Party DIY: Tissue Paper Pom Poms

The long-awaited tissue paper pom poms have finally completed and I have mastered it well enough to write up a tutorial - original source taken from www.bohoweddings.com but adjusted to the materials I can get my hands on. 

I have experimented with crepe paper and given its filmsy structure, it is rather difficult to handle during flipping and folding concertina style and especially when fanning out individual sheets. I would recommended crepe paper for those who likes texture on their pom poms, otherwise - considering that only the shape and unruliness of the papers will be noticed - I would still go for tissue paper.

Also, remember to do this without switching on the fan or at any place with wind. Even the slightest breeze can blow the papers over and you will have a hard time arranging them back together. 

Be generous with the length of twine and nylon string during cutting as it is always easier to handle longer strings than realizing you need 1cm more halfway through.

Materials you will need:

• 8 sheets of coloured tissue paper (about $3.20 each from Art Friend)
• Garden twine (one ball for about $3.30 from Art Friend)
• Tough paper scissors
• Nylon bead strings (from Daiso)
• Long ruler
• Smooth and flat table/any surface (I used the floor)

STEP 1. I am doing a dual colour paper pom pom to create gradient of blue by taking 2 sheets of baby blue tissue papers and 6 sheets of normal blue colour. Using a long ruler, measure a 2" gap and fold across. You can use the ruler to press down the sides gently or use your hand (shown in the 4th grid). Continue folding while making sure that the gap stays consistent.

You would have reached this stage where there is only 1" gap left to fold. Well... obviously I didn't intend to calculate the gap width using the given dimensions (20" x 26") so I gauged 2" would be good to have a fan large enough. Back to this situation; how do I rectify it? There's no need to... just go ahead and fold over! Who would notice the gap once you have fanned out the sheets and whose counting anyway?

STEP 2. Find the centre and use the long ruler to anchor nicely while you fold the left portion to the other side. The ruler helps to keep things steady and leave a faint mark so the twine can be tied over to hold the fan together. I did a double knot with the first one holding the fan a little taut, then the second knot secures the first knot.

STEP 3. Use the nylon string to loop under the twine and tie double knots at one end. Adjust the length of the string to the height you want to suspend your pom pom. 

STEP 4. I almost forgot this step! Cut a quadrant at both ends of the fan and make sure the ends are cut cleanly so as to enable easy fanning out. For the prototype, I fanned 4 sheets of paper gently on one side and did the same for the other side. 

Don't worry about squishing the pom pom; they'll do just fine. Most important part is to cover the bottom part by fanning the sheets straighter because you don't want your guests to see the "butt" of the pom pom.

STEP 5. I used the plastic bags which used to contain the tissue paper to store my "fans" so it can be protected while I bring it to my party venue next week. Neat way to recycle huh?