Snip snip snip
Ok, so if I've convinced you to make your pompoms with much more yarn than you would expect (and if I haven't go read the previous post again), then the next step is to get you trimming them. There's really no secret to this other than practice, persistence, and patience. That and maybe seeing that ALL pompoms look like a shaggy mess when they come off the form. No really all of them. Every time. Every single time. You just need to trim them into submission. I do it in a few passes, shape first, tidy up second, and a [...]
You were warned…
I warned you we were going to talk about pompoms this week. I fully realize that this is ridiculous. There are actual problems in this world and the last thing we should be spending time on is fluffy yarn balls. And yet...somehow here I am...full of opinions about pompoms. Perhaps it's a distraction technique. Alright, first things first, I really like working with a pompom maker. You can technically do it without (something about forks or circles of cardboard or even your fingers), but I've never been able to make a pompom I like that way. So given that I make [...]
Detachable Pompoms
Remember how I said I'd sorted out a clever way to do detachable pompoms? And how I said it was all in hideous detail in the Wavering pattern, but we'd do a quick rundown here? Yeah, how about we do that! So, you're going to need one tiny extra gizmo to pull this off. You need a set of toggle clasps (like for jewelry making). I used these (as always, amazon links are affiliate links), but you can probably find them at your local craft store or anywhere that sells stuff for making jewelry. The idea is that you use [...]
Yup, that’s what it needed
So. That was fun! I mean really rather more fun than someone who is ostensibly and adult should be having with a pompom. I probably shouldn't be this tickled but I absolutely am. And yes of course you can pop the pompom out if you're not feeling it. But I think your day will be better if it's on there. Pattern soon. Very very soon actually...like probably next week. I basically need to block it and get photos. I'm trying to show you things much closer to when the patterns come out because I've heard waiting is no fun. It's got [...]
Pompom time
The gray hat with the orange stripe clearly clearly needs a pompom. It's meant for a pompom. So let's do this. This is the first go on my newly discovered goldilocks pompom maker (as always, amazon links are affiliate links). Not too big, not too small, just right, and so far I'm smitten. As always, pompom happiness (at least for me...I suppose opinions could vary) comes from making sure your pompom is very very very densely wrapped. I also like to use a scale to be sure I'm getting the same amount of yarn on each side of the pompom. And really...I [...]
Goldilocks and the ever-increasing number of pompoms
So you might remember a while ago I went and got Very Excited About Pompoms. As often happens when I get excited about something, I got some tools (I'm a very firm believer in having good tools). I found myself in possession of both the large and small pompom makers from Clover (as always, amazon links are affiliate links). They work great...they totally make tidy pompoms with relatively little swearing. But here's the thing...the pompoms that the large set makes are, well...large. Rather larger than I can sport on the top of my hat and still consider myself a proper [...]
A sickness I tell you
So when last we left the hat it had gotten pleasantly tall. But it whispered to me that we weren't quite done...it needed one more little thing... Yes, it's true, I've fallen prey to the dread pompom sickness. From what I can tell there's no cure. Luckily, with the right treatment, it's a fairly manageable condition. And the symptoms aren't even that bad when the yarn is this pretty! For anyone wondering, the purple one is Entrapment, the pink one just came out this week and is called is Misprision, and the blue one should be out later this summer, [...]
Once you pom…
Sorry folks, didn't mean to leave you hanging on the pom pom front! The first round went pretty well. Though I did learn a few things. Namely, you want to fill that pom pom maker up as full as you can, and you want to be nice and tidy and keep your wraps straight and even as you go. Also...the large pom pom is, well, rather large. Hence a slightly smaller pom pom for the second go round... I suspect the pink and gray hat will have this perched proudly on top from time to time! I may end up [...]
This should be fun
So I keep seeing folks putting adorable pom poms on top of hats. And I have sort of a lot of hats. And now? Now I also have a pom pom maker... I have this one, which makes what they call large pom poms, but there are lots of other sizes too. I watched a couple of youtube videos (this one was handy) and jumped in. There was a bit of this. Then a bit of this. Then it was time to do this. (By the way, this whole project reminded me just how much I love my tiny, sharp [...]
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