Free Tutorial from Christmas Crafting In No Time: Pompom Decorations

As I mentioned yesterday, today I've got a lovely free project to share with you guys from Christmas Crafting In No Time by Clare Youngs - pompom decorations!

Templates for the decorations are included at the bottom of this post. If you've never made pompoms before, you may find this tutorial helpful.

Pom-poms are enormous fun to make and a great way to introduce children to craft. These decorations have a homespun, folky appeal, but are brought bang up to date by using cool colors in cream, pale blue, and green. Pom-poms in bright colors also make a lovely addition to gift-wrapped presents.

MATERIALS
Cream wool yarn
Pencil
Scissors
Air-erasable pen or dressmaker’s pencil
Scraps of felt
Cream embroidery floss (thread)
Embroidery needle
Pom-pom trimming in matching color
Felt balls in matching and contrasting colors
Sewing needle and matching thread

1. These instructions are for the heart-shaped decoration. To make the other shapes, use different combinations of pom-poms and felt pieces. Make some pom-poms using cream yarn. For the heart-shaped decoration, make a small pom-pom, approx. 3⁄4 in. (2cm) in diameter or use pom-poms from a length of trimming.

2. Copy the heart template on page 163 and cut out two heart shapes from felt.

3. Use an air-erasable pen or a dressmaker’s pencil to draw the embroidery design on one felt heart, following the guidelines on the template.

4. Using embroidery floss (thread), embroider the design on one of the hearts.

5. On the other felt heart, pin the pom-pom trimming to the inside of the heart, all around the edge. Sew in position with small stitches and matching thread.

6. Thread a small pom-pom taken from some trimming onto some embroidery floss (thread) and thread on a felt ball. Take a couple of small stitches (without going all the way through the felt) across the heart with the pom-pom trimmed edge. Bring the needle out at the top of the heart.

7. Thread on some more felt balls or homemade pom -poms. Take the needle back down through the last pom-pom on the thread, leaving a loop to hang the decoration. Secure the thread.

8. Place the embroidered heart shape on the back heart shape, wrong sides facing. Sew together with small stitches all around the edge.

To print the templates - right click on the image and select to view it in another window or tab, then click again (if necessary) to view them full size and print.

Christmas Crafting in No Time by Clare Youngs is published by Cico books at £14.99 and is available from all good bookshops. All images are © Cico Books