Pom-Pom Tutorial

This is a tutorial for making pom-poms
using your fingers. This one is a small, two-finger pom-pom (about 1" in diameter) but you can make bigger ones by using more fingers. As far as yarn choice, thinner and softer yarn will make a more pleasing pom-pom.

Okay, let's get started! With your index and middle fingers together and holding the end of your yarn down with your thumb, begin wrapping the yarn around your fingers. Be careful not to wrap too tightly - no purple fingers!

Cut your yarn when you've finished wrapping; for this pom-pom I've wrapped the yarn 75 times. *Tip: For any size pom-pom, you'll probably wrap the yarn twice as much as you think you will need.

Cut another piece of yarn, about 12", and squeeze one end through your fingers between the pom-pom and your palm. Bring the other end of the yarn string through your fingers at the tips.

This is a picture of the backside, make sure your yarn string wraps all the way around your pom-pom bundle.

Begin a knot, pulling as tight as you can, then slip the pom-pom off of your fingers.

Still pulling tightly, finish off the knot.

Holding the pom-pom yarn strings,
use your scissors and cut through all the loops of the pom-pom.

This is what it looks like after you've cut all the loops, a woolly bully mess!

Now comes my favorite part :) Still holding the yarn strings, start cutting down your pom-pom. *Tip: you'll probably end up cutting twice as much off as you thought you would.

Trim with the scissor blades flat along the pom-pom to help get a smooth finish. Check it from different angles and fluff it up with your fingers, then trim some more. Be sure to trim around the bottom end where you are holding it. The pom-pom should feel firm when you're done.

Voila! A pretty little pom-pom!
I keep the yarn strings on until I'm ready to use it, then I trim them off the same length as the rest of the pom-pom.

Comments

[dannie]

I love your idea about the fork!! I am off to make some. toodle loo.

[little person in elementary school! :)]

Blah

[Beth M.]

This was nice to see! My mom used to knit hats, and I was helping her make pompoms when I was still in elementary school! Mom made CARDBOARD TEMPLATES though - no purple fingers, easy to keep things the same size, and easy to slide the tie piece through (better to put it in place FIRST, but in case you forget, you can still easily get it into place). Thanks for the memories!

[andi]

thank you for this so easy method! i have wanted to make a bunch of pompoms since seeing that wonderful cover on selvedge magazine a few years ago but never had the patience for the pompom maker donut torture devices. now i can pom with abandon. thank you so much!

[Erin]

For those of you who hate purple fingers or want to keep your hand free...using a fork for smaller poms, or a hair pick for larger ones works pretty well too...the prongs work like fingers!

[Christa]

Wonderful directions:) I made two perfect pom-poms for my daughter's new hat.

[The Lazy Organizer]

Cute! My kids are making them as we speak.

[Hiran]

Great job!! Thanks a lot for posting this very helpful tutorial. I made a fabulous pompom for my baby's cap.

[pivony]

Merci, merci pour ces explications en photos et bravo! Encore d'autres aussi faciles à faire please! J'ai passé une agréable matinée à en faire plein Bises!

[poo]

seen

签名：My Blog
--------------------------
http://spaces.msn.com/jiangyouxiaozi/

[.oO°Diane°Oo.]

Merci beaucoup pour ce tutorial simple, utile et bien expliqué!
=)

Translation in english :
Thanks for this tutorial simple, useful and good explain!
=)

PleiN De BiZoUX de France
°
.

[ruth]

My friend told me a story about a kid she was teaching who descrived pom poms as Furry Dollops. I love it! Would be a great name for a blog. Unless Dollops turns out to have some unfortunate meaning on other parts of the world...

[alejandra]

Thanks!!!!!!!! Muchas Gracias!!!
Hice uno con un tenedor de cocina, pero no me quedó muy bien. THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ale, de Buenos Aires.

[Rosa]

Amazing! I'll try it!

[Blair]

Cassi, I needed a little pom pom butt for Ian's Easter wee bunny, and remembered this tutorial after fiddling with a very frustrating pom pom maker I had. Your tutorial is excellent, easy to follow, and I now have a perfect pom pom butt in my hand : )

Thank you!!!

[natasha]

i made a zillion pompoms and then pinned them into a styrofoam wreath, and it looks gorgeous. i love things like that which require no mindfulness, and then you have pomliciousness!

[ellia hill]

what a wonderful tutorial!!!! ever see the older pom pom makers?! it is made of wire and it looks like an upside "u" with super long sides?! i have one and it works just like using your fingers... BUT my end result was looking like the wooly mess pic... didnt know i was supposed to keep trimmin'... hee hee... thanks so much for the tutorial!!!!!!!!!!

[Lavanotes]

I just wanted to let you know that I've just finished my very first handmade pom pom critter and it's all thanks to you. I didn't even set out to make a critter, I just wanted to see what this handmade pom pom thing was about and all I had was this thick yarn but I LOVE it. I love making it and I love the resulting bunny. It's in my blog.

Thank you again!!

[sunni]

thank you Cassi!! I bookmarked this tutorial when you posted it and just tonight had time to try it out. I'm still working on getting the nice tight and full little pom-poms you have but I am having so much fun with it! I even created a little pom-pom chick out of my first two "practice" poms. you're the best for taking the time to share the steps so clearly for us and with photos - it's much appreciated!

[Krista]

Thanks again Cassie! You've created a pom-pom monster!

You can see some results from your successful tutorial over at my blog.

Maybe you should consider starting a pom-pom gallery to showcase all of these pom-poms people are making because of you. :)

[Paula]

My life it's gonna be so much easier with your tutorial! I've left so many hats without their pom pons...just because it's so hard making them using my mom's method (using 2 paper round, sewin the yarn, opening with the scissors,wrappin, knotting, cutting)
thanks again

[Alicia P.]

Wow -- you made a perfect one! And you have very pretty hands.

[hannah]

oh this is so great! thank you so much! and who was in charge of the wonderful photo shoot?! wha a great help!

[Edwina]

Hurrah for pom pom pom pom pom pom poms

[Isabel Galanaki]

Thanks!!! Ill try to do it!!