Creating Silk Pomander Balls For Your Dream Wedding

Silk pomander balls are a popular choice for wedding decorations. They are often used to decorate wedding arches, backs of chairs, door knobs, and ends of pews or aisles. They can also be carried by the flower girl as a sweet alternative to small bouquets. To make silk pomander balls for a wedding, you will need supplies such as styrofoam balls, silk flowers, ribbons, pins, and glue. The process involves cutting the silk flowers from their stems, creating small holes in the styrofoam balls, and then securing the flowers to the balls using glue or pins. The ribbons are then attached to the balls for hanging.

Choosing the right flowers and materials

When it comes to choosing the right flowers and materials for your silk pomander balls, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, decide on the colour scheme and overall look you want to achieve. This can be based on the wedding colours, the season, or simply your personal preference. For example, pink is a popular choice as it represents compassion, nurturing, and love, while white roses give off a light rose scent and make for a classic and chic option. You can also opt for a two-tone look by painting the centres of your flowers a different colour.

Next, choose the type of flowers you want to use. You can either buy silk flowers or make your own using coffee filters and watercolour paint. If you decide to buy silk flowers, look for stems with many small flowers attached, as you will need a lot to cover the styrofoam ball. Alternatively, you can use larger flowers, such as silk roses, and cut the stems to 1.5"-2" long. If you're making your own flowers, you'll need coffee filters, a spray bottle for water, and watercolour paint. Cut out petal shapes from the coffee filters, spray them with water, and then paint them with one or two colours of your choice.

In addition to flowers, you will also need styrofoam balls, ribbon, pins, and any decorative accents you want to add. For the ribbon, satin type is recommended, and the width should be between 1/2" and 1 1/2". As for pins, beading pins are a good option as they have the perfect length and a slightly larger head. For decorative accents, you can choose from a variety of options such as metallic airbrush accents, spray glitter, stick-on rhinestones, or even unique items like gears or Legos.

Finally, consider the size of the pomander balls you want to make. The size will depend on how you plan to use them and the overall look you want to achieve. A larger pomander ball will require more flowers and materials, so keep that in mind when making your choice.

Preparing the flowers

Firstly, you will need to decide on the type of silk flowers you want to use. You can buy silk flower bushes with multiple flowers attached, or individual flowers. If you are using flower bushes, you will need to cut each flower off the bush with wire cutters, leaving about an inch and a half of the stem below the flower head. If you are using individual flowers, you can skip this step.

Next, you will need to decide whether you want to add any extra details to the flowers. For example, if you want to change the colour of the flower centres, you can use a Sharpie to colour them in. You may also want to flatten the flowers slightly by laying them face down on a table and placing a book on top of them. This will help you to cover a larger area of the Styrofoam ball.

Now it's time to start adding the flowers to your Styrofoam ball. You can use hot glue, pins, or a combination of both to secure the flowers. If using hot glue, create small dents in the Styrofoam ball with the glue gun, add a dab of glue, and then place the stem of the flower into the dent. If using pins, push the pin through the centre of the flower and into the Styrofoam ball. Make sure to leave a gap between the pin and the Styrofoam if you plan to hang your pomander, as you will need to attach a ribbon or wire to the pin later. Continue adding flowers until the entire Styrofoam ball is covered, placing them close together so that no Styrofoam is showing through.

Preparing the styrofoam ball

To prepare the styrofoam ball, you will need a styrofoam ball (in the size of your choice, ranging from 3" to 10"), a chopstick or metal grilling skewer, and a ribbon (preferably satin, 1/2" to 1-1/2" wide).

Using the chopstick or skewer, puncture a hole through the middle of the styrofoam ball. Cut a length of ribbon, folding it in half with the "good side" out. If using a chopstick, fold the two edges of the ribbon over the end of the chopstick by 2" and push it through the styrofoam ball, knotting the ends together on the other side. If using a skewer, knot the ends of the ribbon together first, then use the skewer to gently push the knot through the ball, pulling it out the other side and knotting again for security.

The ribbon should be long enough for the loop and for threading through/under the styrofoam ball. For example, if you want a 12" drop, you will need to allow 24" for the loop, 6" for the two ends to pass through a 3" ball, and another 6" for knotting.

Attaching the flowers to the ball

First, separate your flowers from their bunches and cut the stems to about a quarter or half an inch in length. Starting from the top, use your glue gun to create small dents in the styrofoam ball, adding a dab of glue before placing each stem. You can also use pins instead of hot glue, depending on the size of your flowers and styrofoam ball. Push the pin through the centre of the flower, but not through the hole in the very middle, and secure it to the styrofoam. If your flower has several layers of petals, try to push it through where most of the layers overlap, as this will be more secure.

Continue attaching flowers over the entire surface of the ball, making sure to place them close together so that no styrofoam is visible. If you are using larger flowers with small pieces of stem attached, just push the stems into the styrofoam.

Adding the finishing touches

Now that your silk pomander ball is complete, you can add some finishing touches to make it even more special. Here are some ideas:

• Add some sparkle: Use metallic spray glitter or stick-on rhinestones to give your pomander ball a touch of sparkle. This can be a great way to tie in your wedding colours or add a bit of extra glamour.
• Get creative: If you want to get really creative, you can add some unique elements to your pomander ball. For example, steampunk-themed weddings could feature gears glued onto the ball, or you could even use Lego pieces for a fun and quirky touch.
• Add a ribbon: A ribbon is a great way to finish off your pomander ball. You can either use it to hang the ball or simply as a decorative touch. Tie a bow with a length of ribbon and attach it to the top or bottom of the ball using a pin.
• Create a double pomander: For something a little different, you can create a double pomander by attaching two pomander balls together with a ribbon. These can look great hanging over tree branches or draped over chairs.
• Play with sizes: Varying the sizes of your styrofoam balls can create a more striking display. Try using a mix of 3", 5", 6", 8", and 10" balls to create visual interest.
• Fill in gaps: If you have any gaps or bare spots on your pomander ball, you can fill them in with greenery or smaller accent flowers. This will help to create a full and lush look.
• Add a personal touch: If you want to add a personal touch to your pomander ball, consider incorporating your favourite flower or a meaningful colour. For example, if you love gerber daisies, you can use these as your main flower, or if you have a specific wedding colour, incorporate this into the design.

Frequently asked questions