Project

Pom-Pom Sweater Cuffs

Dress up an ordinary sweater by adding small pom-poms.

Photography: Anna Palma

Source: Martha Stewart

Introduction

Kids can make pom-poms using a store-bought plastic maker. (They can also use two doughnuts cut from cardboard; stack them, then wind the whole pom-pom at once.) The size of the maker determines the size of the pom-pom.

Tip: When making a pom-pom, sew through the center three times to keep a pom-pom from falling off -- and rolling away!

materials

Yarn

Pom-pom maker

Small sharp scissors

Waxed twine

Pins

Thread

steps

Wind yarn around one unit of pom-pom maker, working from one end to the other, and then back again. Continue until yarn fills the inside of the U. Repeat with other unit.
Clamp feet of units together to form a circle.
Snip the yarn along the circumference of the circle. Slide a piece of waxed twine between the layers of the circle, and tie in a knot, pulling tight.
Separate the units and pull them off pom-pom.
Trim into a neat sphere.
Place two of the four plastic U-shaped pieces back-to-back, pairing each bumpy one with a smooth one. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
For pom-poms that orbit the wrist, space several equally around the cuffs of a sweater. Mark out placement with pins, and use a running stitch to sew pom-poms to cuff, hiding thread by passing it inside cuff between pom-poms.