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Contemporary yarn crafts by Heidi Gustad. Knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame.

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Attempting a Giant Pom Pom Costume

October 31, 2019 2 Comments

Yarn was provided by Lion Brand yarn. Featured: Pound of Love in Pastel Blue.

I got this wild idea to make a giant pom pom costume using latch hook, so I gave it a go for Halloween. Take a closer look at this three dimensional rug-making project and its construction.

Last year, I developed quite the obsession with latch hook, and it all culminated in a semi-wild idea: Could I make a giant pom pom costume using the technique? Today’s costume blog post/proof of concept/whatever-you-call-this is the culmination of an artistic experiment that I think is going to lead to some more interesting ideas with 3D rugmaking. For now, here’s a look at my first swing at making a wearable latch hook piece.

P.S. Halloween is such a great time to experiment with creative ideas – even if, from just the wrong angle, you look kiiiiinda like your grandma’s toilet seat cover from 1995. 🤷🏼‍♀️

I got this wild idea to make a giant pom pom costume using latch hook, so I gave it a go for Halloween. Take a closer look at this three dimensional rug-making project and its construction.

A bit about the construction

Each half of this costume consists of two, diamond-shaped panels of rug canvas, hand sewn together with strong fishing line. Then I latch hooked onto the seamed structure (with the help of my endlessly patient sample maker – shout out to Mariah!). For the construction, I was inspired by beach balls. I think if I try making another curved/spherical latch hook piece, I’d like to make the effort to have more panels for a rounder finished surface and more internal structure. It’s a LOT of effort though, lol! Hand sewing fishing line into rug canvas gives you mad callouses and rug burns.

I got this wild idea to make a giant pom pom costume using latch hook, so I gave it a go for Halloween. Take a closer look at this three dimensional rug-making project and its construction.

Finishing & Wearing

I quickly finished the raw edges of my rug canvas using a combination of random running and whip stitches, but if you’re replicating this idea, my basic latch hook finishing tutorial covers what you need to do. I used Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton yarn for my finishing because it’s really sturdy, and I had some on hand in a light blue that blended well enough with the body of the costume. I also added a few inches of the cotton yarn to each side of my costume for a simple tie closure. Another set of ties were added at each shoulder to make it into a wearable garment.

I got this wild idea to make a giant pom pom costume using latch hook, so I gave it a go for Halloween. Take a closer look at this three dimensional rug-making project and its construction.
I got this wild idea to make a giant pom pom costume using latch hook, so I gave it a go for Halloween. Take a closer look at this three dimensional rug-making project and its construction.

What I’d change: Since this this is pretty heavy, I’d use something wider and more padded than cotton yarn at the shoulders for comfort during wear. One detail I really like about this costume in terms of wearability is that you can sit in it!

I got this wild idea to make a giant pom pom costume using latch hook, so I gave it a go for Halloween. Take a closer look at this three dimensional rug-making project and its construction.

Stuffing: The costume has a lot of inherent structure from its seams and rug canvas backing, but it can cave in a bit. A couple of small, round pillow forms stuffed inside pretty easily fixed the cave-in issue, though it added bulk. I think I might cut custom pads to sew to the inside of the structure next time.

I got this wild idea to make a giant pom pom costume using latch hook, so I gave it a go for Halloween. Take a closer look at this three dimensional rug-making project and its construction.
I got this wild idea to make a giant pom pom costume using latch hook, so I gave it a go for Halloween. Take a closer look at this three dimensional rug-making project and its construction.

Anyway! Hopefully this weird experiment is interesting to some folks, and if you’ve got any insights to share or ideas for future wild latch hook experiments, holler in the comments. I’d love to hear. 😊

I got this wild idea to make a giant pom pom costume using latch hook, so I gave it a go for Halloween. Take a closer look at this three dimensional rug-making project and its construction.

Yarn was provided by Lion Brand yarn. Featured: Pound of Love in Pastel Blue.

Filed Under: Halloween, Latch Hook, Yarn Crafts Tagged With: costume, diy, giant pom pom, halloween, handmade halloween, latch hook, latch hook costume, pom pom costume, rug making

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is an artist, author and crafts designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame. In addition to running the Hands Occupied Blog and Pattern Shop, you can find her making videos & co-hosting the Very Serious Crafts podcast.

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Comments

  1. Cindy G

    October 31, 2019 at 6:01 pm

    It came out great! And, if you ever do attempt another, you know what to do to make it even better. Could you just zigzag the panels together on a sewing machine? And, was it hot to wear? Even though it’s only covering your torso, it looks like it would be pretty toasty.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      October 31, 2019 at 8:10 pm

      Yeah, it’s kind of like wearing a very aggressive sweater vest, lol! I like the zig zag idea, but I doubt my little sewing machine could stand up to rug canvas. Maybe if I had access to an industrial machine… Hmmm… :)

      Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi, an author, yarn craft designer and content creator specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. My work unapologetically features primary colors and vintage-meets-modern style. My first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is now available!

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There’s an update on the blog today, & it’s ab There’s an update on the blog today, & it’s about how I’m going to take the next 2 weeks off to rest & recharge. ☺️🧶 No new content for y’all means I can also take a moment to zoom out & plan what’s next. Link is in bio. 
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A note on Very Serious Crafts: In the post I discuss stepping away from the @seriouscrafts podcast to give myself more time to devote to some minor medical issues. Don’t you worry - my health will be fine, & @molliejohanson @redhandledscissors and I are still pals, and after a short break of their own, the podcast will be back! Just sans moi. 💁🏼‍♀️😆 
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Been a little quiet this holiday week, as it shoul Been a little quiet this holiday week, as it should be. ☺️🎄The past few days have been filled with a lot of catching up on festive zoom calls & raising toasts to the camera. 🥂 Connecting with people has been a welcome change of pace! Now I’m feeling ready to meet my inevitable end-of-year deadlines. 😆
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Warmest wishes for the season, my friends! ❤️💛💙
Hi, I’m Heidi, the craft book author & maker beh Hi, I’m Heidi, the craft book author & maker behind Hands Occupied! 👋🏻 I’ve been enjoying making Reels a lot lately, but I wanted to bop in to share a regular photo & say hello. 🤓 
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rather than giving you my bio right now, I have a question. I just got this new sweater & I can’t stop imaging how funny it would be to wear this to a knitting class ... is that bad? 🤣🤣🤣
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Pictured: a blond woman with glasses wearing a sweater that reads “all your sweaters are ugly” standing in front of a Christmas tree.
Wet blocking, also called immersive blocking, is o Wet blocking, also called immersive blocking, is one of the most common methods for finishing a knitting project and helping ensure its final size and shape. Learn basic blocking for absolute beginners in an easy-to-follow (non-Reel!) video tutorial! Catch the tutorial on YouTube or the Hands Occupied Blog, link is in bio. 🧶 #handsoccupied #stopswatchandblockit #KPAmbassadorsDec20 #sponsored
Had to share this perfect capture of one of my fav Had to share this perfect capture of one of my favorite weird homemade Christmas ornaments: a simple macramé Santa face with beads for the eyes and nose! My Great-Grandma made it too. 🎄
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Might have to try making a quickie Reel tutorial for this guy - I think it’s the perfect project for it, don’t you? 🎅🏼 #handsoccupied #macrame
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