I have never met a pom pom I didn’t like. Big, small, round, floppy…doesn’t matter. If it vaguely resembles a pom pom or a tassel I will be on it like white on rice. True story: I met a woman at an event a couple weeks ago who was wearing a the raddest pom pom necklace and I instantly liked her. Thing was, after ten minutes of conversation it became clear that she was actually a dirtbag, like a really awful sort of human being, but because of her necklace, I still had to like her. Isn’t that bizarre? That is the power of pom poms. That is also why I went home and made a similar DIY version for myself.
If you saw my tassel necklaces from last summer you might already know how I made this. It could not be easier. Just a little embroidery floss and some beads and BAM. It’s ready to wear!
Materials
Embroidery Floss
Beads + Twine (You can also use a readymade necklace)
Instructions
1. Cut embroidery floss in half.
2. Tie off each bundle directly down the center, secure with a knot, and snip the ends.
3. String beads to the desired length (the necklace here is 25″)
4. Tie pom poms to the strand at random intervals.
The pom pom making can be done in about 15 minutes. The hard part here is stringing the beads, especially if you are like me and chose super small beads. If anyone knows a source for buying readymade wooden bead necklaces in bulk (like Mardi Gras necklaces but wooden), holler. I scoured the internet and could not find anything that did not require stringing or re-stringing. Can you tell how lazy I am by my resistance to string beads? Listen: the struggle is real.
And there you have it, and all-season, all-occasion, Rad As All Get Out, pom pom necklace. Enjoy!
This is awesome! I have to go to a wedding on Friday and this will look perfect with my LBD! thank you for sharing 🙂
It is MADE for LBD territory. Have fun at the wedding!
Lurve the necklace and double luuurve your photos! The story about the dirtbag lady cracked me up!
Thanks Michelle!
I’m going to say something that I’ve been thinking about for a while when I read/gaze at your blog. I love that you’re outside the norm. I love that you’re a feminist who also likes girly stuff (a personal passion of mine). I love that you love glitter and bold colors. I love that you take risks.
I think that’s why I’m always disappointed to see your thin (and pretty) friend as the model for the jewelry and bags that you make. Don’t get me wrong, I think the photos are beautiful and that she is beautiful and a great model and probably a good friend and this is in now way meant to disparage her. Its just that I see thin pretty people in every photograph. Style, in the words of Stacy and Clinton, isn’t a reward for the thin.
I followed you for a long time and always liked you, but it wasn’t until I saw an actual picture of you that I really became obsessed (not in the stalker-sit in front of your house-chain smoking-kind of way, but in the I’m sure if we met in real life, we’d be best friends- kind of way) with you. All I ever see, even in the blogsphere, is skinny pretty people. Not even skinny but not pretty or pretty but not skinny!
I want you to know that this, in now way, would ever stop me from checking your blog constantly for the newest thing (or from believing that we’re best friends who haven’t met yet! 🙂 ). I also want you to know that I don’t mean this to be harsh or mean. I actually think most of us, myself included, are so inundated with the “ideal” and so disappointed with ourselves that even if we know better, we go along with the societal expectation.
Sorry for the rant, and I super love your work.
I’m going to be honest with you — I read your comment as “there are too many thin and pretty people on the internet so you need to show yourself more often to even things out.”…and although I like to think I keep my vanity in check, that was really hard to swallow. That said, after re-reading an hour later, I think what you are saying is that it would be nice if I used a variety of models on this site and elsewhere, in which case, point taken. The fact is that is my friend Kiki who loves downstairs, so it’s convenient to ask her to pose because it’s 100 times easier to get a decent product photo from behind the camera instead of in front. I only do these types of projects every few months, as opposed to, say, a fashion blogger who is putting them out everyday. I detest selfies (for myself) and I have been dreading scheduling new head shots….but your perspective is well taken and I should probably get on that soon. Thanks for sharing.
