How to make an awesome leather tassel from an old handbag

Yes you read it right.  In the following tutorial I will show you how to make an awesome leather tassel that you can use for a key ring, backpack bling or just for decoration on a drawer pull.  It’s so easy and pretty much free since you use an old handbag that you cut up to recycle the leather.  And tassels and pompoms are all the rage right now!

You will need a handbag that has thinner leather and is flexible enough to cut with regular scissors.  If you don’t already have one, you can easily find one at a thrift shop or a yard sale.  You can re-use the leather in a myriad of ways so come back often for more quick and easy tutorials like this awesome leather tassel!

Materials:

Leather pieces from an old handbag

Scissors

Ruler

Pencil or disappearing marker

Jewelry cap

22-gauge wire

Needle nosed pliers

Wire cutters

Head pin

Key ring if making key ring

Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks

E size seed bead

Awesome leather tassel tutorial

Instructions:

1.     First cut a piece of leather from an old handbag.  The leather you choose should be thin enough to cut with scissors.  (You may also use synthetic leather if you wish)  Using a ruler measure 8 strips 2 ½” long by ¼” wide.  The measurements do not have to be exact since it is a tassel.

2.     Cut the strips making sure they are approximately the same length.  Next, cut a bit of leather off one end of each strip to make it into a point.  This will make it easier to tie them all together with the wire.

3.     Now bunch all the strips together and twist about 2 ½” of wire tightly around.  Using the needle nose pliers, keep twisting so the bunch of leather is very tight.

4.     Thread a size E seed bead on to a head pin.  Add a bit of glue on the bead, then, pull it through the hole in the top of the jewelry cap.  The glued bead will keep it stationary. 

5.     Now add some more hot glue to the top of the tied bunch of leather strips and insert into the jewelry cap.  Let dry. 

6.     You will have a straight piece of wire at the top.  Use the needle nosed pliers to curl the wire into a loop around.  This will be where you can attach a key ring or a clip to use your tassel.