Dare to Make It: Holiday

Create a Winter Wonderland Holiday Pom-Pom Tree

Tina Hilton, contributor

8 users recommend

A pure-white tree reminds us of the beauty of the season.

Tina Hilton

The Clover Pom-Pom Maker is a must-have tool for any serious crafter.

Tina Hilton

Most chain craft stores and Wal-Mart carry a variety of cone sizes.

Tina Hilton

A pure-white tree reminds us of the beauty of the season.

Photo: Tina Hilton

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When we hear pom-pom Christmas tree, we think of the 1960s aluminum tree with pom-poms on the ends of the branches with the revolving color wheel of lights. My pom-pom tree appeals to the softer side of yarn lovers and will not bring back memories of beehive hairdos and Beatle boots! Use it as a holiday table centerpiece or to dress up your seasonal mantelpiece display.

This is a great project for using up random partial skeins in a rainbow of colors, or you could go for the purist route and purchase yarn in a single color scheme for a harmonious effect. I decided not to use the same yarn style, brand, or gauge to create visual interest and a handcrafted appeal.

The traditional way of making pom-poms by wrapping the yarn around cardboard is tedious and often results in a less than perfect pom-pom. Clover Needlecraft recently came out with a slick pom-pom maker that makes quick work out of creating these cute little adornments. They come in a variety of models to create pom-poms as large as 4-1/2 inches to as small as 3/4 inch. My tool-loving husband was fascinated by the gadget and ended up cranking out more than half of the balls required for the project.

Supplies

• Craft yarn such as Lion Brand yarn, Bernat, or Red Heart make great pom-poms and are readily available. I used the following yarn:
   1 skein each: Lion Brand Wool-Ease and Wool-Ease chunky in Tinsel White
   1 skein: Lion Brand Jiffy in White
   1 skein: Lion Brand Homespun in Hepplewhite
   1/2 skein: Bernat Baby Coordinates in color 005 (white)
   Around 100 pom-poms were completed. That doesn’t include the ones the cat ran off with!

The Clover Pom-Pom Maker is a must-have tool for any serious crafters.

• Clover Pom-Pom Makers (a package of large-size 2-1/2 inches and 3-3/8 inches and a package of small-size 1-3/8 inches and 1-5/8 inches)

Most chain craft stores and Wal-Mart carry a variety of cone sizes.

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Comments (10)

Dahart writes: I belong to a Christmas list on yahoo and I have shared this with them (of course, I gave credit and the link). I loved it soooo much. I really like the idea of adding lights to it and I will be trying this in the near future but was wondering if anyone can tell me how I would make the pom-poms using cardboard rather than the device used here. Would I cut the cardboard at 3 3/8 sq for the largest and continue like that or what? How would I make them without the device. I know there is a way as my grandmother used to do stuff with them ALL the time and she didn't have one. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much :)
Posted: 11:12 am on July 3rd

Tina_Hilton writes: Hi Craftingnomand - I hope you went ahead and made the tree. So sorry I don't get back with you sooner! Between me and my husband I estimate it took us a few evenings in front of the TV. If you cut out the visual distraction and play your favorite party music, you could crank 'um out in a night or so.
Posted: 6:57 pm on January 7th

Craftingnomad writes: This looks amazing, and I want to try to make one for a winter wonderland party I'm hosting. I'm a bit of a novice though --once I buy all of the material, how long do you approximate it takes to make all those pom poms and assemble the tree? (One of similar size to the one shown above?) Thanks!
Posted: 9:39 pm on December 15th

Tina_Hilton writes: Great idea about the lights! I will be on the lookout for a tiny set.
Posted: 12:13 pm on November 25th

OTorres writes: I bet if you added some clear lights, this would really pop. Quite stunning, love it.
Posted: 7:28 pm on November 22nd

Tina_Hilton writes: Please share a photo of your finished pom-pom tree. I can't wait to see it!
Posted: 6:28 am on November 21st

LaurieM writes: What a great idea. I'm going to try it!
Posted: 4:33 pm on November 20th

JenniferStern writes: Tina, What a great idea...I love the non-traditional spin!
Posted: 8:48 am on November 20th

Tina_Hilton writes: This is a great activity for the entire family. Have pom-pom makers on hand over the Thanksgiving holiday and everyone will be waiting in line to have a turn making some. This way you will have a tree made by December first to enjoy throughout the season and create good memories along with it!
Posted: 6:34 am on November 20th

RubyKitty writes: Though I'm officially not even starting to think about Christmas until December, this is a fab idea. It looks lovely and I could see someone making it and bringing it out year after year. So much nicer than shop bought tinsel trees.
Posted: 3:49 am on November 20th

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