Lazy tassels tutorial

Tassels. Who doesn´t love tassels, right? I do!

Sure, making tassels the normal way isn´t hard. But when it comes to mini stuff, sometimes it can be handy to have a wee shortcut or easier way of doing things. So, after I´ve spent a few hours embroidering a mini pillow, I feel like it should be pretty much over. I really don´t like finishing pillows...
Today, I´ll show you how I do finish pillows. It´s neat, fast, easy, decent looking and I´m quite sure it´s not in any way original.

And here´s our model piece, my own pattern again, and it´s the logo of my Etsy shop. Once the needlework was finished, I cut the canvas down to about 1cm or just under 1/2 inch around the picture, folded the allowance to the back and basted them in place with different, easy to see thread. It´s important to leave both knots on the face of the pillow, makes it easy to remove the basting stitches after.

Next, I prepared four pieces of stranded embroidery cotton in the colour of my choice. Obviously, this can only be done with stranded embroidery floss :) They need to be about three times the length of the pillow´s side, a bit more if you feel a tad clumsy. Hold two together and tie in a simple knot like in these pictures:

Next, place the knots on the pillow´s corners so that each of the stranded cottons runs along one (different) side. This creates a neat piping effect. Don´t forget to put a matching back to the other side of your needlework, ultrasuede or felt works great. Pick thread in a colour contrasting with the tassels, hide your starting knot on the inside of the pillow and go around the sides in vertical hemming stitch, catching both front and back side of the pillow and the "piping". When you get to the corners without a tassel, just stitch around it and leave the floss hanging. Leave one side opened and stuff the pillow - stuff it gently, you don´t want a fat ball with tassels! Sew it closed, carefully tie the two remaining knots. Remove the iffy basting stitches. Trim all your tassels to the desired length and fluff them up a bit. Voila, insta tassels!

In case anyone is interested in the cat and full moon pattern, I´ll put it up here with my next post. Have a sweet day!

No, I´m not dead yet :)

Belated new year´s resolution: blog a bit more! Once a month is my new goal. I have a bunch of tips and tuts and patterns to share with whoever wants to try them...

What was I talking about last time? Samplers! I´ve done a few. Very simple ones, but then - I like simple. Most of my private projects don´t really agree with elaborate designs anyway: sweets shop in DHE´s Magpies house was the only one that could use some and it´s now pretty much retired, since it stayed behind when I moved. What I´m working on now needs fairly simple things too, the Wee Witches cottage being the main project atm.
All of the samplers are my own designs so I´m free to share the patterns with you! This one was done in cross stitch on 24 count fabric. I forgot to take picture, but it has dark green frame and it´s hanging in the sweets shop kitchen.

It´s simple, fast and looks quite cute! The pattern:

And one more, for the haunted dolls´ house:) This was done on 34 count with a single strand of cotton, then framed with cardstock scraps and a piece of plastic packaging I alwas have lying around. Which is why my "studio" space is always so messy!

Again, super quick and simple. Pattern:

 And that´s it for now. And since it´s Sunday and for once it´s actually sunny over here, I hope everyone´s having a sweet day!