Tulle or Net Pom-Poms

The possibilities for these little guys are endless.Turn large tulle and net puffs into garlands by stringing them on monofilament. Use small ones to ornament favor boxes, headbands, and even bobby pins. The techniques are the same no matter what the size. For the airiest look, choose sheer fabrics such as tulle, net, fishnet, lace, and Swiss dot.

Tulle or Net Pom-Poms How-To

1. Cut the fabric into strips; using a rotary cutter, an acrylic ruler, and a cutting mat will be the least labor-intensive method. (For garland, cut 7-, 9-, or 12-inch-wide strips that are 120 inches long. For favor and hair decorations, cut 3-inch-wide strips that are 20 inches long.)
2. Hand-sew a running stitch down the center (tie a knot in the end of your sewing thread, leaving a long tail), stopping after about 12 inches to push the fabric along the thread to gather it. Continue stitching and bunching until you reach end of strip; gather the fabric tightly, and tie the tails of the sewing thread in a knot. (If you will use the pom-poms for headbands or favor decorations, do not trim the sewing thread now.)
3. To make puffs into garlands, use a long large-eyed needle, such as a darning needle or upholstery needle, to sew white string through the centers of the pom-poms, and slide the pom-poms into position as you go. (Trim the ends of the sewing thread at any point after knotting.)
4. To use a puff to grace a favor box or as a hair decoration, use the tails of the sewing thread to tie or sew the pom-pom to the headband, the favor ribbon, or to the loop of a bobby pin; then trim the thread.