Supplies

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• Ball point pen

• 3” square fine grit sandpaper

• Fabric-cutting scissor

• Junk scissor

• Hand sewing needle

• Strong, quality thread

 

Instructions

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1.   Create a template.

• Create a  2 ½ʺ circle (use a compass, a glass, or method of your choice) and transfer to fine grit sandpaper. Cut it out using your junk scissor.

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2.   Cut circles from fabric.

• Place template grit side down on fabric. Draw around template with a ball point pen. Cut out using fabric-cutting scissor.

 

3.  Turn edge of fabric and create a running stitch around edge.

• Thread a hand sewing needle with strong thread and knot end, leaving a tail after the knot.

• Working with the wrong side of the fabric toward you, gently turn in approximately 1/8ʺ of the edge of the circle.

• Insert needle near edge of fabric on right side of the circle so the knot will be on the outside of the yo-yo.

• Sew a small running stitch around edge of entire circle, turning in the edge as you sew. Load as many stitches on the needele as possible before pulling the needle through, then reload. End with needle on outside of circle.

 

4.   Gather the yo-yo.

• Pull both thread ends to gather the circle tightly.

• Tuck turned edge into center, keeping the right side of fabric out as you gather the circle.

• Use the thread ends to make a secure knot. Make sure you keep the yo-yo tightly closed as you do this.

• Trim threads about 1/4ʺ from the knot.

 

5.   Finger press yo-yo flat with the “hole” in the center and tuck the thread ends between the gathers.

 

6.   To attach yo-yos to background fabric:

• Use a needle and double thread, knotted at the end. Hold the yo-yo in place with your fingers.

• Come up from underneath the block in the center of the yo-yo.

• Stitch OVER the edge of the yo-yo and back down into the background fabric, without catching the yo-yo fabric, and about 1/2” underneath the edge of the yo-yo. Then come back up through the center of the yo-yo again, pulling the stitch tight enough to pinch in the edge of the yo-yo.

• The thread should disappear into the gathers of the yo-yo. Repeat with another over-the-edge-and-underneath stitch opposite (half way around) from that first stitch, and come up again in the center of the yo-yo. Repeat two more times, dividing each half of the yo-yo in half again, and your small flower will then have four petals. Fasten thread behind each yo-yo and begin again with each new yo-yo. The yo-yos should be snuggled closely together, and some will overlap others slightly.