Directions for Making Pom Poms

A Pom Pom Accent on a Handcrafted Hat

Accent knitted hats, crocheted scarves, pillows or even lampshades with pom poms. Almost anyone can make them in just minutes. Pom poms are an inexpensive way to use leftover yarn and a suitable project for school age children, too. Get the whole family involved for a fun and creative activity!

Things You'll Need

• Skein of yarn
• Light to medium weight cardboard
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Decide what size pom pom you want to make. For a pom pom with a 2 inch diameter, cut a lightweight cardboard card that is 2 inches wide and 3 to 4 inches long. Cut a length of yarn about 6 to 8 inches long and set it aside.

2. Hold the card in your left hand. With your left index finger, hold one end of the skein against the card as you work. Using your right hand, begin wrapping the yarn from the skein around the card moving clockwise. Work up and down the length of the card 50 to 60 times, remembering that the more you wrap, the thicker your pom pom will be.

3. Form the pom pom by carefully sliding the wrapped yarn from the card, holding the yarn in the center (as you would hold a bunch of flowers), so that the loops on both sides stay together. Without letting go, set your left hand, with the yarn, on a table. Take the scissors in your right hand and cut through all of the loops on both ends. Set the scissors aside and, using the length of yarn that you set aside in Step 1, wrap the length around the middle of your threads and tie as tightly as possible.

4. Fluff the yarn threads with your fingers to make your pom pom. Cut away any excess lengths of yarn.

Tips & Warnings

• Use more than one color yarn for a multi-colored pom pom.

• Try using strips of nylon fabric or plastic wrap to make a cheerleader pom pom.

• Adult supervision is highly recommended for children when using scissors.