draw a horizontal line across the entire piece of leather, 1.5” from the top.
2) From the horizontal line, draw diagonal lines spaced 1/8” apart.
3) Using a knife or scissors, cut all the diagonal lines from the horizontal line to the bottom of the leather.
4) Add glue to one tip of the leather strip. Press the two tips of the leather strip together. 
5) Make a small mark 1” down from the top of the leather, close to the top right edge of the rectangle. Place glue on the top right corner of the leather, covering this mark.
6) Place the tips of the leather strip on the glued area in the top right corner of the leather.
7) Roll the glued leather over the leather strip.
8) ***OPTIONAL: I like to sew the leather strip onto the tassel itself so I know it’s secure. To do this, start by marking 3 diagonal holes with the awl. Take a knotted, threaded, needle and pass it up from the back of the first hole. Pass the needle down into the second hole. Come up through the third hole. Go down into the second hole. Come up through the first hole. Pass down into the second hole. Knot and trim.
9) Apply glue to the leather above the horizontal line. Roll and press together. Continue until the entire tassel is rolled.
10) Apply glue to the back of the accent leather. Roll the top of the tassel onto the accent leather and press hard.
And…you’re done!
Comment below, and let me know how your tassels turned out!
