My top 3 tips for making pom poms

I have a new obsession and it is making pom poms. You guys know that I love working with yarn but it’s usually involving macrame yarn. My favorite and easiest macrame project is my macrame feathers tutorial.

Today’s post involves standard wool though and I gathered my top 3 tips to show you how I get beautiful thick and fluffy pom poms with some added interest and texture to them.

My favorite 3 tips/secrets for making pom poms

Tip #1: Use a pom-pom Maker

I had never tried a pom pom maker until we recently went to the lake and my friend brought one for the kids to craft with. It is a game-changer and works so much better than using a fork or cardboard. I also mention other methods below but the pom pom maker is without a doubt the best and easiest way, especially since it is a lot more sturdy than some of the other methods.

I was hooked and bought a pom pom maker right away when I came home.

I’m telling you, buy a pom-pom maker. I bought THIS one which is the one you can see below. It really is worth it and helps so much.

How to use a pom pom maker

Most DIY pom pom makers have pretty good instructions on the packaging’s back but in case yours doesn’t, I thought I’d tell you just how easy they are to use.

• open up the pom pom maker on both sides
• wrap one of the sides tighly with your wool yarn. I love going as thick as possible to add the most fluff possible
• fold the wrapped side back into the center
• wrap the other side and fold back to the center so you end up with a wrapped circle
• use very sharp and strong scissors to cut the yarn ends/loops open around the perimeter of the yarn circle
• cut a longer piece of yarn, wrap it around the circumference of the cut circle and then tie that piece of yarn and pull it tight until it dissapears inside the circle. After that tie a very tight knot. Let the end of the yarn hang down and don’t trim it in the next step so you can use it later for to attach your fluffy ball to whatever you want.
• finally trim your pom pom with the sharp scissors into an even ball

How do you make pom poms without a pompom maker?

• use a piece of cardboard with slit in center (or round cardboard template/cardboard ring): wrap yarn around a piece of cardboard, tie in center and cut ends open
• use a fork to create mini pom poms: wrap yarn around a fork, tie in center and cut ends open
• use two cardboard toilet paper rolls: wrap yarn around two toilet paper rolls, tie the wrapped yarn in the center of the two rolls and cut ends open to create a fluffy ball
• use your fingers: wrap enough yarn around 3 fingers the same way as you did when using a fork. This can be a bit tricky if you do it on your own hand
• use a small ring/hoop to wrap yarn around that can be tied in the center

Tip #2: Use two similar wool colors

When making dense pom poms, I love using two colors that are very close and then using those together for one pom pom because it gives it more dimension and texture. Look at the colors below.

Here are some multi colored examples:

And below is how I wrap them around the pom pom maker. Using two strings of yarn makes it a lot faster too.

Just grab the two colored strands of yarn of your choice together and wrap them around the pom pom maker together as shown below.

And here you can see how they look when done in their two tones. The off-white and white are barely noticeable but I adore the slight variation.

It’s the same concept when painting a painting, you use different similar paint colors to create depth, shading, and variations. This definitely gives the look added interest.

Tip #3: Use safety pins

Another idea I had instead of sewing pompom’s on the pillow corners as you can see in the photos is that I used safety pins to attach them. I used very small pins and attached them to the knot where I tied the yarn together and then pinned them to the corner of the pillow. The reason for that is:

1. I hate sewing and it would take so long to attach them
2. I might change my mind very very soon and use them somewhere else, so sewing them on is clearly a waste of time.
3. I might want to wash the pillow cover but don’t/can’t wash the furry balls with it. So the safety pins make it super easy to remove them.

I personally think the safety pins are a great idea.

So now I sit there during the day when my kids have a friend over to play and make pom poms, LOL. It might also just be something that justifies me bing watching Vikings on Amazon Prime. Because otherwise, I would look pretty lazy if I’d just sit there and watch a show. So now I sit there and watch Vikings while making pom poms. I am a weirdo, right?

In case you are wondering about my porch floor pictured in the photos, I painted the concrete in stripes and the paint job has lasted for years.

I also painted the dotted pillow with fabric paint which is described in this blog post HERE where I painted dishtowels the same way. I used acrylic paint mixed with fabric medium and it works great.

Two other yarn projects of mine for you to check out are my easy yarn tassels (video also on my YouTube channel) and my wool and yarn macrame leaf.

Have fun making those cute little yarn balls and adding them to your home decor accessories. I’m telling you they are addicting to make. I’m not kidding 😉