Looking for a fun and unique decoration idea for your next party? I recently stumbled upon a photo of popsicle garland and knew I had to recreate it. This DIY pool noodle popsicle garland is incredibly creative and surprisingly simple to make. Get ready to add a splash of color to your graduation party, summer bash, or any festive gathering!
I explored several techniques for assembling this garland, and I’m excited to share what worked best for me, along with a few alternative ideas you might find useful.
Gathering Your Sweet Supplies
Here’s what you’ll need to create your own vibrant popsicle garland:
- Pool Noodles: The star of the show!
- Knife & Cutting Board: For clean cuts.
- Hot Glue Gun: For multi-colored popsicles and secure attachments.
- White Duct Tape: A great alternative for color or securing.
- Twine: Or fishing line, ribbon, or wire for stringing.
- Skewer: Your “needle” for threading.
- Scotch Tape: To help with threading.
- Scissors: Handy for slits and cuts.
- Popsicle Sticks: To complete the look!
Dive into the Details of Your Supplies
Pool Noodles: A Rainbow of Possibilities
You can find pool noodles at Walmart, Dollar General, Amazon, and many other stores. While I opted for a classic red, white, and blue theme, you can choose any colors to match your party décor. Keep in mind that pool noodles come in different widths; if you’re planning on creating multi-colored popsicles, it’s best to use noodles with the same diameter for a seamless look. (Mine, unfortunately, weren’t all the same!)
Finding white pool noodles can be a bit tricky. If you can’t find the exact color you want, don’t fret! Duct tape is your secret weapon. One tutorial I found brilliantly used duct tape to create a variety of colors, which can save you a step if you’re going for a multi-colored design.
The Right Knife for the Job
You’ll need something to cut your pool noodles. While a box cutter or scissors might seem like options, I found them less effective. My box cutter blade wasn’t long enough, and scissors were just plain difficult! My best success came from using a serrated bread knife from the kitchen. The serrated edge makes cutting easier, and a long blade helps you achieve a straight, clean cut.
When using a knife, I highly recommend using a cutting board. Treat the pool noodle like a loaf of bread: cut perpendicular to the noodle, using a sawing motion straight down to the board.
Hot Glue Gun: The Key to Seamless Popsicles
A hot glue gun is essential for creating multi-colored popsicles by joining different noodle sections. You’ll also want it for attaching “double popsicles” (two noodle pieces side-by-side) to ensure they look like one cohesive unit. Gluing them together prevents an awkward gap, which you can see in some of my early attempts!
Duct Tape: A Versatile Helper
If you’re making multi-colored popsicles, consider using duct tape instead of cutting and hot-gluing multiple pool noodle sections. This can significantly reduce the number of steps and might be your only option if you can’t find pool noodles in your desired colors.
Twine (or Your Preferred Stringing Material)
I used twine for my garland, but you could easily use fishing line, ribbon, wire, or even sturdy thread. Choose whatever best suits your aesthetic and durability needs.
Skewer: Your Threading Assistant
I used a skewer like a large needle to thread the pool noodles onto the twine. If you have a large crafting needle, that would work perfectly too!
Scotch Tape: A Simple Trick
To attach the pool noodle popsicles to the twine, I simply taped the twine to the end of the skewer with Scotch tape. Then, I gently stabbed the skewer through the back of each pool noodle. I found it helpful to lay out the noodles in the order I wanted them on the table, which allowed me to insert the skewer at a consistent height for each one. Once the twine was through, I just snipped the Scotch tape.
Scissors: For the Finishing Touch
After the garland was assembled, I used scissors to create the slit for the popsicle sticks. Just stab one blade into the bottom of the pool noodle to make a small opening.
Popsicle Sticks: The Perfect Finish
Once you’ve made the slit with your scissors, simply insert a popsicle stick into the opening. It’s that easy!
Assembling Your Sweet Garland: A Quick Recap
Here’s a breakdown of the assembly process:
- Cut your pool noodles to size. I eyeballed the proportions, aiming for the pool noodle to be about two-thirds of the popsicle’s total length (the remaining third being the stick). This “rule of thirds” helps keep things in proportion and visually appealing.
- Thread the noodles. Tape your twine to the end of a skewer and use the skewer to thread the pool noodles onto the twine. You can mix and match single and double popsicles, and even create multi-colored ones by cutting different noodle sections and arranging them accordingly.
- Add the popsicle sticks. Once the pool noodles are on the twine, use a scissor blade to create a small slit in the bottom of each pool noodle. Then, insert a popsicle stick into the slit.
Pro-tip: Some tutorials suggest using duct tape to attach the pool noodles to the twine if you prefer not to thread them. Others used hot glue to secure the popsicle sticks by adding a dollop of glue inside the noodle’s hole before inserting the stick. Experiment to see what works best for you!
Watch Me Make One On Hello Iowa
Time to Hang Your Sweet Creation!
Once your pool noodle popsicle garland is complete, it’s time to display it! You can tie the ends of the twine to something or use thumb tacks to hold them in place. This garland would look absolutely fantastic displayed over your food table, draped along the fence around your pool, or as a cheerful accent along the edge of a buffet table.
More Ideas!
Love red, white, and blue? Check out some other patriotic DIY decor ideas HERE and HERE.
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