Better Late Than Never

Happy 2014 everyone!  Elizabeth here this week. 

Those that know me know that I am always running late and I, like every other well-adjusted child, blame my mother for this not so appealing characteristic.  She taught me this behavior through example.  There was always “one more thing" to do before getting out the door and all those "one more things" added up to my never being in my seat when the first school bell rang. Seriously. Never. No exaggeration.

 

Now, in my mother’s defense, she was a very busy woman ... a family, a terminally ill husband, a full-time job, a hugely taxing responsibility at church ... I'll cut her some slack.  Nevertheless, I have since a very early age modeled her behavior perfectly ... OK, enough with the regression ... this blog is after all about crafting and not mother-issues : ).

Anywho, my perpetual tardiness not only defines my everyday life, it also runs strong and fervent in my crafting life.  For my winter décor this year, I wanted to go with something cozy.  Recycled sweaters are hot this year (pun totally intended). But because my knitting skill set is nil and I live in the south where sweaters are about as scarce as a Dallas Cowboy’s win in a playoff game, I decided to make a Yarn Pompom Garland to get the warm and comfy feeling I yearned for.  Yes, I, Elizabeth Barboza, am just now jumping on the yarn band wagon.  I know that for most of you this medium is long ago considered passé ... but indulge me ... I have other good qualities, I promise.

Here’s how I did it ...

Gathered Supplies

• Yarn – I choose three colors
• Yarn wrapper "donuts" – I made these from cardboard ... the large set is 4.5 in. with a 1.5 in. hole and the small set is 3 in. with a 1 in. hole
•  Scissors – I found thin bladed scissors worked best for getting in between the wrappers
•  Yarn needle
• Twine

  

Wrapped

 

• Step 1: I laid the “donuts” on top of each other and started wrapping the yarn.
• Step 2: I kept wrapping. And wrapping. And wrapped some more. 
• Step 3: When I ran out of yarn, I just started a new length ... no need to tie the lengths together. 
• Step 4: Once the donuts were completely covered, I stopped wrapping. Whew.

Snipped & Tied

 

• Step 5: I slipped the scissor blades in between the donut layers and gave the yarn a snip.
• Step 6: Next I cut a length of yearn for tying the pompom together.
•  Step 7: I slid the yarn length in between the donut layers (pretending I was flossing) and encircled all the snipped yarn pieces.
•  Step 8: I then knotted the yarn length a few times, making sure I got it good and tight.

Trimmed & Fluffed

 

• Step 9: I pulled off the donuts.
•  Step 10: Admired my work thus far.
•  Step 11: Trimmed the yarn ends to be even.
• Step 12: I fluffed and fluffed some more.

Threaded

• Step 13: I repeated Steps 1 to 12 until I had made 11 large white, 10 small gray and 10 small brown pompoms.
• Step 14: I threaded the needle with a long length of twine and inserted the needle into a pompom center.
•  Step 15: Next, I pulled the twine all the way through the pompom center.
• Step 16: Finally, I repeated Step 15 until I had all the pompoms on the twine.

 

I’m hanging the garland on my fireplace mantle (excuse the hints of Christmas décor ... I’m not taking my inside decorations down until after my son goes back to the dorm  ... at that point, the holiday season will truly be over ... insert heavy sigh). It should do a lot to cozy up that space.

Thanks for joining me on my better-late-than-never yarn adventure!  Hopefully it will spark a creative fire in you to warm up your winter décor with something new and cozy!