Things have been quiet this week, but still, seemingly, not much time for creative projects. Lately I've been working on some longer term projects.
Project one is an afghan which I'm crocheting from a baby blanket pattern. I'm just making it much larger. It's very thick and heavy. Still a loooong way to go on this.
Project two is pom poms for a Christmas garland. Clearly a lot more needed.
I'm using various sizes of Clover pom pom makers. I was so excited the day I bought these. I mean, stupidly excited. Alas, they have been kind of a disappointment. They are sturdy and don't bend up like the old-fashioned cardboard method, but I was expecting more from a pom pom maker. It has maker in the name, after all. I expected it to have a built-in cutting method or something. I wanted fast, easy and fun! Maybe it takes a glass of wine for the fun part.
The ad on Amazon says: "It is as easy as 1-2-3: wind, cut, tie, and remove!" They don't mention the last step: trim, trim, trim. Maybe I overload my makers, but my pom poms come out sort of oval with wonky pieces sticking out. Is this normal? I don't want a premade look, but this porcupine thing is ridiculous.
Still, I love pom poms. When I was a kid, we went to the Rainbow Skating Rink. The older girls, the ones with their own white leather skates, tied big fluffy pom poms on their skates. I coveted those. Then there were the streamer pom poms that other girls attached to the handlebars of their bikes. I coveted those, too. In high school, the cheerleaders had huge blue and white pom poms. There were only cheerleaders then, no separate squad of poms. And the pom poms were BIG; they seemed at least a foot wide, not these little hand-warmer poms of today. Need I say it? Coveted. So now I'm a grown-up girl who can have as many pom poms as I want. I don't know why it's taken me so long to decide to make some, but part of me is a little kid jumping up and down in excitement just waiting for that pom pom garland.
Project one is an afghan which I'm crocheting from a baby blanket pattern. I'm just making it much larger. It's very thick and heavy. Still a loooong way to go on this.
Project two is pom poms for a Christmas garland. Clearly a lot more needed.
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| untrimmed pom pom |
Still, I love pom poms. When I was a kid, we went to the Rainbow Skating Rink. The older girls, the ones with their own white leather skates, tied big fluffy pom poms on their skates. I coveted those. Then there were the streamer pom poms that other girls attached to the handlebars of their bikes. I coveted those, too. In high school, the cheerleaders had huge blue and white pom poms. There were only cheerleaders then, no separate squad of poms. And the pom poms were BIG; they seemed at least a foot wide, not these little hand-warmer poms of today. Need I say it? Coveted. So now I'm a grown-up girl who can have as many pom poms as I want. I don't know why it's taken me so long to decide to make some, but part of me is a little kid jumping up and down in excitement just waiting for that pom pom garland.
Looks like a really nice afghan .Hey I bought those pom pom makers this summer!I had a spate of pom pom madness and still they lie in a bag like yours waiting for that garland making to begin.Yes you do need to prune them alot after!Good luck with yours...Ill try and make mine for christmas too...and we can coo over each others garlands...anyone else want to join in?
ReplyDeleteI have yet to break my yoyo maker out of its package, so you ladies will have to pom pom without me, alas. I can only procrastinate at one craft at a time.
ReplyDeleteAnother blog I read today also reminisced about a yearning from childhood, this one for a tambourine just like Stevie Nicks'. She found one at a flea market after all these years, and her mom, who was shopping with her, gave it to her as a gift! How sweet is that!
I much prefer making something, as most of us crafters do, rather than buying it. Maybe the fanciful clothes in my shop are really the little girl in me playing dress up while pretending to be a grown up business owner!
Oh so cool.. I gotta get one of those pom pom maker. Your's look so pretty.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat pompom maker! I usually make pompom out of paper myself... It's pretty easy. Never saw one like that before. Interesting. Will have to take a look..
ReplyDeleteAhh, I can't wait for christmas! =)
Ok, Cat, now the pressure is really on for me to get a garland done! lol
ReplyDeleteScrollwork, Boriville, and CoffeeBreak, you really should join our pom pom party!
Beautiful colors. I love the earthtones.
ReplyDeleteI did a garland like this for my daughter's nursery nook. I'm sure it would look lovely, post the reveal when you are done!!
ReplyDeleteLove the textures and colors in the blanket. Wish I had learned to sew, crochet, knit...sigh.
ReplyDeleteThanks as always for your thoughtful comments on my blog.
Oh that'll be so cute as a garland! Hope you'll share the finished product!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to read that the pom-pom maker didn't "do it" for you! I thought it was me! I too prefer cardboard!
ReplyDelete