DIY Faux Fur Pom Poms

I'm not really into regular old yarn pom-poms. I mean, sure - they're cute on a kid's hat, but I think they make an adult hat look kind of silly. Plus, they have the tendency to fall apart over time. When fur poms became all the rage, I steered clear.. but they grew on me over time. (Probably because I've been seeing every hat in my Instagram feed topped with one!) Anyway, I've been wanting to grab a couple of them to try out with some of my new beanie patterns.. but EVERY single time I tried to find one at a store, they had a darn keychain attached and they were like $8! I refused to spend that much on ONE pom-pom. Nevermind the cost, I would literally have to take it apart and then put it back together before I could even use it! Talk about a pain in the butt. I figured, ok.. I'm a crafty person.. so why not make my own? It turns out, though a bit messy... faux fur pom-poms are fairly inexpensive and super fun to make!

I bought this amazing "Silver Fox" fur from Joann's. It's one of their most expensive, but it's incredibly soft and well worth the price! It's usually about $45 a yard. Yikes, I know.. but thankfully you can purchase it in smaller increments at the store. (Plus, they always have a sale or coupon.) I purchased 1/4 yard at 30% off for under $9! (So, about $11 at it's regular price.) Trust me when I say, it's a steal! I'm pretty sure I can get close to 20 large poms from this piece of fabric alone. I'm sure most of you have these materials lying around. I didn't, so I also stopped at Walmart to grab some new needles (with larger eye openings), some embroidery floss and batting! For this entire project, I spent under $18!

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Here's the FREE Faux Fur Pom-Pom Tutorial
written & created by April Turner (@fibermeup)

MATERIALS:

• Faux fur
• Pen/Marker
• Scissors

• Embroidery Floss
• Needle (with a large eye opening)

• Fiber Fill (or batting)

First, lay your fabric out (fur-side down). Trace a 6" circle onto the backing with a pen or marker. (I used an old paint pen I had just lying around.) I found a large bowl in my kitchen which I used as a guide. Use whatever you can find!!

Next, cut your circle out. I have found that the best way to do this (without cutting some of the fur too short) is to use pointy scissors - if you have them. Place your scissors just under the backing (or as close as you can get) when you cut.

Next, thread approx. 4 feet of embroidery floss through the eye of your needle. Knot the ends together twice (to make sure your knot doesn't pop through). This gives you 2' of doubled strength floss to stitch and pull your pom together.

Now, inserting your needle from the back (so your knot is on the inside) begin to stitch around the edge of your fur. Place each stitch approx. 1/4 inch apart. (Be careful not to pull the fur through the stitch.) Once you've gone around the entire piece, gently pull on the needle and begin to cinch the fur. You'll need to pull until you have a few inches of the floss showing, so that you're able to cut the floss and remove the needle. Once removed, knot those ends together. This will leave you with a double stranded piece of floss, with a knot at each end.. kind of like a little drawstring.

Place your fiber fill or batting in the center of your slightly cinched circle. (I chose batting for this project because it was cheaper and came in a smaller bag!) Pull both ends of your drawstring tight until you've closed the circle. It can be a little finicky, so you may need to push the fabric down as you pull.. but, I promise you will get it closed!

Once you've got it pulled as tight as it will go.. take both ends of your drawstring and knot them together twice! This will close your pom-pom so your filling doesn't escape! Ta-da! You've got a fur pom-pom with ties already attached! You can trim those ends if you would prefer to sew it on or use glue with your project -- otherwise, you're good to go!

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This is an original tutorial. Please do not claim this tutorial as your own. If you would like to share the tutorial, please link back to this post. You may keep a copy for your own personal use, but DO NOT sell or distribute it. You may sell items made from the tutorial, but credit is always appreciated - as is a link back to my blog: fibermeup.blogspot.com

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I hope you enjoyed this FREE tutorial! These faux fur pom-poms are quick, easy and super fun to make! If you've always wanted to try your hand at making your own, give it a go! It's a bit messy, but I promise you - it is totally worth it in the end! Don't mind me, I'll just be over here making poms for all the things.

Happy Hookin'