A Giriguiding craft: pompom charms

We’ve loved seeing your crafty creations from previous issues and receiving your suggestions for magazine crafts!

For this spring-summer issue of Girlguiding magazine, we’re bringing you a pompom charm which can be used to add a trendy accessory to your bag or backpack, or even as a keyring. They’re the perfect quick craft for you, or you can make them as a thoughtful gift for a leader in your life. They also make for a great fundraising craft to try out with your unit! Follow the step-by-step instructions and handy tips below to create your own colourful pompom charm.

You will need

Cotton DK yarn in 2 different colours (but you can use any yarn you have)
Cardboard (we used a cereal box)
Scissors
Pen or pencil
Yarn needle
Beads that fit through the yarn
Swivel claw clasp or a keyring

Make the pompom

For this part of the craft, we’re going to make our pompom. If you already know how to make a pompom you can get started without following the steps below. We’ve used the cardboard from a cereal box to help us make the pompom, but if you already have a pompom maker you can use it too.

Close up of two hands, one holding a cardboard circle and the other one scissors

1

Draw 2 identical circles onto the cardboard, followed by 2 smaller concentric circles inside of each of the bigger circles. We’ve used a pot of lip balm and a 5 pence coin to trace our circles.

Close up of two hands showing cardboard ring

2

Grab the scissors and cut the 2 circles. Once they’re cut, place 1 circle on top of the other. Cut a slit from the edge of the bigger circle into the smaller circle and cut around it to remove the inside of the circle. You should be left with 2 identical rings or 'doughnuts' with a slit going down to their centre.

Close up of yarn being wraped around the cardboard rings.

3

Place the 2 rings on top of each other, making sure the slits align. Grab one of your coloured yarns and wrap it around the rings going from one edge to the other. We did 2 rounds of this - you may need to do more if your rings are larger. Our outer and inner circles are 4cm and 2cm respectively.

Close up of scissors cutting through yarn to make pompom.

4

Once you’ve wrapped your yarn around the rings twice, snip the end and hold it tight. You’re now going to wedge your scissors in between the two rings and cut the yarn around them, as shown in the images, making sure the threads don’t come loose.

Close up of yarn being tied around to create pompom.

5

Grab your yarn and bring it in between the two rings, pull tight and tie a double knot. Cut the remaining yarn and you’ve got yourself a pompom!

Make the tassel

For this part of the craft, we’re going to make the tassel. If you already know how to make a tassel you can go ahead without following the steps below. We’ve used the cardboard from a cereal box to help us make the tassel.

Close up of yarn being wraped around a square piece of cardboard

1

Grab the cereal box or cardboard and cut a rectangle out of it. Think about how long you want the tassel to be and make that the height of your rectangle. You want your rectangle to be slightly wider than its height. Our rectangle is 7cm tall X 8.5cm wide.

Close up of yarn being cut from carboard square.

2

Take the yarn in the 2nd colour you’ve chosen and wrap it around the shorter part of the rectangle until you achieve the thickness desired for your tassel. Snip the end.

Close up of yarn being tied in the middle of the tassel

3

Holding tight onto the yarn, cut the ends on one of its sides and lay it flat, as shown in the images. Grab your yarn, place it around the middle of the strands you’ve just cut, pull it tight and tie a double knot and cut the ends.

Close up of yarn being tied around tassel to create its head.

4

Fold your tassel in half. Cut a piece of yarn the same colour as your pompom and wrap it around, just below the top where you’d like to create the head of your tassel. Pull tight, tie a double knot and cut the ends, leaving them somewhat long.

Close up of hands tidying ends of tassel

5

Use the yarn needle to push and hide the ends you’ve just cut inside the tassel. If the ends of your tassel are uneven, use the scissors to give them a quick trim and make them neater.

Putting it all together

Now that your pompom and your tassel are ready, it’s time to put it all together!

Close up of needle being pushed through tassel

1

Cut a piece of yarn around 50 cm long. Using the yarn needle, thread it through the head of the tassel, underneath the top loop and place it in the middle of the yarn. Tie a double knot to secure the tassel in place and thread both ends of your yarn through the needle.

Close up of yarn threaded through tassel and pompom

2

Grab your pompom and push the needle through its middle and thread your beads on top of the pompom.

Close up of pompom charm almost finished

3

Grab the swivel clasp or keyring and place it on top of the beads, tie a knot to secure it in place and thread your needle back through the beads, the pompom and the tassel's head.

Pompom charm finished with yarn next to it

4

Tie a double knot, then cut and neaten up the ends. Ét voilá - you’ve got yourself a pompom charm!

Still feeling in a pompom mood? Why not try this quick and easy Girlguiding owl pompom craft! The pack includes all the materials and instructions you need for it.