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POMPOM, POMPON, POMPADOODLE – Have You Seen This Yarn?

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I saw skeins of this yarn (the higher end variety) at my LYS last month.   It’s very scrumptious, comes in divine (and more adult) colors, and is tempting – but, what to do with it??

Rico Designs Pompon Yarn

Rico Designs Pompon Yarn

There are less expensive varieties like Red Heart Pompadoodle and Hershnerrs’s Pompom Yarn.

Red Heart Pompadoodle Yarn

Red Heart Pompadoodle Yarn

Pompom Parade Yarn by Herrschners

Pompom Parade Yarn by Herrschners

The January/February 2010 issue of Crochet Today! Magazine has patterns for a hat and muffler using the RH version of this yarn.  They picture the finished items on a child.  They’re quite cute.  The two-tone pink used in this hat and muffler is a nice selection.

When using these yarns, the crocheter is urged to never pull a pompom (fur ball??) through a stitch, to crochet only on the approximately size 10 thread between the pompoms.  Sounds like a good plan but not sure I could pull it off.  I fear this yarn will disappear even faster than those eyelash and feather yarns.  A little bit goes a long way……

Comments

  4. I saw a picture of a stocking hat made with this in the last issue of Mary Maxim. Looked great. I’m going to try to knit one when I can find the yarn in stores.

  5. My mother made scarves for my daughter, niece and soon to be daughter-in-law for Christmas using this yarn…and the results are gorgeous! So gorgeous that she’s now going to make one for me and the mother of the bride-to-be….as soon as our local store gets more in stock!

  6. I made a poodle doll for my granddaughters and used the pompa doodle on the ends of the paws and around the neck. Use it also around the edge of beenie hats, stockings, mittens and scarfs. Use your imagination, my girls have even brought me orders from their friends.

  7. I love this yarn for scarves and baby blankets and it wasn’t that tricky trying to knit between the pompoms.

  9. I recently found this type of yarn, also and had NO idea how to deal with it.

    It’s more like the yarn in the first picture ,in lavender, being that the poms aren’t very big and seem to lay flatter once knit.

    My skein is from Jo-Ann “sensations- lovebug”.

    BTW- I never knitted in my life before, until maybe 2 or 3 weeks ago. I have completed a total of 4 hats, knitted in the round, only using a basic knit. One being a regular adult size (the first project ever), and the rest being smaller infant sizes- and now I’m working on a scarf with the lovebug yarn.

    It’s awesome!

    I’m going back for more of the lovebug yarn and can’t wait to see what more I can do with this stuff. I will be attempting whatever I can find. 🙂

    WOOHOO!

    FYI, only prefer the lovebug since the poms are not nearly as big as the Pompadoodle. The project pictures are super cute, but the size of the poms almost makes the brim of the hat look too big for a child’s head.

    When I start making a blanket, or something, I might look for the larger, pompadoodle. HOwever, I do like the mono colored yarn, and not the variegated color… so… we shall see!!

  10. I just bought the Lilac colored Lovebug yarn with the intent to make our new grand daughter a blanket…. So far not having much luck making it look like the sample they had in stores. The closest was with size 10 needles.

    Anybody got tips as to size of needle they used…

    Thanks!

  11. I’ve made several crocheted scarves with the red heart pompadoodle and was super excited when I found the sensations love bug yarn….. Until I tried to use it. The same stitching does not work with lovebug and no matter how small a hook I try, it curls and twists. I just want to make a baby blanket! Somebody help me or I’m stuck with 6 skeins of it.

  12. Kim,
    Sometimes it helps to carry along another strand to make one kind of yarn ‘behave’. Why not try carrying along a size 10 thread in a compatible color or the smallest thing you have on hand that will match or coordinate with the Lovebug yarn. Let us know if this works. That will save others a lot of hassle.
    jd

  15. I bought Sensations Lovebug yarn which is very much like this only smaller little balls. I have no idea how to knit this so that it looks like the sameple that I saw in JoAnn Fabrics store. I tried all different size needles, but the little pom pons are just all tangled and going in all directions – whereas, in the store, they were all laying side by side. Help!

  18. You can find several patterns online. I have seen it used to make hats, scarves, the cuffs of socks and mittens and blankets. When working with this yarn, you don’t pull the pompoms through your loops, you are just working with the lengths of yarn between the baubles.

  21. Does anyone know roughly how many stiches I need to cast on in order to make an adult size blanket. I know the baby one is 74 stitches.

    Furthermore, when I cast on am I using the 2 stiches in between the pom poms?? Or do I cast on using 1 stitch in between pompoms and knit 2 in between?

  23. Fiona-I know this is a really late response but I thought I’d offer some help anyway just in case you still want it! 🙂

    I am playing around with 110 sts for an adult blanket, we will see how that goes (if it’s too small, I will just use it as a throw anyway). I am using size 13 needles and only knitting one in between each pom (although sometimes I pull the poms through, it gives it a little less uniform look which I like).

    Hope that helps (if you’re still trying to make the blanket that is!)

Have you read?

