Crochet guide
Making pom poms
A pom pom is not crocheted. It is yarn wound round a form, tied tightly round the middle, cut and trimmed into a ball. The form can be a bought pom pom maker, two rings of card, a fork or your own fingers. The two ends of the tie are left long, and they fasten the pom pom to the hat.
What to wind it on
| Form | The size it makes |
|---|---|
| A pom pom maker | A bought tool in two halves. Each size of tool makes one size of pom pom. |
| Two rings of card | Any size. The width of the ring, from the hole to the outer edge, sets the size. |
| A fork | Small pom poms, as wide as the fork. |
| Your fingers | More fingers make a bigger pom pom. |
Any yarn will make a pom pom: wool, acrylic or cotton.
The four steps
- Wind. Wrap the yarn round the form, evenly, many times. More wraps make a fuller pom pom.
- Tie. Take a separate length of yarn, pass it round the middle of all the wraps and knot it as tightly as you can. If the tie is loose, strands fall out.
- Cut. Cut through all the loops.
- Trim. Fluff the pom pom, then trim the long ends until it is round. Leave the two ends of the tie long.
The order of steps 2 and 3 depends on the form. On two card rings or a pom pom maker, the yarn is cut first, round the outer rim between the two halves. The tie is then slipped into that gap and knotted before the form comes away. On a fork, your fingers or a flat card, the bundle is tied first and the loops are cut after.
Fastening it to a hat
Use the two long ends of the tie. Take each one through the top of the crown to the inside of the hat, with a yarn needle. Pull them snug, so that the pom pom sits against the crown, and knot them together on the inside.
Faux fur pom poms
The other pom pom seen on hats is made of faux fur. It is not wound from yarn.
Where to go next
- Decorating a crochet hat, for flowers, bows and ears.
- How a crochet hat is made, for the crown the pom pom sits on.
- Fringe and tassels, for the other trims made of cut yarn.