Easy DIY Cardboard Pom Pom Maker
As you know we are a GREAT fan of lovely soft and squshy Yarn Pom Poms and have made many Pom Pom Crafts over the years. When making pom poms with the kids, we found the Clover Pom Pom making technique particularly handy, but… sometimes we can’t FIND our clover pom pom makers.
Check out these wonderful Pom Pom Crafts & Ideas! SO CUTE!
How do you make easy pom poms? What is the easiest way to make a pom pom?
Pom poms are really not that hard to make! You just need to find the right technique to use for YOU. Personally, we adore store bought pom pom makers. They really are very clever… but this post is second best to the shop bought one! The cardboard discs work really well and you can make your own template in no time! Some people like to stack two strips of cardboard and wrap the yarn around that.. but the circular method gives a neater “round” pop up and is less likely to fall apart and leave you with a pile of yarn strands when cut!
Can you make a pom-pom by hand?
You sure can! And it is a technique I often use. However, I find making a pom pom by hand harder for kids to do.. the pom pom usually also larger and a little “stragglier”. So if you want to make the perfect pom pom (without too much trimming of teh fluff) afterwards.. I would go for this cardboard pom pom maker technique instead!
How to do you make pom poms without a pom-pom maker?
Well, we have touched on the DIY Cardboard Pom Pom maker technique already (see below for full info!) as well as making a pom pom by hand. In total, I know of 7 Pom Pom Making Techniques that you may want to check out!
How to make the best homemade pom pom?
Making a pom pom with cardboard discs is probably the most traditional method of making pom poms. And in many ways the easiest way to make pom poms with kids (if you don’t have a pom pom maker).
There are other methods to – like making a pom pom with a fork or making a pom pom with just your fingers. But the “tie off” with a piece of yarn from those CAN be a little fiddlier – as the wrapping of yarn often knocks your pom pom strands out of place. So it all depends on how niffty you are. It also depends on what size pom pom you want to make. Cardboard disc pom poms are of a medium to large size and are the easiest way to make homemade pom poms for sure. I have shared the other above mentioned techniques in this great Pom Pom Making Techniques post! Do take a look! If you want to make a small pom pom, then a store bought pom pom make is probably your best bet (though fork pom poms are smaller pom poms too!).
How to make pom poms fast?
The fastest way to make pom poms is to use the hand pom pom making method or a pom pom maker.
So after all that rambling.. on to our pom pom tutorial!
What about Paper Pom Poms?
Yes! You can make giant pom poms using paper – or more precisely – make tissue paper pom poms. They are particularly fabulous for decorating large paces in a whimiscal way. Tissue paper pom poms make great wedding decor or prom decor or a special birthday party decor. However, you can also easily convert them into giant (but lovely) pom pom spiders or pom pom pumpkins for Halloween. We have this tissue paper pom pom post for you here!
How to make cardboard pom poms – materials:
- A piece of cardboard
- A circle template (eg a glass or a tin can)
- A small circle (eg a coin or the lid of a glue stick tube)
- Pen & scissors
- Yarn/ wool in skeins of the desired colour!
You can make medium and large pom poms using this technique. For small pom poms, use or Pom Pom Fork method! We now have a printable TEMPLATE for a 3inch and a 2.5inch pom pom AS WELL AS printable instructions over in the Teacher’s Pay Teacher’s Store. Hop over if you want to grab a copy!
How to make a pom pom with cardboard discs:
As always you can watch the super handy how to make a pom pom video.. or you can follow the written instructions below!!! Remember, we have LOTS of “Craft Basics Hacks and Tricks” over on our YouTube channel for you to browse.
Here are the step by step pom pom making instructions:
There are two parts to this tutorial – making your own cardboard disc (though you can use our templates). Followed by the actual pom pom making technique!
Make your cardboard pom pom making discs
- Using your glass or tin can as a template, trace out two circles.
- Use scissors to cut our two large circular disc to make your basic pom pom maker.
- Draw a smaller circle in the centre. The distance between the inner and outer circle will determine how big your pom pom will be. Make sure this smaller circle isn’t too big. If it is too big it will be harder tie off at the end. As a general rule of thumb, the radius of the centre hole should be 1/3 of the radius of the full circle. That works as good proportions for us.
- Cut slit from the outer circle to the smaller one and cut out the smaller one too.
- Cut a second slit -so you have an opening to your cardboard ring. This will make it MUCH easier to wrap your yarn pom pom around the cardboard pom pom make.
- Repeat for second disc.
