One of my favorite crafty/quilty projects is the ever classic yo-yo. I love how all it takes is a scrap of fabric and a few minutes to stitch it up into the cutest little thing, and then add that cute little thing to a project and you have something extra special.
Clover has all the tools to make these in just about any size, so whether you are making a whole quilt out of them or simply adding to a smaller project, you can be ready to stitch in no time.
To make the Yo-yo pillow cover that measures 15×10.5 you will need:
- 15 4×4 inch fabrics to make yo-yos
- Pillow cover fabric 16″ x 11.5″
- Pillow envelope back 11.5″ x 9.5″ and 11.5″ x 10.5″
- Clover Yo-Yo Maker (Large) – Art. No 8701
- Wonder Clips – Art. No 3183
- Needle, thread, glue stick, scissors and sewing machine for assembly
I’ve decided to go with the 45mm size, with finished yo-yos coming out at about 1 ¾ inches. Take your first 4×4 scrap of fabric, snap between the yo-yo maker parts with right side facing the visible side. Roughly trim excess fabric leaving a small edge to sew under. I’ve used a basic sewing needle and have knotted my thread and am ready to sew. The holes on the edge guide the needle and make this such an easy craft that even the youngest of crafters can stitch these up in no time.
You can find a helpful video tutorial on Clover’s YouTube channel.
When finished stitching around the circle shape, simply pop the disks apart and remove your stitched fabric. Gently pull the end of your thread to gather your fabric into a perfect yo-yo shape.
To secure my thread, I make a knot and pull the needle and knot through the back of the yo-yo, popping the knot through the back, trim the thread leaving a tail. Repeat to make 15 yo-yos.
Once you’ve made all your yo-yos, iron your pillow front and arrange them in rows, keeping your generous seam allowance in mind. I used a glue stick to hold them in place as I appliquéd them to the cover which held them surprisingly well.
To appliqué, hold a yo-yo in place and insert needle through the back of the pillow cover and up through the very edge of the yo-yo, with your needle now on the top side of the pillow cover, appliqué along the edge of the yo-yo catching the backing fabric just under the yo-yo and making sure to catch the edge of your yo-yo as you sew. Pull needle through to back when finished stitching and knot thread.
Once all yo-yos are sewn into place I finished the pillow cover with a simple envelope fold backing. For backing, fold over one 11.5 edge of each back panel and sew a seam with your sewing machine to make a clean edge. Place yo-yo pillow front facing right side up, place one back panel facing right side down followed by the other panel facing down so the sewn edges overlap. Use Clover Wonder Clips to hold in place, spacing about two inches apart. Using a generous ¼ seam allowance, sew around pillow, going back over the section where the back panels meet. Turn right side out and push corners flat using a turning tool.
Insert a 15×10.5 pillow form and you have the cutest little pillow in just under a few hours. Perfect project for a rainy day and makes a sweet gift.
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