Making Tasseled Tails Instructions

These flat tasseled tails can be added to pelmets as well as swags for a decorative finishing touch, but they do not cover the return of the pelmet board.

They are best made in medium to heavy weight fabrics and can have Vilene fused to the back of the face fabric to add extra stiffness. However, if very thick fabric is used, a thinner fabric can be used for the back of the tail to avoid very bulky seams.

Tasseled tails are attached to the top of a pelmet board with Velcro and have a pointed edge from which the tassel falls. A single tail can be made, but a more dramatic effect is achieved when a second layer is added in a contrasting colour or fabric.

Tasseled tails should be in proportion to the rest of the window treatment, approximately 1/3 to 1/4 of the length with a width of between 6" and 10" (15 and 25 cms) depending on the width of the window.

The instruction below are for a pair of double layered tasseled tails with Vilene fused to the back of the face fabric. There are another 5 styles of tails in our e-book.

Requirements:

Suitable fabric for the long tails.

Contrasting fabric for the shorter tails.

Medium weight fusible Vilene, enough for 2 short tails and 2 long tails.

Stick and sew Velcro, enough for the width of both tails.

Matching thread.

4 decorative tassels.

Making Tasseled Tails:

• Cut 4 rectangles of fabric to the required size for the long tails, adding 1" (2.5 cms) in both directions for seam allowances.
• Cut 4 rectangles of contrasting fabric to the same width as the long tails but 2/3rds of the length, adding 1" (2.5 cms) in both directions for seam allowances.
• Cut 4 pieces of medium weight Vilene, 2 pieces the same size as the long tails and 2 pieces the same size as the shorter tails.
• Using a hot iron, fuse the Vilene to the back of the fabric.
• Lay 1 piece of fabric on a flat surface, right side up, and fold it in half width ways. Measure half the width up from the outside bottom corner and mark. Draw a line from this mark to the bottom of the fold and cut along this line.
• Shape all the other pieces.
• Lay 1 piece of stiffened fabric on a flat surface, right side up, and lay an unstiffened piece on top, wrong side up, matching the raw edges.
• Pin and stitch down both sides and across the shaped bottom edge, 0.5" (12 mm) in from the raw edges.
• Trim the seam allowance across the bottom point, turn right side out and press.
• Stitch a tassel to the bottom point.
• Turn in 0.5" (12 mm) along the top edge and slipstitch.
• Repeat for the other 3 tails.
• Stitch the "sew" side of the Velcro along the top edge of 1 long tail, on the wrong side, close to the fold. Stitch both sides in the same direction to avoid puckering.
• Place a short tail, right side up, on to the front of a long tail, matching the top edges. Pin and slipstitch the top edges together.
• Repeat for the other 2 tails.
• Stick 2 pieces of the adhesive side of the Velcro in the desired positions on the top of the pelmet board and press the 2 sides of the Velcro together to hang the tails.

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