Today I have a quick and easy winter home decor project that you could easily do in an afternoon or less if you got the kids involved!
These kind of pom pom wreaths sell for a pretty penny in the shops but you can make one at home for a fraction of the price using this handy wreath ring shape and a few balls of yarn. This wreath ring actually includes three rings in different sizes so you could make three wreaths for your home or to give as gifts. Let's get started!
THE WREATH RING
For this project I am using the largest of the three rings and this yarn.
For this wreath I am using two different types of yarn from my stash. Here is a comparison photo to show the difference in the two yarns and the size of the pom poms. Chunky yarn on the left and a double knitting yarn on the right. I used the thicker yarn with the larger of the cardboard circles I made and the thinner yarn with the smaller cardboard circles.
Firstly, give the edges a wipe down with a slightly damp cloth or paper to remove the residue left by laser cutting. I don't always mention to do this but today it is particularly important as you don't want it all over your cream coloured yarn!
I like to wind my yarn into a ball before using it as it makes it easier to use.
Once you have done this, start winding the yarn around the wreath ring until you have completely covered it in yarn.
Tie a knot in it at the back to secure it.
MAKE THE POM POMS
You can actually buy plastic pom pom makers in various sizes but why not make your own out of some old cardboard and use less plastic!
I am using an old cereal box for this, and some circle dies but you can use a cup or a glass and draw around that if you don't have any round dies.
Cut TWO of each size and then cut through to the middle. This will help you to wind the yarn more easily and more importantly, to remove the cardboard from the finished pom pom so you can make the next one. Start winding the yarn around the rings through the hole in the middle. The fact that you have cut through the ring beforehand, makes it easier to wind more yarn around the rings. The more yarn you wind around the rings, the fatter the pom pom will be.
When you are happy with the size, stop winding and cut the yarn.
The best way to do this is to find the point where the two cardboard circles meet, and slide the scissor blade between them. Start cutting through the yarn, keeping your scissor blade between the two cardboard circles.
Now take the length of yarn you cut earlier and feed it in between the two circles, looping it around and then when the ends meet up, tie a knot and pull it tight. This will form the ball shape of the pom pom.
Tie a second knot to make sure it doesn't come undone. Carefully remove the cardboard ring and use it to start on your next pom pom!
Continue making pom poms until you have enough to cover the wreath. Think about whether you want to cover both sides or just one side. I am only covering one side as my wreath will be hanging on a door and so the back will not be seen and the wreath will hang flush against the door. I made 12 chunky pom poms and 12 small pom poms.
Options: If you want to have pom poms on both sides you will need twice as many pom poms. If you want to add more bulk to your wreath consider adding a third size of pom pom that is larger, or an even smaller size to squeeze in between the other pom pom sizes.
ASSEMBLE THE WREATH
Now that you have all your pom poms made and your wreath covered with yarn, you can start to attach the pom poms onto the wreath. This can be done very easily using the long strings of yarn that is tied around each pom pom.
For my wreath, I have 12 chunky pom poms, so I have attached the first four at the 3,6,9, and 12 o'clock positions. That means I have two chunky pom poms to fit in between each of those four.
The 12 small pom poms will be tied in between each of the chunky pom poms and when you are done it will look something like this.
Secure all your loose threads at the back by weaving the ends underneath the yarn that is covering the wreath shape, and now your pom pom wreath is completed.
Here's a closer look at the chunky yarn if you want to look for something similar. I no longer have the label for this one unfortunately as it's been in my stash for a while.
WREATH OPTIONS FOR FINISHING
The pom pom wreath is finished and ready to hang as is, but I thought I would offer some optional decoration if you wanted to add something extra.
You could wrap ribbon around the wreath, or add bows or do both. Something like this gold ribbon loosely wrapped around the wreath is very nice with the cream pom poms and a simple bow tied at the top.
Or you could add in another colour like this dark red velvet ribbon which I have used for hanging the wreath and for an additional bow at the bottom.
I hope you enjoyed this child-friendly Christmas home decor project and that it's given you some ideas for quick and easy home decor for the festive season.
Till next time,
Elle
Empire of the Cat
PROJECT RECIPE:
GSL Cuts - Wreath Rings WR001
Yarn - various. (I used 1 ball chunky yarn and 3 balls double knitting yarn)
Ribbon (optional)
From Stash: cereal box cardboard
