How to make a tassel mane

I swear some day I will stop making Kite tees, and stop making 3D graphics, but today is not that day. You can check out the past ones here:

The free pattern (which can be found in my facebook group) just lends itself so well to any kind of graphic tee, so I am just going to sit back and keep making it my go to pattern.

Today, I did a unicorn tee with a 3D tassel mane. I love how well it turned out. Making it was easy and relatively quick. Here is the run down.

To start, I used this image found here. It was free to download. Then I printed it out on some Transfer Artist Paper, which doesn’t seem to be available for sale anymore, but this type of paper would be about the same. I reversed the image before printing since it will be ironed on, but you don’t have to for this image.

Then I cut out the image as close to the picture as I could. I do this because the background of the paper although “clear” always leaves a bit of a film and white color behind and I didn’t want that, I only wanted the image.

Then using an iron on the hottest setting possible and no steam, press the image face down to the front of the tee. I do this before sewing it together which just seems easier. My other tip, press for a good 45 seconds or more. It needs to be really hot, and firm pressure. The paper should freely pull away from the fabric once the image has transferred. If it seems to be sticking, then apply more heat. Remove the paper while it’s still warm. I found that for whatever reason the dark green printed spots were not wanting to transfer cleanly, but I don’t mind a little bit of the vintage look, I just kept adding more heat and peeling away slowly until it came off as clean as possible.

Then to make the tassels, I took a piece of card stock. (the back of an elastic package actually) I folded it in half so the height once folded was the length I wanted my tassel to be, you want it to be folded so you can cut in center.

With the thread starting, and ending at the top edge (so not the edge with the fold) Wrap the thread around the card stock several times. I did 16. Count how many times you wrap so each tassel will be the same size.

Then cut the thread apart at the open end of the fold.

Take the thread off the card stock, leaving it folded in half still. Then place another thread that is 5 or 6″ long looped around the top of the folded thread.

Tie the thread all together just under the fold with some thread. I like to tie this looped around several times so it’s nice and secure. I place probably 10 knots totally while wrapping it up. Then trim the ends of the thread off.

Then using the thread that was looped through the top of the tassel, stitch it on to the shirt. I bring one side of the thread through to the back and then the other side through just slightly over from the first thread then tie the ends together on the back of the shirt. I made 8 tassels total for this top which worked well, I just placed them along the mane of the unicorn.