DIY Pom Pom Pillows

If you don’t know by now, Lauren and I are obsessed with pom poms. Discovering the almighty pom pom maker when we first started HonestlyWTF a few years ago was an absolute game changer. Pom pom birthday garlands, pom pom gift tags, pom pom luggage tags, pom pom beanies, pom pom bag charms . . . for awhile there wasn’t a single thing protected from our pom pom craze. Except pillows. After recently lusting over a traditional Moroccan blanket, adorned with giant, fluffy pom poms, I was instantly inspired. My new outdoor sofa was in desperate need of some color and fluff and adding them to a handful of pillows, with Hmong and Guatemalan fabrics I had on hand, was a no brainer.

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You’ll need:

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Start by making your pom poms. The pom pom maker comes in 2 parts, each that sandwich together with two moving arches. Keep all the parts closed when making a pom pom. For a small pom pom, take 2 yards of yard and fold it in half. Open one set of arches and wrap the yarn around it.

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Close the arch.

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Repeat on the other side. Take a pair of sharp shears and cut along the middle ridge of the pom pom maker around the entire circle.

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Take 6 inches of yarn and slide it through the middle of the pom pom maker. Tie into a tight double knot.

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Open the swinging arches and separate the two sides of the pom pom maker. Your pom pom is finished! All you need to do it take a pair of shears and give the ball a bit of a trim if necessary. Just be sure not to trim the tie, that ties it all together – you’ll need that for the next step!

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Cut 2 pieces of fabric at the same size – I used a piece of vintage fabric on top and heavy duty linen on the bottom. Pin the pom poms, with the pom poms facing in, to the outer edge of the bottom fabric. The base of the pom poms should be about 3/4″ from the edge.

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Sew the pom poms onto the fabric with a 1/4″ seam allowance and a straight stitch. Be sure that you have your zipper foot attached.

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Once all the pom poms have been sewn on, lay the patterned fabric over the top and pin closed.

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Sew the pillow closed – this time with a 1/2″ seam allowance. I recommend that you stick your finger between the two sheets to adjust the pom poms to prevent sewing them into the pillow. Leave a 3 inch opening on one side of the pillow and turn the pillow inside out.

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Fill the pillow with handfuls of poly stuffing.

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Once the pillow is full, fold the seams of the opening inwards and pin them closed. A blind ladder stitch will close it seamlessly. Take needle and thread, knot the two tail ends together in a double knot. Push the needle up and through the end of one of the folded seams. Now take the needle and grasp a tiny piece of fabric along the seam crease, across from the seam crease from which you started.

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When the thread is pulled through, you will notice that the stitch is concealed within the seam crease, and there will be a horizontal stitch connecting the left and right sides of your opening. Continue stitching back and forth, grasping a piece of fabric along the seam crease and pulling tightly. 

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Your pillow is sealed and finished!!

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You can always add pom poms just on the corners of the pillows.

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Hooray for pom poms!!

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(images by HonestlyWTF)

Leave a Comment

79 Comments

  1. Dominique wrote:

    love it!

    Thank you
    xxx
    http://www.dominiquecandido.com

    8.27.14
    Reply
  2. So cute!
    XO CHAMAFASHION
    http://www.chamafashion.com/

    8.27.14
    Reply
  3. STEL STYLE wrote:
    8.27.14
    Reply
  4. Denisa wrote:

    Good information.
    xx
    http://www.fashiondenis.com/

    8.27.14
    Reply
  5. Nađa wrote:

    oh sooo cute, but I can’t find a pom pom maker in my city, and international shipping is a bitch 🙁

    8.27.14
    Reply
  6. Lisa wrote:

    Hey…. the pillows are so cute. Really good idea. I have already ordered the pompom maker and will do it…. xoxo

    8.27.14
    Reply
  7. Lisa wrote:

    Hey…. the pillows are so cute. Really good idea. I have already ordered the pompom maker and will do it…. xoxo

    http://www.cocos-philosophy.de

    8.27.14
    Reply
  8. Emma wrote:

    Wow, these pillows are amazing. This is going to be my next DIY project, I love stuff like this
    x

    Written with style | Bloglovin

    8.27.14
    Reply
  9. This is honestly the happiest DYI ever… I want to pom pom everything. Lucky I don’t have a child or else…..

