This is the sort of DIY you undertake with a glass of wine in front of a Netflix marathon, followed by one of those family size bags of chocolates, but you know, just for one. I mean, you are staying in to DIY on a Friday, you deserve it.
If, like me you are in love with this cushion from Anthro but gasp with fright (I’m getting all Halloweeny) when you see the price tag, well then my friend, I have only gone and DIYed it!
Start with a velvet cushion, like this cover from H&M (£6.99 – oh the savings!). I went for this lovely dark grey as it should (I hopes) go in my living room. There is an array of colours to chose from and their inner bits are a good level of squidy.
You’ll need some embroidery threads, I got mine from Hema (only £1.50 and excellent quals) and I also raided my Mum’s sewing drawers.
The best thing about the Hema threads is they are already a great colour palette – they also do reds, which I haven’t shown here.
Now, I don’t know about you but when I was little I was taught to make pom poms, it’s one of my great early achievements. A tassel is like a half pom pom, a pom if you will.
You will need:
Threads
Needle – preferably a tapestry needle
Cushion cover and innerds
Chalk
Scissors
Tape measure/ruler
STEP ONE
Riffle around in your recycling and find some cardboard, or use the HEMA cardboard that comes with the threads and then pick your colours, if you want to go full anthro then you need 4 of each shade. See diagram below.
I am, however, very lazy and so I went for a total of 16 poms because there’s only so much pom making I can handle.
Let’s get started shall we? I mean, it’s Friday night and Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D is on.
HOW TO POM:
STEP ONE
Cut a piece of thread roughly 14cm and another piece about 20cm.
STEP TWO
Lie the shorter piece of thread at the top of your piece of card and begin to wrap the remaining thread around the card.
STEP THREE
When you’ve finished wrapping the thread around the cardboard tie the top thread around three times.
STEP FOUR
Cut the bottom of the threads and then make sure the threads are even on both sides.
STEP FIVE
Double knot the top piece of thread – make sure it’s tight.
STEP SIX
Take the longer piece of thread and wrap it around the tassel.
STEP SEVEN
Tie a knot in the threads you’ve been wrapping around the tassel and thread one end through a needle. Then push the needle through the part you’ve just wrapped.
STEP EIGHT
Tie a knot in the lose threads and then trim.
You now have a pom. Hurrah!
ATTACHING YOUR POMS
Thankfully I tackled this project at my parent’s house and so my Mum was on hand to show me how to do this part.
STEP ONE
Decide on colour placement of your poms.
STEP TWO
Measure where you want to place your threads and mark the place with chalk.
STEP THREE
Using a needle push the lose threads at the top of your tassel.
STEP FOUR
Tie a double knot with the two threads.
STEP FIVE
Thread the ends once through the inside of the cushion and cut off the ends.
It was at this point that I was relieved I’d only made 16 poms instead of the 37 or so Anthro ones.
Attach all your poms, insert inner cushion and you’re done – just in time to press ‘continue playing’ on Netflix.
Total cost £16.98 – a saving of £41.02.
So what Netflix show did you watch? We’re Lilyhammering at the moment. I’d love to see your pom pics – feel free to leave them in the comments.
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