The research programme undertaken had three purposes; to define what a tassel is, to investigate the techniques used in their creation, and to produce a body of work based on my findings. The constituent elements of the tassel form were explored through the observation and documentation of extant examples from the 16th Century to the present, and a series of standards was established, defining the tassel. The visual characteristics of the tassel were analysed, which ultimately produced a classification; extending the language of the tassel and thus our understanding of its form. Through the use of the classification a body of work was produced, which, through a personal interpretation, further extends the established language of the tassel form. All of the strands of research complement one another, but can also stand alone in their documentation of process and result. A tangible outcome was achieved through the creative exploration of questions which arose during initial investigations; these were documented both in terms of their construction method, and in the relevance of their form to the research programme itself. The decisions undertaken in the creative process were of major importance to this programme, as an appropriate methodology was devised. As a result of reassessments made, the programme became more focussed and a body of high quality work was produced. The future development of this area of textile design will be aided by the research work I have undertaken, as it has laid the foundation for innovative interpretations of the tassel.