Making a Decorative Heart Tutorial Part 2

Continuing with yesterday's post on making my decorative felt hearts, it's now time to make and add the tassel.  I start with a form that's sturdy enough to hold the tassel with the length I need and the ability to add the string at the top to tie the tassel.  In this when I couldn't find my piece of card stock I usually use, I grabbed a coaster and it worked fine.  I use 3 ply crochet thread for making these. Simply wrap the thread around the form until the desired thickness of the tassel.  Then once you have this take a 5 inch piece of the thread and fold it in half and loop in under the threads at the top of the tassel.  Pull together and tie off.  Once secure pull the entire tassel off of your form.

3mm crochet thread available at any craft or fabric store

Thread wrapping around my form (coaster here), then once thick enough adding thread to top and tie off

Close up of tying off the top of the tassel, then remove from form

I will either put more thread around a base usually a half inch down to create the top of my tassel, or as in this case I decided to add beads to create the top.  I took a wide roundel and put it over the top of the tassel, then added a second bead at the top of this.  To secure them onto the tassel, I took a needle and thread and went through the top of the tassel, down through the tassel below the roundel and around the base of this bead a few times, then back up through to secure the beads on.

The roundel bead is slid over the top of the tassel, and then the second bead will sit on top. I added a dab of fabric glue between the two beads to keep them together

Prior to gluing the beads together I ran thread down the center of the tassel, did several loops beneath the base of the roundel, then once around the base of the top bead and back up through the top.  Then glued the beads together to make sure they don't slide down the tassel and off.

 Once the beads are in place I stitch the two sides together.

Now it's time to stitch the tassel to the bottom of one side of the heart, and put the pieces together and begin stitching them.  Because you can hide the stitching by making small ones, and since the felt doesn't ravel you can sew from the outside of the heart and through the pieces rather than having to sew them right sides together and turn.  This makes the process easier.

Now it's time to stitch the two sides together and stuff the heart.  As I was stitching them, I stopped to add a few more beads in areas I thought were still a bit skimpy, then finished  up enough to only leave the few inches needed to put my fiberfill stuffing in and then close up the top.

There were still a few places that seem to need a few more beads, so I took the time to add these before stitching the heart closed enough to stuff it.

With a small opening at the top left, I added the amount of fiberfill that looked good to give this heart the right look, then stitched the top closed with the same looping stitch I've been using

And voila - another decorated felt heart for my collection, and trees!!!!

Heart with tassel - complete