How to Make DIY Pom-Pom Garland

By
Kate McKenna
Kate McKenna senior editor at The Spruce
Kate McKenna
Kate McKenna is a Senior Editor for The Spruce. She has 10 years of writing and editing experience and has been with The Spruce since 2019.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 11/17/22
DIY pom-pom hanging on wall shelf with houseplant, bowl and frame

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Total Time: 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Yield: 1 garland
  • Estimated Cost: $10

Creating your own DIY decorations is such a fun way to get into the festive spirit, no matter what time of year it is. Whether it's the winter holidays, Halloween, Easter, or you just want to add some color to your space, a DIY pom-pom garland is the perfect all-purpose holiday decoration. It's totally customizable and can be made with any number of colors to match the rest of your decor or to suit the holiday.

And is there anything cuter than pom-poms? Pom-poms add whimsy to any craft or DIY project and they are so easy and inexpensive to make.

Choose your yarn colors depending on the holiday or the garland's purpose. For Christmas, consider a red, white, and green garland; for Easter, pastels or greens and pinks are a nice choice; and for Halloween, orange and black is a classic combination. You could also make the garland look extra special by selecting several yarns in different shades of each color, so there's a bit more variety to your pom-poms but the garland still maintains a cohesive look.

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How to Make a DIY Pom-Pom Garland for Any Holiday

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • 1 Scissors

Materials

  • 4 Yarn in a variety of colors
  • 1 String

Instructions

Materials and tools to make a diy pom-pom garland

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Before you get started, make sure you cut your string to the right length for the location of the garland. Keep in mind that you want the garland to drape nicely, so it will need to be longer than the width of the space you want to adorn. (Note: the number of colors of yarn will depend on personal preference; 4 is just a suggestion!)

  1. Wrap the Yarn Around Your Fingers

    Choose one of your colors of yarn to start. Take one end of the yarn and begin to wrap it around your four fingers. Continue to wrap the yarn until you've reached your desired thickness. Keep in mind: the thicker you wrap the yarn, the fluffier your pom-pom will be.

    Gray yarn being wrapped around fingers

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  2. Remove the Yarn From Your Hand

    Once you’ve finished wrapping the yarn and have reached your desired thickness, carefully remove it from your hand. You can do so by gently sliding it off your fingers, taking care to ensure that the loops of yarn maintain their shape. Carefully cut your pom-pom loose from the rest of the yarn.

    Wrapped yarn cut from rest of yarn ball with scissors

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  3. Tie Your Pom-Pom in Place

    From the same color of yarn, cut a 6-inch piece and wrap it around the bunch of yarn you’ve just made. Tie it in place—it doesn't have to be tight, just enough to secure the loops so they stay together and don't move around.

    Wrapped gray pom-pom tied in place with yarn

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  4. Cut the Loops

    Holding onto the piece of yarn you’ve just tied, take your scissors and cut the ends of the yarn loops. It's normal if some fibers come loose, so don't worry if it gets a little messy. When you've cut the loops, you've made a pom-pom!

    Scissors cutting ends of gray yarn loops to make pom-pom

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  5. Repeat

    Repeat the above steps with your other colors of yarn to make more pom-poms. Make as many pom-poms as you need for your garland—this will depend on the length of your garland and how you want it to look. You can lay them out next to your string as you make them to get an idea of how it will look and how many more you'll need.

    Fingers wrapped with orange yarn to make more pom-poms

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  6. Attach the Pom-Poms to the String

    Take your long piece of string and tie the pom-poms to it one at a time. How far you space them apart from each other will depend on the length of the string, the number of pom-poms you have, and how full you want the garland to be. Aim for a few inches between each pom-pom.

    White string tied between different colored pom-poms

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

  7. Hang Your Garland

    Your garland is ready to hang! Hang it wherever you need some holiday cheer or a pop of color. These garlands look great draped along a fireplace mantel, as wall art, decorating a bar cart, or even as part of your dining room tablescape.

    DIY pom-pom hanging on wall shelf with houseplant, bowl and frame

    The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

FAQ
  • How many pom-poms do you need to make a garland?

    You can make your garland as long as you like. You might want to aim for at least seven pom-poms to create visual impact for your garland.

  • What kind of string do you use for pom-pom garland?

    This comes down to personal preference. You can use basic string, yarn, embroidery floss, or even ribbon for your pom-pom garland.

  • How do you put string in a pom-pom?

    Simply use the piece of yarn you tied around the pom-pom when you secured the loops to tie it to the long string for hanging. You also can tie the pom-pom using any of the former yarn loops.