FABRIC YO YO TUTORIAL

Hi all.... as promised, here's my short little fabric yo yo tutorial. Pictures first, then will explain:

I'm using the pretty Chantilly textiles yellow polka dot fabric for this yo yo.  My pink yo yo was some other scrap fabric I already had.

Instructions start at the top row, to the right, then second row, the the right, then third row to the right.

1. Cut a 2" circle of fabric.  I used the lid to a vitamin bottle for a circle.

2.  Thread your needle with double thread and tie a knot on the end. Begin sewing around the edge of the circle, fairly close to the edge, with a running straight stitch (doesn't have to be real even or perfect). Under, over, under, over. Have the wrong side of the fabric facing you. On most traditional yo yos, you turn under the edge and sew the straight stitch on a turned edge. This is harder and more time consuming, but you don't need to do this because the raw edge here will be covered with a button or gem.  This makes it much easier!

3.  Sew all the way around. Then pull up the fabric to gather it. I usually do this with the wrong side of the fabric facing me.  When gathered, the right side of the fabric should be on the outside. Make little adjustments so that the circle is even and kind of flatten it out. You can kind of poke your finger into the little puff to make it lay down flat.

4. The needle is still threaded, so once you have the yo yo the way you like it, run the needle and thread through some of the gathers to the back a few times, to tack down the gathers, then knot the thread on the back and cut tail off.

5.  I lay the yo yo down with gathered side up, and kind of pull and adjust so it's nice and even. I use a little wood roller to kind of press it and set in the gathers.

6.  Voila! you're done!  Now cover the middle gathers with a cute button, gem or ribbon bow.

You can make any size.. the finished size is about half the size of the original circle.  There are some good tutorials on YouTube, but remember, you don't have to turn the edges on these, as it doesn't matter that there are raw edges because we cover them with a button, etc.

HAVE FUN! These fabric yo yos can also be used on your paper projects, scrapbook pages and cards.  Idea: how about putting some little bitty yo yos on the CTMH Drawstring Muslin Bags??? I'm going to try that!