Beyond Knitting
Pom Pom Possibilities: Above the Canopy
Dear Ann,
It’s so fun having a shop, and meeting people who make beautiful things in the world of fiber and yarn.
Sometimes we only meet them on the Internet.
When we started looking at carrying the Loome tool, an all-in-one tool for making pom poms, tassels, and small weavings (bracelets, etc.), I made a study of their wonderful Instagram page. Which led me, in tumbling and collapsing Inception fashion, to the Instagram for Above the Canopy, the website of Australian artist and designer Lizzy Medynskyj.
Pom poms are capable of so much more than I have ever given them credit for.
Lizzy and her trusty Loome tool made this piece on commission. The commission was to make something pink and covered in pom poms. Like, maybe, a bag or a scarf.
Lizzy made an incredible garment. A shrug with 343 pom poms on it. The mind boggles.
The Above the Canopy shop is full of distinctive adornments featuring pom poms and knitting. I love that these pieces are so knitterly, so woolly, and so unapologetically ornamental. Frida Kahlo would have sported one of Lizzy’s collar/necklaces or cuff bracelets, I’m sure of it.
Thank you, Lizzy. You have inspired me to new heights of pom pom artistry.
Love,
Kay
Making pom poms can be seriously addicting! I bought a Loome tool after reading Melanie Falick’s piece earlier this summer. Starting small – a gift decoration here, a hair ornament for my granddaughter there, a pom pom that looks like a bloodshot eyeball for my grandson – but I can totally see making pom pom jewelry and clothes!
If you are up to “bloodshot eyeball” level of pom poms, I’d say you are getting somewhere! I once saw a Japanese craft book filled with incredible shaped and illustrative pom poms like that, with very detailed instructions.
Lovely Belinda gave me the most incredible Japanese pompon craft book. I’ve made a few ladybirds and the like. I must get the book out again. It’s the perfect school holiday activity!
Which one of the Loomes in your shop would you recommend? I love pom poms too, but would also love to weave some bracelets.
I like the robot, which is the one I have, but I think for weavings the larger one might be best, and the pom poms are a bit bigger also.
Thanks for the advice! You guys are the best enablers!
(Runs to the online shop, orders a Pom Pom maker. Envisions becoming an artiste of epic tassel and Pom Pom creations.)
So far the pom pom urge has only hit me in fits and starts, so I’ve just made a few, but I now have a stash of yarn remnants in a box labeled “pom poms” so I think it might be the beginning of a beautiful relationship. I think what would really seal it for me is finding the application for pom poms that speaks to me. I’ve started having fantasies of a birthday dinner decorated with hanging pom poms, like if someone was going to have a milestone birthday in 2018….
Do it.
That shrug is awesome. Who knew pom-poms could be so beautiful.
Wow, and here I thought that I was hardcore, having purchased a Clover pom pom maker, (Size large). This was only after realizing that I rarely have enough sturdy enough card stock and sharp enough scissors on hand to make them as needed! Anyway, I see now that I am the rankest amateur, as in addition, after looking at Lizzy’s site, I thought, “Wow. She’s a pompomologist!” I reveled in the cleverness of that for about 2 seconds, and then I saw this: “Eunita Laffimore has a Pinterest board called ‘PomPomology:The Study of PomPom Culture.'” I’m definitely out of my league!
Thanks for finding a pompom shop! My sister will now be receiving a pair of Lizzie’s orange pompom earrings for her birthday.
I am not much of a gadget girl, but I love my clover pom pom makers. This is intriguing. Plus flat for easy carrying. I may succumb.