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Sometimes I get super ticked off. And normally it’s over the silliest dang things, too. For instance, I had two shower poufs that I paid more money on than I really should have. You know how it is when the salesgirl talks you into something even though you know you could get something similar if not totally the same for far less at Walmart? Well, I totally succumbed and grabbed two.
And then both of the silly things fell apart within days of their first use. Freaking days! When that first one just sort of unraveled in my hand I just looked down like, what just happened here?! And then when the second one went in the same fashion I was PISSED!
I went and got that cheapie one I should have gotten in the first place and it lasted a few weeks but even then I was irritated with the amount of waste I was producing buying one of these things so often. I thought I’d try to make my own and see how that went down. In the end, they aren’t the best that I’ve ever used, but they were fun to make and they do the job. PLUS they last fareeking forever. Score!
For this project you will need:
- Tulle
- Upholstery thread
- Needle
- Polyester cording
So in the name of a good DIY shower pouf I bought one that looked pretty darn good to use as my model for my DIY version.
So here’s what we have going on… some string is wrapped around the mesh and the cording to be used as a loop to hang up the pouf.
Take that sucker apart and all you have is a ton of mesh that is accordion folded all the way down from one end to the other. Now, accordion pleating this stuff my hand is pretty much impossible. Trust me, I tried!
Instead we’re going to do a basting stitch through the mesh with upholster thread to make our pleats. We’re using upholstery thread because A. it’s super strong and B. because it’s made of nylon that won’t mold.
Tie one end of the string onto a sturdy item. I’m using a clothespin but you can use just about anything really.
I worked with tulle off of the roll. It wasn’t the most cost effective and to be honest didn’t make as big of a pouf as I would have liked. I’d really recommend buying tulle by the yard and cutting it into strips.
There isn’t a set amount of inches or yards of tulle that you need to use to make a pouf. Just start running your needle through the mesh in the center every inch or two apart. This is also called a basting stitch. It’s easy to also sort of pleat by hand and run right onto the needle, too.
And this is why I don’t give you a specific amount of tulle to use… I just made mine until I was happy with the fullness. When you’re happy with yours it’s time to move on…
Pull your poof away from your clothespin or whatever you used as a stop and tie the string in a tight knot. Double knot or go over a few times so it is nice and sturdy.
My polyester cording looked like rope and when I cut it unraveled like crazy! If you have the same problem use fabric glue to bind the ends from fraying.
You can also glue them together to make the next step a bit easier. While the glue is still a bit tacky, tie your string that runs through the tulle securely onto your loop.
Pull the string very tightly and tie into a knot a few times over.
As you pull the two strings together, the tulle will make a ball shape. Pretty cool, eh?
For some really pretty poufs you can also double or triple up the tulle in different colors and stitch just the same!
Be warned, cats totally dig ribbons and tulle so if you have a cat craft assistant, they’re totally going to be all up in your business!
See that one up front? That’s pink and orange tulle together and I LOVE IT! Oh, and the green one on the right was my first attempt. I’m only showing it because it is so far from perfect and that’s okay your first few times around. If it doesn’t work out, simply snip the thread holding the ball together and start over again.
My homemade pouf is a bit more rough than my store-bought one was but it isn’t uncomfortable to use at all. Plus they seem to be lasting FOREVER and even wash well in the washing machine. Perfect!
