Okay, so when I was in first grade or so, my friends and I learned to make these cute little stocking caps for our trees, and I think we must have made nearly a hundred. Then last year, I wanted something small to go with some cookies I was handing to coworkers, remembered these, and they were a big hit. I couldn't believe how many people had never seen them before.
I made some more this year, and while there are tutorials out there, none had enough pictures for my liking, and I'm a very visual person. So here is my Christmas gift for you craftsters who have expressed an interest.
Here is a sneak peak of the finished product:
The supplies you need are as follows:
Yarn
Scissors
Toilet Paper Tube or similar card board tube
A template to wrap your yarn around (I used a folded scrabble game board, card board will work just fine)
Start by wrapping your yarn around your template. You'll need at least 46 strands of yarn total for one hat. Once you've got it wrapped, just cut down the center with your scissors, and voila! All your strands, all a good length.
You will also need to cut a ring from the end of your cardboard tube. I usually make it about 1/2-3/4 of an inch wide.
To start assembling your ornament, fold one length of your yarn in half, and thread the looped end through your card board ring.
Bring your two tail ends up over the outside of the ring, and thread them through your loop.
Tighten your knot. The knot should sit along the edge of your cardboard ring.
Continue this with each strand of yarn, until the whole ring is covered by yarn.
Now, your tails of all of the yarn will be hanging down below your knots. Push all of the loose yarn up through the cardboard ring, so the knots are on the bottom, but the tails are all sticking up through the top.
Try to straighten out your yarn as much as possible so that it's all hanging straight, and you've got no curls or loops. Once you've accomplished this, take an extra length of yarn, and tie a double knot around your loose ends. This will be where the 'pompom' of your cap will meet the top of the cap itself. Make sure to tie this as tightly as you can.
Tie another double knot towards the end of your loose strands. This will create the loop by which you can hang your ornament.
Now it's time to shape the 'pompom' part of your hat. I very simply use a scissors and trim the loose yarn from the top of the hat in a single half-circular motion.
Then, I will turn the hat 180 degrees, and do the same thing, before giving it a general trimming until I achieve the shape I'm looking for.
As a last step, I usually stuff the hat with some scrap fabric or even a balled up (clean!) tissue. It gives the hat some durability and shape.
And there you have it!
Alright, that was my very first tutorial. How did I do?
) advertising by donating a challenge prize! 