- Put both cardboard discs together. This is your basic pom pom maker using cardboard circles!
It is time to make some DIY Pom Poms! Yay!
How to use cardboard to make a pom pom
Start wrapping your yarn. The THICKER you wrap you yarn the flufflier will be your pom pom. There is no exact science to how many strands of yarn you need. Just keep wrapping yarn around the card board and create as many loops as you can, until you feel you have enough yarn to make a nice dense pom pom. Cut the yarn and just let the end of the yarn dangle.
Once you are happy with the amount of yarn used to make your pom pom. Start cutting the yarn, by pushing your scissors between the two discs. Yes it can be fiddly and a good pair of scissors makes all the difference.
Make sure you short pieces of yarn do not “fall out” of the central hole.
Carefully wrap a long pieces of yarn between the two cardboard discs and around your pom pom. Tie off as tightly as possible. Repeat (just to make it extra secure).
Pull your pom pom out and done!
You have made your first yarn pom pom with cardboard discs!! Well done! As you can see you don’t really need a pom pom cardboard template – as you can easily create your own. Experiment with circle sizes to make different sized pom poms.
Pom Pom making trouble shooting
How do you make a pom-pom that doesn’t fall apart? Why does my pom-pom keep falling apart?
I have to confess, that that is indeed the challenge! The biggest “complaint” i hear for pom pom makers is, that their pom pom fell apart. So how to you make a pom pom that doesn’t fall apart? Trouble shooting pom pom making includes:
- making sure your central hole wasn’t too big
- make sure the gap you cut into your cardboard disc for yarn wrapping isn’t too big either. You may want to cut it narrower than shown in my photos!
- making sure you wrapped enough yarn (I like to fill the cardboard circles up as much as possible)
- making sure you tied off the yarn securing the pom pom properly. If your yarn tears when knotting, you can always use a strong yarn like baker’s twine to knot it off
- if making homemade pom poms with forks or hands, it is often the opposite problem of wrapping yarn too much…. it does take a little practice to get the right amount – be sure to follow any step by step photos as a visual guide to how much yarn to wrap
How do cut a pom pom evenly?
If you are using the cardboard disc method – you should get a pretty even pom pom and this shouldn’t really be a worry. Though you may want to trim the fluff of the pom pom a little here or there. A clover pom pom is often a little oval – that is because people don’t wrap “into the corners enough”.
How do you join pom poms together?
I usually keep the threads that you use to tie off the pom poms “long”. You can then use these treads to tie two pom poms together. Some people like to simply hot glue gun pom poms together.
How do I make a small pom poms?
Making pom poms with a fork, usually results in smaller pom poms. Making pom poms with fingers, usually results in bigger pom poms! If you are looking for more techniques of how to make a pom pom without cardboard, do look at the links below!
What can I use instead of pom-poms?
Didn’t find your answer in all of the above? What can you use instead of pom poms? If I am replacing pom poms in crafting, is usually use one of the following:
- Scrunched up tissue paper (you can add a big ball of tissue paper and cover it in more tissue paper for bigger “pom poms)
- Buttons
- I draw circles (e.g. often pom poms are used for noses, just draw a big circle instead!)
Equipment
- Cardboard
- Wool/ Yarn
- Scissors
Instructions
- Using a glass or a tin can as a template, cut out two large circular disc.
- Draw a smaller circle in the centre. The distance between the inner and outer circle will determine how big your pom pom will be. Make sure this smaller circle isn't too big. If it is too big it will be harder tie off at the end.
- Cut slit from the outer circle to the smaller one and cut out the smaller one too. Cut a second slit -so you have an opening to your cardboard ring. Repeat for second disc.
- Put both cardboard discs together. Start wrapping your yarn. The THICKER you wrap you yarn the flufflier will be your pom pom.
- Start cutting the yarn, by pushing your scissors between the two discs. A good pair of scissors makes all the difference.
- Make sure you short pieces of yarn do not "fall out" of the central hole. Carefully wrap a long pieces of yarn between the two cardboard discs and around your pom pom.
- Tie off as tightly as possible (a double knot is good).
- Your basic pom pom is finished, you can trim it if you wish!
Video
7 Pom Pom Making Techniques (check out the giant pom pom!!!)
25 Gorgeous Pom Pom Crafts and Ideas, including some fabulous pom pom garland ideas, a perfect decoration for the bedroom or at parties or when decorating for the holidays.
Enjoy your pom pom making!!! Remember you can use any type of yarn to make a pom pom and each type of yarn will have a finished effect!