Free DIY Leather Tassel Tutorial

Leather Tassel Without the Hassle

Many of our projects are inspired by simply walking around town and see things that make us say “we can make that!” Tassels have been a trendy design these days, and you see them as accessories for clothing, jewelry and more. We’ve been noticing a lot of simple leather tassel keychains lately, so today we are sharing a free tutorial to make a DIY leather tassel! It is extremely easy to make, and much more affordable than purchasing one at a clothing store. Below is the tutorial for cutting your tassel by hand, but we have also included an SVG file to use with your cutting machine.

Tools

Scissors
Low Temperature Hot Glue Gun
Rotary Ruler
Rotary Cutter
Cutting Mat
Tube Cutter

Materials

Leather
Key Ring
Pencil
Copper Tubing (optional)

Steps

Gather the tools and materials listed above.
Cut a piece of leather 4.5″ x 7″. Mark a line on the back with a pencil 1″ down from the top.
Using a rotary cutter, ruler and mat, finge the leather starting at the pencil line, about 1/4″ apart.
Cut a long strip of leather 1/4″ wide. Make a loop and glue the ends.
Glue the end of the loop to the edge of the fringe.
Roll and glue the fringe around the loop.
Cut another strip of leather 1″ wide by whatever length you need to wrap around the top of the tassel.
Wrap and glue leather to the top of the tassel. Slip the top loop through the key ring.
For another look, cut copper tubing to desired length.
Slide tubing over the end of the finished tassel, then slip a key ring through the loop at the top. Depending on the thickness of the leather/faux leather, you may need to use a smaller piece of fringe to fit into the tubing after it is rolled up and glued.

Tips

You should be able to find some nice leather scraps at your local craft or fabric store, and luckily you will only need a small piece to make your own leather tassel. You can use the SVG file below to cut the leather with your cutting machine, but we recommend using Cricut brand leather if you do this. Some leathers stretch more than others or are more soft, which makes it difficult for the machine to cut precisely. Find a link for Cricut’s faux leather in Shop this Project below! Faux leather in general is a good alternative for a more affordable option.

If you are cutting by hand, we recommend using a rotary cutter rather than scissors or an x-acto blade. You’ll be able to apply pressure more evenly with a rotary cutter. Follow the photo tutorial below as you craft, and feel free to customize your DIY leather tassel with different colors or accessories. We decided to add some metallic accents with copper tubing, which you can find at your local hardware store. You can buy pre-cut copper pieces, or you can buy an inexpensive tube cutter. If you’re having trouble with the tube cutter, we’re sure you could be able to find someone at your hardware store to help!

Explore More

We used our homemade leather tassel to make a cute keychain, but there are lots of possibilities, so get creative! For more DIY keychain projects, don’t miss our citrus keychains or painted wooden bead keychains. We love seeing your creative successes, so please share your project photos for us to admire! Tag them on Instagram using #DIYDreamingWithLia or email them in for a chance to be featured. Browse our membership options to see how you can join our crafting community, or follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for daily doses of pretty. See you there! ~ Lia & Team

Cricut Faux Leather