Oh gosh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean at all that you should “even things out.” And actually I dislike selfies too. I guess I had two separate thoughts. 1. Variety of models (I don’t think you should have to model them since you’re taking the pics, and since you’ve mentioned that you’re not fond of being in pictures) and 2. What’s great about this blog is that it isn’t cookie cutter, something I very much admire, and aspire to. The reason I feel in love with you after seeing you is that you look like a nice person who is also a bit kookie, a real person who I would like to hang out with.
I guess what I should have said was there is an overwhelmingly one sided kind of beauty represented kind of everywhere and it would be nice to see a little more variety, not just from you, by any means, but I feel like you have quiet a bit of influence and well, I guess that’s it. No need to belabor the point.
And you should know how jealous I am of your hair. If you ever make hair ornaments, you SHOULD model them! You should make hair ornaments! 🙂
Hey Aunt Peaches I love this necklace! And that story about the dirtbag with the pom pom necklace killed me. This is super duper fun….I also hate hate hattttttttttte re-stringing beads and I always seem to pick out small ones like small coconut disks or e beads.
I was on Eshakti and instantly thought of you. I saw the absolute cutest flamingo dress.
I used to be really weird about my picture being taken so I was glad when digital cameras and great cell phone cameras came out that I could take my own picture. People would lie or maybe they weren’t and they actually thought it was a good pic and say, “Oh what an awesome pic!” and come to find out I didn’t ever agree. I understand about being camera shy. I have actually been told that I take too many selfies but I don’t listen to people that say that because I am like, “I am not conceited, I have confidence!” Because if I think I look particularly good on a given day, I want share it with everyone!
I understand that it is easier to take a picture of your neighbor and I never thought about that when I was looking at your model and I should have. It is hard to model jewelry on yourself, especially if you are like me and would want to most likely take the picture yourself. I notice Michelle sometimes does this as well and it never occurred to me although it should have that is the case. I just love that you both make jewelry and I like to see it on you. <3
I love your blog, I know I don't leave a lot of comments. I appreciate everything you do and I always look forward to a new post.
I have been dying to tell you this. But, I think I was waiting for a pom pom post (lol, I KNEW there would be one sometime hah!)…… I do this art market, and I am sat with a lovely lady that does traditional Newfoundland knits……from real wool, taken from Newfoundland sheep…… anyway…… one day I went over, because I saw her pom poms on her hats and scarves and they were……perfectly round.. from a distance. So, I popped over and picked up a pom pom hat and stared with absolute ENVY at these pom poms. They were wool, about the size of a golf ball, and as hard as a rock. I mean they were perfect!!!!!! TIGHT I tell ya. So I asked her, just how the heck do you make these so perfect. I can make poms, but mine always tend to look like they were out partying hard the night before. lol. I used real wool on some, and still, I couldnt get them to look like those. She turned to me and said: My husband makes them. Yup that’s right. That’s her hubby’s “job” for her. Making poms. And he’s good at it. Im SO obsessed with them, when I get the nerve I will ask to buy JUST the poms. I have plans. lol
If we lived closer and actually knew each other, I would string the beads for you. I LOVE stringing beads! It’s meditation for me. Anyway……. I love the necklace, and I liked the dirtbag story. Met a few of those in my time. And always hope I dont come off to others as being of that type. lol!!! Maybe try looking up mala bead necklaces….or boho bead necklaces….. you could find something there!
Love Rook. xoxoxo
the part that has nothing to do with today’s post:
Yesterday I took a field trip to Dempster and Chicago in Evanston to check out the yarn wrapping of fence, trees and parking meters. spirit-lifting!!! Thanks for the heads-up.
the part that deals with today’s post:
It looks like everything’s been sorted out and everyone has judged and been judged favorably. Huzzah!
This is how I keep from getting totally crazed when reading online comments and/or emails. I try to remember that when you know the person who is writing, your brain fills in that person’s tone of voice, inflections, emphasis, etc — as if you are actually hearing him/her — and you usually understand that person’s intention. When you are reading something that a stranger wrote, your brain still supplies those elements….but that can easily lead to misunderstanding.