Learn how to make these cute love bug pom-pom craft ideas for Valentine’s Day with these easy step by step instructions and video tutorials!
Learn how to make Valentine’s day stickers with these adorable pom pom love bug craft tutorials for both kids and adults. There are two different ways to make a love bug pom pom craft; either start by making a homemade pom-pom with yarn and a fork or use pre-made craft poms to make these cute little love bugs for Valentine’s Day! Scroll down for the step-by-step instructions, complete with a video tutorial, for both types of love bug craft ideas. You may also like this Fingerprint love bug craft.
Related: Best Love Bug Crafts for Kids
Love Bug Pom Pom Craft Ideas
Instead of passing out Valentine’s day cards, my daughter gave each of her kindergarten classmates a pom-pom love bug craft with a personalized fabric gift tag. They were a huge hit… Just look at how cute all of her love bugs turned out!
As mentioned above, there are two easy ways to make love bug pompom crafts. One method uses pre-made craft poms, while the other technique uses homemade poms made with yarn and a fork. First, we share how to make pom-pom love bug stickers with pre-made craft poms. Next, we describe how to make DIY pom-pom love bug crafts with a fork and yarn.
Both types of love bug pom-pom craft ideas are pictured in this post. After making a total of 48 love bugs my daughter and I have a lot of tips to share! We even included a video tutorial to make it even easier to make lots of love bugs for Valentine’s Day.
What is a pom pom?
A pom-pom is a tuft of fibrous material that comes in a wide variety of colors and sizes. Store-bought craft poms are most often made out of an acrylic or poly material. However, wool pom-poms can also be needle felted, and pre-made wool pom-poms are available for purchase.
Homemade DIY poms can be made in a variety of ways with almost any kind of yarn. We like to make pompoms with cotton or wool yarn, but acrylic yarn can also be used. In this Valentine’s Day craft tutorial, we share how to use a fork to make homemade craft poms, but there are several other methods you can choose.
Love Bug Craft Supplies
- Pre-made craft poms, or a fork and yarn (cotton, wool, acrylic, or a blend)
- Scissors
- Pipe cleaners
- Foam heart stickers (we used THESE, or try THESE) or use regular foam hearts, but the love bugs won’t stick)
- Black and white or colored googly eyes
- Glue gun with glue sticks, craft glue, or mini glue dots
- Personalized fabric gift tag (optional)
How to Make Love Bug Stickers with Pre-made Craft Poms
Here’s a love bug Valentine craft tutorial for preschoolers and up that shares how to make a love bug pom-pom craft with pre-made craft poms. Encourage children (or adults) to make love bugs in different colors, shapes, and sizes for even more fun! Scroll down to see how to make lovebugs with homemade poms.
Step 1 – Glue a pom-pom to the top of a foam heart sticker
Craft poms and foam heart stickers come in a variety of sizes. Mix and match the colors and sizes of pom-poms in any way that works to make love bug crafts. Use a glue gun with glue sticks, craft glue, or glue dots to attach a pom-pom to the top of a foam heart sticker. Glue guns are hot and dangerous tools, while craft glue needs time to dry. Choose the best glue for your needs.
Optional: Attach a personalized fabric gift tag underneath the pom-pom when you glue it to the foam heart sticker. (Please note: This step is not shown in the love bug video tutorial.)
Step 2 – Cut, bend, and glue a section of pipe cleaner to the top of the craft pom
First, cut a section of pipe cleaner and bend it into a “V” shape. Use fingers to separate the fibers on the top of the craft pom to make room for the pipe cleaner to sit, as shown in the video. Next, use a glue gun with glue sticks, craft glue, or mini glue dots to attach the pipe cleaner to the top of the pom-pom.
Step 3 – Glue googly eyes onto the Valentine love bug craft
Glue black and white or colored googly eyes onto the face of each love bug pom-pom craft.
Step 4 – Twist the Love Bugs Antennae
Grab the tip of each pipe cleaner and twist it down to create the antenna for the love bug crafts.
Pom-Pom Love Bug Craft Video Tutorial
Related: Valentine’s Day Crafts and Gifts Kids Can Make
How to Make DIY Pom-Pom Love Bug Crafts with Homemade Poms
This step by step love bug Valentine craft tutorial shares how to make pom poms with a fork and yarn. Personally, I like making love bugs with homemade poms the best. DIY craft poms make it easy to attach the antenna of the love bugs without any glue! Use the love bug pom-pom craft tutorial below to learn how to make adorable little love bug stickers with DIY pompoms.
Step 1 – Make a DIY pom-pom with a fork and yarn
Homemade love bug pom-pom crafts can be made in a variety of ways with almost any kind of yarn. Use multiple strands of yarn, or variegated yarn, to make love bugs with multiple colors.
How to make a pom-pom love bug craft with an attached antenna:
- Cut a strand of yarn and place it between the 2nd and 3rd tine of the fork. (Shown in love bug video tutorial)
- Gather the tip of one or two strands of yarn in one hand.
- Place the strands of yarn on top of and across the fork tines.
- Wrap the strand(s) of yarn around the fork over, and over, and over again until you have a nice thick pad of yarn. Set it down on a table or work surface and snip off the excess yarn.
- Cut a 2-5 inch section of pipe cleaner and fold it into a “V” shape.
- Place the tip of the “V” shaped pipe cleaner into the yarn to sit deep in between the wrapped yarn. (shown in the video tutorial)
- Grab the yarn section between the tines of the fork and wrap it around the pad of yarn. Tie the yarn tightly together while making sure that the two sections of the pipe cleaner antennae are on either side of it.
- Carefully slide the tied pad of yarn off of the tines of the fork and turn it over. Tie it again to secure it in place.
- Use scissors to cut the loops of yarn to make it into a pom-pom.
- Give the pom-pom a haircut. Trim it with scissors so that the yarn is all approximately the same length.
- Wiggle the yarn around as your work to make it into a nice fluffy ball of yarn with a pair of antennas sticking out of the top of it.
- Twist the pipe cleaner to look like a bug’s antenna.
Step 2 – Glue homemade yarn pom to the top of a foam heart sticker
Use a glue gun with glue sticks, craft glue, or mini glue dots to attach the handmade pom-pom to the top of a foam heart stickers. Optional: Attach a personalized fabric gift tag underneath the pom-pom when you glue it to the foam heart sticker.
Step 3 – Glue googly eyes onto the face of the pom-pom love bug craft
Glue black and white or colored googly eyes onto the face of each love bug pom-pom craft. Aren’t they cute?!
Pom-Pom Love Bug Valentine Craft
These adorable pom-pom love bug craft ideas make a great gift idea for Valentine’s Day! Instead of passing out Valentine’s Day cards last year, my daughter gave each of her classmates a pom-pom love bug sticker with a personalized fabric gift tag.
The Valentine gift tag read, “Handmade with love by _________. Happy Valentine’s Day!” Of course, her name was in the black space; substitute your own! We hope you enjoy making and giving love bugs as much as we do!
More Love Bug Craft Ideas
More Valentine’s Day Crafts and Gift Ideas
- Thumbprint Heart Magnets
- Valentine’s Day Crafts and Gift Ideas Kids Can Make
- Heart Art Projects
- Watercolor Surprise Heart Art
- Hanging Heart Prism Suncatcher
- Heart Art Salt Painting
- Thumbprint Heart Necklaces
- Best Valentine’s Day Art Projects
- Hearts Falling in Love Sensory Bottle
- Thumbprint Heart Keychain and Backpack Charms
- Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Him, and for Her
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