Color your world with pompons! These woolly balls of delight are easy to make and super versatile. You can do so much with them! A playful topper on your cozy winter hat or fun tie-ends on a poncho. Or how about as cheerful embellishments for your home accessories? Monique, one of our designers extraordinaire, has even created a chandelier with pompons! If you have wool at home, then you already have all you need. So, what are you waiting for? Read on and get making!
Like many of us, pompon-making was my first introduction to handcrafting. It was around Easter time in elementary school and we transformed a fluffy pompon into a chick. We tackled our task that crafting lesson with yarn, cardboard and plenty of enthusiasm. They certainly weren’t the most beautiful of spring chicks, but we thought they were wonderful!
Fashion (accessories) with pompons
Those childhood crafts are naturally adorable, but pompons aren’t just kid’s play! They’re perfect for using in lots of great adult projects. The most obvious use is, of course, for winter hats. All-time favorites in the winter months. If you’re looking to knit yourself a stylish pompon-ed classic, then look no further than the Angelina Garter Hat Knitting Kit. But hats aren’t the only items to pop a pompon on. They’d look great edging sweaters, scarves and shawls. Or treat your mini-me to a cute baby’s summer cardigan or a bright-colored kids’ poncho complete with pompon ties. Pompons always go well with bags. They bob along cheerfully and finish off cords beautifully. We love the fun-factor they bring to this Fabulous Zigzag Bag.
Home accessories with pompons
Don’t keep all the pompons in your wardrobe, though! There are so many great ways to use them for decorating your home. Our favorite this season is this spring-inspired flower wreath. It brings together fluffy pompons with lovely floral details that you can enjoy all year round. Pompons are also used as cute embellishments in the Home-Deco Crochet Kit. This kit is a must-have for anyone wanting to give their interior a trendy makeover. There’s a kit to suit everyone’s taste, whether you prefer a Scandinavian, Industrial or Bohemian look. Do you have growing stash of leftover yarn and fancy making something truly spectacular? Then you won’t want to miss Monique’s colorful pompon chandelier! Now that’s what I call an eye-catcher.
Pompons: How-to
Yarn at the ready? Here’s the step-by-step guide to the ‘old-school’ method for making lovely pompons:
- Cut 2 ‘rings’ out of cardboard with a small opening in them (how big depends on what size pompon you want to make; it should look like a ‘C’ but with a slightly smaller opening).
- Place the 2 ‘rings’ on top of each other and wrap the wool around the rings until the inner hole is completely filled with yarn.
- Once that’s done, cut the yarn with a scissors between the 2 cardboard ‘rings’.
- Then pass a strand of yarn between the 2 ‘rings’ and tie it tight around all the loose strands of yarn. Once you’ve tied the knot securely, remove the ‘rings’ and your pompon’s done!
But the best and quickest way to make pompons is with a pompon maker. Clover, for example, has pompon makers in sizes XS, S, L and XL. They’re super easy to use and come with clear instructions. If you need a visual guide, YouTube has plenty of handy video tutorials for how to use these pompon makers.
Are you wondering whether your yarn stash is suitable for making nice pompons? Monique, our pompon queen, confirms that you can use any kind of yarn to make a pompon. Experiment with different yarns and try out different color combinations. Wool yarn is particularly great for pompons because it produces wonderfully fluffy results.
What will you conjure up?
Feeling inspired? Then grab your yarn and get wrapping! With some practice, the title ‘chief conjurer of pompons’ will be yours and you’ll be whipping up pandas, bunnies, garlands and lampshades by the dozen.
We’d love to see where your inspiration leads you, so please share your pompon creations with us via Facebook or on Instagram with #yarnplaza.
