Pom Pom Package Topper Tutorial

Being a child of the 70's insured two things… 1. I had white roller skates that I used every Friday night at Skateland and 2. those white roller skates were accessorized with handmade pom poms. I made pom poms in every color imaginable to match my outfit. What a Skateland fashionista right?

So you can imagine my joy when recently I received a present topped with a trio of wonderful handmade pom poms in lieu of the traditional bow! How freaking clever of my wonderful Secret Santa, Kristen to wrap such a cute present and put to good use the long forgotten (at least to me) craft of pom pom making. Not to mention her fore site to take an adolescent craft and make it all grown up.

Needless to say, I ran home, whipped out some left over yarn and resurrected my pom pom making skills. With Kristen's blessings I would like to share this clever gift topper idea with you.

Supplies:

• Cardboard (can be from the recycled bin, old soda 12-pack or cereal boxes work great)
• 21 yards worsted weight yarn
• Scissors

1. Download pompom.jpg and print it out full size (a scale has been placed on each jpg to help with printing at the correct proportions).
   
   
2. You will need two circles for the pom pom maker. Trace the circle template onto a piece of cardboard twice and cut them out.
   
   
   
   
3. Cut the wool yarn into ten 6 ft. lengths and one 3 ft. length.
   
   
4. Place the two rings together and take a length of the yarn. Holding one end of the yarn on the outside of the ring feed the other end through the center, round the back and though the front again. Keep wrapping the length of yarn until the entire piece is wrapped around the cardboard donut.
   
   
   
5. Repeat step 4 with the remaining pieces of yarn until the cardboard donut is covered.
   
   Note: As you use the additional pieces of yarn you do not need to tie them together, simply make sure the ends of the yarn start and finish on the outside edge (trim the ends of the yarn if necessary).
   
   
   
   
6. When you are finished wrapping the yarn, carefully cut around the edges of the donut layer at a time. Your scissors should be cutting between the two pieces of cardboard eventually.
   
   Note: Make sure to hold the donut of yarn firmly with one hand in the center so the yarn does not slide off.
   
   
   
   
7. Take the last length of 3 ft. yarn and slip it between the two pieces of card board, around all the strands of yarn and tie it together. Make sure the pom pom is firmly tied together.
   
   
   
8. Take your scissors and carefully cut a slit in the two cardboard rings avoiding any yarn. Remove the cardboard rings.
   
   
   
9. Trim the pom pom as necessary.
   
   

Written by Kolleen Kilduff from Design by Night