Goal #1 - Check!

I thought I'd start out the year by doing one of my simplest 19 in 2019 goals. Last year I bought a set of pompom makers in four sizes. My goal was to learn to use them.

I popped onto YouTube and watched a few videos. Easy peasy. This method is much simpler than the pompoms I made as part of my tassel class, and with a much better result.

Start by opening the pairs of blue arms on both sides.

Wrap the yarn evenly around one pair of arms, keeping them aligned. Make the wraps as even as possible.

Wrap until the arms are nice and full. The bottom of the yarn should be nearly level with the bottom of the arms.

Fold those two arms into the center hub. They'll stay in place. Turn the pompom maker around and wrap the other two arms in the same way.

Close it up.

With some nice sharp scissors, cut the yarn along the top edge. The tip of the scissors snugs easily into the groove between the two arms. Snip through, making sure all the strands of yarn have been cut. Repeat on the other side. As long as the arms are folded into the hub, the cut yarn won't come loose.

Take a length of yarn (12 or 15 inches?) and slip it between the grooves, snugging it right up into the center of the pompom maker. Tie a knot, pulling the yarn as tight as you can without breaking it. Flip the maker over, bring the yarn around to the other side and into the groove, tie another tight knot. Flip the maker one more time and tie another knot on top of the first one. I use a surgeon's knot for the last two knots since they're more secure.

Gently pry the pompom maker apart. The pompom will slip easily off the center post.

The pompom will be slightly misshapen with oddball lengths of yarn here and there. Use your sharp scissors to even out the shape until it's spherical.

Make sure you have a box lid or a paper or a bag to catch all the yarn bits and fuzz. It can get pretty messy.

Here are my first ten pompoms. I used the second smallest pompom maker in the set for these pompoms that are about two inches in diameter.

Making pompoms is a good way to use up leftover yarn in my stash. Next I'll attempt some pompoms in the smaller size. I plan to use these pompoms ... and a lot more ... for a Valentine's Day craft.