Wreaths are always a popular decorating accent, whether for a special holiday or to brighten up every day. We had just finished reviewing all the fun you can have making poms with the Clover Pom Pom Makers and were wondering what to do with all our pretty little poms. A colorful wreath was just the ticket. This is a great weekend project to do with the kids. The poms are fun to make for all ages. Put those nimble little fingers to work wrapping, fluffing and stringing a mini pom garland. Remember to review our how-to tutorial before you start for hints and tips to make the perfect pom.

Our sample wreath was done in soft Valentine colors, but it’s a fun design that would work for many holidays. Or, just match the colors to your home’s décor.

Our 16″ diameter wreath design uses coordinated colors of yarn for the poms along with mini pom trim and some scrap fabric for the hanger.

In addition, you’ll need the Clover Large Pom Maker, a set of long darner needles, and a wreath form of your choice. We used a 16″ straw wreath as our base.

We used removable hooks, which held the wreath securely in place on a variety of surfaces.

As mentioned, our wreath’s base is a 16″ straw wreath. When finished with all the poms in place, it measures approximately 19″ across and about 5″ deep.

Sewing Tools You Need

• Sewing machine and standard presser foot

Fabric and Other Supplies

NOTE: We used three colors of yarn for the main poms plus a thicker coordinating yarn to wrap the wreath base and a pom pom trim for the woven mini pom garland.

• THREE skeins EACH of two coordinating colors (one light and one dark) for the 3⅜” poms; we used peachy pink and cream
• TWO skeins of a third color in a contrasting color for the 2½” poms; we used warm gray yarn
• THREE skeins of thicker yarn in a matching color to the lighter large pom color for the  wrap; we used cream
• 3 yards of large pom pom trim or approximately 70 individual poms in a coordinating color; we used candy pink large pom trim
• ⅜ yard of 44″+ wide coordinating cotton for the hanging loop and bow; we used a stash scrap from the Brambleberry Ridge collection by Violet Craft for Michael Miller Fabrics
• Clover Large Pom Pom Maker
• One 14″ – 16″ wreath base; we used a 16″ straw wreath
• Yarn Darner needles or similar large-eye needles
• All-purpose thread to match fabric
• Heavy thread in a coordinating color to string mini poms
• See-through ruler
• Iron and ironing board
• Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
• Seam gauge
• Seam ripper
• Straight pins
• Hand sewing needle

Getting Started

1. From the fabric for the hanging loop and bow, cut the following:
   ONE 6″ x 44″ (width of fabric) strip
   ONE 6″ x 37″ strip
2. Using the  Large Clover Pom Maker, make the following poms:
   EIGHTEEN 3⅜” Darker Poms – pink in our sample
   FOURTEEN 3⅜” Lighter Poms – cream in our sample
   FOURTEEN 2½” Contrasting Poms – gray in our sample
3. Fluff up each pom and trim as needed so it is nice and round. Trim the final tie/hanger tails flush with the rest of the yarn.
   
   NOTE: Remember, if you are new to making pom poms, we have a full tutorial on using the Clover Pom Pom Makers. As mentioned above, how each person wraps the yarn will vary, which means your poms might be slightly larger or smaller than ours. In addition, how closely you “squish together” the poms on the wreath may also vary. The finished look of the wreath is up to you. 
4. Cut off the poms from the three yards of pom trim. You should end up with approximately 70 individual poms.
   

At Your Work Space, Sewing Machine & Ironing Board

Wrap the wreath base

1. We left the plastic wrap on our wreath. This is optional, but we felt it allowed the yarn to wrap more smoothly.
2. Using the thicker yarn, start with two strands. Wrap around once and tie the two together.
   
3. Continue wrapping around and around and around. Your wraps should be tight to the wreath.
   
4. You want to wreath form to be overlapped completely so when you secure the poms in place, you don’t risk exposing any of the wreath itself.
   
5. We used two full skeins and nearly all of the third skein. As you move from one skein to the next, tie the ends together to insure the wrap stays tight and secure.
6. When done, tie off the ends with a double knot.
   

Attach the poms

1. Gather up all your poms.
2. Thread a yarn needle with about 12″ of the lighter pom yarn (the cream in our sample). Knot one end of the yarn to the yarn wrapping the wreath. We started at what would become the top of our wreath and worked our way around in a clockwise direction.
3. Thread the other end of the yarn through the eye of the yarn needle.
4. Insert the needle through the center of your first pom.
   
5. Pass needle under a couple strands of the yarn wrap (again, you are starting at the top front of the wreath). Pull the thread through, which will cinch the pom up against the wreath.
   
6. Pass the needle through the yarn wrap once more to insure the pom holds tight in place.
7. Find the next pom. Pass the needle through the center of the pom …
   
8. … then through the yarn wrap, and pull tight to secure.
   
9. Continue in this manner, adding one pom at a time. When you get to the end of your yarn “thread,” simply knot the tail of the thread around the yarn wrap, thread another apx. 12″ length, and continue.
   
   NOTE: You can use our photos as a guide for the placement of the poms or design your own color scheme. How closely you place the poms is up to what you like best. We opted for a very dense wreath. However, because the wreath form itself is well wrapped, you could place the poms in a looser fashion to let some of the wrapped base show through.
   

Mini pom garland

1. Find the heavy thread, the needle, and all the tiny poms.
2. String the poms to create a garland, as if stringing popcorn for a Christmas tree garland.
   
3. Leave 6″ – 7″ of thread at both the head and the tail of the garland. These ends will be used to secure the garland.
4. We again started at the center top of the wreath. As a cute embellishment, we left a length of garland free (about 3-4 poms) to dangle into the center of the wreath.
   
5. To secure this end of the garland, pass the end of the extra thread at the head of the garland through the needle. Feed the needle back through the first pom and secure the end of the thread with a knot between the first and second pom. Trim away the excess thread and slide the poms back together.
   
6. Weave the garland in a random fashion around the poms, working your way around the wreath.
   
7. You can slide the poms along the thread so the thread wraps behind a large pom, better showcasing the mini poms along the front.
   
8. When you get back to the top, find the needle and pass the remaining excess thread tail through the eye. Secure the thread through the yarn wrap at the top back of the wreath. Trim away the excess thread.
   

Hanging loop and bow

1. Find the two fabric strips. Fold each strip in half lengthwise.
   
2. On the shorter 36″ length, stitch along just the one long side.
   
3. On the longer 44″ length, stitch along both ends and the long side, pivoting at the corners and leaving a 5″ opening along the long side for turning. Use a ½” seam allowance for both lengths.
   
4. Turn both strips right side out. On the shorter length, roll the seam to back and press flat.
   
5. On the longer length, simply press flat with the seam along one edge.
   
6. Edgestitch along all four sides of the longer length (closing the opening left for turning), and along the two long sides of the shorter length.
   
7. Wrap the shorter length around the top of the wreath. Because the poms are flexible, it’s easy to spread them apart in order to hide the loop behind the poms as it wraps front to back. Align the raw ends of the fabric. The loop should be right sides together, which means the seam will be showing. Pin the ends together.
   
8. Using a ½” seam allowance stitch the ends together.
   
9. Trim back the seam allowance to ⅛”.
   
10. Turn the loop right side out. As above, gently pull apart the poms at the front so you can access the loop to help turn it right side out. Topstitch across the top loop seam to conceal the seam’s raw edges.
    
11. Tie the longer length around the loop and into a bow. You can slide the bow up and down the loop to create the best look once the wreath is hung in place.
              

Project Concept: Alicia Thommas
Sample Creation and Instructional Outline: Debbie Guild