    8.27.14
    Reply
  10. Erin wrote:

    Love these I am not a DYI girl, but I love pillows and these are too cute. http://www.beautyjunkkie.com

    8.27.14
    Reply
  11. MD Babu wrote:
    8.28.14
    Reply
  12. Zen wrote:

    Love the colourful pom-poms! 🙂 Nada’s comment is really interesting- I wonder if it would be possible to do a DIY tutorial FOR a pom pom maker 🙂 Something for me to think about for my next post on hapinesswherever.wordpress.com 🙂

    8.29.14
    Reply
  13. Jody wrote:

    Wonderful pillows, I’m a pillow lover myself and make new ones for every season. Love your pom -poms. Can’t believe you had the patience to make so many, must have taken a week or so with a little one at home. 🙂
    Love the color combo too! Thanks for the tut.

    8.29.14
    Reply
  14. marilu wrote:

    Wow, the DIY pillow is so cute and lovely.

    8.30.14
    Reply
  15. I just found your website, but I love your pom pom craze! The pillows here are beautiful, I love the mix of Guatemalan fabric put together with the pom poms, such a fun mix. And it’s perfect on your outdoor sofa.

    Great idea, thanks for sharing!

    8.30.14
    Reply
  16. adorable idea!!!!!!!!!

    8.30.14
    Reply
  17. Francisca wrote:

    I love pom poms! I remember my sisters doing them for me when I was young since I was not allowed near scissors yet. The would make it with a round of cardboard paper with a hole in the middle… Works just like the pom pom maker, only you need to pass the thread through the hole. And you can adjust the size from tiny to gigantic! 🙂

    8.30.14
    Reply
  18. Lazymari wrote:

    Hi! I really love these pom poms pillows and your blog , I want to buy a sewing machine , could you tell me what model is yours??
    Can it sew all kind of fabrics, like for example, denim or leather??

    Thanks!! ^^

    9.6.14
    Reply
  19. Inna wrote:

    very lovely and cool

    9.12.14
    Reply
  20. Maureen wrote:

    Very cute outside pillows!
    https://pourdesprunes.wordpress.com/

    1.20.15
    Reply
  21. robin levitt wrote:

    I actually love these fabrics. Can you share with me where to buy them and the names?

    6.15.15
    Reply
  22. Zen wrote:

    Pom poms make excellent DIYs 😉 Here s my take on the top 3 🙂 https://hapinesswherever.wordpress.com/2015/08/19/round-up-best-pom-pom-diys/

    8.22.15
    Reply
  23. Delphia wrote:

    If you are interested in topic: earn online
    cash zipper envelope – you should read about Bucksflooder first

    10.4.16
    Reply
  24. Mike wrote:
    8.30.17
    Reply
  25. olaf443 wrote:
    9.11.17
    Reply
  26. wadzie wrote:

    very beautiful. i also need a pom pom maker. where can i find one I’m in Zimbabwe.

    11.11.17
    Reply
  27. theda wrote:

    love it.

    9.10.18
    Reply
  28. Lamia wrote:

    Honestly I’m in love with your cushions and all wht you do . Thanks for sharing it

    10.7.18
    Reply
  29. Roxane Albrecht wrote:

    I just finished my Pom poms and will attach to my pillow. They are much bigger than yours, which are beautiful. I would like to send you a picture of the finished product as soon as I complete the project.

    1.10.19
    Reply
    • Erica wrote:

      I would love that!!

      1.10.19
  30. Stacie wrote:

    Just found you on Pinterest. My mom and I used to make pom-poms when I was little with the cut out cardboard. I’ve been obsessed with them ever since. So the pom-pom maker saves time rather then the old fashioned way? I’m so about that. I have to say when I’ve made my own pillows and stuffed them with the filing mine do not come out like yours. they come out lumpy so I stopped making them. Can you tell me how you stuff yours and so they do not come out looking lumpy and there so nice and full? Love your site and even the title! Lol

    2.16.19
    Reply
    • Erica wrote:

      Stacie, I think the key is to be consistent with the size of the stuffing, each time it’s stuffed. Also, it helps to fluff each handful of stuffing as much as you can before stuffing in the pillow. You also might need to do some extra fluffing once the pillow is filled, making sure all the stuffing is evenly distributed. Hope that helps!!

      2.18.19
  31. Very beautiful pillows you have.

    4.23.20
    Reply
  32. Martha wrote:

    Any tips on how to keep Pom poms from falling apart? I too have a Pom Pom maker but one gentle yank and the yarns come out of the knotted middle. I have tried several tips but none have worked. I wanted to attach them to a blanket but afraid they’d fall apart in the first wash.

    12.17.20
    Reply