3 tassles?

[Ayin McFye]

LOL. Well for some unknown reason, most members of the Sonoran Scotsmen tend to lose their tassels. It was a long running joke for a while that we were all part of the "Two Tassel Clan"



I have since only purchased sporrans without tassels because I tend to lose them.

[A Hay]

My first sporrans were purchased and had 3 tassels. It made a nice sound if you were marching in a parade, but I found it annoying most of the time.

When I started making my own sporrans, I left the tassels off. It eliminated the noise, and also allowed me to make the front flap larger which provided more room to put a carved design on the sporran.

Just my two cents.

Tom

[Larry124]

My guess...

The two outer tassels were originally the ends of a drawstring for the pouch.
The middle tassel was the end of a draw-through or draw-down for the flap.

[Maritime Highlander]

I agree with Larry124. I always assumed this is where the three tassels evolved from.

[Dukeof Kircaldy]

OK, but doesn't a dress sporran look goofy without the tassles? I wasn't too keen on what I designed at the Build-A-Sporran that didn't have tassles.

[James MacMillan]

OK, but doesn't a dress sporran look goofy without the tassles? I wasn't too keen on what I designed at the Build-A-Sporran that didn't have tassles.

I think it sort of depends..... On the skunk sporran that I just finished, combined with the vivid stripes, the dingleberries looked sort of over-kill, so I took them off after looking at them for a while...... I don't think this sporran looks goofy with out the tassels....... but then I am going to be the one wearing it!

[Dukeof Kircaldy]

I guess it's those stripes and long hair. The fur sporran I was making looked bare without deelie bobbers in my opinion.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Larry hit the nail on the head. This is a case where modern fashion comes from traditional function. Of course sporrans can be made with any number of tassels or none at all these days. But the common number three comes from the two ends of the cord on the drawstring bag, plus the center cord for securing the flap.

M

[Coinneach]

LOL. Well for some unknown reason, most members of the Sonoran Scotsmen tend to lose their tassels. It was a long running joke for a while that we were all part of the "Two Tassel Clan"



I have since only purchased sporrans without tassels because I tend to lose them.

You know, when I thought about two tassels, I didn't really picture them off...uh..kilter, so to speak. On the other hand, being as unbalanced as I am, this arrangement could make sense.

[Coinneach]

Thank you Larry and Matt, that makes a lot of sense. I thought there had to be a practical reason behind the fashion/style.