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!)

 

I Am Still Missing Her.......A Memory Quilt

~~ Dottie Rose ~~

~~~

Grief is a funny thing. You think you have things under control, you’re going along well,

or so you think. Then something triggers the sad feelings that come, and you suddenly realize you’re not in control. It’s like waves of the sea that you don’t see coming, and boom- you’re engulfed. No way to get out of it now. So there you are.

Once you’re there, hopefully you can find a way to console yourself, because there’s really no one else who can. Everyone will experience grief at some point in their lives, so you’re not alone, but grieving is a very personal experience. You want out of it, you don’t want to go back to that first initial shock wave, and you slowly recover from it, but it does eventually come back.

 I try not to fight it. I try to ride this wave. I try to find things that perhaps might make me feel better, somehow.  Today, it’s just looking at pictures of Her. And pictures of a quilt I made for her, which I’m so glad I did. I want to share this with you.

 The quilt idea is from Wendy Etzel’s book called The Collectibles Quilt. (Don’t know if you can still get a copy of this, but here’s the info on it: RCW Publishing Company, 1995, Wendy Etzel; Rebecca C. Wilber Publishing company, RR #3 Old Post Lane, Columbia Cross Roads, Pennsylvania 16914-9535; ISBN: 0-9627646 9-8.) I fell in love with this quilt book and it looked like a fun project.

I made a list about what things were my mother’s favorites: movie stars, food, vacation spots, clothing, flowers, books, quilt block, hobbies, etc. I sent her the list in the mail and she wrote her answers on the page. ( I kept the list for myself as part of the quilt documentation.) Then I set to work, adding my own things into the quilt, from my memories of her at home.

I love how this turned out. The pictures are horrible, as I had only a 1 or 2 megapixel camera at the time, but I think you can get the idea of how it turned out. It is such a precious keepsake. It is a great way to remember someone in this way.

So this is how I have comforted my self today, remembering Her, and how great a time I had communicating with her about her "Favorite Things". I think the worst we can do to people is not remember them when they are gone. The best we can do is create memorials about them or to them when they are gone. I hope you enjoy this memorial of Her..........And think about making your own quilt for your loved one while they are still here.