When we think of tassels, we often go back in the recesses of our memories where we conjure nostalgic images of our grandmother’s handmade curtains, pillows, lamp shades and table runners trimmed in vintage tassels and kept with care. Maybe we may only go back far enough to recall fashionably tassel trimmed bags, loafers, garments and jeweled adornment as its trending cycle ushered in popularity once again. But where did the idea of designing and crafting tassels begin? More specifically, what is the art of passementerie?
In the beginning, the term tassel referred to a weaving knot in garments designed to prevent unraveling. Then, over the course of time as they became more elaborate, the concept of the tassel took on a more decorative roll and powerful significance. The art of passementerie is the art of making elaborate trimmings or edgings of applied braid, gold or silver cord, embroidery, colored silk, or beads for clothing or furnishings. Styles of passementerie include the tassel, fringes, ornamental cords, galloons, pompons, rosettes, and gimps as other forms.
We can look to some of passementerie’s earliest findings in Ancient Egypt and see historic recordings of its cherished presence around the mummified neck of the legendary King Tut. Unearthed from his tomb adorned in an array of assorted gem based trimmings, the discovery of Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s passementerie treasures certainly offers a historic timeline of such an art form. Worn by military officers such as Napoleon to symbolize status and ancient priests as talismans that warded off evil spirits, they quickly became a symbol of power and prestige in other areas as well.
Since then, we’ve seen its cultivation and resurfacing on different levels throughout the Victorian and French Renaissance era’s as seen on the regalia of the prestigious, influential, military, priesthood, aristocrats, and the like. Conveying a level of status on such notables, trims and tassels during this era also denoted luxury in their presence in home fashionings as well. As upholstery became more popular, those who could afford such textiles and trim-work embraced the benefits that such a status symbol carried well into the 19th century. With traditional costs for such time-consuming creations ranging in the thousands for just a single tassel, it would be the extensive cultivation of the craft of passementerie that would move the exclusivity of tassel trim into a more accessible and affordable home-fashion trend in the centuries to come. Because they’re more affordable today, people who wanted to own them before, now can. With the advent of global sources, a sophisticated handmade 8″ to-10″ tassel that once cost about $150, retails on average between $17 to $29.95.”
Where are tassels hung in your home?
Using your tassels
A primary consideration for those new to tassels and passementerie overall, is the style of the decor in the room. Traditional thread-bundle tassels work best in rooms where Do-It-Yourselvers embrace a more orthodox interior decorating style characterized by heavier furniture in deeper colors as well as those who carry a neo-classical ideology towards design. These design layouts offer the perfect ambiance for tassels.
But tassels come in all different shapes, sizes and materials, including wicker and glass beads, creating a wealth of options for people with different tastes. Considered the ‘ultimate embellishment’, tassels are as essential to design as the coordinating tie in a man’s well fitted suit ensemble or the bead-work on a woman’s wedding gown. As such, designers have different recommendations for what in our home deserves embellishment, but agree on a few basic places where this decoration really adds something extra.
Here are some suggestions from professional interior designers on where to add tassels to create a classy look:
Window treatments are a great place to add tassels. They function as elegant tie-backs, giving the drapes a polished look.
Add tassels to the corners of throw pillows to bring new life to a familiar room.
If you have a tapestry hanging from a rod on the wall, accent the ends of the rod with tassels.
Pull chains on lamps are an ideal place to test a tiny tassel.
Try hanging a small tassel from a skeleton key or knob on a chest of drawers or other piece of furniture.
Tassels suspended from chandeliers add elegance.
Dining room chair tie-backs are a good way to incorporate tassels into a public room.
Another way to use tassels in the dining room is to add a few to edges of a table runner.
Size matters, designers say. Tassels used as curtain tie-backs should be larger than those used on throw pillows, for example. Consider the color scheme in your room as well. Tassels should complement your dominant color choice, not contrast against it.
“They can be used on chair tie-backs in dining rooms, on throw pillows, on tie-backs for curtains; there are a lot of ways you can use them, but when using the embellishments, moderation is essential. Use tassels to accent a few key pieces. Less is more is what I tell people. A little bit of detail here and there makes the room more interesting. When you go overboard, it tends to be more tacky,” adds a designer.
Ready to try your hand fusing traditional tassel trim with a modern-day spin to make unique jewelry of your own?
courtesy: Erin Fury for Martha Stewart DIY
