One Pom Pom Wreath for Multiple Holidays
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Today I’m going to share an old project that I still love and have on display throughout the year, years after I first made it. It was originally supposed to be just a 4th of July wreath, but then I realized I could tweak it a little bit and use it for multiple holidays. Red and white in particular are two colors that lend themselves well to several different holidays. So far I’ve used it for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and 4th of July. You may have other ideas as well. I just add different little decorations to the wreath to switch it up.
I’ve only actually *made* decorations so far for Valentine’s Day and the 4th of July. I bought some sparkly green poinsettia stems to stick in there for Christmas. I kept thinking I would eventually make something, but I’ve found I really like those poinsettias.
Making a pom pom wreath isn’t particularly difficult, but it is time consuming. The end result is so worth it though, especially if it’s a wreath that you can leave up for much of the year. As with much of my crafting that doesn’t require much concentration, I like making pom poms while I’m watching tv. I also like handing the pom pom makers over to the kids and letting them help out. They get bored with it long before I did, but anything they’re able to do helps!
Supplies
For the wreath:
- Pom pom maker
- Yarn
- Foam wreath form
- Greening pins
- String or twine for hanging
For the seasonal decorations:
- Wood shapes–Stars, Hearts
- Paint and brushes
- Greening pins
- Glue gun and glue sticks
- Scissors
I’ve used both wire and foam wreath forms for pom pom wreaths, and the foam is my favorite. Because it starts out with more dimension, it makes a really nice, full wreath when it’s done. I can’t even find an 18” wreath form like I used, but I did just buy a 14” one at Michaels. (That’s actually what I’m going to demonstrate on.) Their site also lists 10” and 12”, but since I have big doors I buy bigger whenever I can.
How much yarn you need is going to depend on how big your wreath is. I didn’t use anything fancy for this; just basic acrylic yarn. I’ve hung up my wreaths both indoors and outdoors, and they still look like I just made them.
You don’t have to have anything special to make pom poms, but I LOVE my pom pom makers and have used them many, many times. The kids also enjoy using them, and they’ll occasionally request to make a pom pom or two just because. Maybe they find it relaxing like I do. Anyway, I highly recommend them. For my 18” wreath I used the biggest two sizes to make pom poms. For a 14” wreath I would use the middle two sizes. You could always mix it up even more and use more sizes though!
I’ve tried several different kinds of pins to attach the pom poms and decorations, and greening pins are by far my favorite. Their U-shape allows you to attach pom poms very securely. I’ve also read that you can use T-pins, but I keep going back to what I know and love.
Make sure you have nice, sharp scissors for this. You’ll be cutting through many many pieces of yarn at once.
Step 1
Make the wreath. Start making pom poms. A whole LOT of them. How many you need will depend on how big your wreath is. I used two different colors of yarn and made two different sized pom poms in each of those colors. After you’ve made some, start pinning them onto the foam, alternating colors/sizes and making sure to cover all but the very back of it. This will give you a feel for just how many you’re going to need to make.
Here’s how to make a pom pom. I’ll do my best to describe it in words and pictures, but I’ll also include a time-lapse video.
Open one side of the pom pom maker. Start wrapping yarn around it until it’s nice and full. When the first side is done, close that side and open the other. Start wrapping the second side until it’s also nice and full. Close that side, and while holding onto the pom pom maker, start cutting through the yarn all the way around. The thicker you wrapped the yarn, the harder it will be to cut through, so be careful. Once you’ve cut through all strands of yarn, cut off another piece from your skein and double knot it around the center of your pom pom really tight. Then open up the pom pom maker and pull out the pom pom! Fluff it up and see how it looks! All that’s left to do is trim the yarn all around so that you have a fluffy ball.
When you’re pinning the pom poms onto the foam, make sure to push them in so that the pom pom feels secure and you can’t see the pin.
Step 2
Make a wreath hanger. Tie a piece of string or twine around your wreath wherever you want the top to be. You can see how I did it below. If you make it short enough you won’t even see it when the wreath is hanging.
Step 3
Make your wreath decorations. Paint your wood shapes and let them dry. Then turn them over and attach your pins with a generous amount of hot glue. I’ve tried different kinds of glue, but I keep coming back to hot glue. I’ve had a few shapes pop off, but it’s really quick and easy to fix with more glue.
Step 4
Add your decorations to the wreath. Be careful how you handle the pins as you’re poking them into the wreath so that your shapes don’t snap off.
Now you’re ready to enjoy your creation! You can store the out of season pins in a plastic container (something the pins won’t poke through) and pull them out when you’re ready to decorate for the next holiday!
