Sunday, June 27, 2010

Pom-Pom Playdate

About six months ago, the wee girl begged me to show her how to make pom-poms..... and lost interest about a third of the way through the yarn-winding stage.

She picked the same pom-pom up last week and we finished it off. I whipped up a quick little beanie in polar fleece and sewed the pom-pom to its tip. She's been wearing it proudly ever since.

This inspired a playdate activity..... so today, we had two little girls winding wool around circles of cardboard.

There was a bit of Mummy-involvement in the construction, which we managed over tea and delicious home-made fig and walnut bread (thanks Veronika!) and we still had time to chat.

I made the first (red) beanie by freehand-cutting a shape that looked "near enough" to the right shape - and somehow it was SPOT ON! I traced off a pattern from the red hat (see below) because I don't expect to be so lucky every time.

The pattern was used to cut out two pieces of polar fleece for each hat. The overlocker (serger) was fired up to sew the hat pieces together (on the curved side seams) and then whizzed around the hemline to neaten the edges.
(The playdate girls got to choose their own colour fleece from a huge bag of offcuts in my fabric stash. I cut and sewed.)

The girls then each chose a fancy-schmantzy stitch on my fancy schmantzy machine. I turned a 3.5cm hem and stitched it up with the chosen fancy stitch.
Pom-poms were attached with a few stitches of yarn and the 'designers' were happy with the beanies 'they' made. I think they also liked the fact that they looked like little pink polar-fleece twins for the rest of the afternoon.

I wouldn't expect the pom-poms to survive a machine wash, but it's not too much effort to remove the few stitches attaching them to the hats, should the need for laundering arise. Failing that, a gentle hand-wash should be fine.
All in all, I highly recommend it as an activity for a FREEZING cold Sunday.
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PS. If you missed my last post, take a peek. It's a giveaway!

8 comments:

sooz said...

brilliant idea for a playdate! I highly recommend the clover pom pom maker - much easier for littlies to wind than the conventional ring. I'm a bit light on for fleece scraps but felted jumpers would work a treat too!

Bethany said...

I always forget that where you are it's winter--it's 95 and humid here in the States. Don't be jealous--I'd rather it be a season for fleece:)

Gay McDonell said...

Very cool - I mean a cool project and yes its bloody freezing here too!

Anonymous said...

My little 4 year old has discovered pom pom making and has been very prolific. Thanks for the hat pattern. We can put them to use now. She wants to make beanies with pom poms for all her friends now.
Diana

Fer said...

Priceless! I had to make a couple of pom poms the other day for beanie I knitted for my wee girl. I hadn't made one in years and brought lots of childhood memories flooding back.

Ooty said...

looking great!

Tania said...

I'll tell you somethin' for nothin'! If this frosty snap continues I'll be needing more that a pom pom in the singular.

Cathie said...

we didn't even dare leave the house today, me thinks some pom pom action is definitely required.

keep warm girls ♥