Decorate Everyday Items with Fabric Yo-Yos

When a quilter talks about yo-yos, some non-quilters first think the person is referring to the toy yo-yos. Even though fabric yo-yos share a similar shape with toy yo-yos, they are nowhere near the same. Making fabric yo-yos is an old process used by women to make a special type of quilt. It was popular in earlier times, because it was easy for women to carry small pieces of material, thread and a needle in their apron pockets to make a fabric yo-yo when they were afforded a few free moments during their busy day. These small yo-yos (mostly round shaped fabric resembling a flower), were then sewn together to make a quilt. It took many fabric yo-yos to make a quilt, but you can make and use just a few to decorate everyday items.

How to Make Fabric Yo-Yos

An article entitled, Recycle Old Clothing to Create a Stylish Yo-Yo Necklace, gives simple instructions on how to make fabric yo-yos. However, many other websites and books give visual, verbal and written instructions on how to construct fabric yo-yos. Many of these also provide patterns or templates.

The blog, Letsgetshabby, explains how to make a template from cardboard and provides pictures of each step of the yo-yo making process. The blog, Lazygirldesigns, displays colorful pictures of each step using a fabric yo-yo plastic template from Clover-usa, which sells various sizes and shapes of yo-yo templates. Youtube has many videos dedicated to fabric yo-yo making, which have been submitted by both novice and professional crafters. Magical Fabric Yo-Yos, by Nancy Zieman and Donna Fenske, Yo-Yos and Fabric Flowers, published by Design Originals, and Yo-Yo Dolls and Doll Quilts, by Bobbie McClure Long, are just a few books written about yo-yo making and the different ways to use them. Magical Fabric Yo-Yos also contains a 90-minute DVD entitled, Sewing With Nancy.

Items to Enhance Fabric Yo-Yos

Many items such as different kinds and sizes of buttons can be used with fabric yo-yos to expand on the yo-yo design. Other items that one can use to enhance fabric yo-yo designs include bells, glitter, ribbon, beads, fabric paints, chenille strips, rickrack, and much more.

Fabric Yo-Yos can be Used on the Following: (not an exhaustive list)

-To make dolls
-Scrapbook pages
-Greeting cards
-Bookmarks
-Book covers
-Dresses
-Jeans
-Shirts
-Skirts
-Purses/backpacks
-Outerwear
-Hair bands
-Barrettes
-Belts
-Shoes
-Pillowcases
-To make flowers to display in a vase or to frame
-Photo frames
-Pillows

Sources: Clover-usa, Youtube, Letsgetshabby, Lazygirldesigns