Today on Studio 5

Two of my favorite things about winter are an unquenchable desire to craft & the plethora of yarn that pleasantly appears to make life cozy. Combining crafting and yarn with a burst of color makes the dreary winter months seem bearable.

The next Utah snow-day, pull out your yarn collection, gather your children around, and make one of these trendy and colorful bits of decorating genius.

Supplies Needed:

• Wreath Form
• Ribbon or Fabric Strips
• Yarn
• Scissors
• Hot glue
• Embellishments

Instructions:

1. Begin by purchasing or re-using a wreath form. I have used both straw and Styrofoam in various sizes. Just keep in mind that the size of your pompoms will need to correspond with the size of your wreath.

2. Select a yarn color palette. Monochromatic wreaths are wonderful, but a multi-color wreath is SO much fun—just be careful not to choose too many colors. It can definitely start to look too busy. 3-5 colors are best. The amount of yarn will depend completely on the size of wreath, pom-pom fullness, and your preference.

3. Start making pom-poms! They can all be the same size OR you can vary. Making pom-poms can done in a number of ways—with your hand, a cardboard cutout, OR an actual pom-pom maker. Pom-pom makers are relatively inexpensive and make the process a DREAM. I am particularly fond of Clover Brand pom-pom makers—which come in a wide variety of sizes. Gather friends and family around for a pom-pom making party. Children would definitely LOVE helping with this project. These are three of my favorite pom-pom making tutorials.

Tutorial for making pom-poms with your hand:
belladia.typepad.com/bella_dia/2006/03/post_1.html
http://oneloopshort.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-make-pom-poms.html

Tutorial for making pom-poms with cardboard circles:
http://www.craftideas.info/html/pom_poms_b.html

Tutorial for making pom-poms with a Clover brand pom-pom maker:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGd0PUWY6m0

4. Prepare your wreath. You just need to cover the straw or Styrofoam. Felt, yarn, or fabric wrapped around the wreath make a great foundation and over unsightly mechanics. I think it's easiest to just cut long strips of fabric (about 3" wide) and tightly wrap them around the wreath using a hot glue gun to secure.

5. Once your wreath is wrapped and ready to go, take a pom-pom and tie it tightly around your wreath. Continue tying in rows, varying colors as you go.

6. Once your wreath is full and to your liking, trim the pom ties in the back.

7. Add accessories as you wish. I suggest charms, crocheted flowers, ribbon, sparkles, or holiday ornaments. The possibilities are endless. Just play with it and have fun. I secure the pom-poms with yarn rather than glue so I can switch up the colors periodically to suit the seasons.

If you make too many pom-poms or have so much fun making them that you can't stop, try adding them as a decoration on packages, top drink stirrers, winter hats, garlands, etc.