Tutorial: Tassel Boots

One of the several looks I fallen for recently is fringe or tassel boots.  Alot of brands have come out with them and urban outfitters has also come up with a very cute pair.

But since I didn't want to spend alot of money, especially on shoes of dubious quality and comfort (in UO case); I turned my mind to figuring out how to add to my very faithful brown boots some tassely goodness.

First you need some boots.  Any kind that laces up works.  The laces don't even have to be very functional, they just need to be there.

 Next comes supplies.  You will need:

• Some sort of leather or pleather that matches the color of your books.  I suggest finding a cheap pleather or leather purse at the thrift store and attacking it with a seam ripper
• Shoe laces that match the boots laces
• Paper and a pencil/pen
• snaps
• Fray check or a white glue that dries clear
• E-6000 or other strong glue
• scissors, thread, and a needle
• and tweezers if you don't want to get your hands gluey

Start by measuring the bottom part of the boots lacing.  This will be the guide for how big to make the top of the tassel.

Fold your piece of paper in half.  Divide the bottom lacing measurement in half and use that for the top measurement.  Draw out your tassel shape against the folded edge.

Cut out your pattern, and fold it onto the bottom lacing to make sure you have the size and shape right.

Once your satisfied use it as a template, and mark out two peices on the wrong side of the leather/pleather.  I had to add some extra hight to make sure there was enough room for it to properly fold over the lace.  

Mark the bottom of the piece into 4 equal sections, cut these with the scissors, and then cut each one again: making 8 total "tassels".  Please ignore the holes in my piece, they were from an earlier idea which didn't work.

Now cut nice triangle/diamond shapes into the edge of the tassel sections.

Attach your snaps.  I glued and then stitched mine for extra stability.   

Tie and trim the shoe lace into pretty little bows.  Use some Fray-check or clear drying glue to finish the edges.  Try to make less of a mess then I did!

Use the strong glue to attach the bow above the tassels.  

Patiently wait for the glue to dry: overnight is best.  Then snap your tassels onto your boots.  So cute!