Makin' Yo-Yo's..........Yo-Yo Tutorial

A Yo-Yo is made from a circle of fabric, (your choice of size), and is gathered into a circle, that becomes half ithe size of the original circle. These were first popular during the 1930's, and women made entire quilts, pillows, etc from them.

This is my way of making them, which I think works out pretty well. I don’t like using the Clover tool to make Yo-Yo’s, but some people love this tool. I feel it’s too clumsy and takes too long.

All you need to make them is a circle pattern (mine is approximately 3 inches in diameter- it makes a 1 ½ inch diameter finished Yo-Yo);  Needle, thread, and scissors.

Thread your needle, making sure your thread is doubled, and make a knot in the end.

Turn your fabric circle, wrong side facing you, and turn a 1/4 inch of the edge of the fabric to the wrong side– see photo. Insert needle from the wrong side up into the right side at the very edge- approximately 1/8 inch from the edge. This is critical, because you’re going to sew a running stitch all along this edge- 1/8 inch from the folded edge. You want to do this because it will make a difference in how your finished Yo-Yo looks. 

 If you don’t sew it close to the folded edge, the center of the Yo-Yo will be bunched up in the middle. I think the Yo-Yo’s look best when the center is all even, and it’s okay if there is a sort of "hole" left in the middle when you’re done. (You’ll see this in photos below.)

While sewing around the circle, you can gather it as you go, and also punch in the middle of it. When you get to the starting point, end with the needle going from the inside to the OUTSIDE of the circle.

 

 Pull thread tightly to gather, and also flatten the circle as you go, making sure all sides are equal –i.e. the center gathers end up in the very middle of the Yo-Yo. 

 

Again, pull tightly, and sew several tack stitches up and down through the gathers to secure.

 

 

End with needle on back of Yo-Yo and secure some stitches and tie a knot to end.

 

(**Please note:  I've made these assuming you'll be placing them face up  onto another piece of fabric.  If you are going to attach them side by side, without a fabric underneath, don't sew a securing stitch underneath as I have, but secure your ends on the top, somewhere through the gathered fabric.**) 

 

Note how the Yo-Yo is now flattened. Have fun making your Yo-Yo’s. (I’ve got a little secret for you– I’m using these in a new project– coming soon!)

 

Installing Gripper Snaps with Spool & Hammer- Tutorial

Okay, Here's the scoop:   I looked all over the internet, and DID NOT FIND one good tutorial on how to install these little snaps with a hammer and spool.  There's tons of tutorials that show how to use a tool to grip it together.  I've never used one.  I've been doing it MY way for a gazillion years and it works.

STEP 1: GATHER MATERIALS.

Hammer, Spool- wooden if you have one, plastic will do.

Hard surface.  I use a piece of leftover flooring.  Any board will do.

Thing your snapping to-- usually fabric!

Snaps-- Your parts will be:  1 top with prongs;  one bottom-- looks lit it sticks up in the middle;  one prong ring, and another ring- with hole in middle for snap to go into.  These are usually sold in packages, and usually have instructions how to do this, but I bought mine so long ago, I no longer have the package.

Snap parts.  See how the top piece has prongs, and the prong ring has prongs.

The prongs will be pushed into the cavities on the other pieces.

Another photo of snap parts.

STEP 2:  PREPARE FABRIC.

Highly recommend you use interfacing inside the fabric you're going to attach snap to.

You want to have some "meat" in there-- If you don't you'll just be attaching the very strong snap to a flimsy piece of fabric and when you snap and unsnap a few times, the fabric will tear.

Use a midweight fusible interfacing.

When the strap is sewn and turned inside out, there is a good FOUR layers  for the snap to be attached to.

Wristlet strap, ready for snaps!

STEP 3:  FIND AND MARK WHERE YOU WANT SNAP, AND PUSH PRONGED END THROUGH FABRIC.  We're going to attach the top one first- the one that has the button looking plastic on top.

Use your fingernail to push prongs through the fabric.

This is the underside piece that's getting attached to the "button" side.

Line up the prongs so that they will fit into the cavity/grooves.

Check to make sure they are in the right place before hammering.

STEP 4:  GET SPOOL.

Now, get your spool ready.  See the hole in the spool?

Carefully place this over the part of the snap that's sticking up,

without moving anything.  Sometimes this takes a light touch.

Here's how it looks from the side when everything's lined up:

How it looks before compression.

STEP 5:  GET YOUR HAMMER, AND WHACK IT!

Make sure everything's lined up, and that you're on a hard surface,

and whack (hit) the top of the spool reall good with your hammer.

Careful!  Don't hit your fingers!

Everything should compress together nicely.

How it looks after compression.

Check and see if you can press your fingernail into the area between the snap and the fabric.

If you can't, snap is installed correctly.

If it's not, line up your spool again, and give it another whack!

If all is well, proceed with remaining pieces, making sure you've got the sides lined up right- nothing twisted, so that it will fit right.

Other end.  In construction language-- it's the "female"snap piece.

Underside of "female" snap, held in place with the prong ring.

Snap pieces in place.

Check to make sure it snaps together.  This one does, so we're finished!

And, if you happen to make a mistake, you CAN

take it apart.  Use a flathead screwdriver, and carefully pry it apart.

Hope this helps anyone out there who doesn't want to buy a tool to

install these snaps!