As part of #10daysofpoms I’ve been sharing a lot of tutorials and how tos regarding the joyous balls of fun we call “poms”. It’s come to my attention – after abusing the sometimes annoying poll feaure on Instagram (a.k.a how to see who’s actually shady) – that they seem to be something people either LOVE or hate with an absolute passion. This can be hatred because some people see them as tacky, unneccessary, fussy, or simply because they can’t stand making them.

I have to admit that sometimes making pompoms can be a bit taxing. Not taxing in the same way working down a mine, take the C2 English exam or trying to sort out Brexit is, but from a craft point of view it is a bit of a mission. I’ve made 560 over the last week – ballpark figure – so I know.

You have to make sure the pom is tied tightly enough so that it doesn’t come apart (easier said than done when you can’t secure the knot easily with your hands), you need to check that both sides of the pom are even in thickness and let’s not even go down the road of trimming and shaping and all that fluff to hoover up…

So, here are a few tips and tricks and general bits of advice that could help you on your pompom making journey…

Use Pom Pom Makers

Some people make poms using toilet paper tubes, cardboard circles, some folk use forks, but in my experience using a plastic pompom maker is the fastest and most reliable way of whopping out poms in a jiffy. Available in sizes teeny-tiny to mahoosive, they are basically plastic circles with arms that fold out, allowing you to wrap and secure the yarn properly. Clover do some great ones, but you can find a lot of different types online and in good craft stores.

Use the Right Scissors

Blunt scissors are evil, and not just when cutting your hair. Like all good makers know, you need to have different scissors for different things to keep them working properly (don’t use the kitchen scissors you use to snip open bags of frozen peas for cutting that lovely Liberty fabric) and there’s no exception for pom snipping. I use a small, extremely sharp pair of nail scissors – ones with the slightly curved blade – to cut the pom out of the pompom maker, and a large pair of craft scissors to trim and shape.

Take Your Time

If you want a gorgeously fluffy and round pom you need to allow enough time to do it. I’m weird in the sense that I find the repetitive snipping action of shaping very relaxing, and I enjoy seeing the piles of fluff form soft mountains, but for some this is just annoying and takes too long! Like anything, the more time you take to perfect something and the more you practice, the better it will be. Here’s a top tip for you: cut and trim your pom over a rubbish bag – that way you won’t have to get the vacuum out!

Use the Right Materials

Cotton is wonderful, but never use a cotton or cotton blend or plant-based yarn, unless you’re after a loose and floppy pom. Cotton doesn’t hold it’s shape well generally and this is an essential part of making a decent pompom – that rounded, tight and compact sphere. All other materials are great, especially wool and acrylic. If it’s wool/acrylic blend, even better.

Do you have any other pom-making tips? If so, give me a bell!