CHERRIES POM POM EARRINGS
JOIN US FOR IGLIVE on Wednesday 5/27 12 PM PT via @jennylemons.
These cherries pom pom earrings will make you and everyone smile! Make them with the Loome kit (available at Jenny Lemons) or gather up your own supplies for a modify version.
1. Pom Pom Maker (Loome or other)
2. Leaves - optional (dark green felt cut into small leaves)
3. 2x Earring Hoops (25 mm)
4. 4x Jump Rings (6 mm 20 or 22 gauge)
5. 2x 18" Embroidery Floss (in white or red)
6. 1x Pom Pom Trim Guide (or card stock cut into 1.75" round)
7. 20 grams+ Red Yarn (worsted weight in wool or acrylic)
8. Scissors (very sharp)
9. Chain Nose Pliers (optional)
Secure your yarn to any of the notches of your Loome tool and begin to wind 140 revolutions across the two arms, not too tight and not too loose. NOTE: You can double your yarn and wind 70 revolutions, this process helps winding go fast.
A. Cut an 18" piece of embroidery floss and thread it under the yarn bundle.
B. Take a completely closed jump ring and thread it through one end of the floss. Take the other end of the floss and thread it through the jump ring going the opposite direction.
C. Pull each end and make sure the floss and jump ring land in the middle of the yarn bundle.
D. (This part contains multiple steps, you can also reference the video here). Thread one tail under the yarn bundle and flip the tool to the other side completely. Make two overhand knots and pull to gently tighten. NOTE: You don't need to make it too tight for now.
STEP 3: MAKE YOUR TIGHT TIE
A - B. Pull the yarn bundle off the tool.
C. NOTE: Before you tighten the tie, make sure that 1) the floss is in the middle of the yarn bundle and 2) the jump ring is also centered. If not, just use your finger to wedge it over. Now working closely to the center of the tie, make small "micro" pulls to further tighten. This tight tie is extremely important for keeping your pom pom together. Once the tie feels tight, keep your finger on the knot and close it out quickly with two more knots. NOTE: If you let go of the knot at any time before closing it out, it will begin to loosen.
D. Repeat steps 1- 3 so you have 2x pre-cut pom poms.
STEP 4: CUT THE LOOPS
With sharp scissors, cut the loops of the pom poms.
STEP 5: TRIM
PHASE 1 TRIMMING: With your Pom Pom Trim Guide, trim your pom pom. Because this is a 3D shape, you'll trim on side then turn it and trim again.
PHASE 2 TRIMMING: Trimming your pom pom into a dense, round shape will take time. Follow my technique (see video here), stick with it and be patient. First, take trim just a small patch of your pom pom down to the density that you like. Then work that same density around the perimeter (NOTE: Stick with one perimeter, don't start turning your pom pom in different directions because sticking to one perimeter allows you to control the roundness of the pom pom.). You'll go about 2-3 times around the same perimeter. Second, repeat the same technique for each shaggy ends.
PHASE 3 TRIMMING: Lastly, do your final shaping and cleaning up to get it to a dense pom pom. You may have a preference on how much you want to trim - you can make a pouffy bigger cherry pom poms or small dense ones.
STEP 6: ASSEMBLING THE EARRINGS
A. FOR HOME-DIY VERSION: With a needle or skewer, gently poke your pom pom to find the jump ring. Simple hook the hook into the jump right. If you want leaves on the pom poms, glue them on. You're all done!
B. FOR THE LOOME KIT VERSION: You can use pliers here or your fingers: 1) open the jump ring and hook it into the earring hoop and leave and close, 2) with a needle or skewer, gently poke the pom pom to find the jump ring attached to the cherry pom pom, open it and hook on the leaf and a jump ring and close. (NOTE: you can omit the third jump ring here.)
