Better Homes and Gardens (Australia)
Easy makes Put a pompom on it
playful, fun and delightful, bright and fluffy pompoms will add a burst of brilliant colour to cushions, throws, bookmarks and gift wrap as well as bags and summery sandals. Even better, they’re an ideal way to use up your stash of leftover yarn. So enjoy an afternoon or more experimenting with a pompom maker (store-bought or DIY), and different yarns and colour combos. Happy making!
Time for pompoms? Absolutely! Make a striking timepiece for your home using a clock kit and a mix of colourful pompoms in varying sizes. Just assemble the clock and glue the poms in place. Easy!
Who needs expensive designer sandals
when you can add a bit of razzle-dazzle to yours with handmade raffia pompoms? Once you’ve chosen your raffia colour, just make a pompom or two in your desired size – we’ve gone with biggest size for dramatic fun.
Cushions go from zero to hero
with the addition of fabulously coloured trimmings. Choose to go big with large pompoms on each corner or small with little ones sewn all over the cushion front.
Go undercover and trim
a purchased throw with jumbo pompoms. Use an extra-large pompom maker and leave tails when tying off each pom. To sew them in place, arrange a row of pompoms on the wrong side of throw (tails even with each hemmed edge). Pin the tails in place. Turn the hemmed edge up and over to enclose the tails, pin then topstitch to secure.
pompoms galore! Lovely
Once you start you won’t be able to stop and it will be balls of fun everywhere at your place!
Laundries can be a little ho-hum but look at what you can do simply by adding a playful touch to laundry baskets – large or small! Best to use robust raffia for your pompoms as it’s ideal for wet areas such as laundries and bathrooms.
Beach bags
with big fluffy pompoms are an easy style update and a great way to coordinate fun colours for the season.
Celebration bunting!
Nothing says party like a rainbow of small fluffy pompoms on metallic twine above a simple yet yum store-bought cake.
Gussy plain gift wrap
with giant pompoms. Use variegated yarn for a multicoloured pompom or try a half-half technique in your fave colours.
POMPOM BASICS Gather your supplies
• Yarn in various colours • Sharp-tipped scissors (Fiskars micro-tip scissors) • Clover Pom-pom Maker
Here’s how
STEP 1 Open 2 arches of pompom maker and wrap yarn around one arch until full. STEPS 2, 3 Push the arch into the centre circle of the pompom maker. Wrap yarn around the other arch and push onto centre circle.
STEP 4 Cut through the yarn all the way around, using the maker’s groove as a guide.
STEP 5 Cut a long length of yarn and take it around the groove of the maker. Tie a tight knot to secure pompom.
STEPS 6, 7 Pull off the 2 pompom maker arches.
STEP 8 Fluff up your pompom. If it isn’t perfectly round, trim it to shape with scissors. Leave the yarn tails so you can attach the pompoms to items, or snip them off.
CARDBOARD METHOD
If you don’t have a pompom maker, make your own from cardboard.
Here’s how
STEP 1 Cut 2 same-size doughnut shapes out of sturdy cardboard.
STEP 2 With doughnuts together, use a yarn needle to wrap yarn around, going through the centre hole.
STEP 3 With sharp-tipped scissors, cut through the wrapped yarn, between doughnuts.
STEP 4 Take a long yarn length around doughnut between the
2 card pieces. Tie a tight knot. Remove card doughnut pieces.
STEP 5 Fluff up your pompom.
If it isn’t perfectly round, trim it with scissors. Leave yarn tails so you can attach the pompoms to items, or snip them off.
The more yarn wraps you make, the fuller your
Can you think of anything that wouldn’t be improved by putting pompom a on it?
Earrings made by you! It’s easy using small dense pompoms and inexpensive earring findings. Play around with different colour combinations, sizes and yarn types for one-of-a-kind jewellery.
Pompoms are trending big when it comes to interiors. Time to make over a tired cushion, covering it with loads of colourful small, medium and large pompoms. Everyone will want one!
How adorable are these bookmarks decorated with pompoms? Make a few for yourself and lots as gifts. Here’s a nifty tip – use metal eyelets to jazz them up but also for strength and longevity. Instructions on page 130