Gift Wrapping with Yarn Pom Poms & Tassels

Wrapping paper and ribbon is all well and good. So is tissue paper. And I guess the odd gift bag is acceptable.

But what I really appreciate during the holidays is a really unique take on gift presentation. Based purely on the amount of knitting and crochet classes we film here in the office, we happen to have a lot of yarn lying around. And we’re willing to bet some of you do too. Here’s how to put that extra material to work and make super-cute, on-trend pom poms and tassels for your gifts this year. You can take an actual class on professional pom pom making with Maggie Pace too, which I recommend a Maggie is an absolute delight.

Materials

Red Heart yarn
Scissors
Template (I used an iPhone but a piece of cardboard that’s roughly 5”x3” will also do nicely.)

Step 1: Make Pom Poms

Wrap — and wrap, and wrap, and wrap — yarn short ways around your template. Depending on the level of fluff you’re going for, wrap 50-100 times. What you’re looking at is about 75.

Slide the yarn carefully off the template and tie a piece of yarn around the middle.

Cut the loops and trim the pom pom until all the strands are roughly the same length.

Step 2: Make Tassels

Wrap the yarn long ways around your template around 25 times. Tassels don’t require quite the same poof factor.

We used a sassy, sparkly yarn this time around. Because we fancy.

Slide the yarn off your template and tie one piece of yarn around the very top loop.

Cut open the loops at the bottom of the tassel. Trim to an even length. Now, flip the tassel over so the knot is on the inside and tie another piece of yarn a short distance from the top.

Step 4: Wrap presents.

Wrap the absolute heck out of them. Look how cute they turn out!

You. You can do this.