Pom-Pom Yarn: Varieties, Uses, and Knitting Methods
To create eye-catching interior decor items, designers often use unconventional materials such as novelty yarn. Eyelash yarn, yarn with factory-made loops, lurex, and pom-poms are ideal for blankets, pillows, bedspreads, and rugs. Knitting and crocheting with them is fast, easy, and enjoyable, while small skeins can be used for edging. Pom-pom yarn holds a special place on this list.
It looks unusual: the pom-poms themselves are positioned along a single strand and can vary in size—small, flat, or round. They are not worked into the stitches during knitting or crocheting; instead, they remain on either the right side or the wrong side of the fabric.
Types of Pom-Pom Yarn
"Verona"
100% polyester, 42 m per 100 g skein. The base strand is thin and is worked with 2 mm knitting needles. This soft yarn is available in solid colors and variegated shades.
Adelia Fantasy Luxe.
100% micro-polyester, 40 m per 100 g skein. Pom-pom size: 1.5 cm. It can be worked with a 3–5 mm crochet hook or knitting needles, producing a denser fabric than Verona yarn.
YarnArt Pon Pon
100% microfiber, 110 m per 50 g skein. This yarn features large round pom-poms spaced far apart along the strand. It is a variegated yarn—the pom-poms in a single skein come in different colors.
What Can You Make with Novelty Yarn?
This material is ideal for warm winter scarves, house booties, and hats. In terms of home textiles, you can make an ultra-soft baby blanket or even a bed throw.
It is easy to work with both a crochet hook and knitting needles; the technique is the same: only the plain sections of yarn between the pom-poms are worked into stitches. The smaller the knitting needles or crochet hook, the denser the fabric. This yarn is also great for edging and borders, for example, bordering blankets made with Alize Puffy loop yarn.
Pom-pom yarn can also be used for plush toys. For anything intended for a young child, check the fiber content, care instructions, and age guidance on the yarn label, and choose materials suited to the project. The strand can be combined with acrylic or T-shirt yarn of a similar weight.
Tips for Working with Pom-Pom Yarn
Many wonder: how do you cast on the first row with this yarn? Here are a few helpful tips.
Step 1. Form a loop with the base strand (between the pom-poms) and place it onto the knitting needle. This will be the initial stitch.
Step 2. Form the next loop from the section between the pom-poms without skipping any spaces.
IMPORTANT! Keep the pom-pom itself either BEHIND or IN FRONT of the work.
With a crochet hook, chain stitches are likewise made only from the base strand, and you can work single crochet stitches.
How to Make and Knit with DIY Pom-Pom Yarn
If you do not have the right yarn on hand but have plenty of scraps, you can turn them into novelty yarn yourself. The video tutorial below demonstrates the method.
