Today, we all had a go at making pom-poms or if you prefer bobbles. These can be either placed on the top of a hat or made into rugs or cute creatures.
Basically, a pom-pom is a ball of tufted wool.
All you need to get is a pom-pom making template, scissors and wool. You can use a single colour or multiple colours. For small templates you may need to use a darning needle.
We tried a few different methods but quickly came to the conclusion that the circle is the best way. After all a pom-pom is round. You can make a template out of two pieces of cardboard, cut into circles with a circular hole in the middle. Alternatively, you can get a pom-pom makers kit, from someone like Pony or Clover.
Our local store had the Pony Pom-Pom Maker, so that is what we used. We preferred it to the homemade cardboard template, as you could make three different sizes of pom-pom and it did not bend. Also, it was much easier to cut the wool because of the grove made by the two pieces of the template.
You use a pair of rings, e.g. the red and place then together so that there is a grove in the middle.
Creating a great Pom-Pom is not that difficult and with just a bit practice you will be increasing your speed and quality.
Simply pull the wool though the hole and rap around the template until the have moved all the way round covering the template with wool. Then keep on going until you cant get any more wool though the hole.
TIP - If you are using the smallest ring, thread the wool through a darning needle, so that you can easily get the wool through. You will also be putting two strands of wool though at a time, which does speed things up. If you are using the larger ring you could pull two, four, six or even eight strands through at a time, which is very quick.
Find crafts people listed on the site in the knitting category.
Now that you have completely covered the template in wool. It is time to cut all the way around the outside. You will now be left with hundreds of small pieces of wool that are only kept together by the templates.
Cut a short piece of wool about 18 inches long. Fold it in two and place it round the wool inside the template. Tie a very tight and secure knot. This will keep the wool together and creates the pom-pom shape.
Simply put each of the templates off the pom-pom. You are almost finished. Holding onto the long piece you tied around the middle, swing the pom-pom so that it hits your work surface. This just fluffs it up.
With a pair of scissors, trim all around your pom-pom to give it that distinctive pom-pom shape.
Once you have made your pom-pom, you could add it to a woolly hat, make a few more to make a pom-pom rug, make pom-pom characters with different sizes of pom-poms.
This is something that can be enjoyed by all the family. If you need a lot of pom-poms for your project, get everyone involved. Have fun.