Quality pointers to look for:

Tassels

Examine the tassel carefully, turn it upside down and make the sure the skirt is attached to the covered wooden head securely.

The inner plug through the skirt to the covered wooden head of the tassel should be attached by a strong metal wire twisted. This was the traditional way to do it and is still the best.

A good tassel should have weight and the skirt should be full.

Ropes

Upholstery ropes for cushions and sofas should be firm and not just coloured threads wrapped around a white core. Upholstery ropes get heavy wear and nothing is worse than seeing a yawning white core showing through a coloured rope. Bend the rope and part the outer threads gently – you should see a core but it should be more or less the same colour as the outer threads. The rope legs twisted to make the rope should not be loose – the legs should part but not gape.

Do Not:

Do not try to match your trim exactly to your fabric - No point in having it if you can’t see it

Do not put short fringes on tall windows

General rule: an 8ft window can normally take a 4inch fringe – a 10ft window a longer one The longer the fringe the more elegant the effect

Do not choose a vertical block fringe if your fabric is striped unless you are very sure where the stripes are falling

Do not use lingerie type tassel fringes – look for a not too widely spaced tassel fringe with full tassels or flochettes (as we call them)

Do not put too heavy a fringe or braid on a very fine single lined fabric – cut fringes or finely twisted bullion or tassel fringes work well on chintzes and silks.

A Little Glitter

Do not be afraid of a gold or metallic thread – gold was always used in high quality passementerie to give trimmings some definition (usually viewed from a distance – and in the past by candlelight) Not too much glitter of course unless the fabric can take it In night light a metallic thread gives life and during the day it is barely noticeable. Gold wrappings around the neck of small tassels on fringes look wonderful and not at all too much.