Pattern Review: Granny Dots Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern

There is something wonderfully cheerful about a crochet bucket hat, especially when it has that granny-style texture that makes us all say, “Oh yes, I could make that in five colours from my stash.” And let’s be honest, any pattern that lets me justify keeping those half-balls of yarn tucked away in a basket is already off to a strong start.

The Granny Dots Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern is a fun, easy crochet bucket hat pattern worked in colourful granny-style clusters with a simple single crochet brim. It has that lovely retro handmade look without needing to sew together a stack of separate granny squares, which is always a win in my book because joining motifs is where many good intentions go to quietly disappear.

This pattern is written for adult one-size fit and uses medium weight yarn in five colours. It is a great stash-busting crochet project, especially if you have leftover worsted weight yarn from blankets, scarves, or all those “I only bought one skein because it was pretty” moments.

The finished hat has a playful dotted look across the crown and body, then a neat striped brim that gives it a polished finish. I especially like how easily the mood changes depending on the yarn colours. Soft pastels make it sweet and springy, oranges and browns give it a warm autumn feel, and greys and blacks make it look more modern and unisex.

If you love granny-style crochet accessories, you might also like our free Georgie Granny Cluster Bucket Hat over on CraftBits, which has a similar beginner-friendly feel and works well as a companion project for anyone wanting to try more crochet hats. You can also browse our roundup of crochet bucket hat patterns to make this summer if your hat-making mood has officially taken over the craft table.

What I Like About This Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern

The best thing about this pattern is that it gives you the look of granny crochet without becoming overly complicated. The crown begins in the round and builds out using double crochet groups, then continues into the body with repeating granny-style rounds. Once you understand the rhythm, it becomes one of those cosy “just one more round” projects.

The brim is worked in single crochet, which gives the edge a little more structure than the body. I always appreciate that in a crochet bucket hat because a floppy brim can go from cute to “why is this sitting on my eyebrows?” very quickly. You could also gently steam or block the brim if you want a smoother shape, especially if you are making it for photos, gifting, or selling finished hats at markets.

This is marked as an easy crochet pattern, and I think that is fair. It is not a first-ever crochet project, but it would suit a confident beginner who knows how to chain, slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet, work in rounds, and change colour. The colour changes are the only part that require a little attention, but they are also what make the hat so much fun.

For yarn, a medium weight cotton or cotton-blend would be lovely for a summer bucket hat, while acrylic or wool-blend yarn would make it warmer and softer for cooler weather. If you are buying supplies, Mary Maxim is a good place to look for colourful worsted weight yarn, and Amazon is handy for crochet hooks, yarn needles, and blocking supplies if your craft drawer has mysteriously eaten them again.

Colour Ideas For The Granny Dots Bucket Hat

This is where the pattern really shines. Because it uses five colours, you can make it feel completely different each time.

A few combinations I would try:

Soft Pastels: blush pink, mint, lilac, buttercream, and pale blue
Autumn Spice: mustard, rust, olive, cranberry, and camel
Earth & Sky: teal, chocolate, goldenrod, dusty pink, and denim
Modern Neutral: black, charcoal, silver, cream, and soft grey
Cottage Garden: rose, lavender, sage, butter yellow, and robin’s egg blue

This is also a lovely pattern for using up scrap yarn, provided your yarns are all a similar weight. I would avoid mixing very stiff cotton with very soft acrylic in the same hat unless you are prepared for a little shaping drama. Ask me how I know.

Helpful Tips Before You Start

Check your gauge before you begin, especially if you want the adult fit to come out neatly. The pattern gauge is 15 single crochet and 16 rows to 4 inches, and because hats need to fit around an actual head — not just look pretty flat on the table — gauge matters more here than it might on a scarf.

Use stitch markers to mark the beginning of each round. When you are changing colours often, it is very easy to lose track of where a round starts, particularly if you are crocheting while watching television and pretending you are “just doing one more row.”

Weave in ends as you go if you can bear it. Five-colour crochet is gorgeous, but it does come with ends, and future-you will be much happier if you don’t leave them all until the end in one terrifying little yarn nest.

Who This Pattern Is Best For

This crochet bucket hat pattern is a good fit for makers who enjoy colourful crochet accessories, quick wearable projects, and stash-friendly patterns. It would make a great handmade gift for teens and adults, and it has strong market stall potential because you can create several versions in different colour palettes without changing the main pattern.

It is also a nice project for anyone who loves the look of granny squares but does not necessarily want a sewing-up session at the end. The texture gives that familiar granny crochet feel while keeping the construction more straightforward.

You could make one in soft spring colours for a festival look, one in earthy shades for autumn outfits, or one in monochrome greys for someone who insists they “don’t wear colourful things” but still secretly appreciates handmade.

Etsy Listing Note

This is a digital PDF crochet pattern, not a finished hat. The PDF includes the written pattern, materials, abbreviations, gauge notes, colour change guidance, brim instructions, stitch key, mockup inspiration, and colour palette ideas.

For crocheters who enjoy easy crochet hat patterns, granny stitch texture, and colourful stash-busting projects, the Granny Dots Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern is a sweet, wearable make with lots of room for personality. It is cheerful without being fussy, practical without being boring, and exactly the sort of project that makes you start looking at leftover yarn in a whole new way.