It feels like there a big change happening right now regarding the planet, climate change (which is now being called “climate crisis”) and how we consume on a daily basis. This is a big reason why I’ve been making changes around here too, in the materials that I use in our workshops and what’s inside our kits. I’ve swapped out acrylic yarn in favour of merino wool (which also comes with its problems… but I’ll save that for another post), acrylic felt for wool felt and single-use plastic packaging to a reusable option that can be recycled once you’re finished with it.
With this in mind, you can expect more diy’s and project ideas that include recycled materials, ways to reduce waste or re-use scraps and just general information about crafting more consciously as we go forward. I hope this is something you’re also totally on board with!
So without further ado, here’s an idea on how to use up your fabric scraps to make these funky cool fabric tassel keyrings!
What you’ll need:
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Fabric scraps (I used jersey fabric but cotton and any other fabric works well too) --> these scraps are leftovers from Cub & Pudding's first children's clothing collection!
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Ruler
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Rotary cutter and/or scissors
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Darning needle
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Keyring
Love these prints? They are the scraps from Cub & Pudding ’s very first collection. Sarah, the designer of the brand, asked the factory who made her line of kids clothes to send her all the scraps, so that she could give them a second life instead of ending up in the bin. We made a ton of tassel keyrings out of these! [/caption]
I originally found this tutorial on Pinterest in Japanese. Thanks to a little help from Google Translate, I was able to figure out more or less how to do it. I then made a few adjustments, but here’s the original pin so you can have a look:
Let’s get started!
1. Cut 7 strips of fabric that are roughly 2cm wide and 30cm long. Cut 1 strip of fabric that is 2cm wide and 50cm long.
2. If you’re using jersey fabric, pull gently on each piece so that it curls up into itself. Lay the shorter strips on top of each other in a nice and neat pile. Thread the long strip through the keyring and tie a double knot tightly around the bundle of shorter strips, right in the middle. Wiggle the knot so that it is opposite the keyring.
3. Hold the bundle with the keyring at the top. Grab one tail of the long piece and wrap it tightly twice around the head of the bundle. Thread the darning needle onto this strip and tuck it behind the two wraps you just made. This tucks the tail neatly behind.
4. Find the other long tail and tie a tight double knot underneath the tassel. Try to tie it so that it sits in the middle, with strands on each side so that it’s hidden when the tassel is hanging right side up.
5. Trim the tails so that they’re all the same length and clip it to your keys, to a bag, anywhere really!
Share the tassel love! These are great little gifts to include in party bags, as party favours, as little gifts for friends and family, or to put on your spare set of keys.
Did you have a go at making some of these tassel keyrings? I’d love to see how they turned out! You can find me on Instagram @sewcial_circle.