Tutorial: party pompoms

 Decorative party pompoms.

Decorative pompoms are an easy and fun way to glam up any themed party, and I just learned how to make them in time for Caitlin's birthday bash, thanks to my sister-in-law who's a natural DIY queen when it comes to event styling.


What you'll need:


Crepe paper in any color
Thin wire or floral stem (#26 or #30)
Matching strings or satin ribbons

 Prepare your materials. I bought all these at National Bookstore.

Directions:

 
Decide on how big or small you want your pompoms to be then cut your paper into rectangle pieces, the width will determine its diameter when opened.


For medium pompoms, making use of a full crepe paper, that's about 12 pieces of 10" x 12". You'll make a smaller one when you use 10 pieces of the same size.


For twice that size, cut 12 pieces of 11.7" x 15.5". The excess, which measures 4" x 4.3", may still be made into tiny pompoms.

Large and medium pompoms.

Place the rectangle pieces together and trim two opposite ends to make scallop edges. Although you can do it freestyle, it's best to work with a pattern, especially if you are making a lot of pompoms.

 Scallop edge.

Then, starting from one straight edge going to the other side, make a folded fan out of it, roughly half an inch in size.

Secure with a thin wire in the middle and place a ribbon.

Starting from one side, gently peel the crepe paper one by one as if opening a banana. Finish it off on the other side.

There you go.

  

You can also use Japanese paper, but I find crepe papers easier to handle because they are thicker so they don't tear easily. Crepe papers, the basic ones, are also less expensive than Japanese papers.

Happy crafting!

- Mommy Smiley